My background spans the areas of physical education, adapted physical education, coaching, exercise physiology, respiratory, research methodology, statistics, genetics (B.P.E, M.P.E., MSc, PhD). I am a certified OG language and math practitioner. I have taught from kindergarten level to undergraduate university courses. I took the Orton Gillingham language and math courses in 2010 to further help my older son with severe dyslexia and processing disorder and his younger brother. I had been told to hold my younger son back one year from attending kindergarten because of his dyslexia. I was lucky, I had a great support system (my son’s speech pathologist and nurse from Coastal Health) and some great people from CATT. I was not the first mother with a dyslexic son to take such an active role in my child’s learning, there are many others who have done the same. I sometimes feel bad that I did not take the Orton Gillingham training earlier and been more active with my older dyslexic son at an earlier age.
I am here to share with you that children are a sponge and sometimes all that is needed is to think out of the box and offer them a supportive learning environment that they can excel in. Help them learn the basics (reading, spelling, writing and arithmetic) and be able to express themselves.
The Orton Gillingham approach helped both my dyslexic sons to read, spell and write. More importantly the Orton Gillingham approach and understanding of my older son’s strengths allowed him to have the future he never thought would be possible. His dreams did not have to be just unattainable dreams because he had dyslexia and a processing disorder but goals to work towards and achieve…..just like the aspirations of any other child. His route was not the traditional one for completing high school, but one which allowed him to work with his strengths. He is now attending his first choice post-secondary school and received a presidential scholarship with his acceptance.
