Maybe it's a Learning Difference?

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin and primarily affects one’s ability to learn to read. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. Dyslexia varies in degrees of severity and is highly hereditary. It is not uncommon for a child with dyslexia to have an immediate family member who also has this condition. Also, it is not unusual for two or more children in a family to have dyslexia.

Dyslexia is estimated to affect some 20-30 percent of our population. This means that more than 2 million school-age children in the United States are dyslexic. Although children with dyslexia typically have average to above average intelligence, their dyslexia creates problems not only with reading, writing and spelling but also with speaking, thinking and listening. Many times these academic problems can lead to emotional and self-esteem issues throughout their lives. Low self-esteem can lead to poor grades and under achievement. Dyslexic students are often considered lazy, rebellious or unmotivated. These misconceptions cause rejection, isolation, feelings of inferiority, and discouragement.

The central difficulty for dyslexic students is poor phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to appreciate that spoken language is made up of sound segments (phonemes). In other words, a dyslexic student’s brain has trouble breaking a word down into its individual sounds and manipulating these sounds. For example, in a word with three sounds, a dyslexic might only perceive one or two.

Most researchers and teachers agree that developing phonemic awareness is the first step in learning to read. It cannot be skipped. When children begin to learn to read, they first must come to recognize that the word on the page has the same sound structure as the spoken word it represents. However, because dyslexics have difficulty recognizing the internal sound structure of the spoken word to begin with, it is very difficult for them to convert the letters of the alphabet into a phonetic code (decoding).

Although dyslexia can impair spelling and decoding abilities, it also seems to be associated with many strengths and talents. People with dyslexia often have significant strengths in areas controlled by the right side of the brain. These include artistic, athletic and mechanical gifts. Individuals with dyslexia tend to be very bright and creative thinkers. They have a knack for thinking, “outside-the-box.” Many dyslexics have strong 3-D visualization ability, musical talent, creative problem solving skills and intuitive people skills. Many are gifted in math, science, fine arts, journalism, and other creative fields.

Dyslexia is a persistent learning difference that one does not outgrow. With early detection, proper intervention, and certain accommodations, dyslexics can improve their reading and spelling skills significantly and succeed academically.

Symptoms

Preschoolers

Late talking, compared to other children
Pronunciation problems, reversal of sounds in words (such as ‘aminal’ for ‘animal’ or ‘gabrage’ for ‘garbage’)
Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right word (takes a while to get the words out)
Difficulty rhyming words
Trouble learning numbers, the alphabet, days of the week
Poor ability to follow directions or routines
Does not understand what you say until you repeat it a few times
Enjoys being read to but shows no interest in words or letters
Has weak fine motor skills (in activities such as drawing, tying laces, cutting, and threading)
Unstable pencil grip
Slow to learn new skills, relies heavily on memorization

School Age Children

Has good memory skills
Has not shown a dominant handedness
Seems extremely intelligent but weak in reading
Reads a word on one page but doesn’t recognize it on the next page or the next day
Confuses look alike letters like b and d, b and p, n and u, or m and w.
Substitutes a word while reading that means the same thing but doesn’t look at all similar, like “trip” for “journey” or “mom” for “mother.”
When reading leaves out or adds small words like “an, a, from, the, to, were, are and of.”
Reading comprehension is poor because the child spends so much energy trying to figure out words.
Might have problems tracking the words on the lines, or following them across the pages.
Avoids reading as much as possible
Writes illegibly
Writes everything as one continuous sentence
Does not understand the difference between a sentence and a fragment of a sentence
Misspells many words
Uses odd spacing between words. Might ignore margins completely and pack sentences together on the page instead of spreading them out
Does not notice spelling errors
Is easily distracted or has a short attention span
Is disorganized
Has difficulties making sense of instructions
Fails to finish work on time
Appears lazy, unmotivated, or frustrated

Teenagers

Avoids reading and writing
Guesses at words and skips small words
Has difficulties with reading comprehension
Does not do homework
Might say that they are “dumb” or “couldn’t care less”
Is humiliated
Might hide the dyslexia by being defiant or using self-abusive behavior

Adults

Avoids reading and writing
Types letters in the wrong order
Has difficulties filling out forms
Mixes up numbers and dates
Has low self-esteem
Might be a high school dropout
Holds a job below their potential and changes jobs frequently

Treatment

The sooner a child with dyslexia is given proper instruction, particularly in the very early grades, the more likely it is that they will have fewer or milder difficulties later in life.

Older students or adults with dyslexia will need intensive tutoring in reading, writing and spelling using an Orton-Gillingham program. During this training, students will overcome many reading difficulties and learn strategies that will last a lifetime. Treatment will only “stick” if it is incorporated slowly and consistently over time. There is no such thing as a “quick fix.”

The best learning environment for a student with dyslexia is always one-to-one. Students who have severe dyslexia may need periodic one-to-one tutoring to catch up and stay up with the rest of their class. This specialized tutoring helps dyslexic students become successful in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. It also will help them with math, and word problems.

To Schedule an Appointment, Call 1-866-PRIDE-42

What is Dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a learning difference that affects mathematical calculations. It is derived from the generic name “mathematics difficulty.” One of the most prominent causes of dyscalculia is a weakness in visual processing. For most of us to be successful in math, we need to be able to visualize numbers and mathematics situations. Students with dyscalculia have a very difficult time visualizing numbers. They often mentally mix up the numbers. Sequencing is another problem that students with dyscalculia face. Students who have difficulty sequencing or organizing detailed information often have difficulty remembering specific facts and formulas. Most students that have dyscalculia have average to above average intelligence.

Symptoms

A history of academic failure
Spatial problems and difficulties aligning numbers into proper columns
Trouble with sequence, including left/right orientation. At times students will read numbers out of sequence and sometimes do operations backwards
Confusion on the sequences of past and future events
Problems with mathematics concepts in word problems
Sometimes confuse similar numbers (e.g., 7 and 9; 3 and 8)
It is common for students with dyscalculia to have normal or accelerated language acquisition: verbal, reading, writing, and good visual memory. They are typically good in the areas of science, geometry, and creative arts
Difficulties with the abstract concepts of time and direction. Students might have the inability to recall schedules, and unable to keep track of time
Poor name/face retrieval. Substitute names beginning with the same letter
Poor mental math ability. May be unable to mentally figure change due back, the amounts to pay for tip, taxes, etc.
When writing, reading and recalling numbers, these common mistakes are made: number reversals, substitutions, omissions and additions
Difficulties remembering math concepts, rules, formulas, sequence and basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts
May be able to perform a math operation one day, but draw a blank the next day
May be able to do homework, but can fail tests and quizzes
Gets lost or disoriented easily
Poor sense of direction, loses things easily, seems absent minded

Treatment

A student with dyscalculia needs a multisensory math program. At Pride Learning Center our trained and certified teachers will develop individualized strategies to address the dyscalculia. We focus on developing math vocabulary and comprehension of math concepts and operations through our Orton-Gillingham based math program. Our research-based computer software benefits learners who need to enhance their visual-spatial abilities. Our program strengthens visualization, visual memory, mental rotation, visual tracking, spatial orientation, and multi-perspective coordination.

To Schedule an Appointment, Call 1-866-PRIDE-42

What is ADD/ADHD?

An estimated ten percent of children in the United States are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. The standard attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis is divided into three types.

The inattentive type diagnosis is for children with attention deficits but no problem with hyperactivity. Most people refer to this as ADD.
The hyperactive/impulsive type diagnosis is used for hyperactive children, who might also be impulsive. Most people refer to this as ADHD
The combined type is for children with both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors.

ADD Symptoms

Difficulties listening (even when being directly addressed)
Difficulties paying attention to details and avoiding careless mistakes
Difficulties completing tasks and assignments
Difficulties with organization
Difficulties keeping track of possessions and materials – toys, clothes, homework papers and school supplies
Easily distracted
Poor short term memory skills

ADHD Symptoms

An energy level that parents and teachers consider excessive
Squirms and fidgets even when seated
Gets up when expected to remain seated
Runs excessively and climbs in inappropriate situations
Difficulties playing quietly
Is always on the go
Talks excessively

Symptoms of Impulsiveness

Blurts out answers before the teacher or parent has finished asking the question
Difficulties waiting for his or her turn
Interrupts conversations or other’s activities

The best learning environment for a student with ADD/ADHD is always one-on-one. This allows each student to focus clearly on information being presented without distractions. At Pride Learning Center our teachers deliver each lesson one-to-one in a patient and nurturing environment. Our structured, systematic and sequential program helps children develop a routine and consistency in their learning. We are aware that children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD are bright, creative and multitalented children. We give them the confidence and self-esteem they need to become independent and successful learners.

To Schedule an Appointment, Call 1-800-PRIDE-42