Shattering the Myths of Dyslexia #6: Abstract Symbols Are Not Triggers for 3-D Learning Problems

Around 80% of our student population can learn to read 2-dimensional abstract words and symbols through repetition. However, the other 20% of our student population are 3-dimensional learners, and abstract words and symbols cause confusion for these children. This confusion interferes with their ability to recognize and understand these words and symbols and ultimately leads to brain disintegration, avoidance and learning difficulties.

If a parent or loved one will watch closely when a child with dyslexia reads, they will notice that the words that cause the child to hesitate, insert a word, replace a word, omit a word, or skip a line are, for the most part, abstract words and abstract punctuation marks. For a 3-dimensional learner these abstract words and punctuation marks do not have a 3-dimensional picture and thus have no meaning for them. We call them “stumble” words.

To understand the difficulty that a 3-D learner has with abstract words and symbols, use your imagination while I ask you to picture a few words:

• Picture “pencil” … now “beach ball” … and now “house” … and finally “the”. Make note of the experiences you had for each word.

When you were asked to picture “pencil”, you did not picture the letters that spell the word pencil. Instead you pictured the object. You had the same kind of perceptual experience when you pictured the concrete words “beach ball” and “house”. When you tried to picture “the”, you realized there is not a 3-dimensional object to represent it. Most likely you pictured the letters—t…h…e.

A 3-D learner or dyslexic can easily picture and master the first three words but can experience confusion, disintegration, and breakdown with “the” and other abstract words. Until the abstract is made concrete for them, they will have difficulty with reading and writing.

The Learning To Read Program is designed to help the 3-D learner overcome these difficulties. The program is a multi-sensory approach to help children master the abstract words they would normally stumble over. It simultaneously stimulates the senses of touch, sight, movement and hearing to give experiential meaning to the abstract words and symbols. It makes the flat, 2-dimensional words become concrete in the 3-D learner’s mind.

Sincerely,

Bill Allen

Shattering the Myths of Dyslexia: #1

In the coming weeks, ReadingTools will be shattering the 14 myths commonly held about dyslexia.


Myth Number One: The Dyslexic Is Dumb!
According to research, the average IQ of a child with dyslexia is 117 points, but typically IQ tests are not an accurate reflection of the dyslexic’s true intelligence. For the past 14 years of working with dyslexics, it has been repeatedly observed that the dyslexic is anything but dumb. The opposite is the case; the dyslexic is very bright. The dyslexic’s struggle is a struggle with the abstract. The dyslexic works, creates and innovates really well in the three-dimensional world in which he lives; however, in the two-dimensional flat world of abstract written symbols and words, the dyslexic can struggle mightily. The perceptions of dealing with the 2-D world of the abstract written words can lead to frustration and confusion, which usually leads to feelings of being overwhelmed. Ultimately, the confusion and overwhelm can cause significant, if not serious, self-esteem issues. So, if your child is being labeled lazy, a daydreamer, unfocused, class disruptor or worse than these labels, he comes home and tells you, the parent, that he is dumb or stupid, then take solace in the fact that he probably has the gift of dyslexia. Yes, dyslexia is a gift!


In the last century, there have been hundreds of dyslexics that have made contributions to our society, most notably in the fields of art, drama, music, business, sport, science, and strategy (political and military). And yet, how many dyslexics fell through the educational and societal cracks because he could not read and write well. The answer to that question may be in the tens of millions. As a dyslexic and a parent of a slightly dyslexic child, experience has taught that the dyslexic cannot depend on the educational system -- either public or private -- or on multi-sensory phonemic awareness training to solve the problem of the dyslexic’s learning differences. The parent of the dyslexic and the dyslexic child need to utilize the natural 3-dimensional learning style of the dyslexic to teach him how to read and write and to be able to use his creative mind in the business world. Today parents are challenged to get the dyslexic child past the sixth grade, reading and writing fluently and free of problematic self-esteem issues. Dyslexics are not dumb ... actually, they are very smart, and from Reading Tools' perspective, the USA's standard of living will be greatly impacted by the creativity and productive input of the dyslexic mind in the 21st century.


Right now is a great time to be dyslexic because, for the first time since the onset of the industrial revolution, the dyslexic mind is needed by our society. The knowledge-based industries need innovators and a prepared workforce in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math -- STEM. Historically, hundreds of dyslexics have achieved in these areas, and experience shows their propensity to excel in these disciplines when they can communicate by reading and writing, which provides great hope for fulfilling each dyslexic’s fullest potential.


It has been said:
The Top 10 jobs in demand in the USA in 2010 did not exist in 2004.
(Source: You Tube-- Did You Know video)


Contact Bill Allen, president of Reading Tools, LLC and founder of the highly popular and successful dyslexia home tutoring series, The Learning to Read Program, at Bill.Allen@ReadingTools.org, on Facebook, on MySpace, or call 866.637.6356 toll free and, for more information about overcoming the challenges of dyslexia and nurturing the talents of dyslexics, visit http://www.readingtools.org/.