Dyslexia Law Solutions: The Secret Joys of Being Interrupted by Social Media

For most teachers, being interrupted by social media conversations during class time is nothing but a nuisance. But for Barbara McGuffee, Director of Special Education for Franklin Parish School District in Winnsboro, Louisiana, the buzzes and beeps of smartphones are not all bad.

“Without knowing how to read, kids are unable to participate in something as simple as social media,” says McGuffee. And that can be further isolating for a group of kids who are already prone to low self-esteem.  

After considering several dyslexia intervention options to help her special education, dyslexic and at-risk students improve their reading skills, she selected the Sonday System — primarily because they were able to design a 35-minute tutoring program using proven Orton Gillingham teaching methods.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is a highly effective instructional approach for students struggling with Dyslexia and other reading challenges, but it can be difficult to implement. The Sonday System, developed by a nationally renowned Orton-Gillingham expert, has simplified this complex approach into a streamlined, easy-to-implement multisensory curriculum that empowers teachers to get more students reading sooner — without the added time and cost of additional training.

Each 35-minute lesson uses a spiraling technique, re-teaching old strategies even as new ones are introduced until they become embedded in a student’s long-term memory. “It’s back to the old days of teaching,” says McGuffee. “At-risk students and slow learners hear it over and over until they understand it. All the materials are at the teacher’s fingertips — scripted so they can teach the program correctly and consistently, day after day. This program gives kids confidence in themselves.”

McGuffee says the results speak for themselves. “When I started, there were no special education kids graduating with a diploma. Last year we had 12, and this year there will be 26, in a school of 720. Those who doubted the program at first are now among its strongest supporters.” Even if it means a few more buzzes and beeps in the backs of their classrooms.

More information about the Sonday System, its Orton Gillingham lesson plans, its cost-effective teacher training requirements and its simple, multisensory reading intervention strategies for students with dyslexia can be found at winsorlearning.com.