CHASING IDEAL EDUCATION: Part 1:Signs
by Sharon Roberts
The first few weeks of school in a child’s life can be worrisome for parents. Questions like “Will my child fit in?“, “What is the teacher like?“ and “Will the child make friends?” are common, but for the parent who wonders if the child may struggle academically, a host of new questions develop.
These questions are often triggered by secret fears revolving around a parent’s memory of their own academic performance or concerns over the child’s preschool years. They may see struggles with coordination, overactivity, an inability to take turns, delays in speech. Often the child has had many ear infections or speech delays. In my case, I knew there might be problems as there were multiple ear infections, followed by tubes and speech delays coupled with some hyperactivity. To top it off I was warned by the speech pathologist there may be learning disabilities.
During the first couple of years of life, children begin to map what sounds they hear and can produce. This allows their brain to become fine-tuned at perceiving the various sounds of their home language. The fluid built up in the ear with infections muffles the sounds they perceive and can cause a delay in the development of essential sound recognition and eventually create difficulties with reading in traditional methods such as phonics.
For most parents there is just a feeling that all may not be right and a hope that things will solve themselves through school structure. So here are a few warning signs;
1) mispronouncing words
2) struggling to name familiar objects
3) difficulty rhyming, learning nursery rhymes
4) being a late talker
5) difficulty recognizing the letters in their name
6) confusing letters that are similar in appearance
7) difficulty learning sequences
8) challenging to tell the sequence of an event
9) difficulty with directions e.g. left and right, over and under
10) difficult to follow instructions involving multiple steps
11) remembering sounds to letters / blending sounds
I wish I had known then what I know now, that my son had a perceptual ability that worked for him in the 3D world, but was working against him as he met the 2D world of print. This ability brings both talents and challenges. It would have prevented a lot of heart ache. If I had to do it all over again, I would have at least bought the Gift of Dyslexia, by Ronald D. Davis to enlighten me. I would have bought the Davis Young Learners Kit which provides an easy instruction manual and everything a parent needs to have given him the tools he needed for learning and a solid base for literacy.
What I particularly enjoyed learning was that the focusing techniques can be used by every child (even the non dyslexics) to help them pay attention. People tell us to pay attention, focus, concentrate but no-one ever tells us how. These tools show us how and then the subsequent strategies introduce the basic reading symbols such as alphabet letters and punctuation in a creative and hands on way which work for everyone. They are suitable for any child even if they are not potentially dyslexic.
The Davis Learning Strategies for K-3 teachers introduce the same tools and skills which the teacher presents to the whole class of young learners, so no child is ever left behind! For further information on this, you can read an earlier article about Priti Venkatesan’s experience of using these strategies in her school setting over the years.
What is interesting is that it then becomes irrelevant to look for the early signs. If children entering their education, whether home-schooled or attending a school are taught with strategies that reach all children, whether they are typical sound-based learners or non-typical visual-spatial learners then the challenges never have a chance to arise…. a cognitive equal opportunity for all.. NeuroInclusive Education… there’s a thought to hold onto and pursue in 2025!
PS: if you would like a comprehensive list of signs, see 37 Characteristics below.
Dyslexia: 37 Common Characteristics
Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviours. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.
General
Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.
Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, “not trying hard enough,” or “behaviour problem”.
Isn’t “behind enough” or “bad enough” to be helped in the school setting.
High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.
Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.
Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building or engineering.
Seem to “zone out” or daydream often, gets lost easily or loses track of time.
Difficulty sustaining attention; seems “hyper” or “daydreamer”.
Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.
Vision, Reading and Spelling
Complains of dizziness, headaches, or stomach aches while reading.
Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.
Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing or copying.
Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don’t reveal a problem.
Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.
Reads and re-reads with little comprehension.
Spells phonetically and inconsistently.
Hearing and Speech
Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words and syllables when speaking.
Writing and Motor Skills
Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and /or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness;
Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.
Math and Time Management
Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.
Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper.
Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.
Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems, cannot grasp algebra or higher math.
Memory and Cognition
Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations and faces.
Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.
Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).
Behaviour, Health, Development and Personality
Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly
Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.
Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoelaces).
Prone to ear infections, sensitive to foods, additives and chemical products.
Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.
Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.
Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.
Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress, or poor health.