intelligence squared

JA slide show
DYSLEXIA PROFILE PDF Print E-mail
Written by Admin   
Friday, 06 October 2006 19:29
Article Index
DYSLEXIA PROFILE
ADDENDUM
All Pages
Page 1 of 2
Just because you can't spell Armageddon , it doesn't mean it's the end of world -)

They stretch the boundaries from a young age , when they read, they can't just automatically match sounds and letters, so they use contextual cues and problem solving and no one may realize a problem exists .

' '

PROFILE - source UK accredited dyslexia organisations in the uk qualifying questionnaire



A dictionary definition of dyslexia defines this condition as an - Impaired ability to learn to read . The dictionary definition reflects the popular perception of dyslexia as a literacy disorder . However this narrow definition is misleading , the word dys-lexia relates to dys - difficulty and lexia - of or relating to words . Lack of facility with words in one or all of it's forms , oral , written , symbolic , memory . This lack of facility is relative to overall ability , the gifted may fall well within average ability ranges and never realize full potential . The profile is a pattern of inconsistency .

Below are a list of 12 questions used by accredited dyslexia bodies to determine if a full test for adults is warranted answering yes to any of these questions is cause for concern . Like hyperlexics dyslexics may exhibit exceptional visual abilities and aptitudes that border on the savant .

Profile

If you sub vocalize (read aloud in your head)
If you find it hard to concentrate
If the month's of the year your times table even the alphabet seems to dance in you minds eye
If you can't remember messages or Jokes
If you get halfway through a set of instruction
If textbook or manuals lead to attention deficit and avoidance strategies
If making more than one mental note is a waste of time
If your train of thought is easily derailed and you struggle to pick up where you left off
If giving a prepared speeches is to be avoided
If you find it difficult to immediately apply new skills and knowledge
If learning anything worthwhile is a repetitive boring and time consuming exercise
If you can't remember what you have just read

A contradiction may also be identified a contradiction that will not be found in the general population , this contradiction is usually associated with high aptitude . The paradox of dyslexia is that high aptitudes are often accompanied by deficits with the basics . Agatha Christie couldn't spell , Einstein couldn't do his sums , the easy tasks and hard , the hard tasks easy .

THE DYSLEXIA PARADOX

Brock Eide "In short, dyslexia has a boatload of possible symptoms that makes it difficult to spot. And one of the biggest symptoms is one that educators rarely correlate: giftedness. Underneath all of the spelling mistakes and the trouble focusing, the backwards handwriting and the processing problems, dyslexics have a high tendency to be extremely smart. In fact, studies have shown that the average IQ of a child with dyslexia is routinely higher than that of the regular population."

"They stretch the boundaries, from a young age" Brock Eide continues. "When they read, they can't just automatically match sounds and letters, so they use contextual cues and problem solving and no one may realize there's a problem." Dyslexics grow so good at problem solving, at finding alternative ways to compensate for the fact that they struggle with the written word, that they become expert brain stormers. "Dyslexic children often become some of society's greatest adult thinkers," Brock Eide says.

THE UNIFIED THEORY

' If you had demanded that the N.I.H. solve the problem of polio, not through independent, investigator-driven discovery research but by means of a centrally directed program, you would end up with the very best iron lungs in the world - but you would not get the vaccine that eradicated polio.'

DFES LINK - DYSLEXIA RESEARCH - OFFICIAL UK GOVERNMENT RESEARCH SITE :



Based the worlds most used meathod of correcting dyslexia

Our view is that dyslexia falls within a spectrum , that dyslexics are not less than ,or less able or less capable , if anything we lean the other way , if this view annoys you , if you are not comfortable with our pluralist ideas then stop reading .

The unified theory and the Davis perception of dyslexia as a gift share the same basic premise, rather than viewing dyslexia as a pure deficit this explanation views dyslexia as a difference .

Lets illustrate , the word ' hippopotamus has a fixed association , if you think of the mind as a treasure map , the word hippopotamus triggers retrieval of associated image into working memory . Pretty straight forward you will agree , but what about words that are far harder to pin down , trigger words . According to Davis trigger words cause disorientation . The Davis solution to literacy , model these hard to pin down words in clay , in three dimensions , in order to provide the mind with a concrete kinesthetic association .Giving the visual working memory something to retrieve, something to work with . The implication is that the gift of Davis dyslexia is to see the world in a highly visual 3 dimensional way and not from an auditory sequential viewpoint .

EINSTEIN'S SOLUTION

A contextual [cybernetics] systems approach ,defined simply as the art of ensuring the efficacy of action identifies WORKING MEMORY as the weak link in the system . The solution is to implement a learning paradigm which relies on fixed visual colleges . It takes longer to formulate memories but once formulated a memory hook persists , to borrow a term from NLP you create capability , changing behavior , encouraging personal discovery based learning where the learner is empowered to seeks out appropriate materials outside of the classroom or lecture theater . The Einstein hypothesis is READ TO LEARN not LEARN TO READ ! .

Applied Learning Styles can unify the four big theories .The Working Memory Hypothesis, Automation , Time and Differences . Applied learning styles address a single root causes by shifting processing and formation of cognitive colleges away from the inner ear [internal dialog] [PHONOLOGICAL DEFICIT] and it's reliance on transitory auditory memory , an area of weakness , towards the hippo campus and the inner eye [DIFFERENCES] .

TESTIMONIAL

My personal back story begins as a 21 old working my way through university . I had two part time jobs bar tending at night , working for a retailer part time during the day . In my spare time I studied law and business . I had originally intended to study economics as a major .The grey science suited me . I was a natural systems thinker . Recalling and Interpreting visual content was not a stretch demand and supply curves just made sense to me . The course however was marginalized , so in my second year , I switched and found myself studying business and law .

Test 1

At 21 I took the test for dyslexia . Administered by an accredited body the result was bad , shockingly bad certainly not what you expect from a law student . As my academic course rolled on . I increasingly struggled with the work load but never the work itself . My memory I believed to be excellent .

Test 2 - Mild

At the age of 24 after university , I got pulled into a Cherie Blair's class action lawsuit , the second test was administered by a qualified appointee of the law firm representing the class . The second test result showed a marked improvement from shockingly bad to an almost non existent condition . At the time I never made much of it , why flag up something that is no longer and issue , ' it is what it is ' and besides the problem was more or less solved. In terms of education I almost certainly never achieved what I should of and consequently I never got the structured career opportunities . The class action eventually came to nothing but at the time it was most certainly not in my interest to improve so dramatically .

.... So what had happened

Let me make this clear , I did'nt think for one minute , I had a problem with memory , my memory was I believed excellent .I could remember pages of text word for word and had reproduced those notes in exams under pressure many , many times , but I reasoned good should not be the enemy of great . After all people exist who can count into entire decks of cards inside a minute , I could not do that , nobody I knew could do that . As a feat of memory it was mightily impressive , as a former law student I knew the value .

On deeper reflection an epiphany , my memory turned out to be photo recall , it was capacity limited , slow and inflexible . I couldn't just read edit and store . I needed to take notes then mentally photograph those notes . I wasn't a great listener . I got bored quickly . If you didn't get to the point I had a tendency to lose concentration . My own sub vocalized thoughts tended to crowd out new information , sequences were easily broken . I simply wasn't one of life's multi tasker’s. On more than one occasion in my early life I have had to re-read half a dozen pages of a text book or newspaper , even entire chapters. I frequently found it impossible to focus as unresolved questions and unrelated thoughts and ideas queued up for my attention. The result , I would achieve absolutely nothing, learn nothing , the worst thing , it was my time I was wasting. I was inefficient .

Even when focused I was unable to edit summarize or boil down my thoughts . Once fixed the order was hard wired. A photographic memory that could navigate to the correct page but not the correct chapter or sentence . I was note dependent .I thought I had a gift I did not . Curiously in later years I discovered I had the right type of wiring to excel but not the knowledge or training to leverage capability . In written examinations I was never quite sure if I was going to answer the question or not .

What I lacked was an effective reading strategy and the capability to execute that strategy .

An effective reading strategy allows you to retain focus and summarise materials effeciently without recourse to written notes . Facilitating the parsing of complex text with a clear understanding and appropriate critical insight . Most importantly it is reductionist ,one concept , one idea per chapter and this is the key insight it need not be verbal , sub vocalization creates noise and too much noise equals distraction .

Verbal and non verbal memory can be trained

To train memory capability you need a means of generating random information , a method for remembering that information and a way of checking recall .

The Digit Span software was conceived as a reliable ,effective ,age neutral assessment and training tool . The forcing of memory taxes concentration and sequential memory , scoring the test provides simple reliable and accurate feedback . The addition of a phonetic character set added method . That method is applied inside a controlled environment with short time cycle feedback loops which is great for accelerating learning . I would go on to develop more advanced tools more advanced techniques but the DS remained a vital bridge .



SUBSCRIBE 2012 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Secure transactions : Pay by PAYPAL you will need a registered email [works just like ebay] .

ADDENDUM


Prev - Next >>
Last Updated ( Friday, 11 May 2012 17:13 )
 
You are here  : Home