Reading and Spelling Difficulties: 7 Main Causes

Here is a guest blog by my friends at Easyread.  Enjoy, Erica

By David Morgan

It is estimated that up to 10% of the general population struggles with dyslexia. Some studies call that a conservative estimate, with many more people struggling to read and spell.

Many parents of dyslexic children or dyslexic adults find themselves in this situation, armed with a label but no real solution. Some feel it means that their child will never come to love reading. With the right help that is almost certainly not the case!

Reading is a neurological process that the brain undertakes every time it is presented with text on the page. In order to target the primary cause of reading difficulty to find a solution, we have to look at different areas where that process can break down.

There are seven main causes of reading and spelling difficulty that we have found to date. If you or someone you know is dyslexic, see if any of them match up with what you experience.

1. Optilexia - The main sign of Optilexia is guessing when reading, particularly with the short words. Sometimes the longer words seem easier and the reader will read a word without a problem on one page, but not the next. Spelling in free writing is atrocious, but the Optilexic can usually perform well on a spelling test. Unfamiliar words and place names will feel very difficult. The underlying cause of Optilexia can be found in how the learner is processing the text visually rather than aurally. Once that has been switched, a steady rate of progress can be gained.

2. Eye-Tracking Weakness - Does your child skip words and lines? Do single words seem easier than sentences and paragraphs of text? Normally a reader's eyes perform a refined jump from word cluster to word cluster left to right, called a saccade. Some struggling readers have weakness in the neural feedback loops controlling the eye muscles that control this movement. That makes focusing accurately on a word in a sentence very hard. The right simple eye-tracking exercises usually fix this neural weakness in just days.

3. Irlen Syndrome - Has your child ever complained about the words moving around on the page? The human eye has a great visual sensitivity to changes in color and brightness in order to identify patterns. However, some struggling readers have an over-sensitivity to black text on white background, which causes the words to shimmer or move around on the page. This can be alleviated with colored films to soften the level of contrast.

4. Memory Difficulties - Memory plays a big part in the reading process. Not only does the person have to remember each sound when decoding a word, but then multiple words need to be remembered for a sentence, then sentences remembered to comprehend a paragraph. People with short-term memory challenges have great difficulty retaining all this information when reading. Short-term memory difficulties have very distinct symptoms. In reading this can show up as poor comprehension, stilted reading flow and difficulty remember phonemes when sounding out a long word. In life this can show up as inability to remember multi-step directions, inability to remember lists of items and being generally forgetful of recent events.

5. Attention Deficit - Have you seen your child struggling to focus on the task of reading? Fidgeting? Easily distracted? I am sure you know why reading is harder than it should be. However, I am also sure you have seen your child happily focusing for long periods on some tasks; ones that seem enjoyable! That is the key to fixing this issue. Make reading fun with games.

6. Fluency Block - Does your child decode words competently, but struggle to read fluently? A conventional reader uses a part of their brain called the letterbox cortex to recognise common letter groupings. Amazgainly you aer able to raed scarblmed txet quite flnuetly, due to this function. Some struggling readers bypass their letterbox cortex when reading, instead using visual memory to store letter groupings. This causes the reader to be able to decode quickly but never really develop any fluency or smoothness. To fix this tricky problem means engaging this very specialist bit of cortex in the decoding process. We do that with anagrams.

7. Stress Spirals - Reading is a higher brain function and is therefore controlled by the frontal cortex. When the brain is under stress, 70% of the frontal cortex energy is diverted to the fight or flight center (amygdala) and the brain loses its capacity to think clearly. A child who struggles with reading is in a state of stress when trying. This sets the child up for inadequate mental resources when attempting to read. The pattern of being under stress and getting more stressed when trying creates a downward stress spiral which often results in meltdowns, tears and finally giving up.

A dyslexic reader may have one or several of these causes of difficulty. The key to making reading or spelling easier is to identify the cause and then find ways to address it. That is what we specialize in at Easyread.

Looking for a phonics program to help your struggling learner? Easyread incorporates solutions to these causes that may be due dyslexia, auditory processing disorder or highly visual learning styles. www.morganlearning.com 

11 End of the Year Activities Using Balls and Balloons

http://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/

Balls and balloons offer a cheap and fun way to complete your school year.  What’s more integrating balls and balloons brings a tactile, playful, and kinesthetic modality into the classroom.  Balls and balloons can be used to review the academic content, as well as mindfulness activities and keepsakes.  Below is featured a variety of entertaining, multisensory ideas.

Reviewing Key Topics from the School Year

These games can be played with an entire class in a large circle facing one another, or you can break the students into small groups or pairs. 

1) Parts of Speech Game:  Place the parts of speech on a balloon or ball.  Have the students pass the balloon or ball to one another.  Instruct them to say aloud the first part of speech they see.  Then ask them to provide a word that is an example of that part of speech.  Players can not repeat a word that has already been used.  If they do, they are out of the game.

2) Figurative Language Game:  Place the figurative language terms on a balloon or ball.  Have the students pass the balloon or ball to one another, and instruct them to say aloud the first figurative language term they see.  Then ask them to provide a phrase that is an example of that type of figurative language.  Players can not repeat a figurative language example that has already been used.  If they do, they are out of the game.

3) Types of Syllables Game:

www.learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com

Place the syllable types on a balloon or ball.  Have the students pass the balloon or ball to one another, and instruct them to say aloud the first syllable type that they see.  Then ask them to provide a word that is an example of that type of syllable.  Players can not repeat a word that has already been used.  If they do, they are out of the game.

4) Vowel Combinations or Vowel Teams Game:

Place the vowel combinations on a balloon or ball.  Have the students pass the balloon or ball to one another, and instruct them to say aloud the first vowel combination that they see.  Then ask them to provide a word that uses that vowel combination.  Players can not repeat an example that has already been used.  If they do, they are out of the game.

5) Types of Sentences:

Place the types of sentences on a balloon or ball.  Have the students pass the balloon or ball to one another, and instruct them to say aloud the first sentence type that they see.  Then ask them to provide a sentence that illustrates that sentence type.  Players can not repeat a sentence that has already been used.  If they do, they are out of the game.

6) Main Ideas and Details:

Place main ideas on a balloon or ball.  Main ideas could include transportation, colors, vacation spots and so forth.  Have the students pass the balloon or ball to one another, and instruct them to say aloud the main idea that they see.  Then ask them to provide a detail that would be properly categorized under that main idea.  Players can not repeat a detail that has already been used.  If they do, they are out of the game.

Mindfulness Activities and Keepsakes

7) What I Learned:  Have the students sit in a circle facing one another.  Explain that the only person who can speak is the one holding the ball.  Toss the ball to one of your students and ask them to share the most important thing they learned over the school year.  When they are finished talking, have them toss the ball to another student.  Continue until all the students have an opportunity to share their thoughts.

8) My Favorite Lessons:  

Have the students sit in a circle facing one another.  Explain that the only person who can speak is the one holding the ball.  Toss the ball to one of your students and ask them to share their favorite lesson from the whole school year.  Ask them to also share why they like it so much.  When they are finished talking, have them toss the ball to another student.  Continue until all the students have an opportunity to share their thoughts.

9) What I Like About Me and You:

Have the students sit in a circle facing one another.  Explain that the only person who can speak is the one holding the ball.  Toss the ball to one of your students and ask them to share one thing that they like about themselves and one thing that they like about the person who tossed them the ball.  When they are finished talking, have them toss the ball to another student.  Continue until all the students have an opportunity to share their thoughts.

10) Memory Balls: Give each student a blank inflatable ball, such as a beach ball.  Provide permanent markers and let the students go around and sign each other’s balls.  They can leave short messages too.  Be sure to say that all messages must be positive. 

11) Why I’m “Special” Balls:  Before you begin this activity, ask your students to help you create a list of positive adjectives that can describe people.  Place this list where all the students can see it.  Now, give each of your students a blank beach ball or balloon.  Provide permanent markers and have the students go around and write a positive adjective that describes the person on the ball or balloon to whom it belongs.   Encourage the students to come up with unique adjectives by looking at each ball and coming up with something new. 

If you would like to learn about some of my other popular games.  Go to: http://goodsensorylearning.com There, you can even download freebies on some of my product pages.

I hope you enjoy these games!!  I would love to hear you thoughts.

Cheers, Erica

Fun End of the Year Activities and Games

Fun End of the Year Activities and Games Linky Party

Cheers, Erica

Student Learning and Confidence can Skyrocket by Changing One Approach

Student Learning and Confidence can Skyrocket by Changing One Approach

Many teachers fear the moment when a student will ask them a question that they do not have the knowledge to answer.  This uncomfortable situation can cause some teachers to change the subject, others will construct a roundabout explanation, a few will make a guess and several may even discourage their students from asking questions altogether. 

Students Learn to “Fake it”

When a teacher is unable to admit their lack of knowledge, it sends a disagreeable message to the class.  Students can usually tell when a teacher sidesteps a question and many are dismayed when given faulty information or when questioning is discouraged.  They pick up on the insecure energy and learn that it is shameful to admit that they, “don’t get it” and instead they learn to “fake it” and give others the impression that they know the information or understand what they are hearing when, in fact, they do not.  However, there is another way to handle this situation that will benefit both the teacher and the students.

Release your own Fear in the Learning Process

Good teachers must demonstrate a love for and confidence in the learning process.  The first step to this practice is to release any fear associated with the learning process.  A close second is to be comfortable seeking assistance when gaps in knowledge arise.  Both these skills are best learned vicariously through demonstrations.  Therefore, educators must set an example for students to follow so they can feel safe and comfortable asking questions. 

It’s Okay to Say, “I Don’t know?”

So what’s the big deal about teachers admitting their lack of knowledge when a student asks a difficult question?  Are they afraid that they will look unintelligent?  Do they fear that one of their students could have the answer, but this would undermine their authority?  I, too, had this fear at one time and over the years I have discovered that it is not only okay to say, “I don’t know,” but, in fact, there are enormous benefits.

But How Can Your Lack of Knowledge Help the Class? 

Showing students that you do not have the answer can be a critical learning tool.  

· It shows that you are a life long learner.

· It shows that you appreciate questions that expand    your knowledge.

· It exemplifies that admitting your lack of knowledge can start the process of finding the answer.

· It provides an opportunity for you to share the process of acquiring knowledge.

· It encourages interactive learning and a cooperative environment where students can feel safe sharing knowledge.

· It teaches students to be curious.

· It teaches students how to think critically.

· It teaches students how to be inquisitive, confident learners.

But How Can Teachers Integrate this into Their Classrooms?

Teachers must release their own fears and tell students the truth.  Personally, I like to word it, “I’m not sure about that, let’s figure it out!”  After that, educators need to:

1) Always nurture confident queries.  Encourage students to ask questions.

2) Continually demonstrate how to find answers.  This can be done by asking those around you (students and colleagues), searching the internet, consulting a book and so forth.

3) Constantly cultivate an environment that celebrates and supports exploration. Praise students for asking questions and independently finding the answers.  Create a question box for those that are shy, and let students volunteer to answer the queries with their own knowledge or by volunteering to do the research.

4) Repeatedly, show your students that teachers, too, are comfortable admitting what we don’t know.  Then find the answers or allow others to help you find the answers.  Always provide gratitude and positive feedback to those that help.

If you have any other ideas or anecdotes I would love to hear them!

Cheers, Erica

Using Simple Imagery to Help Students Learn Mathematics

Utilizing imagery and visual memory can be very helpful when learning mathematics.  A single picture can help a student define and remember a concept, or it can even help them to recall the steps required to compute a problem.  What’s more, it often brings the “fun factor” into the learning environment as students can pull out their crayons, colored pencils or magic markers to complete the activity.

I recently learned about the Palm Tree Method from one of my students. I scoured the internet to find its origin, but came up empty handed.  So, although I did not come up with this idea, it is still one of my favorites for solving proportions.  Here is a sample problem and the steps to follow.

1. Write out the proportion.
2. Draw a green oval around the numerator of the first fraction and the denominator of the second fraction.
3. Draw another green oval around the denominator of the first fraction and the numerator of the second fraction.  
4. Notice how the crisscrossing ovals create a multiplication sign.  This will remind students that they will be multiplying the numbers circled. 
5. Draw the trunk on the tree as a brown rectangle.
6. Write out the problem:  100·x = 60·80  (placing the equals sign in the trunk of the palm tree).
7. Solve the next step 60·80=4800 (again placing the equals sign in the trunk of the palm tree).
8. Then divide the two sides by 100 to solve for x.

If you would like to learn about other imagery activities to help your students learn math concepts, you might like my products, Measurement Memory Strategies or Why We Should Learn about Angles.

Cheers, Erica

Learning Place Value with Pompoms and Pill Boxes

Bringing a tactile, visual and experiential component into math instruction can bring the “fun factor” into your lessons.  In addition, incorporating multisensory dynamics into lessons makes them more memorable and concrete. 

This activity is great for math centers, a classroom activity or individual remediation. 

When I teach place values, I like to engage my students with colorful pompoms and pill boxes!  You can usually find pill boxes and bags of assorted pompoms at a Dollar Store.  With a few color coded labels, that cover the days of the week, your pill boxes can be transformed into pompom compartments.  I like to put a single color in each compartment and I color code the labels to match.  This makes it easy for students to reassemble the activity for the next person.  Also, make sure to vary the number of pompoms in each partition.  I like to make a variety of difficulty levels for the students and use the seven boxes as follows:

· Millions, Hundred Thousands, Ten Thousands, Thousands, Hundreds, Tens, Ones

· Hundreds, Tens, Ones, Decimal, Tenths, Hundredths, Thousandths

· Decimal, Tenths, Hundredths, Thousandths, Ten Thousandths, Hundred Thousandths, Millionths

I also like to provide a laminated sheet so students can record answers with a dry erase marker or I place the answer sheet in a dry erase pocket.   Students can check their answers with an answer sheet or a barcode on the back of the pill box.

If you would like this activity, you can create it yourself.  However, this activity, as well as the score sheets, are included in my popular publication, Place Value Panic Game, and Instruction. To learn more, Click Here.

Cheers, Erica

Main Ideas and Supporting Details Instruction, Activities and Games

Many students struggle with main ideas and supporting details.  What’s more, they often find the instruction and activities associated with these abstract concepts to be boring.  I have just finished a new, main idea and supporting details product that offers engaging, multisensory, and mindful lessons, handouts, activities and games.  A charming, cartoon-like character, Main I-deer, will walk your students through the process in a fun and memorable way.  To top it off, I have included two card games (beginners and intermediate) that can be used for group work, learning centers or individual remediation.  

Come check out a free image as well as a preview document.

Cheers, Erica 

108 Online Games that Offer Cognitive or Educational Benefits

Over the years, I have scoured the internet for great, online games.  I am a learning specialist, and if I can get my students involved in activities that benefit cognition and learning, then they can expand their potential and also find joy in the process.   I have each of the games described and linked on the website for my private practice.  In addition, the games are categorized under the following headings, so that it is easy to find the needed resources:  cognitive, general education, writing and language, social studies, science, spelling, reading, digital story telling, math, grammar, typing, social skills, and sequencing.

So, I wanted to share this link with other teachers and families.  CLICK HERE  

I hope you find it useful.  I would love to hear your thoughts!  Also, if you have any other sites that you like, let me know and I will be happy to place them on the page. 

Cheers, Erica

Helping Students to Record and Turn in Assignments

Recording assignments and turning in the finished product may seem like a “no brainer” for many teachers, but did you know that executive functioning, a key cognitive component in planning and organizing, is not fully developed until many reach their early 20s?  What’s more, many young students are not allowed to use modern technologies, such as smart phones and Ipads while at school to help them with this process.  Furthermore, many students are overwhelmed by the countless distractions in a busy classroom and miss what appear to be clear directives.  So, what can we do to help students remember to record as well as turn in assignments? 

Create a Structured, Reliable Classroom Routine:

   1)   Plan assignments for the whole week.  This will save a lot of time and trouble for everyone.

   2)   Post assignments and reminders at the beginning of class in a location that is easy to see. 

   3)   Review new assignments as well as those that are due, verbally, once everyone is settled down.

   4)   Make sure that all the students record assignments and check agendas for accuracy. 

   5)   Print assignments out onto labels that students can place into their assignment pads.  This is great for students that have graphomotor weaknesses.

   6)   Make a document or take a picture of written assignments and email it to the students and students’ parents with a simple email list.  

   7)   When students hand in their assignments, give them a sticker of a hand to place into their assignment pad.  This way they will know that they turned it in. 

   8)   To make sure everyone turned in their assignments say, “Raise your hand if you turned in your assignment.”  Be specific about which assignment and hold up a sample for all the students to see.

Offer a Consistent and Planned Approach for Missed Class Work and Assignments:

   1)   Post assignments on the internet.  However, do not use this approach unless the site is reliable and you can always post the assignments before the end of the school day.

   2)   Require that each of your students share their contact information with at least 5 other students (Study Buddies).  This way students can contact one another as needed. 

   3)   Suggest a plan for how and when students can make up the work.

   4)   Email assignments to students and their parents.

   5)   Allow students to email you finished assignments when they are not able to attend class. 

   6)   Communicate all missed work with students, parents and any service providers.

If you are looking for structured ways to help your students with planning, organizing and time management, consider purchasing Planning, Time Management and Organization for Success.  It offers over 100 pages of graphic organizers and handouts that can help your students with reading, writing, test prep, planning for long term assignments, memory, active learning, motivation and more.  Click here or on the image to learn more.

Cheers, Erica

Why Do Finnish Schools Finish First? 10 Ways to Improve US Education

Let’s face it, the US education system is a mess.  Most kids are anxious and stressed, many teachers are fearful and disrespected, countless parents are confused and annoyed and scores of administrators are angry and aggressive.  When programs are hurting most, funding is usually diminished.  Kids don’t receive services until they are failing or close to failing, and if interventions help these underachieving students, services are continually stripped away as soon as they get their heads above water.  It’s a competitive, punitive, and dysfunctional system that desperately needs radical reform. 

This blog post reflects back on and summarizes the main points of an interesting article from The Atlantic Magazine published back in December of 2011 entitled, What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland's School Success.  This is what they suggest:

 10 Strategies for Success:

     1.    Assign less homework!

     2.    Integrate creative play into classroom lessons.

     3.    Get rid of standardized tests.

     4.    Let teachers create their own assessments.

     5.    Give teachers appreciation, responsibility and respectable pay.

     6.    Improve teacher training.

     7.    If a teacher is not doing a good job, it must be addressed.

     8.    Teachers and schools must stop competing and become cooperative.

     9.    Provide equal education opportunities for all children regardless of income, background or location.

   10.    Offer all students free meals, healthcare, counseling and guidance.

What do you think of these suggestions?  Do you have any other strategies that could help?

Here is the link to the article: 

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Cheers, Erica

Show Don’t Tell: A Descriptive Writing Game

Descriptive writing enables the author to paint scenes and characters in the mind’s eye of the reader.  Like an artist, carefully selected, colorful words can convey vivid imagery, but only if the author learns to "show" and not "tell" the audience.  Learning how to use illustrative adjectives, action verbs, graphic adverbs, expressive metaphors, vivid similes and showy personification is the key to writing engaging stories.  What's more is it makes the process of writing a lot more fun!

Concrete learners or students that struggle with visualization or language processing can find descriptive writing difficult to learn.  They can also find the learning process boring and tedious.  As a result, I created a game to help make descriptive writing both enjoyable and memorable.

 

Show Don’t Tell: A Fabulously Fun Descriptive Writing Game, by Dr. Erica Warren at Good Sensory Learning, will walk you through the process.  You will be amazed at the beautiful paragraphs that players of all ages will create. 

Copyright 2013

Come learn more by clicking here

Cheers, Erica

11 Steps to Writing an Outstanding College Essay

Wouldn’t you love to hear from a college admission's counselor that they thought your college admissions essay was great?  Perhaps it was the deciding factor that got you into your number one college.  I have heard this story a number of times from my students, and I wanted to share some strategies that can help you to also achieve this goal.

1: Take your time.  This is one of the most important essays you will ever write, so give yourself the attention and resources to make it one of your best compositions.

2: Allow others to help you throughout the process.  Share your thoughts, ideas and written work with your peers, parents, counselors, and teachers for feedback and ideas.

3: Make sure that you find the best college for you.  Many students select a college based on reputation or peer influence, but reviewing the college website and marketing materials as well as talking with their students, admissions counselors and alumni is important to assure that it is the right place for you! 

4: Make it clear that you are the type of student that the college wants.  Look back through their website and marketing materials and note key words that resonate with you.  Next, write down any buzzwords that reflect the qualities they are searching for in prospective students.  You may want to use some of these words in your essay.

5: Read sample college essays from books or online resources. Make a list of ideas as you read through the essays and start a list of what works and what doesn’t work.

6: Find a topic or passion that will communicate your essence.  Make sure that you select a subject that tells the college about your strengths and unique qualities in a creative and engaging way.

7: Make sure you enjoy writing about the topic you select.  If you select a focus that excites and empowers you, this energy is often reflected in your writing.

8: Find a creative way to write your essay.  Selecting an imaginative strategy and tone is imperative. College counselors read thousands of essays and you want yours to be unique and memorable. 

9: Write a catchy opener and introduction.  It is extremely important that the beginning of your essay grabs the readers attention and makes them want to learn more about you. 

10:  Make sure the introduction and body of your essay addresses the question.  Many colleges ask prospective students to write an essay on a particular topic or theme.  As you write, make sure that you stay within the parameters of the question.

11: Edit, edit, did I mention editing?  Throughout the process, revise your work for content, mechanics, and spelling. 

If you would like more guidance and materials that will walk you through the process, with checklists, forms, and detailed handouts consider purchasing - Writing The College Essay Workshop.  

I hope you found this helpful!  If you have any questions or thoughts, please share them.

Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren