Letchford-2017
In 1995, the school diagnostician called a seven-year-old “the worst child seen in 20 years of teaching.” Can a child’s fate be sealed by such a diagnosis? Well, in 2018, that boy received a Ph.D. from Oxford University.Do you have a child struggling with reading? What labels has your child been given? How do you feel they will progress through school? This is a story for you.—Every parent has high hopes for their children. When Lois Letchford learns her son has been diagnosed with a low IQ at the end of grade one, she refuses to give up on his future. After thorough testing, Nicholas proves to have no spatial awareness, limited concentration, and can only read ten words. Although discouraged, Lois knows things have to improve. After all, her son is young, and every child learns at their own pace.But once Nicholas is labeled “learning disabled,” a designation considered more derogatory than “dyslexia,” the world of education is quick to cast him aside. Determined to prove them all wrong, Lois temporarily removes her son from the school system and begins working with him one-on-one. She has no formal reading education herself, and no one to guide her. But she has hope and the strength of will to persevere.
Lois Letchford specializes in teaching children who have struggled to learn to read. Her creative teaching methods vary depending on the reading ability of the student, employing age-appropriate, rather than reading-age-appropriate, material. Her non-traditional background, multi-continental exposure, and passion for helping failing students have equipped her with a unique skill set and perspective.
