Optimum Learning - Blog

busting myths about learning differences

26/1/2018

Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing – and busting – some common myths regarding learning differences such as dyslexia, ADD/ADHD and autism. This week’s myth:

Myth #3: “My dyslexic child just needs to concentrate more.”

People with dyslexia have brains that will ‘disorientate’ when they strike confusion. This means that they will use their imagination to look at the problem, often from different perspectives, until they have solved it. This works really well when dealing with real life objects. But when they become confused with a word, and try to look at it from different perspectives – all of a sudden the word ‘but’ becomes ‘put’ and ‘was’ becomes ‘saw’.

Disorientation is the opposite to being focused. When someone is disoriented, they will not be ‘present’, and will be experiencing inaccurate perception.

Can you imagine how difficult it must be to stay focused when your brain is constantly wanting to disorientate because you are confused about a word? So many words cause confusion for dyslexic leaners. Any abstract word has the potential to do so, because they are not able to create a picture for it. It is easy for a picture-thinking dyslexic person to picture a tyrannosaurus rex, therefore even though the word seems difficult, it tends not to trip a dyslexic reader up. It is not so easy to picture a ‘the’, a 'was' or a 'put' - these are the types of words that cause disorientation.

Tyrannosaurus rex =

the =

Making a dyslexic person concentrate doesn’t work. In fact in my experience all it seems to do is cause stress, headaches, tummy aches and meltdowns.

If your child is not concentrating, there will be a reason for it. They will be experiencing disorientation - probably due to confusion. Take a short break if possible, and have them find a way to re-focus – whether it is through something physical such a jumping on the trampoline or running to the end of the driveway and back; or it could simply be taking some deep breaths.

In the Davis Dyslexia Correction Programme, students are taught a simple, effective method that allows them to recognise the feeling of when they disorientate, and gives them the ability to re-focus without the need to concentrate or ‘try harder’.

For more information on dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, autism and other learning differences, head over to my website or drop me an email. I’d love to hear from you 🙂

Would you like to book a free initial consultation?

busting myths about learning differences

26/1/2018

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing – and busting – some common myths regarding learning differences such as dyslexia, ADD/ADHD and autism.

Myth #2: “We need to make autistic people learn how to act normally.”

When people think of autism, it can conjure up images of anything from hand-flapping and meltdowns, to socially awkward behaviour, to savant-like talents. However, there is a reason why it is said that when you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. It affects each individual in their own unique way.

Davis Autism

Every person is exquisitiely unique. Autism is just one way of being uniquely human.

When we focus on making an autistic person behave more neuro-typically in order for them to seem ‘normal’, we are perpetuating the myth that somehow that person needs changing. Dr Barry Prizant, the author of Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism states that the problem with interventions trying to make an autistic individual fit in is that they “treat the person as a problem to be solved rather than an individual to be understood.”

Davis Autism

Prizant encourages parents, educators and clinicians to consider “autistic” behaviours (such as hand-flapping, rocking, and spinning) as strategies to manage in a world that feels chaotic and overwhelming.

He suggests a positive approach would be to find out what may be causing these behaviours. By asking why a child is behaving in a particular way allows us to understand and accommodate to their needs. Dr. Prizant also argues that attempts to eliminate “autistic” behaviors may actually interfere with important developmental processes.

Davis Autism

Eye contact is another area in which autistic individuals do not ‘conform’ to the expected normal behjaviour – at least not in the Western world. Should we insist on autistic people making eye contact? My answer is simple. No. I don’t believe we should.

Amythest Schaber presents a wonderful video on eye contact from an autistic person’s perspective. She implores non-autistic adults not to force their children make eye-contact. Amythest explains that people with autism tend to avoid eye contact for two reasons:

#1. It can feel overwhelming.

A person’s eyes can convey a lot of emotion, and taking in all of that information can feel overwhelming. Some people describe the feeling as being very intense – like looking into a very bright light. Others say eye contact hurts them, makes them feel uncomfortable and confuses them. However it feels, it can contribute to overstimulation and overload of the brain.

#2. It can be difficult to make eye contact and listen to someone at the same time.

Avoiding eye contact allows them to take away the huge amount of rapid info coming at them (from facial expressions and eye contact), which can alleviate the pressure on their brain and allow the person to process and to follow along a lot better than if forced to make eye contact.

So next time the issue of eye contact comes up, consider this question that Ametyst puts to us: ”Would you like me to make sustained eye contact so that you feel more comfortable, or would you like me to hear, understand and remember what you say?”

If you are searching for a positive approach to autism, I would highly recommend the Davis Autism Approach. At the heart of this programme is a deep respect and understanding of autism. That is because it has been created by the autistic genius, Ronald D. Davis, co-author of the book: Autism and the Seeds of Change, with Abigail Marshall.

Davis Autism Approach

He has dedicated his life to creating this gentle programme that gives autistic individuals the pathway towards creating a true sense of self, gaining an understanding of the neurotypical world (and therefore reducing the overwhelm and chaos) and participating more fully in life, while allowing them to retain their unique gifts.

A mother of an autistic boy who I worked with recently commented that:
“The Davis Autism Approach does not convey the message that you need to change who you are. Instead its message is: I get who you are. These are the tools that are going to help you become even more who you want to be.

Ron Davis

Ron Davis and Melanie Curry at a Davis Autism Approach workshop

One of the unique things about the Davis Autism Approach®, the thing that makes it different to any other therapy or programme, is that Ron Davis really understands autism from the within. And his programme truly reaches to the core of an autistic individual.
The Davis Autism Approach® programme bridges the gap between the autistic world and this big world beyond, and embraces both worlds so that they are able to work in harmony.”

Here is what her gorgeous autistic son had to say about the Davis Autism Approach:

For more information on dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, autism and other learning differences, head over to my website or drop me an email. I’d love to hear from you 🙂

Would you like to book a free initial consultation?

busting myths about learning differences

15/1/2018

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing – and busting – some common myths regarding learning differences such as dyslexia, ADD/ADHD and autism.

Myth #1: Dyslexia is a learning disability.

Dyslexia is a different way of thinking, processing and learning. There is nothing ‘broken’ about a dyslexic brain. It certainly does not need curing or fixing. In fact dyslexia brings with it many great strengths and gifts.

Dyslexic learners rely heavily on their right brain, thinking predominantly in pictures. Because they are highly visual, they will often show strengths in areas such as:

creativity
the arts
design
engineering
leadership
problem solving
science
building
and much more….

John Britten, talented dyslexic, designed and built the Britten Superbike

People with dyslexia generally learn things easily when they are taught in a way that works for them – which is visual and hands-on. What they do tend to experience is some isolated challenges when it comes to the written word (and sometimes numbers).

So when talking to your child about dyslexia, let them know that their brain learns in a different way, which brings many gifts that other people don’t have. Instead of calling it a learning disability, you could tell them they have a learning difference – or even a learning preference (as let’s face it – they do prefer to learn in a certain way – just not the way a lot of schools want them to!)

You could also spend time looking at some famous, successful people who have succeeded because of their dyslexic thinking style. This often does wonders for a child’s self esteem, to know that they are in the company of some great achievers.

For more information on dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, autism and other learning differences, drop me an email at melanie@optimumlearning.co.nz. I’d love to hear from you 🙂

coffee & chat with mel

25/8/2017

What is autism? (Part 1)

This video explains some of the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in everyday, easy-to-understand language. Any more questions? Please ask!

coffee and chat with mel

24/8/2017

What is individuation and what does it have to do with autism?

Individuation is a key stage in childhood development. However for those those with autism, it doesn't fully happen. Find out what individuation is and the role it plays in autism in my latest video.

coffee and chat with mel

10/7/2017

Should I tell my child that s/he has dyslexia?

This is a question that I get asked a lot, so thought it was a great one to start with. So grab your coffee, or beverage of choice, and spend a few minutes with me to find out whether or not we should be telling with our children if they have a learning difference.

Remember, if you have any burning questions, please contact me. I'd love to help!

Ask Mel a question

coffee and chat with mel

6/7/2017

Join Mel for her first video in her brand new series: Coffee and Chat with Mel. Mel has created this series to answer your questions about learning differences, and to empower you with understanding and a pathway forward, so that you and your loved ones can participate more fully in learning and life :)

Email Mel with your questions

Reading with dyslexia: from phonics to meaning

14/10/2016

When people think of dyslexia, it often conjures up images of people who spell words backwards; or perhaps children who get their b’s and d’s confused. Mostly it is viewed as a learning disability.

Dyslexia is not a learning disability.

People with dyslexia generally learn easily – when taught in a way that works for them. They are typically smart and creative individuals, who are often highly intelligent.

Their challenges generally lie in difficulty with the written word. There is no correlation at all between reading challenges and lack of intelligence. According to Jeffrey Gruen, associate professor at the Yale University School of Medicine, “the reading disability is not a global effect on the entire brain function.”

Ronald D. Davis, author of “The Gift of Dyslexia” and “The Gift of Learning”, states that dyslexic people think in images, not the sounds of words. This is the reason why a common characteristic of dyslexia is difficulty with phonics. Their brains just don’t work with sounds. “We now know that dyslexic learn to read differently – most do not learn phonetically,” states Dr Gruen.
So if phonics isn’t the answer, what is? A visual-spatial, meaning based approach, that works in harmony with the visual-spatial learning dominance of a dyslexic learner. According to Ron Davis, every word has three parts: what it looks like (how it is spelled); what it sounds like (how it is said); and what a word means.

Traditional reading instruction links the first two parts of words through phonics instruction, with the third part – the meaning - often not touched on. For a dyslexic learner, it is the missing meaning that causes such challenges. As a picture thinker, the dyslexic individual creates meaning by forming mental images as s/he reads. This is ease-ful when reading words such as “horse” and “tree”. However, it is very difficult to form a mental image of ‘abstract’ words such as ‘where’ and ‘were’. These words create blank pictures - comprehension becomes interrupted. These abstract words make up approximately 75% of print. Can you imagine how many times meaning may be lost when just reading one sentence?

Ron Davis developed a beautiful, simple, highly effective solution, which is taught to students who complete the Davis Dyslexia Correction programmes. Add meaning to the abstract words. Get the students to create what the word looks like, what the word sounds like and what the word means – using the visual, kinaesthetic medium of clay.

Take the word ‘too’. It means ‘also’. The model below is of one person sitting reading, and another person sitting and reading also – too.

The student who created this model now has understanding of that abstract word. It will no longer be a blank picture that causes confusion.

Dr Gruen states, “Some kids just learn differently. Not all children learn to read with the current one-size fits all methods.” Dyslexic students have many areas of strength. Helping them to minimise the challenges associated with the written word removes a significant barrier within a predominantly word-based education system, and helps to keep their self esteem intact – empowering them towards reaching their potential.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE?

CONTACT US FOR A FREE CHAT

Melanie Curry,
B.Ed, Dip.Teach, Licensed Davis Dyslexia Facilitator, Licensed Davis Autism Facilitator/Coach

Sources:
Website: www.dyslexia.com
Book: “The Gift of Dyslexia” by Ronald D. Davis
Article: The DCDC2 gene and dyslexia, by Michelle D. Jones-London, Ph.D.

Six things to know about learning differences

22/9/2016

Do you have a learning difference?

Maybe you are dyslexic, or perhaps you have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Maybe you have ADD/ADHD. Dyspraxia. Dyscalculia. Auditory Processing disorder…..the list goes on.

Whatever your learning difference, here's what you need to know:

#1. You do not need fixing.
Your mind is not defective, you are not broken. Your brain is wired differently and it is supposed to work in the way it does. Let's forget labels such as 'specific learning disability' and move away from terms such as disorders. I love the term 'neuro-diversity' - a word invented by sociologist Judy Singer, to shift the focus away from the deficits and call attention to the fact that many atypical forms of brain wiring also bring with them unusual skills and aptitudes.*

#2. You learn best through visual-spatial methods.
One strong feature of learning differences such as dyslexia is the ability to think in images rather than words. Learning is so much more natural for you if it can be filled with images, colour, and hands-on experiences, rather than constant reading and writing, which for a picture thinker can lead very quickly to confusion, frustration and ultimately shutdown.

#3. You have so many gifts.
You may be a great problem solver, you are probably highly imaginative and creative, you could be really good at designing, or perhaps your areas of strength lie in sport, music, or art. You might be able to see the big picture easily. You might enjoy thinking outside the square. Or you may be fabulous at detail-oriented tasks. Every individual who I have worked with, without exception, has possessed real gifts. Celebrate them, use them, and let them shine.

#4. You share your thinking style with many successful people.
Herman Hollerith, who helped launch the age of computing by inventing a machine to tabulate and sort punch cards, once leaped out of a school window to escape his spelling lessons because he was dyslexic.* As is Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg and Cher . Famous people on the autism spectrum include Dan Aykroyd, Temple Grandin and Darryl Hannah

#5. You have the right to ask for the support you need.
If you are at school, tell your teacher what will help you learn. Maybe using a computer or a tablet will enable you to get your ideas down easier. Perhaps text to speech software will help you to access text through listening to it. Instead of laboriously copying from the board, your teacher could print out a set of notes for you. Perhaps you could have extra time, or a reader/writer for tests.

If you are employed, get support in the areas you need it. Be honest with your colleagues - remember your learning difference means you bring many strengths to the table - it is just that you may need help in certain areas. High quality assistive technology is forging ahead in ways that can offer robust support. One example is this range of google extensions for dyslexia.

#6. Your challenges can be overcome.
Sally Shaywitz has a wonderful analogy of dyslexia being a small island of weakness in a huge sea of strengths. I would go further to include all learning differences in this analogy. And you know what? You can use your strengths to help you overcome your challenges. Find a programme that is strengths-based, rather than one that thinks you need to be fixed. Learn how to harness your gifts. My personal favourite is of course the Davis programmes - created by a dyslexic, autistic genius that works from a place of strength and empowerment.

And last, but not least, always remember.....

would you liketo know more?

Sources: 'Wired Differently" image from Wrong Planet l *Neurodiversity rewires conventional thinking about brains l Sally Shaywitz - article on Dyslexia l Google Extensions for dyslexia

coffee and chat with mel #2

13/9/2016

should I tell my child
that s/he has dyslexia?

This is a question I am asked a lot, so thought it was a great one to start with. Grab your coffee (or beverage of choice), get comfortable and settle down to find out whether we should tell our dyslexic children that they have this learning difference - and why.

Remember - if you have any burning questions about learning differences - it doesn't matter how big or small, click the button below and send them in!

Contact Melanie Curry
021 367 669
melanie@optimumlearning.co.nz

Davis® and Davis Autism Approach® are trademarks of Ronald D. Davis. Commercial use of these trademarks to identify educational, instructional, or therapeutic services requires licensing by the trademark owner.

Professional services described as Davis™ , Davis Dyslexia Correction®, Davis Davis Symbol Mastery™, Davis Orientation Counselling™, Davis Math Mastery™, Davis Attention Mastery™, Dyslexia the Gift™ and Gift of Dyslexia™ may only be provided by persons who are employed by a licensed Davis Specialist, or who are trained and licensed as Davis Facilitators by Davis Dyslexia Association International.