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Dyslexia ~
- Recognizing Dyslexia
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 Recognizing Dyslexia
- Your kid is having trouble with reading and you don't know
what to do. If the problem is dyslexia, there is much that can
be done.
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- Dyslexia is a problem because teachers can see that the child
is intelligent. They assume that if he is intelligent, he must
not be trying.
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- Instead of this round-robin cycle, dyslexics need to know
that their brain works differently than the "usual"
kid's brain but that they are capable of reading and writing
and, in most cases, doing it well. The trick is to help them
use the patterning skills of their brains to learn to read.
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- The Short List:
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Symptoms |
- Kid is called lazy when he gives up or stupid when he doesnt
understand.
- Child is frustrated at his inability to understand new material,
remember spelling and to compete as quickly as his peers.
- Child feels that he is a failure and stupid.
- Problems with reading continue.
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Understanding the problem |
- Kid understands that he has a "learning difference"
and can learn with new methods of teaching.
- Extra time in testing and in answering questions gives the
child new confidence that he can succeed.
- New methods of teaching help student to learn to read.
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- Dyslexia is not a ticket to failure. In fact, the brain configurations
which cause dyslexia can also give skills that the "normal
kid" can only dream about. (See Davis's page on the "Gifts"
of Dyslexia). Further, 50 years of research have made the lives
of many dyslexics easier as trial-and-error efforts have been
replaced with process and structure.
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- What Is Dyslexia?
- Dyslexia is a non-technical term meaning poor or inadequate
language. In practice, it often means much more. Difficulty organizing
work and possible awkwardness may accompany dyslexia. Experts
are divided about when diagnosis is possible. Some (the most
conservative) say that diagnosis is questionable until after
schooling begins when problems have been occurring and the child
has fallen two years behind his peers. Others believe that symptoms
are there earlier in life and diagnosis can be confirmed when
problems begin so that intervention can be made BEFORE problems
occur.
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- Who Has It?
- It is estimated that between 5 and 10 percent of the U.S.
population (10-20 million) is dyslexic including some of the
brightest and most successful people in the country. Nelson Rockefeller
(ex-Vice President), Charles Schwab (successful stock broker),
Cher, Whoopi Goldberg and Tom Cruise (actors) are all dyslexic.
In fact, some experts say that there is evidence that Leonard
de Vinci (whose paintings are mirror images of the real thing)
and Winston Churchill may have been dyslexic. In short, it is
important that dyslexic children know that the way their brain
operates will not hinder them from attaining anything that they
want to do as long as they get the help they need.
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- Symptoms & Traits
- Having one or two of these symptoms is not important. If
the individual has five or more, further testing will determine
if he is dyslexic. Even if the child is NOT dyslexic, many of
these methods will help those children who are struggling with
reading.
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- What Can You Do About It?
- The dyslexic needs help finding patterns especially in reading.
He isn't going to find them himself using whole language programs.
If left on his own, he may acquire a 3rd grade level of reading
which means that he recognizes certain small words, pictures
them in his mind and knows that they stand for certain meanings.
If he is going to learn how to read, he needs to be taught the
structure of language using phonics, rhyming, and formal grammar.
You'll find some tips on how to do this here as well as resources
for other methods.
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- Dyslexic children excel in careers such as engineering, architecture,
and computer science. However, motivated dyslexics can succeed
in any career which is of interest to them including medicine,
education, and journalism.
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- Reading Games
- There are many games you can play with your child to help
them learn to read.
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- Tips & Methods
- There are also many little things you can do to overcome
obstacles and help your child through each stage of their schooling.
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