Key Struggles Linked to the Dyslexic Mind

Here are some key learning disabilities linked to the dyslexic mind.

Reading (Also known as Dyslexia)

Symptoms: Slow reading, substituting words, rearranging letters and words, headaches from reading, guessing at words, rereading over and over, extreme concentration, sounding out each word, memorizing rather than understanding and avoiding reading.

Causes:

1. A dyslexic comprehends by picturing the meanings of each word read. Words such as: the, as, by, was, etc., aren’t pictured and result in confusion.

2. Words with no “pictures” also disorient the dyslexic. Disorientation causes the dyslexic to see and hear things differently than they actually are. This creates mistakes.

3. Phonetic programs do nothing to resolve these blank pictures and prove to be unsuccessful learning tools for the dyslexic.

Corrections:

1. Dyslexics will make pictures for the confusing words using clay models which they will create.

2. Dyslexics will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves.

3. We show the dyslexic how to train their eyes to move from left to right allowing their brain to see the words in their proper order.

Writing (Also known as Dysgraphia)

Symptoms:

Messy printing or writing, hand gets tired or sore quickly, avoids writing, reverses letters and numbers, writes words backwards, writes letters out of order, write is slowly and laboriously.

Causes:

1. The dyslexic may have been disoriented when being taught how to form the letters or write the words.

2. So much instruction has been given that the dyslexic has multiple mental images of letters and words superimposed upon each other.

3. The dyslexic is unable to make certain lines such as diagonals and curves.

4. Mistakes and uncertainty cause stress leading to sore hands or arms.

Corrections:

1. Dyslexics will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves.

2. Neural pathways will be opened and strengthened to perceive lines accurately.

3. Multiple images of superimposed letters will be replaced by one standard alphabet.

4. The dyslexic will be shown how to release stress in his/her pencil grip.

Spelling

Symptoms:

Reversing letters, inconsistent spelling, mixing up “c” and “k”; “b”, “p”, “d” and “q”; “w” and “m”; “ph” and “f”, etc.

Causes:

1. When disorientation occurs dyslexics can see the letters three-dimensionally as if they were free-floating in space.

2. Because of disorientations, the dyslexic often doesn’t see consistent spellings of the same word.

3. Although the dyslexic may know the spelling rules, one out of six words is phonetically irregular.

Corrections:

1. Dyslexics will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves.

2. We show the dyslexic how to train their eyes to move from left to right, familiarizing their brain with the letters of each word in their proper order.

3. Dyslexics will make the written word along with the clay picture they create.

Math (Also known as Dyscalculia)

Symptoms:

Trouble sequencing or counting, memorizing formulas rather than understanding, number reversal, extreme concentration with math work, general difficulty with math.

Causes:

1. Disorientation causes the dyscalculic to experience time inconsistently. Without a sense of time, the understanding of sequence and order cannot be mastered. Sequence and order are the building blocks upon which all math is based.

2. If numbers and formulas are simply symbols rather than real concepts, the math can only be learned through memorization – not understanding.

Corrections:

1. Mastering the numerals in clay.

2. Mastering the concepts of time, sequence and order.

3. Understanding of mathematical functions will be achieved through hands-on activities.

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

Symptoms:

Lack of concentration, tired in school or while reading, curious, easily distracted, impulsive, disorganized, often late, inconsistent (one day they can do something – the next day they can’t), problems following instructions, don’t plan ahead, unable to wait their turn, has difficulty forming/keeping relationships with others and they seem to not listen.* * people with ADD do not show all of these symptoms, and may not show them consistently.

Causes:

1. It is easy to pay attention, but very difficult to concentrate. When people are paying attention, they are very aware of their entire surrounding environment. When people are concentrating, all of their attention is fixed on one thing in their environment. Heavy concentration produces rote learning and over-tiredness.

2. When those with ADD are disoriented, their internal clock may speed up. (This means that for every minute of actual time, they endure what seems like two minutes.) It may also slow down, often making them late, as time seems to fly by.

3. Boredom plays a large role because a dyslexic/ADD mind thinks in pictures (200 to 2,000 times faster than verbal thinking). When bored one of two things will happen:

   1. The dyslexic will disorient into creative imagination (daydreaming).

   2. The dyslexic will shift attention to something that is more interesting (distractibility or inattention).

4. Disorientation plays a large role in impulsivity, inconsistencies and disorganization.

Corrections:

1. ADD clients will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves.

2. ADD clients will be able to control their natural distortion of time.

3. ADD clients will be shown how to use their gift to learn – making school more interesting and meaningful.

4. ADD clients will work through the meanings of order, time and other relevant concepts in clay.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

Symptoms:

Frequent inability to sit still, see also ADD symptoms tab above.

Causes:

1. Their sense of balance and movement are distorted. If they are sitting still when disorientation begins, they will have the sense of moving and imbalance. If the student sits still long enough, motion sickness will set in. If they start to move, the sensations reverse and they will feel as if they are sitting still. Therefore, telling them to sit still brings about more motion. (This may explain why Ritalin® and other stimulants work in reverse and seem to slow a person down.)

2. See also ADD symptoms tab above

Corrections:

1. Rocky Point Academy does not use drugs or herbs, but rather, gives the client control over disorientations and time sense.

2. See also ADD symptoms

Executive Functioning

Symptoms:

Disorganization, difficulty planning, poor time management (chronically late/early), struggling with starting and/or completing projects, failure to notice other people’s perspectives, inability to self-edit, struggling with staying focused on a task, difficulty expressing one’s thoughts in a logical sequence (either orally or written), challenged with prioritizing time and/or activities.

Causes:

1. Those with Executive Function struggles are often found to have inaccurate/inconstant visual-spatial perceptions. This can also be called disorientation. When a person experiences disorientation often enough, they begin to miss pieces of “life concepts” such as consequence, time, organization, sequencing and motivation (to name a few).

2. When disoriented a person will struggle to maintain focus on an activity.

3. When disoriented a person’s internal clock can speed up or slow down- making time seem inconsistent. This can result in three different outcomes:

a. The person will disorient into creative imagination (daydreaming).

b. The person will shift attention to something that is more interesting (distractibility or inattention).

c. The person will become overwhelmed and feel that everything is going too fast to keep up.

Corrections:

1. Clients will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves.

2. Clients will be able to control their natural distortion of time.

3. Clients will learn and integrate the missing pieces of “life concepts.

The process that is followed here to introduce these ideas is called Concept Mastery. This draws on one’s visual, auditory and kinesthetic strengths and allows the concepts to be fully integrated into the core identity in a fun, experiential and interesting way — therefore forming a solid base to build future ideas on.

When we master an ability or skill like riding a bicycle or driving a car, we incorporate the process of doing it into our identity. With some practice, we can perform the activity without conscious thought. The ability has become a part of who and what we are. When we master a concept with the Davis Concept Mastery procedure, the concept becomes a part of who and what we are. In order to accomplish this, two things must be involved – the personal experience of the individual and the creativity of the individual.

Firstly, the individual is guided through creating a clay model, which explains and gives an understanding of a specific concept. Then time is spent in the immediate and the wider environment looking for real world examples and having real word experiences with that concept. This is interesting and should be fun!

Many years have been spent researching and evaluating the content and structure of the concepts. The sequence to be followed is very important, as one concept becomes the foundation for the knowledge of the next. There are a series of about 30 life concepts that build up to the final concepts of ‘motivation’ and ‘responsibility’.

Coordination (Also known as Dyspraxia)

Symptoms:

Clumsiness, frequent accidents, problems with stairs, have to watch the ground when walking, dizziness or nausea while reading, poor sense of direction, difficulty with handwriting.

Causes:

1. Disorientation: co-ordination is lost when triggered by immediate environment or symbols.

2. Inaccurate perception: co-ordination is generally off.

Corrections:

1. Dyspraxics will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves to accurately perceive their environment.

2. Fine-tuning: the dyspraxic will find their optimum orientation point so that perception will be accurate.

Hearing (Also known as Auditory Processing Disorders - Problems with understanding verbal communication)

Symptoms:

Inability to follow directions, noises sound louder, softer closer or farther away than they actually are and diagraphs such as ch, th, sh are mispronounced. The person seems like they are not listening and they have difficulty making some speech sounds. Note: this program will not correct physically damaged hearing.

Causes:

1. Disorientation can cause distorted volume or location of sound.

2. The person hears words and sounds incorrectly when they are disoriented, which makes following directions or accurately reproducing sounds difficult.

Corrections:

1. Dyslexics will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves to accurately perceive their environment.

2. Fine-tuning: Auditory fine-tuning will ensure the best possible neural-pathways will be used for listening.

Sense of Direction (Also known as Developmental Topographical Disorientation)

Symptoms:

Easily lost, left-right confusion, difficulty reading maps or finding places, north-south-east-west confusions.

Causes:

1. A dyslexic comprehends by picturing the meanings of words. Words such as left, right, up, down, north and south aren’t pictured and lead to confusion.

2. When the person is disoriented, they find reading maps to be very difficult. They also have difficulty orienting them selves to north, etc.

Corrections:

1. Dyslexics will make pictures for the confusing words using clay models which they will create.

2. Dyslexics will be able to recognize when they are disoriented and will learn how to orient themselves.

3. They will use clay to master the concept of direction.