Prelexia® - The First Preschool for Kids with Dyslexia
Austin is
home to the world's first preschool for dyslexic children, "Prelexia."
Housed at Stunt Ranch in the Texas hill country, 25 minutes from
downtown, Prelexia is the first school designed to address the symptoms of dyslexia before they become a hindrance in a child's life.
Prelexia is
the brainchild of Steve Wolf, an Austin based special effects
coordinator for major movies, who has a passion for solving problems.
When his then three year old son Paxton showed no ability to recognize
or repeat letters, he wanted to know why. Paxton's teachers could only
suggest that they wait and see if Paxton would later develop a
condition that might be treatable. This was not what Paxton's parents
wanted to hear. They wanted to know what the problem was, and to have
it addressed. It was three years before Paxton was old enough to have
his learning difficulties diagnosed. Wolf feels this was a horrible
waste of the precious period when a young brain is most supple, and can
be "rewired" most easily. Within days of receiving a dyslexia
diagnosis and a referral to specialist, Paxton was reading letters, and
within weeks he was reading words and sentences.
The recent discovery of a gene for dyslexia, a condition affecting reading and language abilities in as many as 1 in 5 people, allows
for diagnosis at birth. It had previously been difficult to diagnose
anyone under the age of 5, with testing being costly and time consuming
at any age. Dyslexia can be identified by a DNA test for the dcdc2
gene, ushering in an age where parents can
seek early intervention. Experts agree that early intervention is far
more effective, and can have dyslexic kids reading at or above grade
level before they enter school.
Determined to see that his son and the millions of children like him no
longer be subjected to the painful and harmful waiting game, Wolf
assembled a team of dyslexia experts to design a curriculum to meet the
needs of pre-schoolers.
Leading
the team is Karen Monteith , M.A., CALT., who was honored by the
Department of Defense Schools for her Sustained Superior teaching
performance. She has worked as a language therapist and special
education teacher for more than 35 years, during which she honed
techniques of multi-sensory of teaching. She has the expertise to
choose the right combination of strategies for each student. To
leverage her knowledge, she will train the homeroom teacher in a
variety of methods of reading and writing tutoring skills.
The
homeroom teacher is Becky Lewis, who loves helping kids have fun, and
has a specialty in pre-k dance. Dyslexic kids often possess excellent
athletic skills, and Becky brings these out. Wolf chose her to lead
the class because of her warmth, charm, up-beat personality and
enthusiasm. Her wonderful energy will rub off on the kids. "When it
comes to helping your own child," he says, "you lean toward people who
are loving and caring first and foremost."
Prelexia's approach to dyslexia is marked by a constant commitment
to improvement of it's methods, and bringing the benefits of the
latest science based research to the children they serve. Many schools
settle for what works "well enough," often resting their methods on
research that is over 50 years old. "The science that is coming out
daily is so exciting, and carries such potential for new understanding
of the brain, how it works, and how it can be healed," says Wolf.
Combining play, reading and language therapy, music, art, science, math
and creativity skills, the team implements strategies that enhance the natural strengths that typically accompany dyslexia, while
addressing the deficiencies the condition brings about. A feature of
dyslexia that distinguishes it from other reading disorders is that it
occurs as a weakness in an otherwise highly intelligent individual.
Many people with dyslexia show unusual abilities in math, science, and
creativity.
Individuals with the gene for dyslexia tend to make excellent film
makers, because making movies involves creative and problem solving
skills, while not requiring strong reading skills. Stephen J Cannell,
creator of "The A Team "and dozens of other shows is a great example.
NASA knows that dyslexic adults are excellent at problem solving, and
hires them in high proportion to solve the challenges of exploring of
our universe. The dyslexia family includes Albert Einstein, Thomas
Edison, Leonardo DaVinci, Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy.
Using film
production as an exciting focal point for the combination of science
and creativity, Prelexia offers a fun and supportive environment in
which dyslexic children can flourish, developing early skills designed
to enhance self esteem.
Since dyslexia is genetic, parents who remember struggling with their
own reading and writing skills can take proactive measures, get
testing, and immediately offer their kids the help they need. Given
the fun, nurturing and engaging environment at Prelexia, any child,
regardless of traditional or genetic testing, would benefit from this
school. It's students are far more likely to draw attention for their
amazing abilities than for any learning deficits.
As strategies are codified into replicable services and facilities,
Wolf plans to see that similar schools are available to the parents of
preschoolers across the country.
Prelexia is located at 13317 Fitzhugh Rd, off Hwy 290 West, 8 miles from the "Y" at Oak Hill.
www.prelexia.com, Phone (512) 653-9653
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