Learning Disabilities
We take a “strengths-based” approach to our students’ learning disabilities, meaning that we help them determine where they fit from a multiple intelligences perspective and encourage them to seek out opportunities to capitalize on their strengths. At the same time, we are also acutely aware of the need for remediation and accommodations for these learning differences.
ADHD and Dyslexia are Learning Styles at OS
Attention Deficit Disorders
“An ADHD School”
Many of our students consider Odyssey to be an ADHD school, and with good reason. Although our students arrive with a range of other learning difference, attention-related learning problems affect the great majority of them. That’s okay — we enjoy working with students with ADHD. In fact, we don’t really consider it a liability at all.
Interactive Classrooms
Perhaps the most relevant intervention we deliver to students with ADD and ADHD is our low staff-student ratio. This means that our teachers are able to check for each individual student’s understanding and comprehension over the course of a lesson in a meaningful and effective way. For all the innovative teaching methods out there, the most consistently successful way to improve student achievement is frequent checks for understanding.
Active Classrooms
Of course, the other pillar of our ADD/ADHD support is Odyssey’s emphasis on active teaching and learning. Our Connections program, Service Learning, and Portfolio-Based Assessments all engage our students in project-based learning that keeps them active and lets them show what they can do!
Dyslexia
Language Therapy
Odyssey is comprised of a mix of long-time special educators and newcomers with diverse backgrounds, but we all know that the absolute gold-standard for dyslexia intervention is small-group language therapy. Odyssey has several staff members trained in Orton-Gillingham based language therapy programs and offers one-on-one language therapy as an elective credit.
Dyslexia in the Classroom
At the same time, we realize that the real test of a reading intervention is how well the student functions in the classroom. Most of our high school students with dyslexia have been through several years of language therapy already and, although we’re always willing to offer it if they haven’t, they typically don’t take these services anymore. Instead, we help them revise and improve the strategies they’ve begun to work out for themselves to become functionally literate adults. These include the use of technology, tutoring, supplemental materials, and more. The important thing to us is that a student has ownership of his or her strategy and will actually use it!
