Successful Irlen Screenings...

Tom returned today. Looking good & strong. He still has some healing to do, but is ready to get back out in the world. We completed his Irlen Screening. He was a little indecisive about the colors, but we were able to narrow them down and discover his best color combination. If you recall, Tom has struggled with reading for years. Irlen seems to be a big piece of the puzzle for him. It was fascinating to watch his facial expressions and posture change as we went through the screening process, and then the color selection. Tom will be experimenting with his overlays over the next couple of weeks, and then we hope to refer him to an Irlen Diagnostician if he sees significant improvement in his reading and other activities.

Another student just finished his Beacon lessons. Preston's word recognition has improved by one year, and he is also using Irlen overlays. This young man has just begun the second grade. One of the biggest barriers to his success has been his confidence in his ability to read. Once we demonstrated to him how much more fluently he reads with his overlays, we were able to convince him to use them on a regular basis. This combined with his Beacon instruction has had a tremendous effect on his reading. He reads more often, more fluently, more successfully, and with much more confidence. Preston's teacher is so thrilled with the difference that the overlay's make for him that she has purchased several overlays various colors and allows her entire class to experiment with them. This is wonderful, not only for those unidentified students, but also for Preston as it takes some of the stigma off of doing something "different" than his peers. Preston is an absolute delight, one of the best students to ever grace our doors. He had a great attitude (though, like any boy his age, he wasn't always thrilled with the extra work)and always came in ready to work with a smile. It is always bittersweet when we lose a student like him - we know we have accomplished our goals in getting him on the right track, and yet, we will no longer enjoy his company. We will just have to be satisfied in knowing that we were able to play a small role in his success.

Thanks to the Literacy Council of Sumner County & Dollar General!

I was recently given a wonderful educational opportunity by the Literacy Council of Sumner County. The LCSC received a grant from the Dollar General to continue/expand their work with Irlen filters & lenses. In that process, they were able to choose a volunteer to train for the screening process. LUCKY ME! They chose me! What an incredible opportunity to further serve the Hendersonville community and my students! Irlen Syndrome affects the brain's ability to process information and can affect many areas including, but not limited to: academic and work performance, behavior, attention, ability to sit still, and concentration. Visit http://www.irlen.com/ for a list of symptoms. This is not a remedial issue, and may affect many areas of your life. I am actually using an Irlen overlay on my computer screen as I type this blog. If anything on this sight sounds like something you or someone you love has difficulty with, let us know! We are now offering Screenings through Beacon and with the Literacy Council of Sumner County. You can also contact the LCSC directly - http://www.literacysumner.org/ . It is such a simple, non invasive solution to so many issues. I think you will truly be amazed at the outstanding results.

I also had the opportunity to meet Jamie Lee at the Big Read kick off at the Hendersonville Library, who wears Irlen lenses. Wonderful young lady, with a story to tell...you can read about Jamie Lee and her magic glasses at http://www.wizardrabbitpublishing.com/ .

So, thank you to Margie & everyone at the LCSC and to Jamie Lee & everyone else spreading the word about the Irlen Institute! God Bless and keep it coming!