D Y S L E X I A
Virginia Korasidou, 49th Primary School of Athens, Vasiliki Pelekouda, 9th Primary School of Larisa.
DYSLEXIA TABLE OF CONTENTS
Definition Types of Dyslexia Causes of Dyslexia The phonological model Two ways of thinking Disorientation Characteristics of Dyslexia What Dyslexia is not What can be done Success beyond dyslexia
Dyslexia is a genetic, brain-based characteristic that results in difficulty connecting the sounds of spoken language to written words. It can result in errors in reading or spelling as well as in a number of areas not considered major life activities, such as determining right and left. Dyslexia is also characterized by a set of strengths that typically come with this profile in one or more of the following areas: verbal, social, narrative, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical or musical skills. Overall, it is characterized by an increasing ability to perceive broad patterns and a reduced ability to perceive fine detail in systems.
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TYPES OF DYSLEXIA
The term Dyslexia is used to describe a range of specific learning disabilities that include dysgraphia (difficulty in hand writing and written communication), dyscalculia (difficulty with mathematical formulas), dyspraxia (kinesthetic and motor impairments).
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Dysgraphia Students get a lot of instruction on how their writing should look like so that they have multiple mental pictures of words and letters superimposed over one another.
With a pen or a pencil they can draw only one line at a time, so what they draw is a combination of all these pictures, usually switching from one another. The result is a jumble of lines that wiggle and jump all over the paper.
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Dyscalculia
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Time-sense distortions are common among dyslexic children. They occur simultaneously with visual, auditory and balance/motion disorientations.
For the dyslexic, time has never been consistently experienced. Without an inherent sense of time, understanding the concept of sequence-the way things follow each other, would be difficult. Even simple counting is a matter of sequence. Without the concepts of time and sequence, an accurate understanding of the concept of order versus disorder is doubtful.
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Dyspraxia
People with dyspraxia have difficulty in planning and completing fine motor tasks. They can be simple tasks, such as, waving goodbye or more complex like brushing the hair.
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It is not a learning disability but very often coexists with other LDs and conditions that impact learning. Occasionally, it can be caused by traumatic brain injury, but in most cases, the cause is unknown. It affects many aspects of development and learning, and in infants, a hesitancy to crawl. Difficulty in learning to use cups and utensils, and walking delays may signify early symptoms.
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Causes of Dyslexia Dyslexia is caused by a unique wiring in the brain. Dyslexics have been found to have strong activity in the right side of the brain. Because of the strength of their right brain, they engage this area while performing language tasks However, language tasks are typically and most efficiently performed in the left side of the brain. Thus, the wiring of the dyslexic brain is often prescribed as the cause of dyslexia.
These differences in brain structures and development are often found to be generational. Not every child of someone with dyslexia is dyslexic, but it is common for a dyslexic to have a family history of the condition. Also, dyslexia has been found to correlate to left handedness. Just because someone is left-handed does not mean they are dyslexic, but it has been found that about half of the family members of a dyslexic are commonly left-handed.
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The Phonological Model The phoneme, defined as the smallest meaningful segment of language, is the fundamental element of the linguistic system. Different combinations of just 44 phonemes produce every word in the English language. Τhe word ''cat'', for example, consists of three phonemes: 'kuh’, "aah", and "tuh'. Before words can be identified, understood, stored in memory or retrieved from it, they must be broken down into their phonetic units by the phonological model of the brain. In spoken language the process occurs automatically, at a preconscious level. Reading on the other hand is an invention and must be learned at conscious level. Reading reflects spoken language and it is a much harder skill to master. Although both speaking and reading rely on phonological processing, there is a significant difference: speaking is natural while reading is not. The task of the reader is to transform the visual percepts of alphabetic script into linguistic ones-that is to decode graphemes (letters) into their corresponding phonemes. Reading is a real workout for the brain. A number of steps need to be taken-and all at once. Understand the way speech sounds make up words. Focus on printed marks (letters and words) Connect speech sounds to letters. Blend letter sounds smoothly into words. Control eye movements across the page. Built images and ideas. Compare new ideas with what is already known. Store the ideas in memory. 9
Kids who have dyslexia struggle with the beginning steps, so that makes the rest of the steps even harder. It is no surprise then, that trying to read and dealing with dyslexia makes a kid's brain really tired very fast. So, s/he will read slowly and probably make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes s/he will mix up letters in a word, such as the word ''was'' as ''saw''. Words may blend together wrong and look like this: Thew ord sare n otsp aced cor rect OR Sometimesallthelettersarepushedtogether
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Two ways of thinking
There are two ways of thinking: ''verbal conceptualization'' and ''nonverbal conceptualization''. Verbal conceptualization means thinking with the sounds of words. Non verbal conceptualization means thinking with mental pictures. Verbal thought is linear in time. It follows the structure of language. 11
When using it, a person composes mental sentences, one word at a time. It occurs at the same speed of speech. Nonverbal thought is evolutionary. The picture grows as the thought process adds more concepts. It is much faster. People think in both ways but they have a tendency to specialize. Each person will practice one way as his primary way of thinking and the other as a secondary. The dyslexic is primarily a non-verbal thinker, a person who thinks in pictures. To see how this mode of thinking contributes to the dyslexic's learning disability, we must look at our language. We can consider language, the mirror of the thought process. Language is composed of symbols. Symbols are composed of three parts: a) What the symbol sounds like b) What the symbol means c) What the symbol looks like When we use verbal conceptualization, we are thinking with the sounds of the language. We are actually carrying on an internal monologue of mental statements, questions and answers. If we use non-verbal conceptualization, we are thinking with the meaning of the language by forming mental pictures of its concepts and ideas. The pictures aren't just visual. They are more like three-dimensional, multi sensory movies. They change and evolve as a sentence is read. But it does present a problem, because some parts of the language are easier to picture as concepts and ideas than others. Keep in mind that the dyslexics have little or no internal monologue, so they do not hear what they are reading unless they are reading it aloud. 12
Instead, they are composing a mental picture by adding the meaning-or image of the meaning-of each new word as it is encountered. Words that describe real things don't cause much trouble. We can think the word 'pencil' as long as we know what it looks like. But it is extremely difficult to think with words whose meanings can't be pictured. Knowing what a 'the' looks like doesn't let us think with a 'the'. Seeing the letters t-h-e for the word 'the' is not seeing its meaning. Reading a sentence with the word 'the' using verbal conceptualization won't create a problem because even if we don't know the meaning of the word we still know the sound of it. We will understand the overall idea of the sentence after we finish reading it and listen to it mentally. Reading the same sentence while using non-verbal conceptualization will be a problem. The picture of the sentence's meaning is evolving as we read. But the development of the picture will be stopped each time when the meaning of an unknown word cannot be incorporated into the overall picture. Every time we come across a word whose meaning does not have a corresponding mental picture the process will stop and we'll end up with a series of unrelated pictures with blank spots in between. Each time this happens the picture becomes more incoherent and the person more and more confused, tired and frustrated.
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Disorientation
Another problem the dyslexics have to face is direction-orientation versus disorientation. When they see a letter or a number, they know the shape but they sometimes don't realize that the direction of the shape matters. For example, a cat is always a cat, no matter which way it's facing. It could be upside down, turned one way or another, but it is still a cat. But the written word cat means nothing to her/him. The lines don't form anything like her/his mental picture of a cat. Her/his brain looks at the word in at least 40 different configurations. S/he perceives the word forward, backward, upside down both ways and floating in space from various perspectives. S/he tries to understand the word not as a symbol, but as an object. S/he puts at least 40 pieces of data into her/his mental computer.
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Thirty-nine pieces of data are incorrect. S/he has already performed a great number of computation in her/his brain, many more and faster than all the other children and s/he will still appear slow, and s/he will probably make a mistake. So, the main idea is to teach the child that direction does matter, and to provide a framework for the child to remember the direction of that letter or number.
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WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE When it is a problem…
The dyslexic kid usually:
reverses letter sequence is slow to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words and other spelling strategies avoids reading aloud has trouble with word problems has difficulty in hand writing has an awkward, fist-like or tight pencil grip 16
avoids writing compositions is slow at recalling facts has a confusion about left and right has difficulty in following direction has difficulty in learning the alphabet, time tables, words of songs or rhymes (especially if s/he has to read them first)
When it is NOT a problem…..
The dyslexic kid usually: 1.
can utilize the brain's ability to alter and create perception (the primary ability)
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is highly aware of the environment
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is more curious than average
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thinks mainly in pictures instead of words-think of the advantage they have: remember the phrase ''a picture is a thousand words''
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is highly intuitive and insightful 17
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thinks and perceives multi dimensionally (using all the senses)
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can experience thought as reality
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has vivid imagination
These eight basic abilities, if not suppressed, invalidated or destroyed by parents or the educational process, will result in two characteristics: higher -than -normal intelligence and extraordinary creative abilities. It is no surprise then that a great number of dyslexic people are artists because of their ability to see the world differently, and a 35% of them are entrepreneurs.
WHAT DYSLEXIA IS NOT A lot of people think dyslexia equals stupid or lazy. The letters LD (Learning Disabilities) represent the words Lazy and Dump for some of us. In addition to the pain associated with being insulted, the myth of laziness is most corrosive because it is the one that is the least true. People who are dyslexic are working three times as hard as a non-dyslexic just to get a B- minus despite the hours of effort they put in and the barrier of the text or spelling. Here is a list of the most common myths about dyslexia.
Smart people cannot be dyslexic Intelligence has nothing to do with phonological processing. A lot of geniuses like A. Einstein and L. Da Vinci were dyslexic. In fact, their genius occurred because of their dyslexia and not in spite of it. 18
Because of their ability to see things differently, to perceive the world in a different way they managed to stand out.
Dyslexia can be outgrown
Unfortunately, the disability persists into adulthood. It is an innate disability, meaning that it is in the person from the day s/he is born and it only reveals itself when they are asked to do certain text-based activities. Even though many dyslexics learn to read accurately, they continue to read slowly and not automatically
More boys than girls are dyslexic There is a number of studies that show that dyslexia hits boys the same as girls. It is true that there are more boys in special education for dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities, but this is because boys who are frustrated by their difficulty in school tend to act out, and girls tend to hide it and stay quiet.
Eye training is a treatment for dyslexia
More than two decades of research has shown that dyslexia reflects a linguistic deficit. There is no evidence that eye training will help dyslexia cure. After all it is not a disease.
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Mirror writing is a symptom of dyslexia
In fact, backwards writing and reversals of letters and words are common in the early ages of writing development among dyslexic and non-dyslexic children alike. Dyslexic children have problems in naming letters but not in copying them.
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WHAT CAN BE DONE
Dyslexia and other LDs cannot be cured, they are not diseases and they do not go away. Dyslexia is a trait that will last a life time and needs to be incorporated into people's entire way of being. The best way to do this, is to discover what their strengths are in terms of learning. Children with dyslexia can learn; they just learn in a different way. The instructions for children with LDs should be: Explicit, Systematic and Cumulative, Structured and Multisensory. The following steps might be useful not only for a dyslexic child but for the rest of the class as well.
In the class Make an outline of the day's lesson and a resume at the end. This will help information go from short memory to long memory. Break the tasks into small pieces that can be remembered more easily. Ask and help the children organize their work by using folders and colorful dividers. This will help them keep their work in order and access it easily as well. Ask the kid make a daily check list and check it yourself or your ''helper pupils''. It will be useful when s/he gets home, s/he can refer to it. Check that the child has correctly written down exactly what s/he has to for homework. 21
Make sure s/he has the telephone numbers of one or two classmates, so that s/he can ask them if there are any questions over homework. Seat the child with a group of students that will be helpful and supportive. Copying from the board Write as clearly as possible and make sure that the words are well spaced. Use different coloured chalks to highlight the important parts or underline each line using a different colour. Give the children enough time to copy from the board and make sure they have finished copying before you erase.
Reading The systematic and direct instruction in phonemic awareness is extremely important. It may be quite embarrassing for a dyslexic child to read aloud in class. You can ask her/him to read one-in-one with a student who will not tease her/him. Give the child enough time to prepare it or, even better, give her/him reading material a day before, so s/he can practice it at home. When introducing a new lesson or a new word ask them to repeat it a number of times and play the cd more than once. They enjoy listening to it anyway. Select your reading material very carefully. If it is beyond their current ability and knowledge they will be discouraged. 22
Reading should be fun. If the child has to suffer over every word, then s/he may forget the meaning of what s/he is reading.
Spelling Poor spelling is not an indication of low intelligence. The normal classroom techniques don't usually help the dyslexic child. Dictation is not required or it can be limited to a smaller text -number of words. Dyslexic kids should be allowed to use spelling aids such as dictionaries, word cards and even electronic checkers.
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Homework It should be of a real benefit for the child. The dyslexic child is generally more tired than the others at the end of the day because s/he has to put much more effort. Nothing comes easily and everything takes longer and requires more thoughts.
Testing Multiple choice exams are like a penalty for the dyslexic kids because of their lack of sufficient content . Be prepared to accept verbal descriptions instead of written ones. What is important is the fact the student knows the information. Only the way s/he demonstrates this knowledge to the teacher is different. Give them extra time to complete their work. They need more time for reading, planning, writing and proofreading their work. If possible, ask their peers to read out loud the instructions. Mark them on context and not on spelling.
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EXTRA TIPS Flash cards with letters and words will help them memorize easier.
Print black words on yellow colored paper. This is easier for them to read. Let them act. They are often very good actors. Bring objects to teach your kids. They will be more interested and they will understand it better. Introduce games and fun activities. This will motivate them more and if they are rewarding, it will give them a sense of accomplishment. It is difficult for a dyslexic child to sit for long periods of time, so take often short breaks. 25
Use a variety of activities or move from one to another. For example, lecture, game, learning activity, back to lecture. This way they won't get bored that easily. Introduce pictures and posters for a better understanding.
26 Mind Mapping helps with dyslexia as it makes use of images, colour, shape, size and symbols to map out information in a way that is easier to comprehend. It’s clear to any learner that a Mind Map is far easier to read and understand. Mind Maps are visual maps of connecting thoughts, which span out in a radial way from one central idea. A Mind Map uses only keywords to prompt memory and association, and encourages the use of colour and imagery. They can provide dyslexic people with a better way to organise and assimilate information.
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IDEAS ON HOW TO TEACH THE ALPHABET
Use clay to make the letters. Have the child touch and say the name of each letter. First forwards A-Z and then backwards Z-A. Repeat it as many times as possible, until it becomes easy. Call out a letter and ask the child to touch it and then say what letter comes before and after the letter. Follow the same procedure with both the uppercase and the lowercase letters. Identify letters in books, magazines or even the environment Find the letter section in a dictionary. If two letters cause confusion to the child ask her/him to look at them very carefully and then ask her/him: a)tell me something similar about these two letters, b)tell me something different about these two letters. Practice writing them. Draw boxes for each letter and ask them to write each letter so that it fits into its box. Use your imagination and creativity.
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SUCCESS BEYOND DYSLEXIA You will be surprised to see that dyslexia is everywhere-it is global! Dyslexics are about 10-15% of the population, and it is said that the broader category of people with SLD encompasses as many as 20% of people. It doesn't have to be a hurdle to success. Great artists, athletes, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and statesmen who are dyslexic, have all been able to achieve great things and lead a very successful life despite trouble with reading.
Albert Einstein,
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Leonardo Da Vinci
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Earnest Hemingway, Hans Christian Andersen, Agatha Christie,
John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.
Steve Jobs-Founder of Apple Computer, William Hewlett/Co-Founder of Hewlett-Packard.
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REFERENCES The gift of dyslexia, by Ronald d. Davis The dyslexia empowerment plan, by Ben Foss Understanding Dyslexia
KidsHealth.org
A Dyslexic child in the Classroom Patricia Hodge Dip.spld(dyslexia) Dyslexia, by Sally E. Shaywitz The Alphabetic Principle and Learning to Read, by Isabelle Y. Liberman, Donald Shankweiler and Alvin M. Liberman Rethinking Learning Disabilities by G. Reid Lyon, Jack M. Fletcher, et al. Progressive Policy Institute, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation How to Teach a Dyslexic Child http://www.dyslexia.com/library/classroom.html http://www.ncld.org/at-school/generalhttp://www.ncld.org/at-school/especially-for-teachers/effectiveteaching-practices/working-with-dyslexia Launching young readers Reading Rockets wiseGeek www.dyslexic.org mastermindmaps.wordpress.com hileryjane.wordpress.com ThinkBuzan
http://www.dyslexia.tv/snapshots/index.htm 32