You are wondering if your child has dyslexia. My hope here is to help you understand what it is and is not.
First, your child is not seeing backwards. Reversals are a symptom, not the cause. Identify and treat the cause and the symptoms go away. If your child came to you with a sliver in her finger, you wouldn’t hand her an aspirin. That is only treating the symptom. You would remove the sliver, treating the cause. And, voila, the discomfort goes away. At Accomplished Learning Centre we use programs that treat the cause.
The symptom of reversals is caused by the fact that your child is using her right-brain to read when she should be using her left-brain. She is not using the Visual Word Form Area (also called the Letterbox) on the left. Instead, she is using an area on the right side of the brain which is not able to make sense out of the strange squiggly symbols we call letters.
Because she’s using the wrong side of the brain, she is also not using the left temporal region to process the sounds in words. Instead, she is using right-brain logic/reasoning, performing mental gymnastics. This is why she has to figure out what a word is, unlike her classmates who can “hear” it.
Several definitions of Dyslexia:
Merriam-Webster: a variable often familial learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing.
Oxford Dictionary: a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence.
Mayo Clinic: Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding).
Dyslexia is a Language Disorder
Thanks largely to functional MRIs and other brain scanning technologies, brain scientists have clearly revealed the reasons for dyslexia. Nowadays, it is more often called a disorder rather than a disability because it can be treated. It won’t be cured with a pill but with programs designed to treat the underlying causes (not symptoms!).
Schools are not equipped to help severe reading difficulties and so a diagnosis of Dyslexia or Reading Disorder qualifies the child for a modified program or an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Basically, this means the school can’t, and so no longer is responsible for, teaching your child to read. Not only are these children missing out on learning to read but also on a full education. This is especially sad because scientists who study reading problems have determined that all people can learn to read with the correct program.
Dyslexia and Reading Difficulties
Reading is not a born ability. Most people did not read at all until about 100 years ago with the introduction of public schools and mandatory education. Reading must be learned. Some people take to it more easily and some struggle with it. The mechanics of reading is complicated and requires a specialist to help the dyslexic child through the process.
At ALC we use a variety of programs to solve dyslexia / reading problems. Two of our most popular dyslexia-correction programs are Master the Code and Fast ForWord. Both programs develop the foundational skills necessary for overcoming reading problems and disabilities.
A diagnosis of dyslexia doesn’t need to be a life-sentence. But it won’t fix itself. All of our programs work on correcting the deficits that cause dyslexia, difficulty with reading. Go to our programs page to learn more.
Further Reading:
ALC Changes Young Lives – Newspaper article about one of our students.
Fast ForWord Makes Reading Much Easier – Newspaper article about one of our students.
Breaking Through the Barriers – This document was put together by the British Columbia Parent Advisory Committee and provides great information on reading problems and what’s needed to solve them.
Assessment and Parent Consultation:
If you know that your child has a reading problem, reading disorder, or dyslexia, then you need to be looking at treatment. At Accomplished Learning Centre we provide the world’s most highly recognized programs for correcting dyslexia and overcoming reading problems.
Your next step is to schedule your child for our assessment. The assessment and parent consultation costs $250. The assessment usually takes 45-90 minutes and the parent consultation is 90-minutes. Learn more. We can usually get you in within a few days.
Call NOW at 604-539-1836 to discuss your child and which programs would best resolve his or her reading difficulties.
We are located at #102 – 5755 Glover Road, Langley, BC.