Langevin hears appeal from dyslexic student

John Howell
Posted 10/9/14

Congressman Jim Langevin gets few letters from 13-year-olds, and usually none of them with dyslexia, until Luca Razzino, an eighth grader at Winman Junior High wrote. Langevin wanted to meet Luca and …

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Langevin hears appeal from dyslexic student

Posted

Congressman Jim Langevin gets few letters from 13-year-olds, and usually none of them with dyslexia, until Luca Razzino, an eighth grader at Winman Junior High wrote. Langevin wanted to meet Luca and hear his story.

So, on Tuesday, Luca and his mother Stacy Razzino-Bailey visited Langevin’s office. The congressman was in for a surprise. Luca is tall and, as Langevin discovered, shy. He didn’t say much until they talked about baseball. Luca likes the game, and plays first base. Derek Jeter is his favorite player. In fact, he got to see Jeter’s last game at Yankee Stadium before retiring.

But Langevin heard the rest of Luca’s story from his most ardent advocate, his mother.

Stacy started suspecting her son had development issues when he was in pre-school. His inability to keep pace with his peers’ reading progress became more pronounced in first grade. By second grade, when the family moved to Warwick, it was apparent he needed special attention. As a second grader at Greenwood Elementary, Luca was tested so that the School Department could prepare a 24-page individual education program, or IEP, just for him.

Stacy was elated by the attention and special care given her son. But even with the IEP, Luca was unable to keep up by the time he reached fourth grade. Luca was placed in a special classroom where he and others with disabilities worked at their own pace.

High schools, where Luca will be next year, don’t have self-contained classrooms and Luca and his mother wonder what will happen then. Dyslexia is not recognized by the Rhode Island Department of Education as a learning disability requiring special attention, said Stacy. That situation would change under legislation introduced by Warwick Rep. Eileen Naughton.

“I’m afraid he’s going to be lost,” said Stacy, “that he is going to be left behind.”

Stacy said she was told that Luca is on track for a high school certificate but not a diploma.

“That’s not acceptable to me,” she told Langevin.

Langevin already had a good idea what Luca thinks of it.

In his letter he writes, “I read at a 3rd grade level. I feel sad that I can’t be at the same level as my friends. I might fall behind in my class. It is hard for me to read and write. I have a tutor to help me be a better read.”

Luca ends his letter, “Plesas help RI become a state that have more teachers to help dislxic children.”

According to Stacy, if lines of type are not individually highlighted, Luca can’t follow what’s written and a paragraph, or an entire page, becomes a jumble of words. She said the same is true with his writing. To assist, tests are read to Luca, with the exception of reading tests. He often uses an audio rendition of a book to complete assignments or to follow the written text. She cited the History Channel as especially effective.

Luca’s letter is written on wide lined paper, the words widely separated and large.

Stacy said the letter was inspired by “Dyslexia the Movie.”

“It has taken him about a year to write the letter,” she said.

Langevin congratulated Luca for coming to him.

“More young people need to take an interest in government,” he said.

Langevin recommended that they contact their council and school committee representatives, as well as the principal at Toll Gate, where Luca will be a freshman next year.

Stacy believes the problem is far greater than her son. She said one in five children have a form of dyslexia, although not at Luca’s level of severity.

“It seems to be that there are a lot of children not receiving proper teaching,” she said.

“Your story is an important one,” said Langevin, “that’s how change gets made.”

Langevin referred to his own disability, showing Luca how his motorized wheelchair elevates on two wheels so that he can be closer to eye level with other people. That was a little difficult, given Luca’s height.

“Everyone has their own challenges. Everyone has gifts and talents and the thing to do is to find what they are and develop them,” said Langevin.

“I hope you go through life and find out what they are … find out something you enjoy and get good at it.”

Langevin asked what Luca would like to do in the future. It was an obvious question and Langevin waited for the answer. Luca didn’t say anything.

“Tell him what you told me,” his mother coaxed.

“Be a Warwick policeman,” Luca said, in a soft voice.

Langevin knew just the person for Luca to speak to, a staff member who is a retired Warwick policeman.

Introductions were made and Luca and Stacy were still talking with the staff member by the time Langevin’s next appointment showed up.

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  • sarena45

    Bravo Luca! You are an Ambassador for Dyslexic students here in Rhode Island. Your mom, Stacy is a warrior to fight as she has. I know, I too am fighting here in Cranston. Earlier this year I founded Decoding Dyslexia RI, however it is not recognized here in Rhode Island. Until July of last year it wasn't even in our State regs, only federal. Here is the problem, doctors do not typically diagnose as such, rather "Language Based Disability" a/k/a Dyslexia which is not reading backwards. It is inability to process and Decode within Reading, Spelling, Writing, Math. It can be any one or all of those along with Executive Function, low working memory and 60% of those kids are ADD.

    Currently our Education System ("RIDE") here in Rhode Island will have you believe that the root of your child's problem is ADD, and they can't pay attention. RIDE will have you believe that they have a behavior problem and fight giving you services. They are self-proclaimed Experts, yet they do not know the signs, nor symptoms of Dyslexia. It is no wonder since they have had no training. As Stacy points out in the article there are 1in5 Dyslexics and it is the most common Learning Disability (LD=Learning Difference) in Special Ed. Yet, rather than use the Standardized Tests that ARE available...and the argument would be they choose knowingly to not recognize a suspected disability. When our children are receiving Response to Intervention (RTI) or they have a Personal Literacy Plan (PLP) THAT is a dyslexic child. It pains me to know the science has been around for a long time and yet our education system hasn't caught up and continues to create a society of 'Gap Kids'.

    Look up the words 'Child Abuse' and you will see that denial of "Education" is under the definition. When a school knowingly and intentionally doesn't provide the children the science based tools in order to be successful and allows them to continue to fail...that is abusive and negligent.

    I hope people see the upcoming Rally for Dyslexia (Language Based Learning) on October 18th from 12-1:00PM at State House (smith st. side) and bring a bandana and book.

    Thursday, October 9, 2014 Report this