1. What is The Remediation Plus
System?
The R+ System is a language program designed for children and
adults, who struggle with Reading, Writing, Spelling and Handwriting.
It is a multi-sensory, systematic, phonological curriculum,
based on a number of theories of reading research. It honours
the multi-sensory theories and methodology of the late Dr. Samuel
Orton and his research partner, the Quaker educator, Anna Gillingham.
R+ also follows the Lindamood practice of phoneme segmentation
and sequencing - elements of all successful Reading and Spelling
programs. The handwriting theories of Beth Slingerland, are
incorporated in order to treat dysgraphia. R+ is science based
and its methods are backed by the considerable research of The
American National Institute of Health. This Institute has empirically
proven that giving students, who struggle with Reading and Spelling,
phonological awareness training impacts positively and powerfully
on their Reading and Spelling skills.
2. What is a Multi-Sensory Approach?
Using a multi-sensory approach means helping a student to learn
through more than one of the senses. Most teaching in Ontario
schools is done using either sight or hearing. However, dyslexic
children may experience difficulties with one or both of these
senses.Vision may be affected by difficulties with tracking
or visual processing and while hearing may be satisfactory on
a hearing test, auditory memory or auditory processing may be
weak. When a child uses more of his/her senses, especially the
use of touch and movement (kinetic), other areas of the brain
are stimulated. The result for the student establishes clear
memories of phonemes which are essential for reading fluency.
3. What is Phonemic Awareness Instruction?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to segment words into their
component sounds.
A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in the English language
that can be recognised as being distinct from other sounds.
Phonemic awareness instruction is an essential first step in
learning how to read for students with a reading disability.
4. What is Phonological Awareness?
It is the ability to notice, think about or manipulate the individual
sounds in words. Phonological Awareness is a skill which can
be improved with direct training and practise.
5. What is a Reading Disorder?
The most well-known type of reading disorder is The Word Level
Reading Recognition Disability (WLRD).This is also known as
dyslexia. Dyslexia is a neurologically based condition which
is characterized by difficulty understanding and applying the
alphabetic principle. The alphabetic principle is the ability
to understand that letters are used to represent speech sounds
and that there is a systematic and predictable relationship
between written letters and spoken words.
Research now shows that reading disorders can be considerably
reduced by good quality, early intervention. To that end, both
the UK and the USA have legislated phonemic awarness instruction
for their emergent (kindergarten) readers. Canada, to date,
has not done so.
6. What is Dyslexia?
The following definition is taken from The International Dyslexia
Association Ontario Branch:
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological
in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate
and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding
abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit
in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected
in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of
effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may
include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading
experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background
knowledge. In Ontario, dyslexic students may be identified by
the Ministry of Education as Learning Disabled with a Communication
Exception. The terms Specific Reading Disability, Specific Spelling
Disability or Specific Writing Disability may also be used.
Many people refer to dyslexia simply as a reading disability.Dyslexia
may present with varying degrees of severity.
7. What is the cause of Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is neurological in origin. The exact causes of dyslexia
are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery
studies show differences in the way the brain of a dyslexic
person develops and functions. Typically, dyslexics have problems
with phonological awareness.
8. How common
is Dyslexia?
It is estimated that 15-20% of the population has dyslexia.
In Canada that’s an estimated 5 million people. In every
classroom there are likely 4 or 5 students who have difficulty
reading and writing. Dyslexia affects males and females almost
equally.
9. What is the Difference between the terms Dyslexia and Learning
Disability?
Dyslexia is a type of learning disability (LD) and
represents the vast majority of all LD’s. An individual
can have more than one type of learning disability.Fortunately,
dyslexia is considered highly responsive to appropriate treatment.
10. What type of Reading Program is best for my child?
The International Dyslexia Association recommends that
a reading program be based on a multisensory structured language
approach.(The following information has been taken from the
International Dyslexia Association’s website)
The content of the reading program must contain the following:
• Phonological Awareness: the ability
to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds –
phonemes – in spoken words.
° Examples identifying the beginning sound in dog as
/d/
° Combining, or blending, the separate sounds in a word
to say the word: (/m/, /a/, /p/ ? “map”)
° Breaking, or segmenting, a word into its separate sounds:
(“up” : /u/, /p/)
• Phonological Awareness also includes
work with rhymes, and syllables.
• Sound-Symbol Association:
the knowledge of the various sounds in the English language
and their correspondence to the letters and combinations of
letters which represent those sounds. Sound-Symbol association
must be taught (and mastered) in two directions: visual to
auditory and auditory to visual.
• Morphology: the study and description
of word formation (for example: prefix + base + suffix)
• Syntax: this includes grammar and
the mechanics of language
• Semantics: the comprehension of written
language.
The reading program must be based on the following principles:
• Simultaneous and Multisensory: All
learning pathways in the brain (visual, auditory, kinesthetic,
tactile) are stimulated simultaneously in order to enhance
memory and learning.
• Systematic and Cumulative: The organization
of the material follows a logical sequence starting with the
easiest and most basic elements and progressing methodically
to more difficult material. Each step is based on those already
taught and concepts are systematically reviewed to strengthen
retention.
• Direct Instruction: Instruction requires
direct student-to-teacher interaction.
• Diagnostic Teaching: The teacher
must be adept at prescriptive or individualized teaching.
The teaching plan is based on careful and continuous assessment
of the student’s needs.
• Synthetic and Analytic Instruction:
The program includes both synthetic and analytic instruction.
Synthetic instruction presents the parts of the language and
then teaches how the parts work together to form a whole.
Analytic instruction presents the whole and teaches how this
can be broken down into its component parts.
The Remediation Plus Language System meets all these requirements
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