Celebrating Dyslexia Awareness Month With Diana King

While our Camp Spring Creek schedules traditionally cool down in October, this year they're heating up thanks to what's certain to be a memorable trip from Diana King, internationally renowned for her work with dyslexic children. For those of you who may not be aware, Diana founded Camp Dunnabeck for children with dyslexia in 1955 and the Kildonan School in 1969.  She has published numerous articles and books. Her newest book, a guide to homeschooling, may be available while she's here. Diana had so much fun during her stay with us this past summer, she asked if she could come back to offer more training. If you're pursuing Certified Level training and are currently at the Associate Level, you need to head to Camp Spring Creek on October 5 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and October 6 (9 a.m. - noon). Cost for the day and half-long session, which includes a tour of our summer camp facilities, is $150. You pack your lunch and we'll provide light refreshments.  Let us know if you need accommodations. We can offer several area options.

The Yancey Library is the place to be on October 6, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. when we screen a movie about dyslexia that is both humorous and touching. It's perfect for anyone who wants to understand dyslexia and all its implications. We'll offer light refreshments before starting the movie at 7 p.m.

Parents who homeschool their children with dyslexia will want to join us in our Spruce Pine office from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on October 7. Diana will share strategies to use with struggling readers and help parents develop a greater understanding of multi-sensory learning modalities.

An after-school outing from 3:30 p.m - 5 p.m. on October 8 in the library at Greenlee Primary is ideal for curious teachers who have heard of O-G training but want to know what it looks like in the classroom.  Teachers who have used O-G in the classroom will also be on hand to share their experiences.

Diana has set aside October 9 from 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. in our Spruce Pine Outreach Center for anyone who has taken the classroom educator or Associate Level course and has questions on how to better individualize their efforts. This session will be followed by a meet and greet with Diana at Spoon, which is located just around the corner on Upper Street.

If you can, please RSVP by October 1 for the October 5, 6 and 7 training at info@campspringcreek.org. We look forward to seeing you.

Two Books, Three Authors, Many Activities

Today we'd like to recommend two books that Susie finds helpful and often shares with others during her training programs. First, Creating Robust Vocabulary: Frequently Asked Questions & Extended Examples by Isabel L. Beck PhD, Margaret G. McKeown Phd, and Linda Kucan. Second, Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by the same authors. Lead author Isabel Beck's bio reads impressively: "Isabel Beck, Ph.D., is a Professor of Education and Senior Scientist at the University of Pittsburgh, where she teaches reading education courses and conducts reading research. She has engaged in extensive research on decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension, and has published her work in over 100 articles and chapters as well as in several books. She is a recipient of the Oscar S. Causey Award for Outstanding research from the National Reading Conference and the International Reading Association’s William S. Gray Award for lifetime contributions to the field. She is also a recipient of the contributing researcher award from the American Federation of Teachers for "bridging the gap between research and practice.”

Beck is also the author of Text Talk, a multi-approach text-to-talk learning program for three different levels, sponsored by Scholastic. Enjoy these resources!

Recipe for Reading by Nina Traub

Now in it's third edition, Nina Traub's Recipe for Reading is touted as a go-to, must-have guidebook for those interested in using sequential, multisensory teaching methods with early readers. It has been praised by adminstartors, homeschool parents, public and private school teachers, and more. And if the philosphy really strikes you, additional "workbooks" and guidebooks can be ordered to accompany the lessons suggested in the book itself. Happy reading!

Different Learners by Jane M. Healy

Part reference book, part testimonial, camp co-director Susie recommends the book Different Learners as a go-to guide for parents navigating the waters of a child's struggles in school. Whether social, classroom, or emotional differences arise, chances are good that author Jane M. Healy addresses them in her book. From the Amazon book page: "Today’s fast-paced, stressed-out culture is hazardous to growing minds, says Healy, and a growing 'epidemic' of children’s disorders is the result. Different Learners offers a complete program not only for treating the child, but also for making more beneficial lifestyle choices at home and improving teaching techniques at school. It shows parents and caregivers how to prevent some learning difficulties from ever happening in the first place. It explains how to have your child evaluated if necessary, and, if a problem is found, how to evaluate various treatments. Different Learners explains how medications for attention and learning work in the brain and why they should not be the first step in most treatment programs. It shows how schools can actually worsen a child’s learning difficulties and how to make sure this doesn’t happen to your child. It even offers a program for 'brain-cleaning' that will help any child perform better in school."

Video: Detached Syllables (part 1)

Here's the final installment of our Homeschool Retreat video series from last fall--a two-part video clip

demonstrating the auditory portion of spelling practice with detached syllables.

Every lesson provides a chance for a teachable moment,

and today's video, as well as part 2 (forthcoming), are no exception:

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyMM-caSvw&w=640&h=360]

Video: VCCV Accuracy Drill

Watch as OG Fellow Susie van der Vorst works with a tutee, adjusting the lesson in real time to meet the student where he is--a fine balance of challenge and encouragement, with corrections and nurturing throughout.

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q_KeY2wM_Y&w=640&h=360]

Video: Pencil Grip

Here's the latest in our video series of tutoring, tutee lessons, and observations.

View additional videos right here.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hBFCcH7CMY&w=640&h=360]

We're Headed to Connecticut!

We're taking our show on the road this week with an exciting presentation and Camp Show in the Farmington Valley near Hartford, Connecticut. One of the greatest things about Camp Shows is the opportunity to provide "on the ground," free public instruction to a new, diverse audience. Why Connecticut? The parent of a beloved camper invited us, that's why! Read about this parent's observations of her son after Camp Spring Creek in the following press release. If you'd like to host a Camp Show in your area (and see Susie!), just call our office and let us know.

Dyslexia Awareness & Camp Show

West Hartford, Connecticut – January 21, 2015 – Nationally known dyslexia advocate and camp director Susie van der Vorst presents on early intervention, signs, and solutions.

Camp Spring Creek, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, is an academic and recreational camp supporting dyslexic children ages 7 to 14. Invited by a local West Hartford family whose child attended the camp, co-founder and director Susie van der Vorst will discuss early intervention practices, signs, and solutions for parents, teachers, and administrators. van der Vorst will also facilitate a brief discussion of Camp Spring Creek and take questions from the audience. The event is free, open to the public, and welcomes children.

According to van der Vorst, with support, people with dyslexia often lead lives of accomplishment. Some of the most successful people in history had dyslexia, including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison and Walt Disney. “So many people with dyslexia are misunderstood,” said van der Vorst. “But just look at the wonderful role models we have! Many succeed in spite of their education. Imagine how they’d be if they had been instructed in the ways that they learn best.”

One of the most highly effective methods for such instruction is the Orton-Gillingham approach. It teaches the structure of language using multisensory techniques that lead students to see, hear, and write a concept at the same time. Processing a single concept in many different ways allows dyslexic kids to grasp skills they cannot learn using traditional methods. It’s that approach that drew West Hartford’s Toutain family to the Blue Ridge Mountains, where Winston could attend 1 of only 3 residential camps in the United States accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators.

“We knew dyslexia was a possibility for our son Winston because his father and paternal grandfather have dyslexia. It was important to ius to try and find something that could help, that would also be accredited,” said mother and West Hartford resident, Lesley Toutain. “My husband and I talked with Winston about how being dyslexic doesn’t mean he isn’t smart, simply that he has to find learning strategies that work for him. But I don’t think that really took hold until he was in an environment where all the kids were in the same boat. Camp Spring Creek was an extremely positive experience for him.”

The academic program at Camp Spring Creek includes one-on-one tutoring using the Orton-Gillingham approach, keyboarding and writing classes, one hour of reading aloud each day to camp staff, and one hour of study skills. Optional math remediation or enrichment is available. The activities offered by the program include wood shop, art, swimming, orienteering, and waterskiing. There are also field trips to explore the surrounding Blue Ridge landscape and culture. “We often see students make two to three years worth of progress during a six to eight week session at camp,” said van der Vorst. “Our approach is designed to target a child’s individual strengths and weaknesses and help them excel. But we also recognize the value of keeping kids active throughout the day. These kids can’t learn as well if they’re stuck behind a desk. The learning needs to be hands-on so that they can get multiple senses involved.”

The info session will be held Wednesday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Saint James’s Episcopal Church, 1018 Farmington Avenue, in West Hartford. For more information, call (828) 766-5032 or visit www.campspringcreek.org.

Video: Spelling Accuracy PIN/PINE

Here's our latest video from our Homeschool Retreat series. Notice that, at times, the tutoring session can be as much about coaching a student through issues of self-doubt as it is about teaching or practicing an Orton-Gillingham based skill.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pyA9WZrCWg&w=640&h=360]

Video: Visual Syllable Drill

Here's the next installment in our video series from this fall's Homeschool Retreat. We hope to start using a more sophisticated video camera in 2015, so apologies in advance for the sound quality on this short clip. The visual part of this drill is what is essential, however. Notice how Susie uses gestures and expressions to guide the tutee toward success during this tutoring session: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojdNZCFqb9M]

Video: Anchoring IR ER UR Spelling

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCc2H6R3MuY&w=640&h=360]

Video: Alphabetical Sequencing

Here's a snapshot from our first Homeschool Retreat, an opportunity that enabled homeschool parents who are also OG tutors to have professional observation by Susie, as well as on-the-spot tips. The tutees were real troopers letting us film them! We also picked apples, baked cookies, and bought pottery--a successful retreat all around! Thursday's post will be another video in this series, with more on the the way...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFVezkCAgGA&w=640&h=360]

Homeschool Tutoring Retreat

We're excited to announce that we're hosting our first-ever Homeschool Tutoring Retreat this weekend, October 10-12. A few homeschool moms and their children will attend, helping us start small as we venture into more sustainable ways to make use of our camp facilities throughout the year. Parents will have their own rooms at the retreat, while students will be housed together upstairs. The fun begins at 6:30 on Thursday evening with a family style dinner at camp. On Friday morning, tutoring and observations will begin, working with one child at a time. While one student is in his/her tutoring session (with Susie observing and coaching the homeschool moms along the way), the others will be outside picking apples, hiking, or baking pies. We'll spend Saturday on an all-day outing, possibly checking out the local Spruce Pine Potters Market annual exhibition or heading to the lake with bag lunches. We'll return to camp in time for dinner and continue tutoring and observations on Sunday.

If you'd like to be involved in future weekend retreats or have ideas for themes you'd like to share with us, please don't hesitate to reach out. This is an exciting time of expansion and outreach for Camp Spring Creek and we welcome your input.