The Charlotte Clock

I mentioned in my last post a woman named Vikki Horner from the UK, whom I met when presenting an eReadingPro workshop in Gibraltar. The organizers of the workshop were very busy ensuring that us two speakers met in between my workshop presentation and hers. I'm so grateful that we did, and that I have some math materials that I can suggest to people who inquire.

What I didn't mention in my last post was a creation of Vikki's called the 'Charlotte Clock'. The clock was created to provide children with as many different ways as is possible to learn how to tell time. The concept begins with teaching the 5-minute blocks of time, and then the 1-hour blocks, gradually working into the fractions that enable the 'before' and 'after' the hour readings of time. The clock comes with a number of different 'faces' that can be used on the clock along with a resource pack for teachers.

The Charlotte Clock is a terrific invention that can be used for ALL children learning to tell time. However, it was specifically designed for Vikki's daughter who was born with Down syndrome, and struggled with the very abstract aspect of telling time.

What an amazing resource - I wish it was around when I was learning to tell time!

Math Made Easy

While in Gibraltar presenting an eReadingPro reading workshop recently, I was fortunate to meet with Vikki Horner of Maths Extra Limited. Vikki was scheduled to speak the evening after I spoke, hosted by the Down Syndrome Support Group of Gibraltar.

Often after I have presented my reading program, parents ask if I also have any recommendations they can use with their children for math. While often offering a handful of strategies they may incorporate, I had yet to suggest a particular program.

However, after meeting Vikki, I believe I now have a math program that I would recommend. Maths Extra is a multi-sensory approach to the first years of mathematical instruction.

The system allows the student to:

• See pattern in numbers
• See connections between numbers
• See structures within numbers
• Picture base ten structures

The use of various multi-colored apparatuses is the key to this system, and is based on some Montessori concepts, but particularly on the Structural Arithmetic Programme by Dr. Catherine Stern. The system begins with 'no number' puzzles, 'naming the plastic shapes' and then gradually works into introducing the actual numerals. It is a very gradual but systematic process - much like eReadingPro!

It is a system that Vikki used with her daughter Charlotte, who was born with Down syndrome, and was struggling with counting and the meaning of numerical concepts. Having such success with Charlotte, Vikki went on to introduce this system across the UK. Today she is an international speaker and presenter - which is how I came to meet her in Gibraltar.

Ireland and Gibraltar

I recently returned from a dual-country trip to Ireland and Gibraltar with eReadingPro. Reading workshops were organized in both countries, with the first one in Dublin, Ireland, and the second in Gibraltar.

The workshop in Dublin brought in 73 participants, and included parents and educators all looking for a way to teach their child(ren) to read. It was a packed room at the Dublin West Education Centre! Special thanks to Marie Brady, a special education teacher in Birr, County Offaly, who organized this workshop with the assistance of Eileen Fitzgerald of the Dublin Branch of Down Syndrome. They both did an amazing job! There is clearly a need for our program in areas like Ireland, and it was wonderful to be welcomed with such a large group.

From Dublin I went to Gibraltar to present a workshop there to the Down Syndrome Association of Gibraltar. Annette Zammit and Jane Payas also did an amazing job organizing this workshop within just two short weeks. I was introduced by the Director of the Ministry of Education, and given a very warm welcome to Gibraltar. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, and I was even able to see most of Gibraltar (it's only 3 miles x 2.5 miles in size!) during my short stay there. Dr. Paul Lyons of Bishop Fitzgerald Middle School even invited me to visit his school and meet some of the children they will be using eReadingPro with. It was a beautiful experience! Vikki Horner, a numeracy advisor for Maths Extra Limited presented a workshop the day after, and I was fortunate to meet with her prior to my departure. For all those parents looking for a math solution for their children with Down syndrome look no further. I will be blogging about Vikki and her program in the very near future, so watch for it!

NEW CD With Printable Flashcards!

Finally! No more writing flashcards!

We have just released our newest eReadingPro CD with Printable Flashcards that allows EVERY flashcard in our program to be printed right from your home or work computer. In fact each flashcard can even be shown to your child right from the computer if you would rather not print them off!

This new CD contains the full Instructional Guide, labels, 659 flashcards, AND all images for the original 14-month program. Everything is printable onto 8 1/2" x 11" card stock and Avery label sheets. The cost is only $99.95USD plus shipping. It is also available in other currencies.

For those individuals who purchased an eReadingPro eBook in the past and would like to upgrade to the new CD, we will offer you a $25 credit towards the new CD. Simply contact us with your registered username and password for the eBook and we will take $25 off the total cost!

Christmas is only weeks away, and this new CD would make an excellent gift!

eReadingPro, Reading and Teens

Many times parents email me asking what reading programs eReading has for teenagers.


While we are currently working on a program specific to teenagers and their interests, I firmly believe that our existing program is perfectly appropriate for individuals of all ages who are not currently reading. My reasoning is that our main program consists of 128 words that all teens would be very familiar with. The way our program takes the individual through each word as a single word, then couplet, then phrase and finally sentences will help any teen in more areas than just reading. It will help with verbal articulation, reading fluency, reading comprehension, as well as assist with creating longer phrases and/or sentences when they speak. It truly is a building block process.

That being said, I am going to share a little story with you! A really great thing happened recently at an eReadingPro workshop in Rapid City, South Dakota. Rachel (the 15-year old girl in the above photo) and her mom were present during the workshop and Rachel was eager to participate. Rachel has always wanted to read but has never been able to. Her mom Rhonda was hopeful that the workshop would be of benefit to them, as she was told by someone that our program was only for young children. (She came to the worskhop hopeful, despite this untrue comment.)

Rachel joined in and wrote her own flashcard out along with the other participants. Then it came time in the workshop where the participants practice flashing the cards they've written within small groups of five people. After seeing the cards in her group shown only twice, Rachel wanted to have a turn at reading the cards by herself. Rachel proceded to read all five cards - without error! Her name was the only name that she would have ever seen written down before, and some of the people in her group were individuals she had just met. It was truly wonderful for the other workshop participants to see this, and it brought tears to her mother's eyes.

We will be following Rachel's progress as she uses eReadingPro, since her mother has agreed to document her progress along the way. Thank you Rhonda!

Amazing Individuals with Down Syndrome

As I mentioned in my last post, I was very fortunate at the 10th World Down Syndrome Congress to have met many amazing individuals, with and without Down syndrome!

One young woman who really impressed me was Karen Gaffney. Karen is a '30-something' year old self-advocate from Portland, Oregon. Karen has earned a regular high school diploma, and graduated from Portland Community College after completing the requirements for an Associates of Science degree and a certificate to be a teacher's aide. An accomplished public speaker, Karen is also the President of The Karen Gaffney Foundation, which is devoted solely to helping other individuals with Down syndrome. In addition to all of the above, Karen is also an incredible athlete and has even swam the English Channel in a relay swim during the Summer 2001!

Karen's mom, Barbara, said that Karen learned to read at an early age using the whole-word approach and flashcards. She said they are strong advocates of teaching reading this way! They were both very happy to see that eReadingPro had put a reading program together using all of the research that is available on how children with Down syndrome learn to read, making it easy for parents (and educators) to teach their children to read early. She even purchased a program to give to Karen's previous Grade 5 teacher, who had a huge impact on Karen's academic success!

Karen, her family, and The Karen Gaffney Foundation are "dedicated to championing the journey to full inclusion for people with disabilities. Many young families around the country have become dependent on Karen, her messages to help them on the journey to full inclusion for their child." (Quoted from the Foundations's website). I urge you to visit their website for more information on The Karen Gaffney Foundation.

I sincerely hope many of you have the opportunity to meet Karen Gaffney at some point, (if you have not already). She is stunningly beautiful, has an amazing presence, and will inspire you beyond your wildest imagination!

Dylan Kuehl

While I attended the 10th World Down Syndrome Congress in Dublin, Ireland, I was fortunate to meet some really amazing people with Down syndrome.

One young man really stood out for me - perhaps because he was exhibiting at the booth directly across from us (eReadingPro), and that gave me a chance to watch, listen and understand him more than others indivuduals I only met briefly.

Dylan Kuehl is an extremely talented human being. He is an artist who like others, uses his art to express himself. It allows him to be focused and detailed, while enabling him to build confidence and character. Dylan is a visual and performing artist, a writer, and a speaker. His art is simply beautiful.

When I fell in love with one of Dylan's paintings I pointed out how I loved the way the clouds in the picture parted to form a heart shape. His Mom said that they never even saw that until quite some time after he had created the picture. I realized today when I was staring at the beautiful card that he gave me as a token of our friendship, that the existence of this unintentional heart was like a profound reflection of what I see when I look at an individual with Down syndrome. The heart within is so pure and open, and many individuals overlook the joy that can be found from someone with Down syndrome, simply because they have not taken the time to look within. I am eternally grateful that I have 'tripped' into the world of Down syndrome, and devote every day to helping individuals like Dylan learn to read so they can lead rich and fulfilling lives like him.

If you would like to learn more about Dylan and his art, you can find him at: http://www.dylankarts.com/.