Monday, April 11, 2011
Dysgraphia: The Handwriting Learning Disability
Over the next few days we will be taking a look at Dysgraphia
What is dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia means difficulty with handwriting. There are several different kinds of dysgraphia. Some people with dysgraphia have handwriting that is often illegible and shows irregular and inconsistent letter formations. Others write legibly, but very slowly and/or very small. When these individuals revert to printing, as they often do, their writing is often a random mixture of upper and lower case letters. In all cases of dysgraphia, writing requires inordinate amounts of energy, stamina and time.
Dysgraphia can interfere with a student's ability to express ideas. Expressive writing requires a student to synchronize many mental functions at once: organization, memory, attention, motor skill, and various aspects of language ability. Automatic accurate handwriting is the foundation for this juggling act. In the complexity of remembering where to put the pencil and how to form each letter, a dysgraphic student forgets what he or she meant to express. Dysgraphia can cause low classroom productivity, incomplete homework assignments, and difficulty in focusing attention.
Emotional factors arising from dysgraphia often exacerbate matters. At an early age, these students are asked to forego recess to finish coping material from the board, and are likely to be sent home at the end of the day with a sheaf of unfinished papers to be completed. They are asked to recopy their work but the second attempt is often no better than the first. Because they are often bright and good at reading, their failure to produce acceptable work is blamed on laziness or carelessness. The resulting anger and frustration can prevent them fromr ever reaching their true potential.
Reprinted with permission
Thursday, April 7, 2011
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability in the area of reading. It is included in the category of "Learning Disabilities" in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A person with dyslexia is someone with average to above average intelligence whose problem in reading is not the result of emotional problems, lack of motivation, poor teaching, mental retardation or vision or hearing deficits. The term dyslexia, however, is defined in different ways. While reading is the basic problem, people include different aspects of reading and related problems in their definitions. For example:
They may also exhibit difficulties with one or more of the following
Reading is more than translating print into the spoken word (decoding). Reading is getting meaning from print. People who have not developed automatic word recognition skills may have comprehension problems because their energy is focused on identifying words rather than thinking about what they mean. Many of these children and adults read very slowly, often having to read things more than once to understand. They may also have trouble understanding spoken language.
What causes dyslexia?
The basic cause of dyslexia is not known, however, much research is being done to determine the problems underlying dyslexia. Research indicates that, in many cases, dyslexia is inherited and may occur in several members of a family. Studies are being done to determine whether there are slight differences in the brains of people with dyslexia. Recent research indicates that many children having difficulty learning early reading skills (decoding) also have problems hearing individual sounds in words, analyzing whole words into parts, and blending sounds into words (phonological processing).
What should be done when dyslexia is suspected?
Individuals suspected of having a reading disability should have a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation including hearing, vision and intelligence testing. This evaluation should include all areas of learning and learning processes, not just reading. The diagnostician(s) should then be able to determine whether there are additional learning disabilities, make recommendations for teaching methods, and specify whether additional services are needed.
In many schools children are not identified as having a reading disability until they have failed for an extended period because of a "formula" used to determine whether a student is "eligible" for special services. A child should not have to fail for two or three years to demonstrate evidence of a learning disability.
What educational interventions are appropriate?
If a child is diagnosed as having a reading disability (or dyslexia), it is important for parents to ask exactly what the problem is, what method for teaching reading is recommended, and why it was selected. There are many approaches to teaching children with reading disabilities to read. Recent research on beginning reading skills indicated that many children having difficulty benefit from direct instruction in phonological processing and a multi-sensory phonics approach to reading. There is, however, no single method that will be effective with every child. A change in method should be considered if progress is not seen in a reasonable length of time. Selecting the appropriate reading method for a child with a reading disability is critical for success.
Widely advertised reading programs that claim to be successful in teaching phonics/reading to anyone should be viewed with caution. It is highly recommended that before investing in these programs, research documenting their effectiveness with individuals having a diagnosed reading disability (dyslexia) be requested and reviewed.
Source: LDAO: http://www.ldao.ca/
- Problems learning to translate printed words into spoken word with ease, beginning reading skills (decoding)
- Problems with word identification and/or reading comprehension
- Persons with dyslexia often reverse or mis-sequence letters within words when reading or writing (b/d, brid/bird, on/no)
They may also exhibit difficulties with one or more of the following
- Perceiving and/or pronouncing words
- Understanding spoken language
- Recalling known words
- Handwriting
- Spelling
- Written language
- Math computation
Reading is more than translating print into the spoken word (decoding). Reading is getting meaning from print. People who have not developed automatic word recognition skills may have comprehension problems because their energy is focused on identifying words rather than thinking about what they mean. Many of these children and adults read very slowly, often having to read things more than once to understand. They may also have trouble understanding spoken language.
What causes dyslexia?
The basic cause of dyslexia is not known, however, much research is being done to determine the problems underlying dyslexia. Research indicates that, in many cases, dyslexia is inherited and may occur in several members of a family. Studies are being done to determine whether there are slight differences in the brains of people with dyslexia. Recent research indicates that many children having difficulty learning early reading skills (decoding) also have problems hearing individual sounds in words, analyzing whole words into parts, and blending sounds into words (phonological processing).
What should be done when dyslexia is suspected?
Individuals suspected of having a reading disability should have a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation including hearing, vision and intelligence testing. This evaluation should include all areas of learning and learning processes, not just reading. The diagnostician(s) should then be able to determine whether there are additional learning disabilities, make recommendations for teaching methods, and specify whether additional services are needed.
In many schools children are not identified as having a reading disability until they have failed for an extended period because of a "formula" used to determine whether a student is "eligible" for special services. A child should not have to fail for two or three years to demonstrate evidence of a learning disability.
What educational interventions are appropriate?
If a child is diagnosed as having a reading disability (or dyslexia), it is important for parents to ask exactly what the problem is, what method for teaching reading is recommended, and why it was selected. There are many approaches to teaching children with reading disabilities to read. Recent research on beginning reading skills indicated that many children having difficulty benefit from direct instruction in phonological processing and a multi-sensory phonics approach to reading. There is, however, no single method that will be effective with every child. A change in method should be considered if progress is not seen in a reasonable length of time. Selecting the appropriate reading method for a child with a reading disability is critical for success.
Widely advertised reading programs that claim to be successful in teaching phonics/reading to anyone should be viewed with caution. It is highly recommended that before investing in these programs, research documenting their effectiveness with individuals having a diagnosed reading disability (dyslexia) be requested and reviewed.
Source: LDAO: http://www.ldao.ca/
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Tips for Helping Children Achieve Academic Success
Consistency is a key factor for children's academic success. Set a standart time for dinner to be served, and try to make dinner time including family discussions last a consistent duration. Once dinner is over, make it a rule that this is when your child must complete his/her homework. If your child is not involved in athletics or orther school events, then on some days your child can do homework before dinnertime. If your child finishes all his/her homework before dinner, then after dinner study time should be used for reading or other educaitonal activities.
Teach your child that learning is more important than just memorizing facts and completing an assignment. This is one of the most misunderstood and confusing concepts for children to understand. Ask your child after completion of each homeowrk assignment to write down a couple sentences about what he/she learned, not facts, but broader concepts. This will help your child put his/her learning into perspective.
Encourage your child to take notes in class. Developing proper note taking skills are vital to your child's learning. Rather than have your child try and write everything down as fast as possible, teach your child to search for the teacher's mian point and summarize it in your child's own words. This will help your child weed throught he garbage and focus in on the teacher's core message. After the lecture, encourage your child to rewrite the notes, expand on them, and organzie them in a meaningful way. This is a great way for your child to review the material, and the improved organziation will help your child study for the test in the weeks to come.
Have the appropriate learning resources handy. It used to be that keeping a home dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopaedia in an accessible place was imperative for your child to complete homework assignments. Now all your child needs is an internet connection and vast amounts of information is at your child's finger tips. It is worth the investment to get a high speed DSL or Cable internet connection so information is more accessible. Also make the investment of a quality digital flat panel monitor. If your child spends lots of time researching, writing and reading on the computer it will save your child's eyes.
Reprinted with permission by: math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org
Teach your child that learning is more important than just memorizing facts and completing an assignment. This is one of the most misunderstood and confusing concepts for children to understand. Ask your child after completion of each homeowrk assignment to write down a couple sentences about what he/she learned, not facts, but broader concepts. This will help your child put his/her learning into perspective.
Encourage your child to take notes in class. Developing proper note taking skills are vital to your child's learning. Rather than have your child try and write everything down as fast as possible, teach your child to search for the teacher's mian point and summarize it in your child's own words. This will help your child weed throught he garbage and focus in on the teacher's core message. After the lecture, encourage your child to rewrite the notes, expand on them, and organzie them in a meaningful way. This is a great way for your child to review the material, and the improved organziation will help your child study for the test in the weeks to come.
Have the appropriate learning resources handy. It used to be that keeping a home dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopaedia in an accessible place was imperative for your child to complete homework assignments. Now all your child needs is an internet connection and vast amounts of information is at your child's finger tips. It is worth the investment to get a high speed DSL or Cable internet connection so information is more accessible. Also make the investment of a quality digital flat panel monitor. If your child spends lots of time researching, writing and reading on the computer it will save your child's eyes.
Reprinted with permission by: math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org
Thursday, March 24, 2011
LDAS is proud to prsent - Howard Eaton, Ed.M
When: May 25, 2011
Where: Travelodge Hotel
106 Circle Dr W, Saskatoon
Time: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: (306) 652-4114 ext 4
Cost: No admission fee but donations are always welcome and appreciated.
In Brain School, Howard Eaton explores how, by applying the principles of neuroplasticity, Barbara Arrowsmith Young developed cognitive exercises, founded the Arrowsmith Program, and opened the first Arrowsmith School in Toronto, Ontario, over thirty years ago. Mr. Eaton discusses how he gradually moved from traditional remediation methods for learning disabilities to seeing new possibilities because of the brain’s ability to change itself. The lives of nine children are discussed as they work through the Arrowsmith Program and then move on to either private or public schools.
We look forward to seeing you at this event.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Myths and Facts about Learning Disabilities
1. Myth: Learning disabilities (LDs) do not really exist.
Fact: LDs are real. Recent Research indicates neurological differences in the brain structure and function for people who have learning disabilities.
2. Myth: Learning disabilities are all the same and/or easily understood.
Fact: Learning disabilities are complicated. The extent of their impact and the areas of learning they affect vary greatly from person to person; combine in any variety of ways; and vary depending on context. Helping is not as complicated: people with LDs need to determine which modes of learning work well for them, and use these strengths to compensate for the areas affected by their LD.
3. Myth: Students with LDs cannot learn.
Fact: Students with LDs can be successful learners, at all levels and in any situation, by compensating for their weaknesses by using their strengths; by using alternative, individualized teaching and learning materials and methods; and by choosing tasks that suit themselves.
4. Myth: More boys than girls have learning disabilities.
Fact: Although four times as many boys as girls are identified as having LDs by schools, research studies suggest that many girls who are not identified also have the most common form of learning problem - difficulty with reading. Many girls; learning difficulties are neither identified not treated - possibly because boys who are struggling are, in general, more disruptive in classes.
5. Myth: Students with LDs are just lazy.
Fact: Students with LDs generally have to spend more time to adequately complete school assignments. This extended effort can often lead to difficulties in completing assignments on time, maintaining course requirements such as tutorial reading and studying. These difficulties should not be misinterpreted as 'laziness'.
6. Myth: Students diagnosed with LDs at school age should have outgrown them by adulthood.
Fact: LDs are a lifelong condition. If the diagnosis of a learning disability in childhood is accurate, the disability will endure into adulthood. Specific learning strategies and adjustments can be developed to address problems, and can make it so that LDs are not a pressing issue, but the learning disability itself remains.
7. Myth: Learning disabilities are a school issue.
Fact: LDs affect one or more modes of learning, anywhere that mode is used. LDs tent to be noticed most often when they impact on school-learning, but exist in all areas of life - work, family, relationships, etc.
8. Myth: accommodating the needs of students with LDs in schools is too difficult, time consuming and expensive.
Fact: Accommodations implemented for students with LDs are also generally good examples of universal learning strategies. They can improve teaching and learning, not just for students with LDs, but also for the overall student population and other minority groups, such as people from a non-English speaking background. Teachers can also benefit from this approach by developing a range of flexible teaching and learning strategies that can be implemented in a number of different environments.
9. Myth: Providing academic adjustments such as accommodations and individualized teaching gives students with LDs an unfair advantage over other students.
Fact: Academic adjustments are determined on identified deficit's resulting from a student's LDs. Adjustments ensure equal and fair participation in a learning environment and ensure actual learning is recognized. Students with LDs are required to meet the same academic standards as their peers.
10. Myth: LDs can be cured.
Fact: There have been occasional claims by individuals of "curing" learning disabilities in various ways. Learning disabilities are a life-long condition; many people learn to successfully use accommodations and strategies with their LDs to such an extent that it is no longer an issue for them, and certain intensive study methods do help some people, but there is no researched evidence that one person's solution will work for all.
Fact: LDs are real. Recent Research indicates neurological differences in the brain structure and function for people who have learning disabilities.
2. Myth: Learning disabilities are all the same and/or easily understood.
Fact: Learning disabilities are complicated. The extent of their impact and the areas of learning they affect vary greatly from person to person; combine in any variety of ways; and vary depending on context. Helping is not as complicated: people with LDs need to determine which modes of learning work well for them, and use these strengths to compensate for the areas affected by their LD.
3. Myth: Students with LDs cannot learn.
Fact: Students with LDs can be successful learners, at all levels and in any situation, by compensating for their weaknesses by using their strengths; by using alternative, individualized teaching and learning materials and methods; and by choosing tasks that suit themselves.
4. Myth: More boys than girls have learning disabilities.
Fact: Although four times as many boys as girls are identified as having LDs by schools, research studies suggest that many girls who are not identified also have the most common form of learning problem - difficulty with reading. Many girls; learning difficulties are neither identified not treated - possibly because boys who are struggling are, in general, more disruptive in classes.
5. Myth: Students with LDs are just lazy.
Fact: Students with LDs generally have to spend more time to adequately complete school assignments. This extended effort can often lead to difficulties in completing assignments on time, maintaining course requirements such as tutorial reading and studying. These difficulties should not be misinterpreted as 'laziness'.
6. Myth: Students diagnosed with LDs at school age should have outgrown them by adulthood.
Fact: LDs are a lifelong condition. If the diagnosis of a learning disability in childhood is accurate, the disability will endure into adulthood. Specific learning strategies and adjustments can be developed to address problems, and can make it so that LDs are not a pressing issue, but the learning disability itself remains.
7. Myth: Learning disabilities are a school issue.
Fact: LDs affect one or more modes of learning, anywhere that mode is used. LDs tent to be noticed most often when they impact on school-learning, but exist in all areas of life - work, family, relationships, etc.
8. Myth: accommodating the needs of students with LDs in schools is too difficult, time consuming and expensive.
Fact: Accommodations implemented for students with LDs are also generally good examples of universal learning strategies. They can improve teaching and learning, not just for students with LDs, but also for the overall student population and other minority groups, such as people from a non-English speaking background. Teachers can also benefit from this approach by developing a range of flexible teaching and learning strategies that can be implemented in a number of different environments.
9. Myth: Providing academic adjustments such as accommodations and individualized teaching gives students with LDs an unfair advantage over other students.
Fact: Academic adjustments are determined on identified deficit's resulting from a student's LDs. Adjustments ensure equal and fair participation in a learning environment and ensure actual learning is recognized. Students with LDs are required to meet the same academic standards as their peers.
10. Myth: LDs can be cured.
Fact: There have been occasional claims by individuals of "curing" learning disabilities in various ways. Learning disabilities are a life-long condition; many people learn to successfully use accommodations and strategies with their LDs to such an extent that it is no longer an issue for them, and certain intensive study methods do help some people, but there is no researched evidence that one person's solution will work for all.
What you should know about LD's
- Learning Disabilities (LDs) are specific neurological disoders that affect the brain's ability to store, process, retreieve or communicate information. They are invisable and lifelong.
- Manifested by significant weaknesses in listening, writing, speaking, reasoning, reading, mathematics, social skills and/or memory in a patter of uneven abilities.
- LDs can be compensated for through alternative ways of learning, accommodaitons and modifications.
- LDs can occur with other disorders (ADHD, etc) and may run in families.
- LDs are NOT the same as mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness, behavioural disorders or laziness.
- LDs are not the result of economic disadvantage, envrionmental factors or cultural differences.
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