“When a dyslexic understands how they think and what information they need to learn a new task it is like finally getting the pieces of a puzzle to fit.”
HOW A DYSLEXIC LEARNS
“A dyslexic person learns by processing and retaining information in whole concrete images.”
- The Dyslexia Victoria approach to teaching dyslexic students begins with understanding they tend to think in whole pictures, images and concepts.
- Letters, words and numbers are abstract symbols that require context and meaning through a concrete visual representation for a dyslexic to understand and process this type of information.
- This is a learning difference, not a disability.
SEVEN BASIC LEARNING SOLUTIONS FOR DYSLEXICS
1. To print out answers or exercises, the dyslexic student needs lessons in how to use the space on a page appropriately to suit what's required for the answer.
2. To learn to spell a word, a drawn or printed image of the whole word (not separate parts or their phonetic sounds) works best.
3. To understand and remember a lesson, it should be taught in one sitting. If the lesson is spread out over multiple sessions, a dyslexic student will not have the whole picture in their minds making it difficult to understand what was taught and they won't be able to recall what they learned in the next lesson.
4. To read fluently and with comprehension, our brains must have a whole decoded reading vocabulary that can be recalled automatically matching the level of difficulty of the reading material. Being right brain dominant, this process can be next to impossible for dyslexics unless they are taught with a method that utilizes their visual learning strength. When they read anything, dyslexics have to first convert the symbols (letters, words) into images that provide meaning for them, and then convert the images back into letters and words. This causes a delay in their processing speed and affects their fluency (automatic recall) and comprehension of the overall passage. Reading with fluency and quickly comprehending the meaning of a passage is a difficult process if the student must first decode the majority of the words in a passage.
5. To compose sentences that are grammatically correct, all students must be taught the parts of speech and the sequence (linear step by step information) they follow in the English language. Sequences of words and ideas are key to good style and organization of sentences and paragraphs. As dyslexics struggle with sequences it is best to connect the parts of speech to concrete images and use other visual techniques like color to help them understand these abstract concepts and be able to see words that don't easily translate to a concrete image (like "a", "the", "to", "for", "but" etc.)
6. For a dyslexic student to be able to complete an assignment they need a complete set of detailed instructions explaining how they are to carry out the assignment at every stage. For example they need to know everything from when to start, when to hand it in, where to write their name, whether to use pencil or pen, etc.
7. To work with mathematical word problems which are very abstract, diagrams or pictures of word problems should be provided to a dyslexic student so that they can visualize what the letters and numbers represent. They should be allowed to use calculators to do the arithmetic that cannot be visualized. Generally, dyslexics are very good at higher level applied mathematics but struggle with basic arithmetic because it is linear, sequential and abstract. They will have an easier time if arithmetic is taught with a visual representation or object (like cutting an orange into quarters to demonstrate fractions) that allows them to see the purpose of the entire operation.
THE FIVE STEPS TO LEARNING FOR THE DYSLEXIC
Individuals with Dyslexia are right-brain dominant thinkers who view the world in wholes and
depend on having the complete picture in order to understand, process and retain new
information. This includes instructions for finishing their assignments. Answers to the following
questions will help fill in information they need to know to comprehend and complete their
school work.
They should always be encouraged to ask questions and say to their parents or teachers,
“please say it to me in another way or could you draw a picture for me?” when they don’t
understand. If they think they might know what is going on in the lesson but are not sure they
can say to the teacher, “do you mean...?”. The teachers should be aware of their need to ask
questions and encourage them.
Another way to help a Dyslexic to be brave and speak up is to let them know other children in
their class probably want to know or are not sure either. Dyslexics love to help others and will
sometimes do things for others they might not do for themselves. This will also help strengthen
them to feel more secure in speaking up.
1. WHY? Why must I learn this?
The right-brained student needs to know first WHY they should accept the information in an assignment or why they should learn a particular lesson. If they do not get an explanation, they can have difficulty understanding the rest of the instruction. Once the student knows how they will benefit from a lesson or its meaning and grasp the purpose of the related exercise(s), they will be more comfortable with starting the assignment.
2. WHAT? What do you expect in my answers?
This step requires complete explanations of the information to be analyzed, written about and discussed in an assignment and what the teacher wants in their schoolwork. The right-brained person cannot understand and carry out oral or written directions or instructions without a physical demonstration, hearing a clear, full explanation of the use, and handling the materials. Multi-sensory teaching is key to Dyslexics learning. This hands on approach will implant the ideas of the lessons in their brain in complete, three dimensional images.
Then the student should be told and shown, by example, exactly what you expect from them to demonstrate they understand the lesson. This could be a report, work sheet, poster, test, project, etc. They require examples of this school work and a run through so they know exactlywhat to do. Dyslexics never assume what the teacher wants. They need complete directions.
They want to know that a work sheet, for example, is to done the same way as the one they did last week. This is not about them being slow; they are complex thinkers and see many possibilities for everything. They also have a strong desire to do things right and hate to make mistakes. They
would rather not do something than risk doing it wrong.
3. HOW? How do I present my answers?
Dyslexics need to know how to do their work and many details the average student might not ask or want to know. Orally, hand printed, felt pens, crayons, written down or typed on computer? In single words, sentences, paragraphs or essays? Posters, dioramas, models, or plays. An example of confusion that can occur would be a new exercise that was set up the same way as another one done in class from a previous time. The Dyslexic student might want to know if the new worksheet is to be done the same way as the last one. Some teachers will have the impression that the child wasn’t paying attention and might be impatient with the child. This detail is however a common worry for a Dyslexic student. The skills required for the basic rules of grammar, sentence structure, paragraph and essay formats is another overwhelming area for a Dyslexic student. It is not enough to tell them the rules and formats of the English language but to give them many examples and explanations of when you use a question mark, exclamation mark or period, how to write a story, report or project, etc. They do not learn how to use them unless they are given real examples and
physical demonstrations of sentences they can visualize and imagine. When they do their work incorrectly, they need to know why they are wrong or they will never improve. It is not enough to say something is wrong; they need to be shown the proper way.
4. WHEN? When do I start, finish and hand in the assignment?
Dyslexic students need to be instructed when to start an assignment, in class or at home and when they must be finished the work for handing in. Without these instructions the students do not understand the time limits involved. They also need lots of help meeting these deadlines. Dyslexics are right brain dominant thinkers and the right exists in the “present” where the leftbrain thinkers are more aware of the “past and future”. Dyslexics can get confused about time lines that have to do with deadlines, being somewhere on time, finishing a project within a timetable, and the most difficult; conceptualizing and organizing for tomorrow, a week from now, a month or a year.
They can panic if these time limits are too short for them to complete the amount of work to be done. If the project due date is a long way off they can fail to get their work completed by the expected date because they have no clear concept or understanding of the time constraints. They need to know when to do the rough work, the first draft, the final product. They also need to know how much time they should spend at each stage because they have a tendency to overdo a project. Show them examples of the stages of the assignment, possibly from previous years of other classes. Following up by checking their work at each completion point will help them learn how to organize their time. It also ensures their work is done. It is very easy for Dyslexics to lose track of time and it is not deliberate on their part. Involving parents in this scheduling can be very helpful and clarifies to the parents the importance of helping them with time limits. A lot of teachers and parents tell us their Dyslexic child has to take on this responsibility. My experiences with Dyslexics including my own children, other Dyslexic children and adults we have worked with and my own Dyslexic issues with schedules has taught me these skills are not easily learned and utilized. If you help remind and create systems to make it easier for them to stay on track and add a big dollop of support and understanding they may improve or not. Either way they are not trying to be lazy or uncaring; they live primarily in the “present” and often find organizing a mystery. They improve or find ways to remind themselves when it becomes really important to them and sometimes they don’t get better. When I was younger my friends would tell me to show up at say 5:00 pm for dinner or a party knowing I wouldn’t get there till 6:00 pm which is when they wanted me to arrive. As a Dyslexic I was awful keeping time. It eventually became extremely important because of my kids and their schedules and our family business and its time table and agenda. So I adapted but it
wasn’t easy and it still isn’t.
Sometimes however acceptance of a Dyslexic’s issues with scheduling and organizing becomes more important and should be worked around rather than punishing them or waiting and expecting them to change. People can judge mistakenly this lack of planning properly or showing up on time as proof the Dyslexic person doesn’t care. This could not be farther from the truth. They want to get it right and can be brutal on themselves for not sorting it out. Many very successful Dyslexics, and there are lots of them, rely on secretaries and managers to keep their agenda under control.
5. OUTCOME? What have I learned? How will I use this information in the future?
The Dyslexic student needs to understand the whole picture, its outcome and future applications in lessons or assignments if they are to complete the assignments. It comes full circle: Why have I done this? What have I learned? What purpose will it serve me in the future? If they don’t have a logical reason to learn the material then they have a difficult time accepting it and getting started. Everything must have a function for the Dyslexic student. Give them examples of how this new knowledge will be used by them in the future. We learn about money and counting and subtracting it because we need to know that when we buy or sell things. We learn about electricity because much of our modern world depends on having it
and understanding it can help us comprehend how we use it in our homes. We learn about democracy because our rights and freedoms depend on a democratic government.
Dyslexics, and Right Brained thinkers in general, have these 5 questions in their minds all the time. From the minute they wake up till they go to sleep they are always thinking about things in these terms. It is how they process information, how they analyze and how they see
the world. It is part of who they are. In view of the right-brained students’ learning styles and need to receive instructions in whole concepts, these five steps set out the criteria that will help them immensely if provided. When they are taught a new lesson, analyzing new information
and trying to complete an assignment successfully they will have a better chance when the have the information and instructions presented in a “big picture” way that answers their questions.
The Dyslexic student will always have a lot of questions about their tasks in school. If they speak up in class or at home with many questions and some that seem obvious, they are not trying to be annoying. They really need answers to their questions. Always be aware of the quiet student who seems to struggle with their work because they also may have many concerns but are too afraid to ask.
DYSLEXIA VICTORIA ONLINE METHOD
"THE RIGHT BRAIN'S LEARNING CODE":
REASON
I need a reason that tells me WHY I must process and learn the information you give me.
UNDERSTANDING
I can understand what you tell me only if it makes sense to me.
ACCEPTANCE
If I am unable to understand because of immaturity, a lack of learning skills or the information is too abstract, I am willing to accept it.
(An example would be learning a computer program like "Microsoft Word". When beginning to learn the program the student will not really understand the "big picture" of Microsoft Word. The student needs to "accept" that they will not know the "big picture" until they have learned many components of the program and it starts to become clear.
Dyslexics have a difficult time with accepting information about anything unless they understand it or have the meaning first. Teaching them acceptance is very important. A teacher could say to them that they may not understand it now but they will eventually and why, then the Dyslexic student can usually internalize this reality and move forward. This becomes a life lesson for them how to adapt around abstract or incomplete information they don't fully comprehend.)
MEMORIZATION
When I have accepted what I must learn, even though I do not understand it, I will retain it by memorizing it.
RECALLING INFORMATION
Once I have understood or accepted the information and memorized it, I will be able to recall it whenever I want to, even though I MAY not understand it.
SUCCESS
If I understand the information, I am able to think about it on many levels. I am capable of great things if my learning differences are recognized and I am given the appropriate skills to process and store information.