We have fantastic news! Our training program and curriculum have been officially accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). With these important seals of approval, Kendore Learning and Syllables Learning Center join the elite ranks of programs across the country recognized to help students overcome dyslexia and related issues.

The IMSLEC and IDA Accreditation Process

During the accreditation process, IMSLEC and IDA conducted an in-depth review of Kendore Learning’s Orton-Gillingham based structured language curriculum, which is used one-on-one at Syllables Learning Center and in classrooms across the nation through our Kendore teacher training program. In addition to scrutinizing all curriculum content for completeness and efficacy, the governing bodies examined our staff credentials, facilities, and operational procedures.

The two-year accreditation process was capped off by an onsite visit by members of the IMSLEC team, who spent several days with us to observe how we work with students and train teachers. Since the review team consisted of professionals who work for other IMSLEC/IDA certified programs, it provided us with an excellent opportunity to exchange information, receive validation about the quality of our program, and to form lasting relationships with like-minded colleagues from other well-respected programs.

What IMSLEC and IDA Accreditation Means for our Students and Teachers

Parents who send their children to Syllables Learning Center can rest assured that their child is receiving the highest level of reading therapy available. Teachers who are training by Kendore Learning know that our training and curriculum meet well-defined educational standards. Our curriculum, staff, and facilities have been rigorously examined throughout the two-year IMSLEC and IDA Accreditation process and we are thrilled that we have passed with flying colors and high accolades!

Learn More About IMSLEC

Learn More About IDA

Workshop: Retention Prevention
Thursday, January 25th
7:00 – 8:30 pm
Syllables Learning Center
12755 Century Drive, Suite C
Alpharetta, GA 30009
Register

Standardized testing season is about to begin. With the Georgia Milestones right around the corner, schools are already evaluating student progress and creating a short list of students at risk of being retained. If you are concerned about your child’s progress, now is the time to determine where your child stands and develop a plan. Waiting until standardized test results come in will not give you the time you need to reverse your child’s trajectory.

Communicate with your child’s teachers now about your concerns. Make conversations productive by being as specific as possible. Telling a teacher, “My child can’t seem to answer basic questions about what she’s just read,” or asking “Should it take her 45 minutes to complete her math homework?” will start a more productive dialog than simply asking, “How is my child doing?” Keep a notebook with a running list of questions and concerns that arise when your child is doing their homework or when papers come home from school. A positive, collaborative line of communication between you and your child’s teacher will help prevent any surprises from cropping up at the end of the school year.

If you would like more strategies to help your student, please join Syllables Executive Director Jennifer Hasser on the evening of January 25^th for Retention Prevention: What You Need to Know Before Standardized Testing. The workshop is free, but please register.

To learn more about the impacts of retention, watch the short video below:

 

 

 

You know the feeling.

If you are the parent of a student with reading challenges, you’ve been there.

You’ve held your child who sobs, “I’m dumb,” while you ache with frustration that the world can’t see the brilliance you know is there.

You’ve eagerly scanned the classroom bulletin board, then stopped in your tracks when you realize that the scruffy paper with the poor handwriting belongs to your child. Your heart has broken with the realization that your child feels this spotlight of shame every day.

You’ve grinned at the “helpful” moms who offer up suggestions while inside you want to scream.

You’ve endured conferences where you’ve been told to “work with your child at home,” as if more of what’s not working will somehow make a difference (or as if some negligence on your part caused the problem in the first place).

What if it didn’t have to be this way?

Imagine a world that looks like this:

Classroom teachers are given the tools and support to effectively teach all children to read.

Every student leaves the classroom each day feeling smart, empowered, and excited about school.

Children who learn differently never struggle and typical learners are able to soar.

Families do not have to choose between help for their child and basic necessities.

This is a realistic dream, and it’s the dream of Kendore Cares.

Kendore Cares is a new nonprofit organization that brings the strategies and curriculum of Syllables Learning Center into the classroom. It’s a proven system of reaching struggling readers before they struggle and of helping all children reach their fullest potential.

The consequences are too dire to ignore!

Reading forms the foundation for learning throughout life. Yet 15 to 20 percent of all school-aged children have reading problems, many of which go undiagnosed. We know that unaddressed reading issues result in dire consequences for individuals, families, and communities:

Children who cannot read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school.

Two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare.

Help us provide the solution.

Maybe this cause is personal to you – perhaps you are a parent who has agonized while your child has struggled. Maybe you’ve been able to get your child the help they need, but you realize that not all are so fortunate. Maybe you have thought time and time again, “there’s got to be a way to help my child at school in a classroom setting.” Perhaps you are not personally affected by reading struggles, but you are compelled by the stories or statistics of those who are.

We invite you to help. Please join us on March 3^rd for our inaugural event, Gin&Phonics. You will learn more about Kendore Cares, and you will be given the opportunity to make a difference. You will also experience a lively evening of fun, food, and entertainment and you will leave feeling excited about the opportunities that await all children of Georgia.

Learn More About Gin&Phonics

Learn More About Kendore Cares

It seems like just yesterday that we stored backpacks in coat closets and turned off our kids’ alarm clocks. Summer has flown by quickly — store shelves are now filled with shiny new school supplies and the back-to-school countdown has begun.

Anticipating the start of school can be stressful, particularly for children who have a hard time with new routines. But with a little advanced preparation now, you can make the back-to-school transition easier on your kids…and yourself!

Seven things you can do NOW to avoid back-to-school chaos

Why Do Children Experience b d Confusion?

To understand b d reversals, it helps to think about how we learn to label objects. When children are very young and beginning to acquire language, the first thing they learn is to associate names with objects. They learn that a ball is a ball, a cup is a cup, and so on. They also learn that no matter how they view an object, its name typically does not change — a cup is still a cup whether it’s on the table or upside down on the floor.

When we introduce letters to children, things get a bit more tricky. Thankfully, most letters look unique, making them easier to associate with their name. For instance, y, k, f, and e all look different. They can be identified even if they are viewed backward or on their side. This is not so for b and d. They are mirror images that look so similar that they are difficult to tell apart. Furthermore, if these tricky twins are flipped upside down, p and q become involved!

It is important to note that b d confusion is NOT a phonics issue — children do not say “mom and bab” instead of “mom and dad.” They are not confusing the sounds, they are visually confusing their symbols.

Most children under age seven make occasional b d reversals. This is not a concern and will correct itself over time. But children with learning issues, including dyslexia, can have b d confusion that persists past the age where children begin to accurately discriminate between b and d.

How to Correct b d Reversals

The most effective way to promote learning is through frequency, intensity, and duration. In other words, the best way to correct b d reversals is to spend time with b and d! Students should be taught correct mouth formation when each sound is made and they should be exposed to b d discrimination activities repeatedly over time. Kendore Learning’s dabboo hand tattoos intensely reinforce b d identification over a period of several days. To learn more b d reversal remedies and to learn a helpful b d fingerplay, watch the videos below.

 

 

Dyslexia Awareness Month was busy and exciting — with events taking place across the nation. It was a time to reflect on the importance of literacy education, raise much needed funding, and come together as a community to support those with dyslexia.

Here in Georgia we were proud to sponsor the annual Dyslexia Dash. On a personal note, it was rewarding for me to see an event I started years ago grow into a powerful force in providing funding and community support for literacy initiatives.

On a national level, I was honored to lead a workshop at the International Dyslexia Association Annual Conference in Dallas. Hundreds of educators attended our session to learn about the importance of multisensory education (and to discover the benefits of the Ghost Poop Relay!!). It is inspiring to meet people from across the nation who have devoted their lives and careers to helping people with dyslexia.

The month has ended, but its benefits continue.

— Jennifer Hasser, Kendore Learning and Syllables Learning Center Executive Director

Mastering hard and soft c and g rules is an advanced skill that yields significant rewards. Beginning readers frequently encounter hard c and g sounds as they learn single syllable words (for example: cat, cloud, go, and glow). However, soft c and g are often found in Greek and Latin roots so they tend to appear in more complex, multi-syllabic words. Understanding how to decode c and g enables students to read very complex words (for example: biological and circumspect).

Hard and Soft C and G Rules

When c is in front of an i, y, or e, it is soft and says /s/. For example: city, cycle, and race.
When c is in front of any other letter, it is hard and says /k/. For example: camera, car, and cone.
When g is in front of an i, y, or e, it is soft and says /j/. For example: giant, gypsy, and gem.
When g is in front of any other letter, it says /g/. For example: go, gave, and gravel.

There are some common sight words that don’t follow the rules (for example: girl and gift). This is why we teach hard and soft c and g rules to older students, who already have good mastery over basic sight words and phonics concepts. These students can handle the additional layer of hard and soft c and g rules.

Giant vs. Cyclops: Hard and Soft C and G Games

Our Giant vs. Cyclops card deck gives students a fun way to practice applying hard and soft c and g rules. The game comes complete with instructions for playing six games of varying difficulty. To ensure mastery, the deck contains real and nonsense words (nonsense words force players to decode rather than memorize). Click below for a video demonstration of two fun Giant vs. Cyclops card games.

Order Giant vs. Cyclops — on sale through 8/31/2015.