MATH: Learning Through Examples, Not Repetition and Drill [Premium]

MATH: Learning Through Examples, Not Repetition and Drill [Premium]

“… children with dyslexia, because of disruption to left hemisphere language area, use a less optimal route for retrieval-base arithmetic, engaging right hemisphere parietal regions typically used by good readers for procedural-based arithmetic.” — Evans et al, 2014   TEACH MATH TO DYSLEXIC STUDENTS THROUGH STRENGTHS It was a research group at Georgetown University that first made the observations that a group of school age dyslexic students used a different brain strategy when doing single digit arithmetic. As it turns out, an area of the brain (left angular gyrus) implicated in some of reading difficulties associated with dyslexia is also the area of the brain that processes math learning through drill in non-dyslexic kids. So math drill may be the exactly wrong way to teach […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) and Its Impact on Dyslexia [Premium]

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) and Its Impact on Dyslexia [Premium]

“Substantial evidence shows that dyslexic readers have problems with rapid naming of visual items. Early research assumed that this was a consequence of phonological processing deficits, but recent findings suggest that non-phonological processes may lie at the root of the association between slow naming speed and poor reading. The hypothesis that rapid naming reflects an independent core deficit in dyslexia is supported by the main findings: (1) some dyslexics are characterized by rapid naming difficulties but intact phonological skills; (2) evidence for an independent association between rapid naming and reading competence in the dyslexic readers, when the effect of phonological skills was controlled; (3) rapid naming and phonological processing measures are not reliably correlated. “ – Araujo et al. 2011   Rapid automatized naming or […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
Eugene Matusov on Teaching and Motivation [Premium]

Eugene Matusov on Teaching and Motivation [Premium]

I recently discovered Eugene Matusov’s writings on motivation and agency. He is a professor at the University of Delaware and he is also dyslexic.   I found it interesting that he ended up choosing a career teaching other teachers and yet his early years seem to be fairly traumatic in school. He had some very bad learning experiences, but also good ones, and it’s clear that today, he remembers the good teachers that impacted his life and that the choices he made in his own career were influenced as much by the negative experiences as the positives. One negative experience that was shared involved a writing assignment that many of us are all-too-familiar with – “What I Did Over Summer Vacation.” Listen to Eugene tell […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
Lip Reading and Dyslexia [Premium]

Lip Reading and Dyslexia [Premium]

There is a long and diverse research history of dyslexia and documenting the auditory processing difficulties associated with dyslexia that hinder phonological awareness. It’s why dyslexic kids will struggle in school when everyone is required to wear a mask. The sounds are muffled, but also if the teacher is masked, then students cannot look at the teachers mouth – as an additional cue to what sound is being made. In a recent study published by Annals of Dyslexia, researchers made an interesting observation: “those children with dyslexia who are better readers attended more to the mouth while presented with a person’s face in a phonologically demanding condition.” More research needs to be done about this issue, be aware of helps like watching a video of […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
Dyslexia Advocacy: Say Dyslexia 2.0

Dyslexia Advocacy: Say Dyslexia 2.0

From Chalkbeat's story, "NYC plans to screen nearly 200,000 students in the early grades to uncover struggling readers. Then what?"   "In a massive bid to gauge reading skills following COVID-related learning disruptions, New York City’s education department is...

read more
Understanding Conceptual vs. Procedural Knowledge in Math [Premium]

Understanding Conceptual vs. Procedural Knowledge in Math [Premium]

With math scores lagging tremendously due to pandemic-related school, many of us may suddenly find ourselves responsible for supervising (if not tutoring) math.   If that’s the case, it’s important to keep in mind the big picture of math learning. Of course the issue of conceptual and procedural learning apply to all subjects, not just math, but it especially becomes relevant when problem solving can become complex; symbols and abstractions must be used, and multiple steps for problem solving are necessary. There’s an especially nice description of the differences between conceptual and procedural knowledge in math from Ruthie Sloan’s Teach Math Literacy blog. Many of us learned math only through procedural learning. We didn’t learn “why” we did certain steps like “flip upside-down and multiply,” […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
Reading Fluency for College [Premium]

Reading Fluency for College [Premium]

Recently we were contacted by a student who wanted to improve his reading fluency before attending college. He had completed a full course of “Wilson and Orton-Gillingham” yet his reading was still slow and effortful. He asked, “Is there anything I can do to improve my reading to help me be successful in college?”   ANSWER: First of all, good for you for looking ahead and preparing yourself for college. It is possible to get through college with slow effortful reading, but probably only if you’re competent with assistive technology and can listen to all of your books instead of reading them traditionally. Although most colleges and universities are required to make “reasonable accommodations,” schools and individual faculty members can vary, and practical issues – […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
I Never Thought I’d Be Homeschooling… [Premium]

I Never Thought I’d Be Homeschooling… [Premium]

We never thought we would be homeschooling when we started almost 2 decades ago.     What our family can say today, is that looking back, we’re so grateful for our entire homeschooling journey – even though initially homeschooling chose us rather than the other way around. Today there are so many reasons to homeschool and ways that homeschooling can also be a good fit for dyslexic students, so take heart in the adventure ahead of you and may the coming year be one good surprise after another.   WHY HOMESCHOOLING CAN BE A GOOD MATCH FOR MANY STUDENTS   Schooling at an Individual Pace The first reason why homeschooling can be a good match for many students is that traditional schooling can be a […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more
Math: Multiple Representations [Premium]

Math: Multiple Representations [Premium]

If you have a lot of ground to cover for the coming school year, consider the use of multiple representations to improve the efficiency of learning.     First, as a person who is math-challenged herself and was tasked at one time with tutoring one of our kids with similar math difficulties, I am sympathetic to people who are tasked with teaching math. The truth is, I wasn’t good at it myself, so I found myself getting frustrated when my student didn’t understand. I had little flexibility between math representations – and as a result tended to teach math the way I was taught it…rote memory of sequenced steps – which I was to find was the last thing my student should have been trying […]

To access this post, you must be a Premium supporter.

read more

LEARN MORE AS A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER

Dyslexia and Gifted: Course for Psychologists

Dyslexia for Teachers Course

Categories

SPONSORS

    Discover Your Dyslexic MIND Strengths
                                    Free

 

 

 


Amazon Affiliate Notice

Dyslexic Advantage is an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a link that takes you to the Amazon store, Dyslexic Advantage may earn money on qualifying purchases. Clicking HERE to enter Amazon and making a purchase may support Dyslexic Advantage. Thank you!

LEARN MORE AS A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER

Dyslexia | Dyslexic Advantage