Audiblox

Austin started using Audiblox on November 16. This is a program designed by Dr. Jan Strydom of South Africa, to reverse disabling effects of dyslexia, dysgraphia and other conditions.

The exercises use coloured blocks for block design, sequencing and patterns, letter tiles to practice spelling, bean bags, a page of arrows to practice orientation (up, down, left, right)... Austin particularly enjoys the block design exercises, and he is doing very well at them.

I've noticed that he is creating clever ways to remember the colour sequences - very similar strategies to building vocabulary when he is learning a new language. For instance, when he sees a horizontal series of three blocks, blue/white/red, he says out loud, "France," if he sees these blocks in a vertical orientation, he says, "France sideways," and if they are red/white/blue, he says, "France backwards." He uses similar phrasing for green/white/red, substituting "Italy" for "France." A yellow/black combination is "Bumblebee," and a green/blue combination is "Vancouver." He explained that he's referring to the Canucks' blue/green jersey. A red/white/yellow combination is "too bright." I've noticed that he consistently uses the same descriptions for the same colour combinations.

He's not mixing up his green and red, but occasionally gets blue and green in the wrong positions when they are together in a colour sequence.

He hates to repeat a design, so I've noticed he is now trying harder to get them right on the first try.

Austin and I have agreed to practice Audiblox together for three months, 5 times per week, to see if it makes a difference with his handwriting skill. Fortunately, the exercises are varied, he's not being timed, and I'm usually able to hold his interest through each section. We spend 45 minutes per day on these exercises.