How to Homeschool Your Dyslexic 7th Grader

by | Jun 9, 2015 | By The Grade | 16 comments

I’ve been getting a lot of emails recently asking how we homeschool our dyslexic kids in 7th grade.  I think that the concern lies in that we know our middle school aged kids are getting older and that more and more is going to be required of them academically in the coming years.  If our kids are struggling to learn because of dyslexia, this time can be worrying.

how to homeschool in middle school with dyslexia

The middle school years are transitional in many ways.  There are significant physical and emotional changes that are taking place during these years that were part of the reason that middle schools were started in the first place.  Middle school students from 6th through 8th grade don’t quite have an elementary school mindset and are not quite ready for high school.

Middle school is a time to help our kids understand their growing minds and bodies and also to begin to prepare our kids for higher level learning that will be required of them as high school students.  This understanding has been helpful for me as I plan for how to homeschool my dyslexic middle schoolers.

In the younger years, we focus a lot on experiential, hands-on learning.  We learn history by reading good literature.  We learn science by planting a garden, studying nature, raising animals, and doing simple experiments.  We learn to organize our thoughts for writing by practicing writing’s precursor, narration.

Homeschooling middle school is a time of transition to a future of more independent learning.  Since I am homeschooling with the end in mind, I am looking in the middle school years to what skills my kids will need as they enter in to their high school years.

Remediation for the Dyslexic Middle School Child

We’ve talked about remediation – building (or repairing) a strong foundation in reading, writing, spelling and math.  This can be done at home but can also involve intense, systematic instruction or tutoring from a qualified dyslexia tutor in areas of academic weakness.

I continue to offer remediation for my kids during the middle school years. However, if your middle school-aged child is still significantly behind – say 3rd grade or below in reading level – I recommend seeking out the help of a certified dyslexia tutor.  In my experience, even our kids that did not receive the benefits of my current knowledge of what really works with dyslexia, most of our kids were beginning to read decently on their own by 12 years old.  If your child is still struggling significantly – they would definitely benefit from some intensive help.

In our home, middle school remediations have been:

Middle school is also the time when I begin to introduce more in the way of accommodations. Accommodations will help kids become more independent learners.

Accommodations for the Dyslexic Middle School Child

Accommodations are tools that we give our kids so that they can express themselves at their intellectual ability despite their slow or inaccurate reading, writing, and spelling skills.  I love how Brock and Fernette Eides of The Dyslexic Advantage look at accommodations.

As a wheel chair requires a ramp to enter a building so a dyslexic learner needs accommodations to show what they really know.”  Remember, if the goal of our instruction is that our kids gain knowledge – what difference does it make how they attain that knowledge.  Read this post for more information on accommodations that are helpful for students with dyslexia.

It is in the middle school years that I ramp up on the accommodations, introducing helpful assistive technologies so that my kids can continue to learn at an increasingly complex level as independently as possible.

Accommodations we have used in middle school:

  • audio books
  • curricula with audio and video components
  • text-to-speech apps
  • speech-to-text apps
  • spell checking apps
  • allowing narration of papers (in the absence of speech-to-text apps)
Homeschool Dyslexia

Setting Goals for the Middle School Child With Dyslexia

The beauty of homeschooling kids with dyslexia is the freedom to create individualized lessons for our kids.  In that vein, it would be somewhat pointless for me to list a set of ‘goals for middle school students’.

However, by looking forward to the skills we want our kids to have before they leave home, we can set some long term goals and then work backwards to set individualized goals for our kids today.

Long-Term Homeschool Goals

These are some of the long terms goals for our homeschool family:

  • Be able to take notes during a lecture or talk of some kind
  • Be able to write a 5 paragraph essay (I said long term – stop freaking out!)
  • Be able to learn from a text book
  • Be able to take a test confidently
  • Be able to discuss ideas articulately
  • Be able to manage time effectively
  • Be able to perform higher level math
  • Be able to understand their learning strengths and weaknesses
  • Be able to fluently use assistive technology where needed
  • Understand the flow of History
  • Understand the vocabulary and workings of basic physical and life sciences

Depending on your child’s goals for after high school, some of these goals may be unnecessary. Choose goals that fit your unique child!

How to set Short-Term Goals in Middle School

Remember that many of these goals are the end product and will take years of practice to perfect.  Students with dyslexia benefit greatly from direct instruction in how to learn.

Essay writing:  Our kids grew up liking to write even though they were terrible spellers.  I learned early on not to correct spelling (unless asked) on recreational writing.  As our kids neared high school we used several resources (see below) to help them think more about how to organize their writing.   Our goal was not perfect writing but a certain ease with the written word so that when they entered high school, they had a decent understanding of how to organize a paragraph or paper and could focus more on style and technique more appropriate for that stage of learning. Read this post for more ideas on Teaching Writing to Kids With Dyslexia. We also did a lot of narration before my kids had the bandwidth to tackle formal writing. Read this post to learn how to use narration in your homeschool and why it is an excellent introduction to formal writing.

Note-taking:  I started our kids on note taking while in church.  I just sent them with a little notebook and asked them to take notes during their class. Note-taking is a skill that develops over time and with practice so get them started now.

Learning from a text book:  Partially because I was looking to teach this particular skill and partly because I had a houseful of young kids that still needed a lot of my time, I purchased several classes of Switched-On-Schoolhouse for my middle schoolers beginning in 7th grade.  History and Science were the subjects that seemed to be slipping through the cracks so these are the subjects that we chose.  What I liked about SOS was that it followed a typical scope and sequence and style of a traditional textbook curriculum and, since it is all on a computer, offered a text-to-speech option that was very helpful. Read this post on the SQ3R Method for teaching kids to learn from non-fiction sources like textbooks.

Be able to take a test confidently:  Using SOS (see above) was also helpful in teaching my kids about test taking.  The SOS program allows highlighting of text so that our kids could easily learn to highlight what was important in a passage and then go back later and reread those passages to study for a test. We also discovered the Quizlet app (a flashcard app) during this time and completely love it for its flexibility and ease of use.

Be able to discuss ideas articulately:  The middle school years are a time when our growing children’s minds are beginning to change from concrete understanding to more abstract reasoning.  Ever notice how much your tweens love to argue?  It is important for kids of this age to be able to discuss points of history or what ever else they are learning about.  Make time for this!

Time management:  We have some kids who are naturally organized and motivated and others who are not.  Every day I write each child’s school requirements in a spiral bound notebook for them to check off as completed.  We also have chore lists.  It has been said that it takes 30 days to build a habit.  I have seen this to be true.  If I implement these check lists and patrol them faithfully for at least 30 days, the activities become habit.  Kids with dyslexia often have trouble with executive function (a fancy term for organization) and many will also have some kind of attention deficit.  If you’re looking for what to do about the child who is constantly ‘forgetting’ to do their chores or schoolwork, read this post.

Be able to perform higher level math:  I’ve had kids who could solve Algebra problems in their heads and others who struggled with Algebra throughout their high school years.  What I have come to know is that the kids who were not strong in math – despite much effort – went on to pursue careers that did not require math.  I don’t say this to dissuade you from teaching higher level math but to encourage you not to over worry about this area!  That said, take the middle school years as a time to really assess what your kids know.  Some kids can skip a 7th grade curriculum – that is mostly review of previously learned information – and some do well to really hone their basic math skills before moving on to Pre-Algebra. Take the time needed to build this foundation and don’t feel pressure to be at or above grade level if your child really isn’t there.  Read this post for more information on teaching Math to kids with dyslexia.

Be able to understand their learning strengths and weaknesses:  As your child is pushed to perform at higher levels of learning, you want to begin to hone in on how your child learns best.  While my kids were doing SOS for History and Science, one child absolutely needed the text-to-speech function of the program to get through the material while another child preferred – after some experimentation on her part – to simply read the material.  One child loved the Quizlet app for vocabulary review while the other learned that she needed to write down the definitions on flash cards in order to remember.  Helping kids to understand that all people learn differently and to look for ways that they learn best has been an important life skill for all of our kids to learn.

Be able to fluently use assistive technology where needed:  Our Resources page has lists of assistive technology and apps that are specifically appropriate for people with dyslexia.  Choose an area that your child needs to work on and teach them how to use some form of assistive technology that will help. Dyslexics will likely need this kind of support through much of their lives.

Read this post to learn how to introduce assistive technology to your kids with dyslexia.

Understand the flow of History:  I love the Classical method of teaching history.  Beginning with Ancient History and moving chronologically through to Modern Times in cycles that repeat over the elementary and middle school years has been a great way for our kids to grasp the basic flow of history.  If you feel that your kids don’t have this down yet, try working with a timeline through the middle school years.  Creating this visual can be super helpful for holding events and people in their place.

Understand the vocabulary and workings of Physical and Life Science:  See our curriculum recommendations below.

middle school dyslexia

Our Favorite Middle School Curriculum for Kids With Dyslexia

These are curricula that our family has used and enjoyed.  That being said, some kids liked them more than others depending on their preferred style of learning.  These are suggestions not absolutes.  You will need to experiment with your kids to find a good fit.

Language Arts:

Reading:

Spelling:

  • All About Spelling:  An Orton-Gillingham based spelling program from the makers of All About Reading.
  • Sequential Spelling:  Not O-G but uses a systematic way to find the patterns in words.  Many dyslexics love this program.

Grammar:

  • Easy Grammar:  An easy to use program that teaches parts of speech by first recognizing prepositions and prepositional phrases.
  • Daily Grams:  Short daily practice in punctuation, capitalization and other basic sentence writing rules.
  • Winston Grammar:  A hands on approach to learning parts of speech.

Writing:

Literature:

  • Progeny Press:  Literature guides by grade level.  Choose several to go through per year.
  • Sonlight:   A literature-based curriculum full of wonderful living books.  Many people use their reading lists to create their own curriculum or read aloud schedules.

Math:

  • Math U See:  a hands on approach to math
  • Teaching Textbooks:  No reading required.  Lessons presented in video format.  Enter the answers to each problem write in to the computer.  Learn how to do missed problems immediately.

History:

  • Switched on Schoolhouse:  A computerized program that is purchased by subject.  Pick a subject or two that your middle schooler might be interested in to teach them how to learn from a traditional textbook format.
  • Story of the World: History taught through story.  Get the activity book to round out this curriculum with hands on activities and living books that correspond to the period of History that you are studying.
  • My Father’s World:  A Christian curriculum that combines the study of all subjects (except Math and Reading Instruction) based around the study of History.  A great, interconnected way to study that is also designed to be used easily with more than one student at a time.  Your whole family will study the same things, at different levels.

Science:

  • Switched on Schoolhouse:  I’ve mentioned this program several times now in this post.  This program serves the purpose of helping kids to become more independent learners by use of accommodations.
  • TOP Science:   Tons of hands on science activities for all ages.
  • Real Science 4 Kids:  Offers grade-level kits as well as unit study materials for a wide range of subjects geared for the middle school crowd.

A Parent’s Mindset

It is important to note that although this post talks a lot about traditional learning and grade levels, homeschoolers should exercise their freedoms when teaching their own unique children.  While we certainly want our kids to be well-educated, it is okay for that to look different for your family.

We can (and should) look for own kids’ interests and abilities and tailor their curricula and requirements accordingly.  We are looking for progress here.

Most kids, whose love of learning has remained in tact, begin to really thrive in middle school.  This may be in 6th grade or 8th grade – or maybe later.  No two kids will learn the same so be open to your child’s unique needs and abilities.

Learn more about some helpful mindsets for parents who are homeschooling their kids with dyslexia.

Finally…

Whew!  That was a long post.  I heard it said a while back that the most important years to homeschool are the middle school years.  Our kids are particularly vulnerable during these years.  Homeschooling your middle school child may not be the easiest thing to do but it is often the best thing that you can do!

16 Comments

  1. Carol

    Marianne,

    Thank you for an excellent post. This was just what I was looking for and I didn’t even know it. 🙂

    This article will serve as a great road map as we gear up to start home schooling our middle school aged dyslexic son beginning this Fall.

    Reply
    • Melanie

      I totally agree–this post has been such a blessing to me today-

      Reply
  2. Lauren

    Wonderful and thorough post! I love the goals and all the curriculum posted. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Tina Kelley

    I am wondering about the SOS science program. It looks like it has a text-to-speech option, but is it a “computer” voice doing the speaking or a human voice. Without the text-to-speech option, how difficult is the reading for each chapter. Is there any way to actually see a chapter and how it is set up?

    Reply
    • Marianne

      The text-to-speech is computerized. As far as the difficulty goes and from my experience, the reading level is fairly rigorous. I checked the Alpha Omega web site but there were no samples. They do have an option to take some placement tests however. https://www.aop.com/switched-on-schoolhouse_overview

      Reply
  4. Vicki

    As a parent of 4, 3 of whom are dyslexic, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this post. My youngest two, age 12 and 14 have lost all their confidence over the years at public school so I have just started homeschooling and wish I had done it sooner. All the suggestions of resources are invaluable for me. Even though I am in Australia, many of the resources will be so useful. I love the list of goals, that summed up my goals for my children in a nutshell. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou x

    Reply
    • Marianne

      You’re welcome Vicki. I’m so glad you found the post and curriculum suggestions helpful. Your kids are blessed to have you!

      Reply
  5. Kathy

    Thank you so much for all your information. This will be 2nd year home school daughter with dyslexia shes in 7th grade. Last year, I bought way too much material and we (I) was overwhelmed with alot of grading. We tried Saxon Math but noticed the instruction before the lesson was real good however only had a few questions actually pertained to that instruction. My daughter was overwhelmed with trying to flip back and re-read the previous lessons to find the instruction. This wasnt good fit at all. I will look into Math U See. We used Abeka 6th language I like it however if your not family with language you may need to look into purchase the video to help teach it. Abeka 6th Spelling was too difficult for us. I made it work but really needed another program.

    Thanks again I am very excited to try some of your suggestions.

    Kathy

    Reply
    • Marianne

      Thanks Kathy!

      Reply
  6. Carrie

    I’ve been following you for 5 years, when I was homeschooling my dyslexic 1st grader. We have since moved to a private school that has a CALT that both my dyslexic kids see daily. I still read your blog as I partner with their teachers. But, now my oldest will be in middle school and we are considering homeschooling again! Thank you for this great, detailed post. And for sharing all you have learned. Your website is always the one I share with other dyslexic parents!

    Reply
    • Marianne

      Thank you Carrie!

      Reply
  7. gigsy

    this is amazing!!! thank you very much for this enlightening post!
    please keep up the excellent work!
    thank you for helping and sharing!

    Reply
  8. Kevin

    We are using Saxon math, Saxon grammar, and Megawords spelling. We just read aloud Apologia science and Notgrass history to each other. I read aloud a paragraph, and then he reads aloud a paragraph; this is the best way to maintain his focus.

    Reply
  9. Ann

    We are thinking about starting to homeschool our 13-year-old daughter who should be going into 8th grade in a few weeks. She had a love for school until entering middle school and because the public school curriculum tends to circle around studying the same event in history, for example, she is bored and because of her needs, I feel like she is not being pushed to work at her maximum skill level. Any and all information you have about homeschool middle schoolers I am trying to absorb! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Marianne

      Hi Ann. This post is a good overview of what I like to cover in middle school and much, if not all, of it could be used with an 8th grader. In what areas do you feel she is not being pushed to work at her potential? Homeschooling is excellent for being able to provide the individualized education that our kids need. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Sonia

    This is a wonderful post. My daughter cannot spell, so do you have any suggestions on helping her with note taking? She won’t be able to read her notes. She will be in 7th grade next year, and spelling is the impossible subject. I am going to try Reading Horizons elevate, but that won’t help with spelling. Thank you for any suggestions.

    Reply

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