by Shari McMinn
Like me, you probably started homeschooling your children and then realized it was way more than you bargained for! Especially when you discovered your child had issues beyond the typical struggles of laziness or wild behavior during reading, writing, and ’rithmetic.
We might have heard of dyslexia, but how many of us even knew about the learning labels of dyscalculia and dysgraphia, or how to help our children cope with them?
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12 ESV).
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Spiritual Warfare in the Midst of Homeschooling
I am not saying that every battle between a parent/homeschool teacher and their child/student is spiritual warfare, but our enemy surely hates the fact that we believe in Christian homeschooling and live it out! So, of course, it should not be unexpected that matters involving our struggling learners can get very complicated, with the enemy lurking close by. He wants us to give up on homeschooling and put our kids on that yellow bus. There were certainly times I seriously considered that!
On those hard days, I had to “stop, drop, and roll,” as the expression is used for putting out flames when you are literally on fire. I had to stop, drop to my knees in prayer, and roll into the safe arms of our sovereign Lord! I had to seek Him for wisdom on how to help my struggling kids, because He had created each of them for His purposes and already had the answers to the questions that I did not even know to ask.
Defining Learning Label Terms for Homeschool Teaching Parents
Thankfully, God has given us a rich English language with meaningful words that can describe what our students are going through. Let us take a look at three of those “learning labels” today. These descriptions below are from a website I often visit when doing research on unique learner topics, Understood.org:
1. Dyscalculia
“Dyscalculia is a condition that makes it hard to do math and tasks that involve math. It’s not as well-known or as understood as dyslexia. But some experts believe it’s just as common. That means an estimated 5 to 10 percent of people might have dyscalculia.
It’s not clear whether dyscalculia is as common in girls as in boys. Most experts think there’s no difference. (It’s also a myth that boys are better at math than girls.)
There are different terms for dyscalculia. Mathematics learning disability is one. Mathematics learning disorder is another. Some people call it math dyslexia or number dyslexia. This can be misleading. Dyslexia is a challenge with reading. Dyscalculia is a challenge with math.”1
2. Dysgraphia
“Dysgraphia is a term that refers to trouble with writing. Many experts view dysgraphia as having challenges with a set of skills known as transcription. These skills — handwriting, typing, and spelling — allow us to produce writing.
Trouble expressing your thoughts in writing isn’t formally recognized as part of dysgraphia. That’s a learning disability known as written expression disorder. But when people struggle with transcription, it can get in the way of thinking about ideas and how to convey them.
For example, people with dysgraphia may write more slowly than others. That can affect how well they express themselves in writing. Plus, they tend to have trouble with spelling because it’s hard for them to form letters when they write.
Dysgraphia isn’t a matter of intelligence. The challenges are often caused by trouble with motor skills. Those skills can improve with help. And people with dysgraphia may also be eligible to use accommodations at work or at school.”2
3. Dyslexia
“Dyslexia is a lifelong learning disorder that affects reading and spelling. It can also cause problems with writing and math. Dyslexia is the most common specific learning disability. It’s not clear exactly how many people have it. Expert opinions vary widely, and estimates of the rate of dyslexia in kids range from 5 to 17.5 percent.
Since people don’t outgrow dyslexia, it’s common in adults, too. But ‘lifelong’ doesn’t mean that people have the same difficulties throughout life.
Because it affects reading, some people think dyslexia is a problem with vision. It’s not. Dyslexia is a problem with language processing. Reading starts with being able to recognize and work with the sounds of spoken language. This skill is called phonological awareness.
Dyslexia doesn’t look the same in all people. There are many aspects to reading, and people can struggle with some skills more than others. The difficulties can vary in degree, too.
There’s no cure for dyslexia, but there is help. Specialized reading instruction and supports like accommodations can improve skills and reduce challenges at school and at work.”3
I recently participated in a Zoom meeting “master group” with nearly 20 other Alliance state homeschool organizations’ special needs (aka unique learners) coordinators. In that meeting, I learned that of the new families turning to homeschooling, many of them are just like you and me, with one or more of their children having the “dys” label learning disabilities.
The majority of those attending the meeting highly recommended Davis Dyslexia.com. I conducted further research on several websites, and then found this helpful explanation:
“The Davis® approach is a highly effective, non-traditional suite of programs for dyslexia and other learning differences. Davis methods give individuals the tools to use their inherent, natural strengths to overcome specific areas of academic or workplace difficulties. The method was developed by Ronald D. Davis, after a breakthrough discovery enabled him to overcome his own severe dyslexia at the age of 38. Based on his research with other dyslexic adults, Davis opened a center in California in 1982. He continued to explore and refine his methods, working with hundreds of clients, and twelve years later, in 1994, published the first edition of his book, The Gift of Dyslexia.
After publication of the book, Davis developed a formal program to train professionals to provide the dyslexia program, and over the years also developed standard protocols for programs aimed at resolving difficulties with mathematics and attention focus, as well as programs geared to individuals on the autistic spectrum. There are now hundreds of qualified Davis facilitators providing programs in dozens of languages in more than 45 nations, who collectively have worked successfully with tens of thousands of clients. Davis professionals work with individuals of all ages, from children as young as age 5 to senior citizens past the age of 90.”4
Several of my children were dyslexic, one suffered from dyscalculia, and others experienced dysgraphia. What is a parent to do? Observe, research, persevere, become patient, find helpful providers and/or teaching strategies, and never give up working with and encouraging your child daily!
Over time, all of my children became proficient at reading, and they could handle consumer math problems well. Several of them also became very good writers, yet none became the spelling ace I was! Oh well, at least spell check is available on every tech device, right?! Just for your information, I am still searching for the perfect spelling program…
Resources for Homeschool Parents of Students with the “Dys” Labels
Here is a list of some resources I have vetted — and used myself — that you might want to pursue this summer before another school year begins:
- Check out CHEC’s Recommended Resources for Unique Learners.
- Order recordings of Unique Learners-focused workshop speakers from the Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference — Lacy Davis, Steve Demme, Renee Ellison, Shari McMinn, Dr. Amy Moore, Dr. Jen Parra, and Sonya Shafer — on the Resounding Voice website.
- Purchase and read Chapter 9, “Different Learners,” in CHEC’s Homeschool Guidebook for Colorado.
- Visit the websites of unique learner providers who exhibited at the Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference last week: Bridging the Gaps Dyslexia Center, Learner Success LLC, LearningRx, The Multisensory Reading Center, The Nectar Group, and Patterns of Hope.
- You can always reach out to me by email or phone at 720.235.2748 for personal conversation and practical guidance.
Next Month’s Unique Learner Blog
My next Unique Learner blog, “Curriculum Methodologies and Options,” will be posted on July 23, 2025 (the 4th Wednesday).
Shari McMinn, your trusted homeschooling friend
P.S. If you have a topic I should write about, please email me with your suggestion(s). This blog is for you!
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