What reading intervention for dyslexic DC with issues with spelling and reading irregular words?

[Anonymous]

DS is a dyslexic second grader. He has had intensive phonics-based interventions to remediate issues with phonemic awareness that were identified in first grade. He is now reading nonsense words and decoding regular words really well (dramatic reversal from 1st grade). He has also had some fluency based interventions at school and his reading rate/speed is pretty good. We are really pleased with this progress.

Other struggles are becoming very apparent though. His spelling is in the fifth percentile for his age at mid K level. He also really struggles to read irregular words, especially beyond first grade sight words or multi-syllable irregular words. A separate, related struggle is that reading is very difficult for him. While it is not slow per se, it is very taxing and he doesn't retain that much of what he reads. His scores on comprehension questions are pretty low.

I want to make sure that the reading instruction he is getting at school (4 hours per week) and the outside tutoring we are paying for (2-3 hours per week) are as focused as possible on the current skills that he needs to improve on. Has anyone had experiences with similar situations? Any recommendations for a great approach or program (i.e. Wilson, Lindamood, O-G, Phonographix, Sounds and Symbols, etc) to work on spelling, irregular words, orthographic patterns, and comprehension?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you are doing all the right things (reading tutor here). Progress will be slow, but it will come. I’ve tutored kids in similar spots in second grade, and they’ve turned into wonderful readers. Spelling may always be iffy, but it will get better. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Also- trust the people who are working with your son. They aren’t amateurs.