{"id":1384,"date":"2021-03-26T14:41:13","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T14:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.wilsonlanguage.com\/knowledge-library\/success-story\/kindergarten-to-college\/"},"modified":"2024-08-28T19:04:38","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T19:04:38","slug":"kindergarten-to-college","status":"publish","type":"success_stories","link":"https:\/\/dev.wilsonlanguage.com\/knowledge-library\/success-story\/kindergarten-to-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Kindergarten to College"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than a decade ago, long before the word \u201cdyslexia\u201d was widely used, Deanna Fogarty realized the toll the language-based learning disability was taking on her otherwise bright\u00a0 young son, Billy Nadeau.<\/p>\n

An elementary school teacher at the time, Deanna joined countless parents and caregivers on the challenging journey of guiding a child with dyslexia from kindergarten to high school\u2014and ultimately to college.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough Billy was a very healthy and inquisitive child, he was behind with some of his early language and speech skills,\u201d shared Deanna, now Wilson\u2019s Vice President of Curriculum and Professional Learning. \u201cDuring kindergarten, he struggled with learning the alphabetic principle as well as the expected foundational reading and writing skills. By the end of the first quarter of first grade, it was clear Billy wasn\u2019t learning to read and spell. He began to display self-esteem issues, challenges with learning in the classroom, and frustration with homework.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that point, Deanna requested an evaluation, which led to the identification of a specific learning disability, the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and delivery of reading and writing services in school. Specifically, Billy began targeted Fundations\u00ae<\/sup> instruction at the end of first grade in a private tutoring setting with Robin Carlo, a Wilson\u00ae<\/sup> Credentialed Trainer (W.C.T.) and Wilson\u00ae\u00a0<\/sup>Dyslexia Therapist (W.D.T.).<\/p>\n

\u201cHe needed work on the initial phonemic awareness, alphabetics, and handwriting skills that the Fundations program addresses in an explicit, engaging, and multisensory way,\u201d Deanna explained.<\/p>\n

In second grade, Billy transitioned to Wilson Reading System\u00ae<\/sup> (WRS) instruction, which was delivered during the school day, along with some private tutoring. These interventions helped, although his progress was initially slow while implementation issues were being addressed. In fourth grade, Billy really started to flourish due to the skillful instruction of his WRS Certified Teacher. Billy\u2019s WRS instruction began in earnest in fourth grade. The following year, he was officially diagnosed with dyslexia by Dr. Florence Lai and her team at Massachusetts General Hospital\u2019s Learning Disorders Unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt I owed it to Billy to pursue that specific diagnosis of dyslexia,\u201d Deanna explained. \u201cHe deserved to know what it was called, to accept it, learn about it, and ultimately embrace it. Since then, we\u2019ve talked very openly about dyslexia, what it means, what it doesn\u2019t mean. Billy displays so many of the strengths we often see in others with dyslexia\u2014athletic ability, leadership skills, creative problem solving, and emotional intelligence. I\u2019ve always told Billy that report cards don\u2019t provide grades on the things he\u2019s good at. If they did, he would have always been a straight A student.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Billy worked with a few different Wilson Certified Instructors, including Robin Carlo, Shannon Arsenault, and Heidi Nielsen, before completing WRS Step 12 in middle school. He continued with some private tutoring during junior high to focus on writing, handwriting, fluency, and comprehension. In high school, Billy\u2019s IEP focused on providing academic support.<\/p>\n

Athletics were an important part of growing up for Billy. According to Deanna, playing sports like baseball, soccer, and basketball allowed him the opportunity to be on the same level with his peers\u2014something he didn\u2019t always feel was possible in the classroom. By high school, Billy focused on basketball as a primary sport and was one of the captains of the team during his senior year. He also participated in an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball program from elementary school through his senior year of high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI once had someone tell me that if my child was struggling with class or homework, perhaps he shouldn\u2019t go to basketball practice. The truth is, we should think about this in the exact opposite way,\u201d Deanna said. \u201cWhether it was sports or another hobby or interest, making sure my child with dyslexia felt successful and good about himself was a top priority. Students like Billy need to experience situations where they aren\u2019t failing. They need to know that they\u2019re talented and have strengths just like everybody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preparing for College<\/strong><\/p>\n

During Billy\u2019s junior and senior years of high school, both mother and son turned their thoughts to college and career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew a smaller college would be better for me because having fewer students per class makes it easier to form connections with teachers,\u201d Billy explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe both had to be realistic about which schools he should apply to. But more than that, we were most interested in him being on a campus that was supportive of students needing more than the \u2018typical\u2019 accommodations covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),\u201d Deanna said. \u201cAs a parent, I was focused on ensuring Billy could be successful in a college or university setting. I wanted him to attend a school that offers student-focused and individualized academic support, and I felt he would do well at a smaller-sized school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deanna read everything she could to help Billy find a school that would work best for him, including the International Dyslexia Association\u2019s resource, Transitioning from High School to College: Help for Students with Learning Disabilities.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf your child is interested in going to college, my advice is to be optimistic about it, even if they have struggled with learning and school environments in the past. There are higher education settings that can be the right fit for your young adult learner.\u201d<\/p>\n

The process led Deanna and Billy to Curry College near Boston, where Billy is currently a junior majoring in criminal justice. They both liked it for its small size, attentive advisors, and supportive Program for Advancement of Learning (PAL)<\/a>, which provides academically focused assistance to students with learning disabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe PAL program was a key factor in my decision to attend Curry College. The extra support kept me focused and provided me with a place to go if I had questions or needed help resolving problems,\u201d Billy shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the beginning, it was important to have the PAL program to help Billy transition from high school to college and to establish good habits while learning what it means to be a successful college student,\u201d Deanna said. \u201cOver time, he has needed fewer of the supports and that\u2019s the point. In fact, Billy made the Dean\u2019s List during his sophomore year. This was a very proud moment!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Billy\u2019s advice for college-bound students with dyslexia:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Find a school that\u2019s going to be a good fit for you\u2014not necessarily the school your friends are applying to.<\/li>\n
  • Once there, maintain a positive attitude.<\/li>\n
  • Stay on top of course work\u2014it\u2019s crucial.<\/li>\n
  • Create solid relationships with professors\u2014make sure they know who you are.<\/li>\n
  • Be open to exploring career fields that interest you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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An elementary school teacher at the time, Deanna joined countless parents and caregivers on the challenging journey of guiding a child with dyslexia […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1385,"template":"","success-story-cats":[],"success-story-tags":[],"class_list":["post-1384","success_stories","type-success_stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nKindergarten to College - Wilson Language Training Knowledge Library<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.wilsonlanguage.com\/knowledge-library\/success-story\/kindergarten-to-college\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kindergarten to College - Wilson Language Training Knowledge Library\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"More than a decade ago, long before the word \u201cdyslexia\u201d was widely used, Deanna Fogarty realized the toll the language-based learning disability was taking on her otherwise bright\u00a0 young son, Billy Nadeau. 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