Beyond the Box Learning

When I first started homeschooling more than 30 years ago, I had no idea what homeschooling a child with dyslexia was supposed to look like. In this episode, I'm sharing the story of how homeschooling my own outside-the-box learners completely changed the way I think about education. Seven of my eight children have been diagnosed with dyslexia, and some also have ADHD, dysgraphia, or dyscalcul...

Have you ever wondered why your child can read a word correctly but still struggle to spell that same word? This is incredibly common for kids with dyslexia. Reading and spelling are closely connected, but they require different skills. Reading involves recognizing and decoding words that are already in front of us. Spelling requires a child to retrieve sounds, spelling patterns, and word structur...

If you're teaching a child with dyslexia to read, you may have wondered: Is this actually working? Maybe you're using an Orton-Gillingham-based reading program consistently, but progress still seems painfully slow. Your child remembers a phonogram one day and forgets it the next. They decode a word correctly on one page and don't recognize it on the next. That doesn't necessarily m...

When most parents think about ADHD, they think about difficulty paying attention, distractibility, or the child who simply can't sit still. But ADHD affects so much more than focus . This episode was inspired by a recent conversation in my online mentoring group. As we talked about children with ADHD, several of the moms began sharing their own experiences of living with ADHD. What struck me m...

Does it feel like your kids need you for every single part of the homeschool day? You’re teaching one child while another needs help logging into math. Someone forgot what they’re supposed to be doing. Someone else can’t find their pencil. And the child you just got started is back three minutes later because they’re stuck. 😂 For kids with dyslexia, ADHD, and executive function weaknesses, indepe...

Comparison can sneak into our homeschools even when we know what we're doing is working. In this episode of the Beyond the Box Learning Podcast , I share a recent conversation with an experienced homeschool mom who found herself questioning her family's individualized approach after seeing another family choose a more traditional homeschool program. We explore why traditional education can remain...

Every August, homeschool parents are filled with hope. This is going to be the year. The year your child finally loves reading. The year you stick to the schedule. The year every curriculum choice is perfect. The year everyone enjoys homeschooling. But what happens when reality doesn't match those expectations? In this encouraging episode, Marianne shares why unrealistic expectations can quiet...

Most homeschoolers start their homeschool years by recreating their public school experience at home. Learn why that is especially harmful for families homeschooling kids with dyslexia and ADHD and learn 2 other homeschool freedoms essential to know for parents homeschooling with dyslexia and ADHD. Beyond the Box Learning Podcast with Marianne Sunderland One of the biggest mindset shifts you'l...

Can parents teach their kids with dyslexia? Teaching a child with dyslexia to read, write, and spell is a challenge, yes, but homeschooling allows parents to give their kids the individualized education they really need. Read this episode and find the resources mentioned on the blog: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/can-really-homeschool-child-dyslexia/ --- My website, HomeschoolingWithDyslex...

There’s not a homeschool parent out there that doesn’t desire a more productive homeschool day. Juggling the many needs of running a home, caring for family needs, and nurturing a marriage can often leave us out of time or out of energy when it comes to teaching our kids at home. Introducing the Minimum Viable Homeschool Day! Learn how to choose a few essentials each day to feel more productive an...

It's not uncommon for homeschooled kids with dyslexia and ADHD to lack motivation to learn. This episode gives you 5 ways to increase INTERNAL motivation to learn; that is being self-motivated to learn. Find this post and all resources mentioned on my web site here: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/5-ways-increase-motivation-dyslexia-adhd/ --- My website, HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com exi...

After homeschooling kids with dyslexia for nearly 30 years, here are the different stages I've gone through; from confusion to confidence. Read the post here. Join my online mentoring group for parents homeschooling their kids with dyslexia here! --- My website, HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com exists to both educate and encourage parents and teachers of kids who learn differently, Kids who learn...

I've been saying for years that dyslexia is a learning difference , not a learning disability . Kids with dyslexia learn differently. Today I am sharing from my nearly 30 years parenting and homeschooling my 7 kids with dyslexia how kids with dyslexia learn differently and how we can teach them differently to accommodate this different way of learning. Read this episode on my website here. https:/...

Do you need some mid-year encouragement? In today's episode (recorded a few years ago for my private mentoring group) I'm sharing some powerful mindset shifts I have made over my last nearly 30 years of homeschooling 8 kids that have set me free from much of the stress and overwhelm so common to homeschool parents. See the full post and links mentioned on my website: https://homeschoolingwithdysle...

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I've been thinking about things I'm thankful for and realized that I am indeed thankful for my kids' dyslexia. Despite the hardships early on in our family's dyslexia journey, there have been a lot of valuable lessons learned. What once seemed like a curse on my family has turned out to be the opposite. All of my adult kids with dyslexia are finding succe...

Many people with dyslexia also struggle with anxiety. I know in my own home, I had to walk several of my kids through learning to manage their anxiety. You can read the article and access all of the resources mentioned in this episode here. --- My web site, HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com , exists to both encourage and educate parents and teachers of kids who learn differently. Kids who learn differ...

Hi, everyone.  I'm Marianne Sunderland, the host of the Beyond the Box Learning podcast. I initially started the podcast to record blog posts on my website: Homeschooling With Dyslexia. Since dyslexia is genetic, a large percentage of my website readers are also dyslexic and prefer to listen than to read.  But more recently, I began recording short podcast episodes in response to your questions an...

One of the most frequent concerns I hear about from parents is what to do with an older child who still isn't reading well. In this episode, I'm sharing 3 things you need to know about older kids who aren't reading fluently yet. --- My website, HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com , exists to both encourage and educate parents and teachers of kids who learn differently. Kids who learn differently need to...

Today I'm answering the question asking what to do when an older dyslexic child gets teased for their weak reading or writing skills. As a bonus question, I'm also answering what to do when a younger sibling begins to read better than an older dyslexic sibling. As the mom of 8 kids, I have lots of experience with this! Resources mentioned: What is Dyslexia? A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids About...

In our last episode we talked about how to decide whether or not to test your child for dyslexia. Today we are talking about the different types of dyslexia assessments, what tests are performed, how to get an official diagnosis, and how to find testers with expertise in dyslexia. Read this article on my website and find the resources mentioned here. --- My web site, HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com...

There are important differences between testing a child who is in public school with testing a child who is homeschooled. In this episode, I will share 4 reasons to consider testing your homeschooled kids for dyslexia and ADHD. --- My web site, HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com , exists to both encourage and educate parents and teachers of kids who learn differently. Kids who learn differently need to...

As we prepare to head back to school soon, I'm sharing my answers to the 4 most common questions I am asked about homeschooling kids with dyslexia. You can read this post and find all the resources mentioned in to by visiting my website here. --- You can find all the links and resources mentioned in the post by clicking through to the article at the link above. My web site, HomeschoolingWithDy...

For kids with dyslexia, learning to read takes specific methods and time. Spelling is no different except that it takes even longer to master. In this episode we talk about what to expect when teaching spelling to kids with dyslexia and what to do to best teach them. Read the post here: https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/spelling-dyslexia/ You can find all the links and resources mentioned in t...

Have you really accepted your kids' learning differences? If not, today's episode will encourage you that by accepting, appreciating, and accommodating our kids' different ways of learning, they can feel successful and smart. Read this episode article on my website here. Learn more about the Resistant Learner's Intensive here. We start Monday, March 25th! --- My web site, Homeschoo...

Is your dyslexic child resisting reading instruction? Honestly, I would be surprised if they  weren’t.   Learning to read as a child with dyslexia is HARD! This episode will cover the most common reason dyslexic kids resist learning to read and what you can do about it. --- Link to this article. You can find all the links and resources mentioned in the post by clicking through to the article at th...