HELP--bar mitzva lessons for a dyslexic boy?

amother

Cyan

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 5:09 pm

So DH has been teaching boys to prepare for bar mitzvas for about a year. He gets along really well, has amazing patients which are appreciated by both students and their families. He often gets referral and tries to accommodate as much as his time permits. Now one of the families who had an older son taught by DH asked if he can teach a younger brother. As it turned out, the younger boy goes to a regular school but has pretty heavy dyslexia. He's really struggling to read (that's one of assessments DH does at the first meeting) words that are not familiar.

If anyone had an experience of working with a dyslexic boy to prepare for bar mitzvah, will you kindly share advice and what works/what doesn't, as well as what DH needs to be aware of working with such children?

mummiedearest

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 5:13 pm

I would say that this is going to be an issue. if the boy has a hard time reading unfamiliar words, he likely shouldn't be laining. the family should speak to their rav about this issue. if they do decide to go through with it, they should find a reading specialist to work on this with the boy. if they can't find a reading specialist who can give bar mitzvah lessons as well, they should get a reading specialist to work with your husband and the boy.

amother

Ruby

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 5:30 pm

I posted a little over a year ago about my brother's bar mitzvah. He has some learning disabilities and doesn't read Hebrew very well. Learning to lein was a disaster for him, and he didn't end up leining in the end. He ended up completing a masechta instead and making a siyum. The kid may not be cut out for leining and your husband should prepare the parents for that possibility. Otherwise, I second the idea of a reading specialist. THis really may be above his paygrade.

animeme

Mon, Apr 20 2015, 7:11 pm

If the boy is motivated to lein, DH should choose an aliyah that he thinks he can be successful with. It's often the shortest, but not always, depending on what kind if words there are. If he's successful, they can always add more

Then he needs to sit down with the parents. If they boy isn't motivated, he can suggest a different course as suggested above. If he is, he needs to get written permission to speak with the boy's teacher/reading specialist, and to get written permission for the teacher to speak to him. Then they can talk and decide together if this is doable. If so, they can come up with a course of action. I assume he goes to a jewish school; they may be able to pull him out to a resource Rebbe once a week who can work with him on it.

Many kids like this do well with doing a bit each day as opposed to a chunk once or twice a week. So the parents may need to commit to practice. Also, this boy may learn well with multi sensory work. My son's teacher had him bring a recorder to lessons and recorded the pesukim they were working on. At home, he listened to the pesukim as he read inside. Then he listened and read along. Eventually, he read without the recording.

And definitely leave more time than usual.

Where are you? I do know someone who works well with boys like this. If the location matches I will pm you.