Questions about fluency programs

Wondering if anyone could recommend a fluency program for 11 year old.

Phonome awareness in place, decoding above grade level, sight word base good. Previously tested as double-deficit dyslexic with rapid naming, also diagnosed with written language disability.

Completed all Lindamood programs (LIPs, Seeing Stars and V/V)and vision therapy. All is in place, yet fluency is still a problem!

Rapid naming did increase after Seeing Stars.

Will fluency come in time? Or should I look at Read Naturally, or Great Leaps?

Just read about these in Sally Shayowitz's book. Any recommendations?

The middle school level of Great Leaps cover several years worth of reading levels at just over $100. Read Naturally may be good, but it is $100 per reading grade level. So I'd certainly recommend Great Leaps for anyone buying a fluency program for home use. If the child is not decoding single words fluently, then I'd probably start out with Phyllis Fischers' Multi-Sequence Speed Drills first.

http://www.oxtonhouse.com/Fluency/SpDrills/spdrills.html

Janis

When did your son complete LMB and VT? I'm thinking that even with decoding and vision remediated, fluency can still take some kids a long time to develop (like writing). Although then there's the question, what is an average or reasonable time frame for fluency to develop when there's a daily reading schedule in place and plenty of practice?

I tried to do Great Leaps with my son 2 summers ago, but it really was too soon. The program however was easy to use and it did help somewhat, even though he still needed help with decoding.

He is now enrolled (4th grade) at a special school for children with reading disabiltiies (also mentioned in Shaywitz's book - in fact the school specifically cites her ressearch when they explain how they chose their curriculum). The program they use is called Preventing Academic Failure (http://pafprogram.com/)

My son brings home reading homework everyday that is very similar to what we did in Great leaps. Word lists, phrases and short stories that build on what they've done in school. He reads these pages in school and then again 2-3 times at home every day. While we don't time him (ala great leaps) its clear that the repetition of words he can easily decode is designed to make it more automatic and help him achieve fluency.

Long winded answer to your question: I'd defnitely look at Greap Leaps. And also maybe the PAF materials to see what they offer even though we don't hear much about PAF on this board.

Read Right - The initial consultation was $90, books and tape recorder (ours to keep) was $222. There is a $100 refundable deposit on the tapes. Then the tutoring is $38 per session for dual tutoring $48 for one-on-one. So roughly it has been $100 a week since July, but he is almost finished and reading on a 7th/8th grade level. I have not had any testing done since we ditched the public school. But he was only reading at a 3rd-4th grade level. I was at a conference and heard the founder of Read Right speak. Like us, she is a mother whose son couldn't read. Her research led her the methods she uses. One analogy they use is an iceberg. All the decoding we have done is above the surface...then there is so much the brain does that is unseen to us. I use a bicycle analogy. My son know about handlebars and pedals and how to move his legs. Now he need to get on the bike and ride. We just never had much success reading anything of length. With Read Right he reads for an hour each lesson and on the other days on his own. He reads three and four page stories when before I could only get a few paragraphs. Plus, it is all in his own hands. I listen from a distance. Now, keep in mind that he is 16 and has had many interventions, including my own attempts. This is our last deal. In all honesty, his problems are complex and I guess I am accepting that reading will never be that easy. The amount of reading required even in his special ed school is beyond the hours in a day. So we still use books on tape, etc. Still, we feel that Read Right has given him confidence and fluency and he is reading more and more things on his own. We expect that Read Right will end soon and then we'll see how he does. I do think it is worth looking at and with their money-back guarantee, a better risk than some of the programs we looked at. Even my very skeptical husband is happy with the results he has seen and our son likes his lessons, too!!

I thought SPIRE topped out at 6-7th grade reading level??

You'll see many fluency instruction interventions stopping at about the 7th grade level. Once one becomes an independent reader (according to behaviorist theory) the environment takes over. It becomes the mentor's job to motivate....Hope that helps, Ken

author - Great Leaps