Early this spring, my 10 yr. old daughter took an online dyslexia screening that indicated possible reading problems. After receiving a full evaluation, it was apparent she would need additional help in order to become a fluent reader ( see my complete post reviewing the dyslexia screening process.) So in this summer we started online dyslexia tutoring with Lexercise.
How does Lexercise tutoring work?
Lexercise is based upon the Orton-Gillingham approach. Students are matched with a specially-trained clinical educator and meet online once a week for 45 minutes. During the rest of the week, the student works on specialized spelling lists or reading lists, and plays educational video games that are customized for that student.
You will need:
Internet connection
webcam
Skype
Headphones with a microphone (optional but recommended)
Lexercise in Action
Our clinician is Scott. My daughter has been working with him since early summer and they have developed quite a rapport. I was worried that since it was online there wouldn’t be a personal connection, but I was wrong. Since they both can see and hear each other, it is like being in the same room.
Scott goes over specific spelling and phonics rules with my daughter each week. In addition, she works on reading fluency. Through the Adobe Connect platform, Scott can share his screen or show her what he is writing. It is live, direct, teaching instruction! It is also very interactive. She is writing things down, creating lists, reading aloud, and talking with Scott the entire session.
After my daughter’s lesson is done, I meet with Scott and he goes over everything that was covered and what she will be working on for the week.
Then each day she plays the Lexercise game. This particular game is called the Isolator. It works on:
- Phonemic awareness: speech sound isolation and sequencing in two to five sound words
- Working memory for single spoken words and single speech sounds
- Rapid processing of speech sounds
You can see what skills are covered in each game by looking at the game scope and sequence.
Is Lexercise Worth it?
While looking for tutoring options for my daughter, I came across several options for us. One was extremely expensive and would require over an hour drive one-way. Another option was tutoring two days a week about 15 minutes away. Our third option was online tutoring. All the options would be an investment in both time and money. After researching Lexercise and seeing that their clinicians were teachers trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach, I decided that I would try an at home service first. Whenever I leave the house I find we just do not get anything else done for the day. I need to be home.
I have found Lexercise to be a perfect fit for us at this point. My daughter is getting quality tutoring and is gaining confidence in her reading and spelling. At first she pulled the “since-he-can’t -see-my-work-I-won’t-try” tactic–aka very sloppy work. When I mentioned it, he made it a priority to also check on her handwriting. 😉 Since she knows he’s going to check her work (I take a photo of it and email it to him) she tries harder. This is just one example where I feel like this isn’t just a tutoring or therapy service, but a partnership. I am very happy with my daughter’s progress and with the quality of tutoring she is receiving.
I like Lexercise because it is fun. I am learning how to read and write better. I think Scott is funny and a good teacher. ~ my daughter
If you are wondering if you child might have dyslexia, or are looking for dyslexia tutoring options check out what Lexercise has to offer. I am so thankful for the work they are doing with my daughter. Be sure to visit Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers for her perspective on Lexercise. Follow the Lexercise blog, Facebook page, or Twitter stream for more helpful dyslexia information.
Disclosure: I was thrilled to do this review of Lexercise. I did receive a reduced rate in exchange for advertising space and reviewing this service. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. See my complete disclosure policy for more details.
thanks for posting this, I have been aware my daughter needed some extra help but was at a loss of where to go since my other child is at therapy three days a week already, I had no idea how to fit it in, this looks like it would work for us, thanks, thanks, thanks
Do you feel your daughter will be at grade level within 6 months of using the Lexercise service? My son has gone through 12 months of language therapy and I’ve not noticed a major difference. I would like to give Lexercise a try but it is a lot of money for us and I want to use our money wisely. Thanks so much for the review.