On Thursday, March 27, 2003, parents and educators attended a panel discussion sponsored by RFB&D (Headquarters),
RFB&D NJ Unit and the NJ Branch of IDA (International Dyslexia Association)
Speakers included:
1. George Renwick; currently a special education consultant and previously a classroom teacher, director of guidance and counseling and director of pupil personnel services; spoke about the process of identifying a child's learning disability and working with the school system.
2. Dawn Holubiak and her daughter, Tanya, shared their experiences in identifying the child's learning disability and the resources that were helpful. They offered encouraging words of advice.
3. Dr. Gordon Sherman; current NJ Branch IDA board member, executive director of Newgrange School and former president of IDA; spoke about the resources IDA offers students with dyslexia. Slides from his presentation are available online at the Newgrange School web site at http://www.thenewgrange.org/dr_sherman/dd_files/index.html.
4. Peter T. Smith, RFB&D's vice president of marketing, and Karen LeMorvan, manager of market research and product development, spoke about RFB&D's mission and the materials RFB&D offers people who cannot effectively read standard print.
"Have you called RFB&D yet?"
From the Spring 2003 Edition of RFB&D-NJ Unit's Recorder
'Tanya Holubiak, a junior at North Brunswick High School, has earned a 4.25 GPA and a berth on the all county swimming team. Tanya, diagnosed with dyslexia in the second grade, has been an RFB&D member since her freshman year.
She was classified in second grade and received help from a learning disablities teacher, but had made such progress by middle school it was suggested Tanya be declassified. Her mother Dawn agreed, but now admits, "Giving up her classification was the biggest mistake that I ever made."
Dawn Holubiak says the first thing her daugher, honors student Tanya Holubiak, asks when given a reading assignment is, "Have you called RFB&D?" After years of academic struggles due to dyslexia, Tanya has a 4.25 GPA at North Brunswick High School. |
Gifted in math and science, Tanya continued to do well in the classroom, but struggled with English. Her mother and a private tutor were able to help, but without the accommodations that classification allows, like extra time on standardized tests, she was not able to qualify for the advanced classes, even though her classroom performance proved she was capable of the work. Although Dawn was able to get some teachers to recommend her for Honors classes, it was clear Tanya would not be able to achieve her potential without some accommodations for her dyslexia.
After struggling to get Tanya a Plan 504 for classroom accommodations in high school, the Holubiaks discovered RFB&D. Tanya says, "I started using the tapes for all my required reading in English and by my sophomore year I was using the tapes for all my reading including textbooks. I finished my sophomore year with all A's and one B. The difference using the tapes was incredible. I was able to get through the material much faster and my comprehension had improved."
|
She is currently in honors classes including Advanced Placement statistics, chemistry and U.S. history classes. She adds, "I wouldn't have even con-idered such a thing if I didn't have access to the tapes from RFB&D, and a few years ago I wouldn't have thought it was possible to take classes at an advanced level."
Her mother is certain, "this would not have been possible without the help of RFB&D." Learning Through Listening not only helps Tanya keep up with her reading, but Dawn notes, "Her comprehension has improved. Since she has been using the tapes I know that she has much more confidence and is a much more independent learner."
Tanya believes Learning Through Listening has helped her academically, but believes it has "also given me the confidence I need to succeed. I am so grateful to RFB&D." She finds it reassuring to know RFB&D will be with her, "through high school and in college as well."