Dyselxia – Is the teaching method at fault- 3

For a number of weeks I have talked about the struggles associated with learning to read.

I have explained why languages such as English can be challenging for a person with dyslexia. There is often no clear connection between the written form and sound. For example, words such as 'cough' and 'dough', cut and put. Different pronunciation for similar words like wind (as in the Westerly wind) and wind (as in wind down the window), words spelled differently and pronounced similarly like quay and key, pear and pair, words with silent letters like island and debt and many other problems that I have pointed out in my articles in 2010.

Dyslexia - is the teachng method at fault - 2

We have read about many famous dyslexics in my blog and other sites on the internet. Here is another successful dyslexic author, Debbie Macomber.

Debbie Macomber was born on October 22, 1948 in Yakima, Washington, U.S.A. She is a dyslexic, and when she first decided to write a novel she had only a High School Degree and also was the very young mother of four active children.

Dyslexia – Is the teaching method at fault?

                                                                 

Among the many definitions of dyslexia, one definition I can accept is ‘To have more difficulty learning to read (in English) and dealing with text than would be expected for a given cognitive ability’.

Extended School service - ESY

The following is extracted from an e-mail sent to me. It is for those residing in USA who may not be aware of the facilities available to them. Hope this helps at least one parent living in USA.

Dyslexia - Transparent and opaque orthographies

The following is a face book message received from one of my readers, Heidi Kroner, on what she had read in a book. This confirms my observation of my dyslexic students who have a problem only in reading in English but read fluently in Malay and Han Yu Pin Yin.

Dyslexics and mutual exclusivity of letters

This is part 3 of a series of articles on minds shutting down.

Continuing with “The Tipping Point” let us see what else we can link with ‘minds shutting down’.

The Tipping Point and minds shutting down

 The following 2 paragraphs are from Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘The Tipping Point’. They do explain a little on why children shut down.

Minds shutting down

                                                                  

I have written about my 'dyslexic' students shutting down during class in my article: Unlearn dated Wednesday, February 17, 2010

I recommend you to read that article before continuing with this article. Do read the comments from one of my favourite readers.

Dyslexia - definition

Many months ago I received an e-mail from someone who chanced upon my blog. This is what she had written.

Dyslexia - Lies and more Lies

I am copying articles from the internet which are just blatant lies about dyslexia. These lies are perpetrated by businessmen  who only want to make money at the expense of parents of so-called dyslexic children.

English Language........it is weird

This is just another example of how difficult the English language can be to a dyslexic.

Dyslexia in Finland and Italy

A lie, repeated often enough, will end up as truth.

              The bigger the lie, the greater the likelihood that people would believe it.

Dr Paul Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's Minister of Propaganda (1933-1945)

Dyslexia and comprehension - final part

I was dyslexic; I had no understanding of school-work whatsoever. 

I certainly would have failed IQ tests. And it was one of the reasons 

I left school when I was 15 years old. And if I - if I'm not interested 

in something, I don't grasp it.
Richard Branson

Dyslexic children and reading comprehension Part 2

What is reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to get meaning from what you read. It is the ultimate goal in reading. Continued reading will help build the vocabulary and general knowledge base that is so important for reading comprehension.

Dyslexic children and reading comprehension

 

Two weeks ago a friend rang me and asked me to see a 19 years old student whom he thought was dyslexic. I explained to him that I have not taught any child beyond year 6 (13 years old). He pleaded with me and I finally relented saying that I’ll just help to find out if the child is dyslexic.

Reading - Another look

 

I have written about reading sometime back but have decided to write again as I believe this is  very important for all parents and especially parents with  dyslexic children.

A parent's primary responsibility in preparing a child to be a good reader is to read to the child every day, beginning early in life and continuing into his teens. I believe, my siblings and I are avid readers because my mother used to read to us every day from the time we were about 4 years old. It comes to me as no surprise that my 5 children are also avid readers because either my wife or I will read to them every day before they go to bed.