Over the years I have had to find alternate ways of doing certain everyday tasks, so I developed various ways to cope with my Dyslexia, methods that have also helped thousands of others. Now I would like to share them with you.
1)Highlighting Numbers and Words
I still use the method my parents had devised for me as a child for seeing numbers - colours! I use different highlighter pens for different items. Everything from everyday lists to spreadsheets can be prepared this way. For example, when using numbers, sub-totals can be highlighted in pink and the gross amounts in green.
2)Memory Statements
If, like me, your long term memory is great but your short term memory isn't quite so good, you may often find yourself putting things down and not finding them again, especially things like house and car keys. Try saying aloud, "putting car keys on kitchen work surface". Somehow that penetrates my mind and I know exactly where they are later when I need them. I have given many people this method, and it nearly always works.
3)Make lists
Whenever you need to remember something you want to get or do, use a sheet of paper or notebook to jot it down. None of us remember everything all the time and lists are so useful. For some things you can also start a list and just keep adding to it. My favorite lists include the one on the back of my door in the kitchen of reminders of vital things for any trip, including purse, mobile and adapter, credit cards, etc.
4)Post-it Notes!
Where would we be without them?! They are so great for quick reminders. Try keeping a post-it pad in the cupboard by the kitchen door, and when you need to remember to get a birthday present or food items for example, write it down when you think of it; then check your post it notes each time before leaving the house.
5)Calendars & Wall Planners
Calendars and day or week planners are great tools for keeping you organized. Discover which method of recording data works best for you and use it regularly.
6)Diary
Using and regularly updating your diary is essential to being organized. Using either electronic or hard copy version, always keep it updated. Record appointments and holidays well in advance.
7)Databases
Databases are also important to being organized. (I personally keep an electronic as well as a hard copy (printed) of all my data.) Divide your data bases into different areas of your life: friends and family, health practitioners, service providers, etc. Make sure your data is correct before recording it to avoid inaccurate or incomplete information. Do take the time to record everything correctly and regularly update it.
8)Duplicating Everything You Need
For traveling organize a big cosmetic case with the same things you keep in your home bathroom.
9)Financial Records
It is essential that you keep track of your financial income and outgoings. To help you with this I have devised a basic Financial Tracking Chart. (The template is available to download from my website)
10)Organizing Chart
To further help you organize yourself and create a proper place for all your belongings, and pertinent information, an Organizing Chart is invaluable. Write down the problem area, followed by what you are going to do to improve in that area. Basically, everything you own needs a home, or else it becomes a weed, (something not the right place). Identify belongings that don't have a home and create a place for them. You may need to have a clear-out to create more space. Make a list of your 'homeless' possessions and then decide where their homes will be from now on. Then create folders for your files and name them.
The good news is, once you have organized yourself you just need to keep following through. Then not only will you feel so much better, those around you will benefit as well.
Genevieve Dawid
http://www.articlesbase.com
Ten Top Organising Tips For Dyslexics
Treating Dyslexia
Dyslexia has become a term that most people are familiar with. They believe it means reversing letters and numbers, which is true, but in my work with children I have found that it encompasses so much more than just reversals. What I have primarily found is that these children are highly intelligent, yet their world cannot seem to hold still for them. Can you imagine your world floating or moving? That is what these kids deal with daily. Can you imagine your world changing daily, hourly, or by the minute? That is what is on these poor kids’ plates. And yet, we ask them to sit still, read, do math, mind and follow directions, and the list goes on.
There are many forms of dyslexia. The dyslexia most people think about involves reading and reversing letters. Recently I was working with a dyslexic student and told her mom that she was having a hard time reading the silent e. I gave her some activities to help her. The next day the mom called me. The student had indeed inherited her dyslexia from Dad. When Mom was telling Dad about the silent e, He replied, “Well, that’s because we don’t see it.” How simple is that? Can you imagine not being able to see a letter right there in front of you, a letter so important that it can change the sound and meaning of a word? Can you imagine how stupid you would feel if you read the word site as sit? How about if you did it in front of your reading group or the entire class? How about if your teacher isn’t kind and makes you feel stupid in front of the whole class when you make a mistake such as this? It happens daily.
Dyslexia may show up in math, writing, handwriting, or spelling. I have worked with kids who could read so well it would amaze you, but give them some math problems, and they fall apart. Also, they may not reverse letters or numbers. They may have an auditory form of dyslexia. Some of these kids can’t focus because they hear the computer whirring away but only hear every third or fourth word the teacher might say.
And we wonder why these kids are failing. We wonder why many of them become behavior problems or retreat into a silent, strange world. I think I might have to get up and move around the classroom if it couldn’t hold still. I can guarantee you that a teacher wouldn’t sit for hours on end if she had this problem. And the sad truth is that these kids are probably smarter than the straight A student whose mom is bragging to you at soccer practice. If you are the parent of a dyslexic child, you may have given up or you may think your child is dumb. That bragging can get pretty old.
Dyslexia can be treated. I don’t know if there is a cure, but I do know this. I have had students who write backwards or in mirror form, who couldn’t read or write, who were failing school and life. After working with these kids, most have been on the Honor Roll or close to it. The most severe dyslexic student I have ever had was misdiagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Her mother was told by the school to plan on institutionalizing her when she grew up because she had no future ahead of her. She was 9 years old and couldn’t read or write. She couldn’t do first grade math. She is now reading, writing, and doing math. No, she is not yet on grade level, but I have no doubt that within a year she will be close. My first indication that she had a world that wouldn’t hold still was how she held her head. You see, it was tilted to the side constantly. Each week when she comes, that is one of my biggest victories. Her head is no longer tilted, which means her world is starting to settle down. She can now settle down and get on to the business of learning. I am convinced that she is intelligent. I am convinced that she does not have Asperger’s Syndrome. I am convinced that as we work on spatial issues and visual and auditory processing activities as well as brain retraining that this child will lead a normal life. She will be reading and writing like any other kid her age.
The progress each child has will differ. I have had kids show huge growth in a few weeks. Other kids will show nothing and then one week they seem to know everything. Some kids will just plod along at a steady pace. Do not give up on them. Keep the kindness and patience alive for them, because you are all they have to fight this battle. I usually work with a student once a week for a year before the student is able to function in a classroom and have decent grades and test scores. I have had some severe students for two years. The students who make the most progress get daily help. Once a week isn’t enough to lick this thing.
Most parents are relieved when they actually get a diagnosis. However, they must understand that if a student has dyslexia, then he won’t always see a b as a d. It may be a p or a q another day. This just seems to drive parents nuts. They had just gone over the b the day before and now the kid is saying it is a p! Keep in mind that their worlds are not constant. Not much is constant in their brains, and yet you will hear some of the biggest bits of wisdom you have ever heard come out of their mouths. There truly is intelligence in there. If you have a problem you can’t seem to find the answer to, find a dyslexic child or adult and ask his opinion. You will be astounded at his insight. These are the most intuitive kids I have ever met, and most have a sense of humor that is so advanced that they are one step ahead of you.
So, how do you know if your child has dyslexia? Following are some general symptoms of dyslexia that can serve as a guide for the steps you need to take if your child has these symptoms.
· Slow, labored inaccurate reading of single words in isolation
· Slow, choppy oral reading while ignoring punctuation
· Becomes visibly tired after reading for a short time
· Poor reading comprehension
· When reading, frequently reverses, inverts, or transposes letters or words
· Substitutes similar looking words, even if it changes the meaning of the sentence, such as sunrise for surprise
· Omits or changes suffixes, such as need for needed
· Spelling errors of reversals, inversions, or transpositions
· Continually misspells sight words or misreads sight words
· Written work shows signs of spelling uncertainty
· Misspells even when copying something from the board or from a book
· Unusual pencil grip when writing, often with the thumb on top of the fingers – a fist grip
· May hold the pencil lower or higher than normal
· The pencil grip is so tight that the child’s hand cramps
· Writing letters is a slow, labored, non-fluent chore
· Writes letters with unusual starting and ending points
· Has great difficulty getting letters to sit on horizontal lines
· Unusual spatial organization of the page. Words may be widely spaced or tightly pushed together. Margins are often ignored
· Has an unusually difficult time learning and using cursive writing
· Writes extremely short sentences
· Takes an unusually long time to write
· Displays very poor mastery of punctuation as well as grammar, syntax, and suffixes
· Misspells many words
· Has nearly illegible handwriting
· Uses space poorly on the page
· Misses many errors in written work even when proofreading has been attempted
· Left-right confusion, mainly showing up in handwriting and math
· Difficulty in directionality – confuses north and south or the meaning of words such as right – left
· Tying shoelaces is difficult
· Difficult time writing capital cursive letters
· Long division, fractions, and memorizing multiplication tables is difficult
· Touch typing is difficult
· Learning science and history facts is difficult
· Concepts of time and calendars are difficult
· Disorganized personal space
· Loses many personal items such as clothing, watches, papers, books, shoes
If your child has many of these symptoms, he may be dyslexic. A test is a good place to start to find out for sure. Or, you can just assume that this is his life and move on from there.
So, how do we still the waters that churn continually in a dyslexic child’s mind? For starters, brain exercises must come into play. To calm these waters the brain must become balanced. Ear eights, eye eights, cross crawls, magic eights, and mirrors are exercises I use regularly with the dyslexic child. (You can find these exercises at www.learning-aids.com – just look for the free Quick Start Kit) Martial arts is wonderful for these children due to the constant crossing of the midline and visualization of moves and poses.
Next, I work on spatial and visual processing. I have found that most of these kids are having a difficult time processing in their visual field. Eighty percent of what we take in is visual, so I always start here. Usually their eye muscles are weak, so I patch an eye and do the star eye exercises and repeat them on the other eye. I work on strengthening eye muscles. I have them work on spatial skills as well. Listen and draw is a great exercise I use for dyslexic children, as it encompasses all three avenues of learning. It is amazing how these kids perceive the world.
Then, I work on auditory and fine motor skills. I have yet to work with a dyslexic child who didn’t have fine motor skills problems. I am to the point where I can almost diagnose a kid after a few minutes. This thing is real, and it seems to be an epidemic. Getting these kids to write is one of the most difficult things I do. We start slowly with other exercises to get their hands and brains to work together. I always have these kids learn cursive, as it is difficult to have a reversed letter with cursive and it also flows with the brain. Manuscript is choppy and it does not flow. It actually slows these kids down. Cursive is a tough transition for them, but once it is made, then it works so much better and writing skills can then be learned.
Usually, after a few months of this, the waters do indeed calm down. They start doing things that were not possible for them before. They start seeing some successes in school. Reading isn’t quite the chore it once was. Writing becomes easier.
Is this an over night fix? Definitely not. It usually takes about a year for me to get a kid with dyslexia to be functional in a classroom and on grade level. And, that is with the parent’s help. Daily exercises are important. It took me twice as long to get a dyslexic girl up to speed because her parents weren’t willing to do eye exercises at home. But, she is in junior high school now and doing well. It just takes time and patience.
Lisa Harp
http://www.articlesbase.com
Teaching Children With Dyslexia
A child affected with dyslexia would have problems while copying notes from blackboard. A child would complain of not getting sufficient time to copy down all the notes from the blackboard. Children may become blank and not know which letter to write or even they would not be able to read the joined writing on the board.
If your child is complaining any of these then he probably is suffering from dyslexia and is not lazy or not wanting to study. Dyslexia is a learning problem with reading and writing amongst children. It makes difficult for the children to remember and read also they get jumbled with words.
Suffering children with Dyslexia
Children suffering from dyslexia have to struggle with learning to read and spell. They lack in confidence level. The children suffering from dyslexia would find themselves comparing with other children of their own age. However some people do not understand this condition and find their children rather lazy or unwilling to learn or simply find them stupid. A lot of research has been done over past couple of years and the researchers have come up with certain help. Dyslexic children need a special program to be followed everyday with special care and attention.
If one's child is suffering from dyslexia then the condition could be improved by using an appropriate teaching method. However, if dyslexia is not mild then it would take some time for child to get better. One should remain patient, persistent, understanding also loving. Most of the cases would have reading and spelling problems. It would take some time however, it is better to be slow than not having the ability at all.
Various methods
It is necessary for one to identify dyslexia in a child. A child suffering from dyslexia needs to be given special attention and care. Certain special teaching program could help the children suffering from dyslexia. Multi sensory teaching method has proved to be very helpful by the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. This method has proved to be effective on children suffering from dyslexia. Specialists could help the children suffering from dyslexia. These specialists could help the children with dyslexia remembering the sounds in new ways.
Children can learn easily by making use of sounds the way mouth can easily move. Flash cards or tapes could also be used as they are more effective than the notes in a classroom. Children may find it difficult to do their homework at home so they can get some tutors who would help them with it. There are special computer programs designed that would help children with learning the sounds in a better and in easy way. Special coaching and guidance can help children overcoming their deficiency. Confidence building would help children with dyslexia.
Children suffering from dyslexia often feel inferior and loose confidence when they see children of the same age performing better than them. Thus various teaching methods could help children to overcome with dyslexia.
Stephen Campbell
http://www.articlesbase.com
Recognising the signs of Dyslexia in Primary Schools
Which children in your school are dyslexic? Dyslexia comes from the Greek language meaning 'difficulty with words'. Around 10% of people in the UK are thought to have dyslexia to some degree. Dyslexia affects people in different ways. Some are very good readers but may struggle with spelling or writing. Others may have only mild symptoms of dyslexia, or may have severe symptoms but only experience them now and then. You can often spot signs of dyslexia in children at a young age. However, children develop at different rates, so it's important to remember that just because a child may have one or more of these characteristics, it doesn't mean that they necessarily have dyslexia. 10 signs of dyslexia:
1. Difficulty remembering times tables or the alphabet and putting the days of the week in order
2. Enjoys being read to but when attempting to read themselves, guesses at words
3. Confuses left and right
4. Takes a long time to complete any written work
5. Persistent difficulties with reading and spelling
6. Leaves letters out of words or puts them in the wrong order
7. Appears careless and lacks concentration
8. Has unusual difficulties in dressing or tying shoe-laces
9. Writes letters and / or numbers the wrong way round
10. Needs to use fingers or written marks to do simple calculations when other children are easily able to do them in their heads
Although there is no cure for dyslexia, recognition of the problem and appropriate teaching methods are vital. Let’s give children the help they need.
Keytools have a wide range of learning and disability resources for children. Visit us at www.keytools.com for specialist software, keyboards and mice.
Written by Leigh Cooke
http://www.freepressreleases.co.uk
Study shows stronger links between entrepreneurs and dyslexia
It has long been known that dyslexics are drawn to running their own businesses, where they can get around their weaknesses in reading and writing and play to their strengths. But a new study of entrepreneurs in the United States suggests that dyslexia is much more common among small-business owners than even the experts had thought.
The report, compiled by Julie Logan, a professor of entrepreneurship at the Cass Business School in London, found that more than a third of the entrepreneurs she surveyed - 35 percent - identified themselves as dyslexic. The study also concluded that dyslexics were more likely than nondyslexics to delegate authority and to excel in oral communication and problem solving and were twice as likely to own two or more businesses.
"We found that dyslexics who succeed had overcome an awful lot in their lives by developing compensatory skills," Logan said during an interview. "If you tell your friends and acquaintances that you plan to start a business, you'll hear over and over, 'It won't work. It can't be done.' But dyslexics are extraordinarily creative about maneuvering their way around problems."
The study was based on a survey of 139 business owners in a wide range of fields across the United States. Logan called the number who said they were dyslexic "staggering" and said it was significantly higher than the 20 percent of British entrepreneurs who said they were dyslexic in a poll she conducted in 2001.
She attributed the greater share in the United States to earlier and more effective intervention by American schools to help dyslexic students deal with their learning problems. Approximately 10 percent of Americans are believed to have dyslexia, experts say.
One reason that dyslexics are drawn to entrepreneurship, Logan said, is that strategies they have used since childhood to offset their weaknesses in written communication and organizational ability - identifying trustworthy people and handing over major responsibilities to them - can be applied to businesses.
"The willingness to delegate authority gives them a significant advantage over non-dyslexic entrepreneurs, who tend to view their business as their baby and like to be in total control," Logan said.
William Dennis Jr., senior research fellow at the Research Foundation of the National Federation of Independent Business, a 400,000-member trade group in Washington, said the study's results "fit into the pattern of what we know about small-business owners."
"Entrepreneurs are hands-on people who push a minimum of paper, do lots of stuff orally instead of reading and writing, and delegate authority, all of which suggests a high verbal facility," Dennis said. "Compare that with corporate managers who read, read, read."
According to Logan, only 1 percent of corporate managers in the United States have dyslexia.
Much has been written about the link between dyslexia and entrepreneurial success. Fortune Magazine, for example, ran a cover story five years ago about dyslexic business leaders, including Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways; Charles Schwab, founder of the discount brokerage that bears his name; John Chambers, chief executive of Cisco; Craig McCaw, the cellular phone pioneer; and Paul Orfalea, founder of the Kinko's copy chain.
Similarly, Rosalie Fink, a professor at Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, wrote a paper in 1998 on 60 highly accomplished people with dyslexia, from a Nobel laureate to a Harvard oncologist.
But Logan said hers was the first study that she knew of that attempted to measure the percentage of entrepreneurs who had dyslexia. Carl Schramm, president of the Kauffman Foundation, which financed the research, agreed. He said the findings were surprising but, he noted that there was no previous baseline to measure it against.
Emerson Dickman, president of the International Dyslexia Association in Baltimore and a lawyer in Maywood, New Jersey, said the findings made sense. "Individuals who have difficulty reading and writing tend to deploy other strengths," said Dickman, who has dyslexia. "They rely on mentors, and as a result, become very good at reading other people and delegating duties to them. They become adept at using visual strengths to solve problems."
Orfalea, 60, who left Kinko's - now FedEx Kinko's - seven years ago, and who dabbles in a hodgepodge of business undertakings, is almost boastful about having both dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"I get bored easily, and that is a great motivator," he said. "I think everybody should have dyslexia and ADD."
He attributes his success to his difficulty with reading and writing because it forced him to master verbal communication.
"I didn't have a lot of self confidence as a kid," he said. "And that is for the good. If you have a healthy dose of rejection in your life, you are going to have to figure out how to do it your way."
Danny Kessler, 26, also has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He founded Angels with Attitude, which holds self-defense seminars for women. He is a co-founder of Club E Network (www.clubenetwork.com), which sponsors "networking events," runs an online chat room for entrepreneurs and produces television shows about them.
He said he also had low self-esteem as a child, and now views that as a catapult into the entrepreneurial world. "I told myself I would never be a lawyer or a doctor," he said. "But I wanted to make a lot of money. And I knew business was the only way I was going to do it."
By Brent Bowers
Published: December 5, 2007
http://www.iht.com/
Septuagenarian triumphs over dyslexia thanks to tutor
Recently, I read a book for the first time. This may not seem like much. However, for an individual in his 70s, this meant the world to me. I spent decades living in shame and fear of being “found out.” I refused countless promotions just so my co-workers would not learn I could not read.
I wanted to send my wife a birthday card. I picked out the most beautiful card I could find. My wife told me I actually had selected a sympathy card for her.
About a year ago, I went to a free reading program offered by Literacy Services of Indian River County Inc. It is a nonprofit organization that helps adults, like me, learn how to read through volunteer tutors. I am reading my fourth book, and my wife and I now fight over who gets to read the newspaper first in the morning.
My issue with reading stems from dyslexia. Research demonstrates that dyslexia is a neurological condition and can be genetic. It is not mortally fatal but can be spiritually fatal to an individual living with it. Historically, students with dyslexia have been ignored, labeled “dumb” and generally put in the back of the room and left alone.
This was my fate. The reality is that those with dyslexia are generally bright and eager to learn.
For example, Albert Einstein was dyslexic. I hope this letter debunks some of the dyslexia myths that are out there. It is important for individuals with dyslexia to know they are not dumb and that they can learn how to read notwithstanding the learning disability.
Please seek help!
I encourage everyone in our community and elsewhere to become a volunteer tutor, help financially, or just increase literacy awareness. I know I will do my part.
Edward Hall
http://www.tcpalm.com/
Dyslexia can’t stop dream of teaching
Viterbo student Jessica Winker will walk across the stage of the Fine Arts Center Main Theater at Viterbo University on Saturday because she didn’t let a disability stand in her way.
“She does not make excuses for herself,” Donna Benden, academic adviser in education at Viterbo. “She is the perfect model of a student that has direction and does whatever she has to do in order to achieve the goal.”
In kindergarten, Winker was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Retested at 22, she was told the earlier diagnosis was wrong and she instead had dysphonetic dyslexia, a form that makes it difficult to link sounds to words. Her math, reading and writing skills also were at an eighth-grade level.
The news was a relief, Winker said, because she finally understood why her brain mixed up words and it took so long to read and do homework.
The psychologist was amazed Winker had made it so far in school. She had learned how to memorize and use other strategies to adapt to the dyslexia. In fact, she adapted so well she had graduated from high school with a 3.5 grade point average.
The dyslexia obviously
didn’t slow her down in college, either.
The 25-year-old will graduate from Viterbo University with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education, a liberal studies degree and an early childhood minor.
Since starting at Viterbo in 2003, Winker had commuted from Mauston, Wis., five days a week for classes, except the year in which she had her baby, Thomas.
Winker initially couldn’t get into Viterbo’s education program because she was unable to pass the state entrance exam, so she had to change her major. She decided later to take the test a fourth time and, with the help of a writing tutor, passed it in December 2005.
Once in the program, Winker had more “hoops to jump through,” such as signing a contract that she would meet with a writing specialist two to three days a week.
She also had to pass the second phase of the state exam, which she managed to do on her third try in August.
Winker will finish student teaching and turn in an example of a class unit she taught to complete her elementary education degree. She can begin substitute teaching as soon as Jan. 24.
Benden thinks Winker will make a wonderful teacher and good role model for students.
“She will instill in them that confidence, work ethic and goal orientation she has,” said Benden.
Winker already has made a difference for children: During her 100 hours of classroom observation in the education program, Winker recognized dyslexia in a young girl. The girl would write letters backwards and read certain words wrong, just as Winker had, she said.
Winker is happy to know the girl will be able to improve her reading and writing. She now looks forward to making a difference for others.
“I am excited to be a teacher and inspire children’s minds,” she said. “I could teach for free if I didn’t have to pay the bills. Kids make it worthwhile, worth life and worth everything I’ve gone through.”
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
Dyslexia group wants to hear from families
ASSEMBLY Members studying methods of treating dyslexia want to hear from children and parents.
A group of AMs set up to look at approaches to the treatment of dyslexia in Wales is asking children with the condition and their parents for their views.
The cross-party Dyslexia Rapporteur Group including Conservative Education spokesman Alun Cairns, Plaid Cymru education spokeswoman Janet Ryder and Liberal democrat education spokeswoman Kirsty Williams was set up by the Assembly’s Enterprise and Learning Committee.
The group has been on a series of fact-finding visits and has taken evidence from leading academics, organisations and institutions.
The AMs have studied established ways of dealing with dyslexia and also looked at more innovative approaches such as the Dore method – the subject of a TV documentary featuring rugby star Scott Quinnell – and the Raviv method, and IT packages including Fast ForWord.
They have also heard evidence from organisations including the British Dyslexia Association Cymru and Dyslexia Action Cymru and looked at other innovations such as the accreditation of dyslexia-friendly schools and the prescribing of tinted glasses and coloured lenses. They now want to talk to parents and children with experience of dealing with the difficulties of living with dyslexia. In particular they want to know:
Their experiences of different interventions
The support provided in schools
The services of educational psychologists
Welsh-medium provision for children with dyslexia.
Mr Cairns AM, said, “Being on the Dyslexia Rapporteur Group has been a fascinating experience and we have learned a great deal about the different innovative methods of tackling the condition.
“However, it is important that as well as hearing from practitioners and institutions, we hear from the real experts – children and their parents – about their experiences. I am urging anyone who has a dyslexic child in their family to contact the group. This will help us in developing our final recommendations about approaches to dyslexia treatment.’’
Anyone wanting to send their views to the group should write to Kathryn Jenkins, Committee Services, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay CF99 1NA or via email: Kathryn.jenkins2@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Is dyslexia an asset for entrepreneurs?
BusinessWeek takes a look at an interesting trend: dyslexic executives building great companies.
Dyslexia is generally viewed as a disability, but it hasn't stopped some of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time: Cisco Systems founder John T. Chambers, Richard Branson, Henry Ford, William Hewlett, Charles Schwab, and Ted Turner.
In nearly every field of endeavor, there are a plethora of hugely successful dyslexics: Agatha Christie, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, George Patton, John Lennon, Nolan Ryan, Andy Warhol, Leonardo da Vinci, Tommy Hilfiger, Jay Leno, Tom Cruise ... the list goes on and on.
Many dyslexic individuals develop unique coping skills to deal with their disability, leading it to actually become a strength: they develop strong work ethics, good people skills, and think creatively.
To learn about the mind of one of America's most innovative entrepreneurs, check out Kinko's founder Paul Orfalea's Copy This!: Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic Who Turned a Bright Idea into One of America's Best Companies. It's one of the better business books to come out in the past few years.
http://www.bloggingstocks.com
Dyscalculia : Math Disability
Math Disability Characteristics of Dyscalculia
1. Unable to understand relationship concepts of: time, space, and measurement.
2. Unable to memorize simple number facts and multiplication tables.
3. Lacks understanding of place value for carrying and borrowing.
4. Forgets the procedures for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.
5. Arrives at the correct answer, but only after an inordinate amount of time.
6. Counts on fingers for simple number facts well after the appropriate age.
7. Works very slowly on work pages. Close observation will reveal that he has worked out the answer to a supposedly memorized fact in this fashion: 4X8= 2×8=16 2×8+16 32
8. Makes many simple computing mistakes.
9. Learns to compute without understanding the concept and therefore does not use the appropriate algorithm for word problems.
10. May reverse the digits in writing: 31 for 13
11. Carries the unit digit instead of the tens digit because does not understand place value.
12. Ignores math symbols or misreads them.
13. Unable to tell the time by age nine.
14. When distracted in the middle of a math problem, has to start over from the beginning.
15. Looks for any excuse to escape math class. Feigns boredom or fatigue when asked to work on math.
16. Lacks the needed computational skill in shopping, making change, and figuring his expenses.
17. Does not understand the relative cost of items.
18. May become more hyperactive during math period.
19. Covers the bottoms, margins and backs of arithmetic papers with marks for counting up to answers because lacks the ability to compute.
20. Unable to estimate time, space, costs.
21. Does not discover or invent strategies for calculating.
What are the treatments for Math disability
Dyscalculia Treatment for dyscalculia focuses on many specific instructional methods and at present can follow any structured mathematics program. Dyscalculic persons must have far more opportunities to practice in concrete ways the association of numbers with actual situations. For example, Teachers should not assume that children have understood place value simply because the have learned, to carry the digit on the on the left side of a two digit number and add it to that column. In multiplication they may have learned to move the second row of products one place over, but not understand that they are actually now multiplying the ten’s column.
Principles of Instruction for Dyscalculia
* Start at the student’s success level.
* Ensure understanding of terms used. (bigger, smaller, more, less, before, after, etc)
* User concrete objects to introduce all new concepts (blocks, beads, playing cards, cuisinaire rods, stearns blocks, lego, etc.)
* Continue to have concrete objects available as long as the student needs them.
* Follow a structured program.
* Give homework only for reinforcement when you are sure his answers will be correct.
* Move to semi-symbolic level (pictured objects, rulers, dominoes, etc.)
* Give massive practice before moving on.
* Review the work done during the last lesson before introducing the new material. This will reassure the student that he is ready to go on as well as provide some reinforcement.
Published Programs
Key Math Teach and Practice Program Published by American Guidance Service. AGS
What are the treatments of learning disability/ dyslexia?
Treatment programs for dyslexia, a specific learning disability, should be linguistically based, highly structured, provide for massive practice for each new element to be learned, and stress phonemic awareness and syllabic decoding. Several such programs are available in the USA. Among the better known programs are: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Let’s Read, Scottish Rite. Students may continue to be somewhat slower readers and may be eligible for extra time when taking exams such as the College Boards if it is proved- by diagnostic testing- that reading accuracy and comprehension are within the normal range and only reading speed is affected. How can tutors help a child with learning disabilities? A qualified and experienced tutor for children with dyslexia should provide specific instruction several times a week and use a recognized, scientifically based and approved program. Two to three years are usually required to bring the student up to his or her age level in reading and spelling. What are the skills and qualifications for a teacher of children with learning disabilities? The teacher must first meet all State teacher requirements and then possess a master’s degree in Special Education or have taken all courses required for certification as Teacher of Children with Special Learning Needs by their particular State. Most tutors are also trained in one or more of the recognized programs for the remediation of dyslexia.
Pamela Kvilekval
http://blog.tutorz.com
Learning Disability
What is a learning disability?
Learning Disability is not a specific term; it is a category containing many specificdisabilities, all of which cause learning to be difficult. The following definition of “learning disability” is used for legislative, financial, and educational purposes only. It is NOT a definition of dyslexia, which is one specific learning disability. The term ‘learning disability’ means a disorder in one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding spoken or written language. It may show up as a problem in listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, or spelling or in a person’s ability to do math, despite at least average intelligence. The term does not include children who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or physical handicaps, or mental retardation, or emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
Simple Definition of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is an inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to read, write, and spell in your native language—despite at least average intelligence.
Revised definition from the International Dyslexia Association
Dyslexia is a neurologically-based, often familial, disorder which interferes with the acquisition and processing of language. Varying in degrees of severity, it is manifested by difficulties in receptive and expressive language, including phonological processing, in reading, writing, spelling, handwriting. Dyslexia is not the result of lack of motivation, sensory impairment, inadequate instructional or environmental opportunities, or other limiting conditions, but may occur together with these conditions. Although dyslexia is lifelong, individuals with dyslexia frequently respond successfully to timely and appropriate intervention.
Research definition used by the National Institutes of Health
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
Cause of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is an inherited condition. Dyslexia results from a neurological difference; that is, a brain difference. Dyslexia runs in families. f/MRI studies have shown that people with dyslexia do not activate sufficiently the same part of the brain when reading as other people. Studies by NIH (National Institute of Health) and other prominent researchers have demonstrated that dyslexic persons are deficient in phonemic awareness.
Phonemic Awareness
Quotes from prominent NIH researchers: “The lack of phonemic awareness is the most powerful determinant of the likelihood of failure to learn to read.” “Phonemic awareness is more highly related to learning to read . . . than tests of general intelligence, reading readiness, and listening comprehension.” “Phonemic awareness is the most important core and causal factor separating normal and disabled readers.” NIH research has repeatedly demonstrated that lack of phonemic awareness is the root cause of reading failure. Phonemes are the smallest unit of SPOKEN language, not written language. Children who lack phonemic awareness are unable to distinguish or manipulate SOUNDS within SPOKEN words or syllables. They would be unable to do the following tasks:
* Phoneme Segmentation: what sounds do you hear in the word hot? What’s the last sound in the word map?
* Phoneme Deletion: what word would be left if the /k/ sound were taken away from cat?
* Phoneme Matching: do pen and pipe start with the same sound?
* Phoneme Counting: how many sounds do you hear in the word cake?
* Phoneme Substitution: what word would you have if you changed the /h/ in hot to /p/?
* Blending: what word would you have if you put these sounds together? /s/ /a/ /t/
* Rhyming: tell me as many words as you can that rhyme with the word eat. If a child lacks phonemic awareness, they will have difficulty learning the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent in words, as well as applying those letter/sound correspondences to help them “sound out” unknown words.
So children who perform poorly on phonemic awareness tasks via oral language in kindergarten are very likely to experience difficulties acquiring the early word reading skills that provide the foundation for growth of reading ability throughout elementary school. Phonemic awareness skills can and must be directly and explicitly taught to children who lack this awareness. Phonological Processing and Phonics Phonemic awareness must exist or be explicitly and directly taught BEFORE phonics (or phonological) instruction begins. Otherwise, the phonics instruction will not make sense to the dyslexic child. Phonological processing starts by knowing which speech sounds are represented by which written letters. The goal of teaching phonics is to make phonological processing fluent and automatic. Phonics teaches how the written letters blend together to produce words, how the sounds of the letters change depending on the letters that surround them, the rules regarding adding suffixes and prefixes, and so on. In other words, phonics teaches students the internal linguistic structure of words.
How can parents recognize it?
A reading disability A kindergarten child may have difficulty remembering rhymes and recognizing words that rhyme, naming shapes such as square, triangle and circle, and learning the names and sounds of letters. Most young children confuse the letters b an d but it is symptomatic of dyslexia if they continue to read and write them incorrectly at age eight. An older child or adult may demonstrate many of the following symptoms.
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