If you haven't filled out our DYSLEXIA AT WORK SURVEY - there's still time! Click HERE. What's the #1 strength that people report at work?.... Big picture strengths! A wide range of occupations were reported. Here are some examples: program coordinator, physician,...
[PREMIUM] Multisensory Masters
Often when the term “multisensory” is used when talking about dyslexia, math manipulatives or Orton-GIllingham curricula are what come to mind. But multisensory is much more than its association with education. Multisensory abilities and talents account for many super powers that dyslexic people use in their every day success. Strong multisensory learners may learn well by immersion, real life experiences with social interaction, personal connections, movement, and hearing, seeing, touching (and yes also smells and sometimes tastes). Some multisensory experts show expertise in certain sensory modalities – like being visually aware or particularly sensitive or having an ear for music or different aspects a peoples voices. People Reading Skills in reading people’s emotional expressions, gestures, and nonverbal cues can lead to super skills in fields […]
Celebrity Chef, James Martin
“I failed cookery in school because I was dyslexic,still am. Severely dyslexic. I’ve never read a book in my life." James Martin is one of the world's most successful TV chefs even though he was given failing grades at cooking school for not being able to write...
DYSLEXIA AND THE NURSING PROFESSION
‘‘Nurses with dyslexia [. . .] can use a multidimensional approach to patient care and can visualise a patient as an integrated whole. They can connect with a patient in way that integrates the art and science of nursing...(Dyslexic nurses) use ‘‘novel and creative...
The Teacher Who Didn’t Know How to Read
If you haven't heard John Corcoran's story, it's a great one. He became a teacher, never knowing how to read, getting by through good social skills, athletic ability, and cheating with the help of friends. He even taught for 17 years (showing more films and visuals...
[PREMIUM] Letting Go
It’s a rare person who can survive the early school years of dyslexia without some trauma. As a result, even young children have to find some way to let go of thoughtless comments, bullying, and worse. Some students starting the school year will be fighting symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder because their experiences were terrible. As they return to classrooms, signs of PTSD can take the form of re-experiencing (intrusive memories, bad dreams, re-enactments, problems concentrating), numbing and avoidance (avoiding activities, talking about trauma, not participating in activities previously enjoyed), and hyperarousal (irritability, anger, difficulty sleeping). If symptoms are significant, be proactive and contact your doctor or other professional. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, challenging negative thoughts, and mindfulness (increased self-awareness without judgment) exercises can help […]
African Expedition and Conservation Leader ANGUS WINGFIELD
Recently, I had a chance to catch up with Angus Wingfield, an African Expedition leader who works both with scientists and non-profit community groups to rescue and save animals in the wild. Angus' early experiences in school were like many profiled in this magazine,...
When Spelling Words Don’t Stick
From this book from Nancy Mather and colleagues, a 5th grader was shown a word from her adapted spelling list, then asked to write it from memory. Needless to say, the exercise was quite frustrating for the student. From the authors: "Her teacher next showed Nalan the...
[PREMIUM] Tips for Listening in Foreign Language Classrooms
Although for some dyslexic students the listening component of foreign language classes is an area of strength, many have significant challenges that teachers should be aware of in order to have a successful year. MULTISENSORY AND EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION TO HELP WITH AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION Dyslexic students can have significant challenges in the auditory discrimination of quick sounds, making the accurate learning of new words especially difficult. Teach sounds in a multisensory way, using pictures and actions and also exaggerating tricky or quick sounds and clapping out syllables so no parts of words will be skipped. Some students may need to have explicit instruction in how certain sounds are generated. Working with a mirror and receiving feedback about correct mouth and tongue positions while saying certain words […]
How to Not Hate and Dread High School
It's not easy. There are lots of reasons to hate or at least strongly dislike high school. What if you've done what you could to self-advocate and educate your teachers and classmates, but can't help but dread going back to school every day? Here are some tips from...
Singer Songwriter Freya Ridings
"I struggled so much at school with dyslexia, and I really found it so difficult in so many ways. When I found music, it just became an anchor that got me through the hardest school years...I couldn’t read music, and all my music teachers gave up on me one by one...
Early Screeners
Early screeners are beginning to appear more often in the early grades of elementary school because dyslexia advocates are winning legislative battles across the country. WHAT DO LITERACY SCREENERS DO? The benefit of early universal screening is that the...