What does Dyslexia feel like?
“Shame cannot survive being spoken… and met with empathy.” – Brené Brown
Individual Matters is pleased to bring the Experience Dyslexia® Workshop to Central Kentucky and beyond.
You’ve undoubtedly heard the term “dyslexia.” You probably know it refers to a type of “reading disability” that makes decoding and understanding text difficult, results in poor spelling, and is often associated with left/right confusion.
But you may be surprised to learn that you already know someone with dyslexia. In fact, you are probably surrounded by them! Research suggests that the disability is very common. As many as 15% of the population experiences some form of dyslexia, yet only 1 in 10 are ever diagnosed.
If you are an educator, these statistics may not be surprising. Perhaps you witness the struggles of dyslexia in your classroom every day. Its effects include a wide range of learning-related symptoms, as well as one or more of the following behavioral symptoms:
- Shame
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Low Self-Esteem
- Depression
- Family Problems
- Avoidance
- Frustration
But regardless how familiar you are with dyslexia, it can be hard to relate to the personal struggles of those who live with the disability. And when we don’t understand another person’s behaviors, we tend to make assumptions about the reasons for them.
When dyslexia is undiagnosed, or its effects are not well understood, those with the disability may be labeled as lazy, oppositional, immature, or dumb. Their childhoods are often characterized by continual and frequent failures, as well as by nonstop criticism from teachers and parents, and teasing from classmates. Not surprisingly, the silent shame of this burden inhibits learning, destroys self-esteem, and can lead to depression and other mental health problems that continue well into adulthood. Even when students have been identified with dyslexia, it may be difficult for parents or teachers to empathize with their struggles.
Fortunately, the International Dyslexia Association has created the Experience Dyslexia® Workshop. Now people without the disability can begin to understand what it’s like to have it.
Empathy and understanding is vital for compassionate teaching and parenting. Understanding what dyslexia feels like helps us to avoid making assumptions, recognize learning problems for what they are, refer for appropriate treatment and interventions, and help children with dyslexia and other learning problems find success. With empathy, we can begin to scaffold individuals in overcoming the challenges of dyslexia – as well as capitalizing upon its many upsides.
At Individual Matters, we are pleased to facilitate the Experience Dyslexia® Workshop – as well as others that focus on learning, teaching, and parenting. These experiences are available throughout Central Kentucky and beyond. They are appropriate for teachers, parents, or anyone else who works with dyslexic individuals and/or wants to understand impacts of living with the disability.
To learn more, or to schedule a workshop with Individual Matters, email us or call (970) 628-5589.
©2017 Individual Matters, LLC. All rights reserved. Feel free to republish so long as credit is given.
- Published in Dr. Katen's Blog, Dyslexia, Learning, Achievement, and Academics
Dr. Katen to Discuss Learning Differences at The Lexington School
We are very excited by the upcoming “Saturday Series” at The Lexington School: November 5, 2016.
Dr. Katen will present: “Students with Learning Differences: Navigating the Challenges.” Topics include:
- Different ways that students think and learn
- What learning differences are and how they impact learning
- Social and emotional challenges experienced by children with learning differences
- How to support your child’s unique temperament and learning style
This is a unique opportunity to:
- Gain valuable insights
- Learn helpful strategies
- Participate in hands-on activities
- Collaborate with other parents and professionals.
Parents and professionals from all schools welcome. To register, visit www.thelexingtonschool.org/Page/Saturday-Series
The Lexington School will award attendees with certificates for Continuing Education/Professional Development Credits.
- Published in Dr. Katen's Blog, Learning, Achievement, and Academics, Parenting
5 Reasons to Seek a Psycho-educational Assessment
Middle Schoolers, Harry Potter, and Wimpy Kids
Ten Tips for Encouraging your Middle Schooler to Read More
Whether your middle schooler likes to read or avoids it entirely, here are ten simple and effective ways to engage and encourage him to read more often.
- Connect books to life. If your reader likes Harry Potter, consider learning magic with him. If he likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid, help him create a journal. If he likes Hunger Games, go to an archery range. If he likes mystery, create a dinner mystery at home. If his book has been made into a movie, ballet, or play, go see it. If he likes outdoor adventure books, go hiking or camping. Bringing a book to life through real-world activities is not just fun, it also helps your reader connect with story and characters on a deeper level.
- Create a “book culture.” Take your reader to book signings. Go to local author events. Research an author, his background and interests – maybe write him letter and ask him questions (authors really do enjoy these). Schedule trips to the bookstore on Saturday mornings, during which you each get breakfast and coffee/hot chocolate, and read or peruse books for an hour.
- Go to a university library. Take your reader to the archives where the “old” books are kept. Imagine how much time and effort someone put into writing each one. See who can find the oldest (or weirdest) book. Look at the pictures. Smell the books. Look for ghosts. Then let your reader observe all the “cool” college kids reading at the library.
- Create a Summer Reading Challenge…for the entire family. Set a page count to be reached by the end of summer. Identify individual goals that are appropriate for each family member. Choose a fun reward to enjoy when the family reaches its goal (maybe a family rafting trip). Create a log so that reading progress can be tracked throughout the summer – review this at dinner time.
- Encourage your reader to create his own stories. These don’t have to be entirely original (you might notice they are based loosely on a book currently being read). Story-making unlocks imagination, nurtures appreciation of the creative process, and encourages outside-the-box thinking.
- Listen to books on tape. Take a minute to count up all the time you spend in the car together – on the way to and from school, the grocery, baseball practice, on trips, etc. Ask your reader to pick out a book on tape/CD from the library, and keep this in the car stereo. Every time you go somewhere, you can listen to another chapter. This offers a much better alternative to radio “noise,” helps your child transition to new activities, and provides a much needed escape from the reality of school and the dramatic lives of young adults.
- Let him read what he wants. If your reader is drawn only to Calvin and Hobbes, that’s fine. If he likes sports magazines, no problem. The goal is to encourage him to read, not to dictate what he reads. Kids are far more likely to read when they can pick what interests them. Besides, an astute parent knows that what a child chooses to read offers key information about his natural passions, interests, and gifts… Pay attention to these selections, as they can provide invaluable direction when it comes time to help him select a college major or career years from now.
- Read what he is reading… and read with him. If your reader enjoys Harry Potter, read Harry Potter. If he likes military history, read military history. And better yet, read a chapter or two aloud every night with him. This activity shows love, respect, and interest in your reader.
- Let him see you reading. If you want your child to read, model reading. Turn off the television and unplug the internet. Make a cup of cocoa and a snack, put on some classical music if you’d like, and read. Or pack a picnic, go to the park, and pick out a nice shade tree.
- Get an evaluation. If your child avoids reading altogether, complains about his eyes hurting, skips (or rereads) lines, inserts (or misses words), or has difficulty recounting what he has read…. consider having him evaluated to rule out a visual processing problem or other challenge that may negatively impact his ability to read.
Do you have ideas? Please comment below or email me with your own successes – I will compile them in a follow up blog post.
– Dr. Katen
©2016 Individual Matters, LLC. All rights reserved. Feel free to republish so long as credit is given.
- Published in Dr. Katen's Blog, Learning, Achievement, and Academics