Do you find it easier to read webpages that aren't cluttered? If so, you're not alone. Popups and even photos can be distracting. Many browser reading modes offer customizations like font size, color, and sometimes character and line spacing. Typically, many dyslexic...
![Math: Teaching with Physical Materials [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Teaching-with-Physical-Materials-e1683788874447-400x250.jpg)
Almost half of all dyslexic student may have math disabilities (Wilcutt et al.2013), but math disabilities or dyscalculia are rarely recognized in public or private schools in the US. All the more important for tutors, teachers, and parents to be aware of dyslexia-related differences in learning better ways of helping information ‘stick’. One helpful example for how to support math for dyslexic students comes from the Sagonaska Demonstration School. They have completely embraced multisensory learning and have considered how reading and writing challenges can affect the way students learn and show their work. Third Space Learning has nice graphics about this approach. Briefly, it involves introducing new math concepts with physical materials, then switching to the use of drawings (representations) to work […]
![Been There Done That College Advice From Fellow Dyslexics [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Been-There-Done-That-College-Advice-From-Fellow-Dyslexics-Premium-e1683550941759-400x250.jpg)
We love the movement of dyslexic post-grads sharing their studying tips. Check out some of these words of wisdom if you’re college-bound, in college, or planning to return to higher education. In general, things are much better than they were decades ago, but you can still encounter hurdles that may make it difficult to complete your degree. If you need additional inspiration, here is a master’s student in architecture writing his 10,000 word dissertation. Over the years, we’ve seen many students stopped at the dissertation stage – or at least stalled. Dissertation requirements are different, so the video below is not intended to be a guide for all – but at least a way to see how important organization is […]
![Dyslexia and College [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Dyslexia-and-College.jpg)
It’s becoming increasingly common for dyslexic students to attend college, university and graduate school; some careers require these degrees. IS IT EASIER TO ATTEND COLLEGE? Compared to past decades, it is generally easier for dyslexic students to attend college because more colleges and universities have specifically designated academic support centers and tutors to help manage school loads successfully. Institutions of higher education aren’t allowed to discriminate against students (learn more about ADA regulations here); therefore, teachers and departments try to tread carefully once students disclose their dyslexia and request specific accommodations. That said, there are still wide differences between schools that are well-informed and support their students. See our survey results for the Best and Worst Colleges for Dyslexia FINDING THE SCHOOL THAT […]
![English Language Learners and Dyslexia [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/English-Language-Learners-and-Dyslexia-Dyslexic-Advantage-400x250.jpg)
Question: An English language learner recently joined my dyslexia classroom. She seems to be having more difficulty progressing on our standard curriculum. Do you have any suggestions or advice? When trying to understand why a new English Language Learner (ELL or English as a Second Language) student in your class isn’t making progress with peers, individual as well as more general second language-related factors can be contributing to the discrepancy. Whenever a particular student seems to be having trouble showing progress with a curriculum, individual factors, such as their vision or hearing (including chronic ear infections, for instance) interfering with their learning should be considered. Beyond this, questions about speed of instruction, working memory, long-term memory, the number of repetitions needed to progress should be […]
![Working Memory, Attention, and Learning [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Working-Memory-Attention-and-Learning-7-e1680692445930-303x250.jpg)
“When we act on sensory inputs we call it ‘attention,’ but there’s a similar mechanism that can act on the thoughts we hold in mind.” — Timothy Buschman, Princeton University For the past 70 years, psychologists, researchers, teachers have focused intently on the implications of attention to learning, but working memory, a type of short-term memory that seems equally important — if not more significant — to general cognitive processes has received far less consideration. There are several implications for most dyslexic individuals because what many may attribute to attention or attention deficit may actually be due to activities involving working memory. IS IT INATTENTION OR WORKING MEMORY OVERLOAD? A student is struggling in math class. He is watching the teacher write on the board […]
Congratulations Karina Eide Young Writer Award Winners 2023! Read the creative entries here!
![Dyslexia: What About Sequencing? [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Sequencing-400x250.jpg)
Sequential memory is a challenge for many dyslexic people – and you may be surprised how many very accomplished dyslexics have trouble with it. SEQUENCING DIFFICULTIES PRESENT MANY WAYS Parents and students may first notice difficulties memorizing sequences when they get asked to recite the alphabet or numbers up to 10. Trouble appears learning the days of the week or months of the year (harder) but some are able to compensate with music or associated mnemonics. “You mean you don’t have to sing the ABC song in order to remember which letter is in front of the other? ” – Business Executive Sequencing errors contribute to problems in reading, spelling, writing, and math, but also specific subjects like history or literature. Students with sequencing […]
Currently, the educational world is being rocked about advances in artificial intelligence technology that are upturning ways students are being assessed and demonstrating their knowledge. The AI Writing programs are dazzling and while there can be upsides to having...
![Schools Missing the Boat on Dyslexia and Math [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SCHOOLS-MISSING-THE-BOAT-ON-DYSLEXIA-AND-MATH-400x250.png)
Forty-four percent of dyslexic students also meet diagnostic criteria for math disability, according to researchers, but math rarely receives specific designations on students’ individualized education plans. What is the result? Dyslexic students with math disabilities underperform, fail, get held back, and find themselves excluded from certain academic tracks and majors (like science, technology, and engineering). What they really need though are informed teachers and school programs that understand their specific needs and teach them based on their strengths. CHALLENGES AND STRENGTHS IN MATH In a review of 50 consecutive dyslexic students seen in our clinic, the following patterns were seen in their WISCIV IQ and WIAT-III achievement scores. Our practice was unusual because we had many gifted referrals from the Silicon Valley and many students […]
![Embracing the Spiky* Profile [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EMBRACING-THE-SPIKY-PROFILE-DA-400x250.png)
It can be a challenge reconciling dyslexia stories in a publication such as this because the topics may zoom from the highest highs (innovators, explorers, paradigm-shifters) to what seem to be early school frustrations – like spelling homonyms or forming letters correctly – but such is the life of the spiky profile person. That is also why if you look at what seems to be a well-organized program of remediation, and have your student signed up for it, progress may not be as orderly as hoped. A core part of the trouble trying to communicate what dyslexia may look like to those who are unfamiliar is that many existing definitions fall wide of the mark. Dyslexia is better understood as a broad learning difference – […]
![Writing An Essay — How They Do It [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Writing-an-Essay-400x250.png)
Over the past decade, it’s been a joy to see how many more dyslexic university students and professors are sharing how they tackle one of the most difficult tasks in education: writing an essay. The mechanics of writing are difficult, for sure, but for many, the volume of ideas and a need to organize and prioritize them is an equally difficult task. Here are two videos from Jemima Hutton, a medical student from Australia. She shares why she prefers mind-mapping to outlining (outlining is too restrictive) and how she enjoys getting her associated ideas down on paper. In the second video, Jemima talks about how she uses software to scaffold her writing. She uses Claro Writing Helper, but now there are other software similar to […]
