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eLearning Series: Learning Disabilities
The Bottom Line On Learning Disabilities
( 50 articles in this series )
Dyslexia:
Retraining Your Brain
Of all the learning disorders, dyslexia is
the most common one. It causes difficulties in reading, writing,
and spelling. This disorder is neurological in origin and you
are born with it. The sufferer will have a hard time
with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and poor spelling. These difficulties
are from the inability to move from phonics in language to
actual properly spelled words. The result is the secondary
consequences of problems with reading comprehension. This can
cause a reduction in reading and cause a lack of vocabulary
and background knowledge. You can never out grow dyslexia,
but you can get assistance to help work through it. There is
some evidence that says dyslexia is a genetic disorder found
on chromosome 18.
To
help people with dyslexia retrain their brains, they can
take phonics lessons and practice daily. This will educe the
brain to become active in other areas and improve reading ability
and comprehension. Using a phonics program can help the brain
make sense of the language and how it works. By looking at
the word and hearing how it sounds, the dyslexic person is
better able to make the transition from recognizing a word
only by hearing it to seeing it as well. It has been shown
that children who use phonics for at least an eight-week span
of time will improve as reader to almost the same level as
children the same age with out dyslexia. The phonics program
seemed to help dyslexic children read and comprehend what they
were reading better. This is an important part of a balanced
literacy program for all learners and particularly for those
with learning dyslexia.
Here are some a variety of outlined activities that may be
used to teach phonics to learners with difficulties and/or
dyslexia.
Concrete Themes
Beginning with concrete or real-world items
based on the learners' interests is a great way to spark
motivation and interest.
By using their knowledge and expertise with concrete materials
or real-world experiences children can make links that can
be established between existing and new knowledge. For example,
to teach a sound-symbol relationship of the letter "p" to
a learner interested in the theme of food, the teacher could
combine the phonics lesson by cooking popcorn. Others words
having to do with the popcorn can be used to also demonstrate
the letter “p” such as pop, plate, please, etc.
Sound-Scene Setting
A classroom can easily be transformed into
a stimulating phonics environment by setting the room up
with specific items to represent
a certain sound. Using concrete materials and pictures that
the children are used to and linked to the learner’s interests.
For example, if the child or children are interested in the
beach, the letter "b" can be discovered from the
items set within the room. A beach scene could be incorporated
and a bucket, boogie-board, blanket, bikini, beach bag, and
posters displaying beach-related pictures can be set out. You
can also use image illustration where a trail on phonetically
related items are set out and as the student discovers them
it will lead them to the scene of say the beach. This will
engage the child’s interest and also allow them to learn new
words.
Sound Signs
Help learners make large signs or charts for individual letters
to be used as a wall display. The sign should show the letter
in both upper and lower case like “Aa”. Following the talk
of what the letter sounds like the child or children will then
give examples of words that begin with that letter. The children
can even cut out or draw pictures to add the sign. This will
further help them recognize a word with an object. Instead
of a sign one could also make a mobile. The letters would be
in the center and the pictures and words hanging from the mobile
itself.
Tactile Letters
Make "tactile" letters using sand, felt, cotton
wool, pasta, seeds, buttons, sandpaper, velvet, and any other
type of material. Use different colors and different textures
for different letters. Have the child or children trace the
letters with their fingers while saying the letter's name and
sound. This helps learners develop and remember the "shape" of
each letter, as well as its name and sound.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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