Fifteen years ago, when I first began tutoring children with dyslexia, one challenge stood out above all others: sequencing difficulties. These struggles—processing and ordering information correctly—often became the most persistent and frustrating hurdle for my students.
My very first student, John, embodied this challenge. In his early primary years, he struggled so severely with reading that he had to repeat Primary 1 after difficulties in public school. Yet with daily one-on-one intervention—storybook reading sessions that built his skills step by step—John began to flourish. Within a year, his English reading surpassed grade level. By Primary 4, he advanced midway into Primary 5. Later, he excelled in his UPSR exams (3 A’s, 1 B, 1 C), despite the academic leap.
Fast forward: John studied accountancy in Adelaide, Australia, and graduated with a double degree from the University of South Australia in 2021. His journey is proof that addressing sequencing early, with patience and repetition, unlocks tremendous potential.
Common Sequencing Difficulties in Dyslexia
Children with dyslexia often struggle with logical order in everyday tasks, such as:
Days, months, and time concepts — Confusing “yesterday,” “today,” and “tomorrow”; mixing up the order of days or months.
Telling time — Understanding clock hands, minutes, quarters, and a.m./p.m. distinctions.
Directions — Left/right confusion, following multi-step instructions, or spatial orientation.
Money and counting — Combining coins/notes to make amounts or grasping value sequences.
Other daily tasks — Tying shoelaces, solving long division, or recounting events in order.
These challenges stem from core processing difficulties—not low intelligence. The irregularities of English often compound the problem, but targeted practice makes a remarkable difference.
Practical Teaching Strategies That Work
The key is to teach sequencing skills outside formal study time—during car rides, daily routines, or casual conversations. This reduces pressure and allows repetition to build mastery naturally.
Days of the Week
Start with the present day: “Today is Tuesday. Yesterday was Monday. Tomorrow is Wednesday.”
Use calendars to connect days with birthdays, holidays, or school routines.
Practice spelling: Write one day each day; mastery often comes within 1–2 weeks.
Use mnemonics: “My Tortoise Wants To Fry Sea Shells” (M-T-W-T-F-S-S).
Ask sequencing questions: “What day comes before Monday? After Thursday?”
Months of the Year
Daily prompts: “What month is it now? Next month? Last month?”
Link months to events (e.g., Merdeka in August).
Mnemonics: “Johnny Finds Mummy Always Making Jelly” (Jan–Jun); “Jason Does” (Jul–Dec).
Telling Time
Prerequisite: Count to 60 confidently.
Use a movable-hand clock: Start with o’clock, then half-past, quarters, and minutes.
Introduce “past” and “to” later to avoid confusion.
Directions and Left/Right
Identify writing hand as “right”; form an “L” with the left hand.
Practice in real life: “Turn left at the traffic light.”
Play physical games: walk straight, turn right, walk backwards.
Money
Use real coins/notes: Show equivalents (two 50 sen = RM1).
Play “shop” or “money changer” for fun repetition.
Multi-Step Tasks (e.g., Shoe-Tying)
Break tasks into tiny steps with verbal cues and hand-over-hand guidance.
Support multi-step routines (packing bags, end-of-day checklists) with visual aids or apps.
The Bigger Picture
The golden rule? Patience, low-pressure repetition, and reframing the challenge. Tell children, “The task is tricky, not you.” Blaming the quirks of language or task design boosts self-esteem and accelerates progress.
John’s transformation—from repeating Primary 1 to graduating with a double degree—shows what’s possible when sequencing challenges are addressed early and consistently. These skills don’t just improve reading; they build confidence for life.
💡 Your Turn: What sequencing tips have worked for you or your students? Share your experiences in the comments—I’d love to hear them.
No comments:
Post a Comment