Does your child have dyslexia? Now there is an easy way for you to do a dyslexia test!

When you are homeschooling and ‘outside of the school system’  it can be daunting enough teaching your child to read. If you suspect your child has dyslexia then it is even more worrying.

I see a lot of concerned parents on homeschooling forums looking for a way to test their children. Even if you know the signs of dyslexia it can be frustrating trying to match that up with your child’s abilities. And a private professional dyslexia test can be expensive.

 

So I wanted to share with you a some new dyslexia screening software available from Nessy.com (plus a discount especially for my readers!).

You can now run an online test yourself to assess dyslexia symptoms or early signs of dyslexia in your child. The screening results are not a definitive diagnosis of dyslexia but a way to identify areas of concern – and help you decide whether you need professional help.

Dyslexia Test: Nessy’s Dyslexia Quest

Dyslexia Quest tests memory and learning skills in key areas affected by dyslexia.

Your child plays several games within ‘Yeti Mountain’.

It covers ages 5 to 16 over 4 different age categories and asks the child to perform different activities. For example  in one game you listen to auditory instructions before carrying them out. It is pretty fun to run through so I don’t think you would have a problem persuading your child to co-operate 🙂 I think the full test will take about an hour.

When they have finished you can log into a separate area to access a screening assessment report. There are 3 separate reports covering different areas. Here is an example of one of the reports.

You can see that it tests different learning and processing skills. It really gives you an idea where your child might be struggling. Underneath the chart is a conclusion based on the results. For example :

Visual memory is very low. When reading, parts of a word may be omitted or lines skipped. It will cause a person to forget what has been read. Similar looking words may be confused. Spelling mistakes are likely as a person is unable to remember how a word looks. This is a sign of dyslexia.

Auditory sequential memory is very low. A very low auditory sequential memory will cause difficulty remembering names, a sequence of spoken instructions, or following verbally presented information. This is a sign of dyslexia.

Visual sequential memory is average and is unlikely to be causing a problem.

Processing speed is very high. A very fast processing speed means a person is likely to be a quick reader and give rapid answers to questions.

Phonological awareness is very low. A low phonological awareness will cause problems rhyming words, identifying syllables, blending and spelling letter sounds. This is a sign of dyslexia.

Working memory is very low. This is likely to cause difficulty following directions, doing mental arithmetic and can cause spelling to be forgotten when writing. This is a sign of dyslexia.

The results of each area are explained and give you an idea of how it will be effecting your child.

I really liked how useful this would be for working with your child in homeschooling. For example if your child scored low on visual sequential memory but higher on auditory – then you could emphasise auditory instructions more during your homeschooling.

Nessy also adds this information:

When should a student be referred for further investigation by a specialist?

Phonological Awareness and Working Memory are the two most important screening results. As a general guide, a Low or Very Low result in one of these areas and two others would lead to a referral.

so you will have a very clear idea as to whether or not your child needs further help.

What is Nessy?

Nessy provides software to help struggling and dyslexic readers from K-5 (but can accommodate students of all ages and abilities.) They have a fantastic track record of success and the software is used in over 10,000 schools world wide.

One of the things I loved about their software (apart from the fact it was developed by someone who was homeschooled himself!) is that it initially tests the child and then individually tailors the program to work in the areas they need help in –  taking them through to confident reading.

Dyslexia Quest Software

The software costs $20 (or £10) for 1 student for 1 year. If you have more than one child you can clear the assessment and re-take the dyslexia test with a different child. Nessy have kindly arranged for readers of this blog to receive a 10% Discount. Just use the code hs10% at the checkout.

 Ready to take a look?

Full disclosure, I am an affiliate with Nessy Learning because I believe their software offers the best value for parents of dyslexic readers – and because it really does make learning fun!

Buy Now

Click on the buttons below to buy a copy of the dsylexia screening software. Don’t forget to claim your 10% discount by using the code hs10%

Does Your Child Have Dyslexia?

If after taking the test you believe your child is showing symptoms of dyslexia, then Nessy also have reading and writing software that can help. Look out for a free trial of the software later this year – I will announce it on the blog.

If you have been worried about your child’s reading abilities then I hope this will help you to pinpoint exactly where the problem is – or help you be more confident about seeking help.

Did your child try the dyslexia test? I would love to know how you get on!