Scientists Link Gene To Dyslexia

A gene which is likely to be one of the causes of dyslexia in children has been discovered by researchers at Cardiff University.

They believe the major finding will give researchers a better understanding of what causes the brain disorder which disrupts reading and writing skills.

It is now hoped that follow-up research will also lead to the discovery of treatments which could help children susceptible to dyslexia.

The discovery was made by a team from the Department of Psychological Medicine, Wales College of Medicine.

They carried out analysis of 300 families from Wales and the West of England where at least one child suffered from the disorder.

The research team led by Professor Julie Williams and Professor Michael O'Donovan will now continue their study in order to discover more about the gene called "KIAA0319".

The research will focus on discovering exactly how the gene works within the brain to disrupt reading and writing skills.

Professor Williams said: "This is a major breakthrough and the first study to identify one gene which contributes to susceptibility to the common form of dyslexia. We would like to thank all the parents and children who took part in the study and would extend a call to new volunteers to take part in this important research."

The researchers want to hear from more families with at least one child who has dyslexia.

Professor O'Donovan said: "The finding vindicates our optimism that a disorder as apparently complicated as impaired reading ability can be amenable to molecular genetic dissection." However, he added: "Much more remains to be done before the finding is translated into therapy. To tackle the genetic origins of disorders like dyslexia, both quality of assessment and sample size are crucial. We have the tools to take care of the latter, but we are entirely dependent on the altruism of the public in offering their time and DNA".

Cardiff University

EMOTIONS

Dyslexic people are increasingly encouraged to view their dyslexia in a positive light. However, many dyslexics feel a number of distressing emotions about their difficulties and their situation. Most commonly reported are the following:

Confusion and bewilderment.

Many adult dyslexics are unaware that they have a recognizable pattern of difficulties which can be significantly alleviated through the learning of appropriate skills and strategies. Typically, therefore, an adult dyslexic feels thoroughly confused. He/she seems to be quite bright and quick-thinking in some ways, but apparently quite slow and 'stupid' in others.

Embarrassment, shame and guilt.

Feelings of embarrassment about dyslexia can deepen into shame, and, whereas embarrassment is often specific to a particular situation, shame seems to seep through the whole personality. Often dyslexic people come to feel that they have a guilty secret. Ella, a successful potter, describes it thus:

“I had a secret inside me. I kept 'it' in a box; and would only open the lid very cautiously. You may well laugh when you know the contents of the box: it was dyslexia. That word, that almost indescribable thing, lived in the box and pervaded almost every part of my life, but no one could see it. It was a living nightmare.”

Lack of confidence, low self-esteem.

The emotions described above – bewilderment, shame, guilt – deal a crippling blow to confidence and self-esteem. Lack of confidence manifests itself both in relation to specific tasks that a dyslexic person finds difficult, and in a more general way. At work there is a feeling of not being competent to hold down one's job. There is also a nervousness about applying for promotion, or for another job. In interviews, particularly, lack of confidence can be very damaging.

The daily questionings of one's own abilities and capacities will slowly but surely erode one's self-esteem. Among all the problems, the difficulties, the inefficiencies, the traumas, where is the person who is of worth? Is there such a person in there somewhere? Lack of confidence may result in aggressive or defensive behavior. Then the dyslexic person becomes trapped in a pattern of interaction, or rather reaction, which imprisons him/her in a lonely and distressing world.

Frustration and anger.

A sense of being imprisoned, trapped, impotent is often reported by dyslexic adults. George, a long-distance lorry driver, describes it thus: “I felt I couldn't move in any direction. In my job I was always moving, going in all directions, but in myself I couldn't go anywhere. I was grounded. That's why I liked the driving – I would drive and drive and drive to try and get away from the frustration, but however far you drive, you can't get away from yourself.”

In human beings, frustration soon turns to anger. But who should the anger be directed against? Who is to blame? All too often dyslexic adults end up blaming themselves.

Anxiety, fear and panic.

Whatever difficulties one may have in life, anxiety usually makes them worse, and this is certainly true of dyslexic difficulties: adult dyslexics become locked in a vicious circle of anxiety and inefficiency. Anxiety and stress can also precipitate physical symptoms: panic attacks, nausea, migraine, susceptibility to illness. Being physically below par naturally further reduces efficiency and so the downward spiral continues.

Despondency, depression and despair.

If the difficulties continue to go unrecognised, if there is continual failure in attempts to study and hold down jobs, then the dyslexic person may lose hope and sink into depression.

Relief, determination and hope.

It perhaps seems as if this paper has been full of doom and gloom. Yet all the emotions that have been described here are commonly reported by dyslexic adults. However, once dyslexic difficulties have been recognized, and strategies for dealing with them put in place, life can often take a turn for the better. All the energy that previously went into worrying about the problems, and covering them up, can now be channeled into developing effective ways of dealing with them, both practically and emotionally. What usually emerges most strongly is a sense of hope and a feeling of determination to turn one’s life around.

As James, who was recently diagnosed as dyslexic, said: “I felt as if the prison doors had been opened. I looked out and saw paths leading in all directions. I didn't know which of the paths was mine. All I did know was that I would have a path in future and that the years of confinement were over.”

Further reading:

- Dyslexia in the Workplace, by Diana Bartlett and Sylvia Moody, published by Whurr.
- Dyslexia at College, by Tim Miles and Dorothy Gilroy, published by Routledge.
- Dyslexia and Stress, edited by Tim Miles and Ved Varma, published by Whurr.

Perception and Movement

Dyslexia denotes difficulty with reading and writing, and it is often supposed that this difficulty must stem from poor phonology (ability to recognise, produce and sequence letter sounds). However, dyslexia may also be associated with perceptual and motor (movement) difficulties. Such difficulties are often grouped together under the term ‘dyspraxia’.

General difficulties.

· poor balance and posture

· clumsy gait and movement

· difficulty with bat and ball games

· tendency to fall, trip, bump into things and people

· poor handwriting and typing

· lack of manual dexterity (needed in tasks such as cooking)

· over-sensitivity to light and noise

· discriminating between left and right

· judging distance

· finding one’s way about

· doing numerical and spatial tasks

· planning and organising thought, and expressing thoughts

· organising daily life

· social interaction

Study difficulties.

· presentation of written work

· keeping place when reading

· keeping overall structure of essay in mind

Workplace difficulties.

· using machines such as photocopiers, faxes

· entering data on a computer / calculator

· copying down figures correctly and in the proper columns

· remembering where things have been put

· taking messages

· using a date stamp

· keeping papers in order

· carrying trays, eg, of coffee mugs

Managing the difficulties.

· use a ruler to keep place on page

· photocopy text onto coloured paper

· colour-mark layout of tables of numbers

· systematically scan each part of graphs, charts, tables of numbers

· keep operating instructions for fax machine, etc. by the machine

· use an ergonomic keyboard

· use keyboard shortcuts / slow down the mouse

· plan a daily, weekly and monthly work schedule

· carefully pre-plan before going to a new place

· use upside-down maps

· make a note of routes, eg, to photocopying room

· request a quiet workspace

· get a tray with high sides and a long central handle (from disability organisations)

· use specially adapted utensils for cooking / tools for DIY

Assessment.

Dyspraxic difficulties can usually be identified in a psychological assessment (eg, using the WAIS test).

If physical clumsiness is a marked feature, it is advisable to seek an assessment also from a physiotherapist or occupational therapist who specialises in adult dyspraxia.

If perceptual difficulties are marked, then a referral to a perception therapist would be useful.

Further reading.

Living with Dyspraxia: A guide for adults with developmental dyspraxia, ed. Mary Colley; available from the Dyspraxia Foundation. (Some of the material in this paper has been taken from this book.)

Dyslexia in the Workplace, by Diana Bartlett and Sylvia Moody, published by Whurr.

Dyslexia at College, by Tim Miles and Dorothy Gilroy, published by Routledge.

Sequencing and Structuring

The logical sequencing and structuring of information, ideas and activities is a necessary part of human life. Though we may prefer to see the world holistically, yet still we cannot escape structure in our daily lives.

Language in particular is highly structured. It is not surprising, therefore, that dyslexic people have a number of difficulties with language, especially written language. However, they are often also inefficient in many other tasks which involve sequencing and structure. Some commonly-reported difficulties are listed below.

General difficulties.

· writing and copying words and numbers

· following instructions / carrying out instructions in the correct sequence

· working under pressure

· keeping workspace tidy

· organising daily life

Study difficulties.

· structuring essays

· taking succinct notes

· organising work and revision schedules

· presenting an argument logically in a seminar

· dealing with library catalogues / finding books

Workplace difficulties.

· filing documents / retrieving files

· following work protocols

· writing letters and memos

· structuring reports

· presenting ideas clearly in oral interactions / presentations

· carrying out tasks in an efficient, logical way

· dealing with a varied workload

· getting the times and places of meetings wrong

· missing appointments

· failing to prioritise / missing deadlines

· never having the right papers

Managing the difficulties.

· read words and sentences bit by bit

· skim text to get an overview before reading for detail

· use alphabet cards

· colour code columns and rows of figures

· colour code instructions / protocols

· colour code files and filing trays, eg, use red for urgent work

· clearly label files and filing trays

· keep workspace tidy

· plan daily, weekly and monthly action lists

· leave some time each day to deal with emergencies / unexpected tasks

· at the beginning of each day review the action plan for that day

· at the end of each day check what has / hasn’t been done

· pre-plan essays and reports

· pre-plan oral interactions / presentations

· pre-plan tasks, and split them into sections / stages

· work one step at a time

Further reading.

- Dyslexia in the Workplace, by Diana Bartlett and Sylvia Moody, published by Whurr.

- Dyslexia at College, by Tim Miles and Dorothy Gilroy, published by Routledge

Short -Term Memory

Short-term memory (STM) is a temporary store for information. The information in this store will later either be forgotten or, if important, transferred to our long-term memory store. For example, we use STM to remember a telephone number for a few seconds, or to keep the shape of an object in mind as we try to draw it. To use your STM, carefully read through the following numbers ONCE ONLY; then look away and see if you can recall them in the correct order: 5 9 2 8 3 7 4 6.

One important component of STM is working memory. In the example given above, STM was a passive recipient of information – its task was to remember the information only, not to do anything with it. The working memory component, however, is active: it takes the information held in the main STM store and uses it in some way. For example, we use working memory when we do mental arithmetic. To use your working memory, carefully read the following sentence through ONCE ONLY and then try to work out the sum in your head. Add 5 and 3 and 8 and 4 and then divide by 2.

Poor short-term memory, especially in the visual and auditory modalities, is often associated with dyslexia. Below are some of the difficulties it causes:
General difficulties.

· remembering telephone numbers

· copying down numbers correctly

· remembering messages, instructions and directions

· keeping track of ideas when speaking, listening or writing

· remembering people’s names

· remembering where things have been put

Study difficulties.

· taking notes in lectures

· formulating responses to questions in seminars


Workplace difficulties.

· taking notes in meetings

· following discussions

· following oral instructions

· taking telephone messages


Managing the difficulties.

· break numbers and words into chunks

· read sentences slowly and methodically

· try to identify the central theme of each paragraph you read

· request repeats or written back-up for instructions

· ask for instructions to be given in visual form, eg, flow charts

· use set formats for telephone messages

· use visual symbols or pictures as cues and reminders

· tape record instructions / lectures / meetings

· take regular rest breaks

· do relaxation exercises

Sylvia Moody
Dyslexia in the Workplace, by Diana Bartlett and Sylvia Moody, published by Whurr.

Coping skills

Emotional support and opportunities for achievement in activities that don't involve reading are important for children with dyslexia.

If your child has dyslexia:

* Be supportive. Having difficulty learning to read may affect your child's self-esteem. Be sure to provide love and to support his or her talents and strengths.
* Talk to your child. Explain to your child what dyslexia is and that it's not a failure on his or her part. The better your child understands this, the more likely he or she will cope with and compensate for this learning disability.
* Take steps at home to make it easier for your child to study. Provide a clean, quiet, organized place for your child to study, and designate a study time. Also, make sure your child gets enough rest, good nutrition and family support — through outings and activities — to provide a better environment in which he or she can learn.

Stay in close touch with your child's teachers so that they're fully aware of your child's situation and so that you and they can reinforce one another's actions. If available, tutoring sessions with a reading-disorders specialist can be very helpful for many children with dyslexia.

You may also want to consider joining a support group to stay in contact with parents who face similar learning disabilities in their children. Belonging to a support group can provide you with both good information and emotional support.

Ten Top Organising Tips For Dyslexics

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

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

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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Symptoms of Dyslexia

Children with dyslexia are not all alike. The only trait they share is that they read at levels significantly lower than is typical for children of their age and intelligence. This reading lag is described in terms of grade level. Dyslexics commonly have one or more of the following problems:

* Difficulty learning and remembering printed words

* Letter reversal (b for d, p for q), number reversals (6 for 9), and changed order of letters in words (tar for rat, quite for quiet) or numbers (12 for 21)

* Leaving out or inserting words while reading

* Confusing vowel sounds or substituting one consonant for another

* Persistent spelling errors

* Difficulty writing

Other characteristics sometimes include:

* Delayed or inadequate speech

* Trouble picking the right word to fit the meaning desired when speaking

* Problems with direction (up and down) and time (before and after, yesterday and tomorrow)

* Clumsiness

Diagnosis of Dyslexia

A physician will obtain a medical history and perform a physical exam in order to rule out other causes of reading difficulty, including vision problems. Testing by a psychologist is often recommended.

Treatment of Dyslexia

Educators and psychologists generally agree that the remedial focus should be on the specific learning problems of dyslexics. Therefore, the usual treatment approach is to modify teaching methods and the educational environment.

Children suspected of being dyslexic should be tested by a psychologist. By using a variety of tests, it is possible to identify the types of mistakes that are most commonly made. The examiner then can make specific recommendations for treatment such as tutoring, summer school, speech therapy, or placement in special classes.

Treatment programs for dyslexic children fall into three general categories: developmental, corrective, and remedial. Some programs combine elements from more than one category.

The developmental approach involves the use of methods that have previously been used in the belief that these methods are sound and that the child needs extra time and attention.

The corrective approach uses small groups in tutorial sessions, but it emphasizes a child's assets and interests. Those who use this method hope to encourage children to rely on their own special abilities to overcome their difficulties.

Proponents of the remedial approach try to resolve the specific educational and psychological problems that interfere with learning.

Reason and Risk Factors of Dyslexia

Developmental dyslexia is a precise learning disability characterized by complicatedness in become skilled at to read. Some dyslexics also have complicatedness learning to mark, to spell and, now and then, to talk, or to work with numbers.

We do not be familiar with what causes dyslexia, but we do identify that it affects children who are physically and sensitively healthy, academically competent, and who come from good home environments. Actually, many dyslexics have the advantages of good schools, high mental ability, and parents who are well-educated and value learning.

School children are subject to a broad range of reading troubles and researchers have discovered the cause of a lot of of these problems. Nowadays, most teachers accept these research consequences and use them in planning their instruction, but there remains a small group of children who have complicatedness in learning to read for no apparent reason. These children are called dyslexic. Although approximation of the commonness of dyslexia are tough to find, it is estimated that as many as 15 percent of American students may be classified as dyslexic.

Children with dyslexia are not all alike. The only trait they divide up is that they read at levels significantly minor than is typical for children of their age and intelligence. This reading lag is described in terms of grade level. Dyslexics usually have one or more of the subsequent problems:

* Difficulty education and remembering printed words

* Letter reversal (b for d, p for q), number reversals (6 for 9), and changed order of letters in words (tar for rat, quite for quiet) or numbers (12 for 21)

* Leaving out or inserting words while reading

* Baffling vowel sounds or replacement one consonant for another

* Constant spelling errors

* Difficulty writing

* Delayed or inadequate speech

* Trouble picking the right word to fit the meaning desired when speaking

* Problems with direction (up and down) and time (before and after, yesterday and tomorrow)

* Clumsiness