Recognising dyslexia
People often ask, "What are the symptoms of dyslexia," and find that really there are only two essential questions:
- Do you feel you have a problem with reading, writing, spelling, handwriting, maths, coordination, or attention?
- Do you want help for your problem?
It seems that the more possible symptoms we can list, the more confusing it is. Counting up the number of symptoms is meaningless - a person who has very severe problems in only one or two key areas, is more likely to be dyslexic, than someone with a scattering of mild problems with a dozen symptoms. In fact, with children, the KEY symptom to look for is this:
- Is the child experiencing frustration at school?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then it is very possible that you or your child is a gifted visual thinker.
Davis Dyslexia Correction differs from other programs :
The Davis method does not rely on instruction based on phonics.
Since dyslexic students think primarily in pictures, they can have difficulty thinking with the sounds of words, and thus it can be difficult for them to try to read by breaking words down into component sounds.
The Davis method does not employ repetition or drill.
It is very difficult for dyslexic students to remember things that they do not fully understand. Lack of full understanding usually results in frustration and repetition and drill only increases the frustration. To retain information it is very important for the dyslexic to understand where the information fits into the "big picture".
The Davis method does not rely on physical devices such as coloured lenses or overlays or large print books.
Dyslexia is a developmental learning problem, and is not a result of problems with vision or hearing. While some physical devices may seem to make reading or writing easier, the use of such devices does not help the dyslexic student to function normally.
The Davis method does not rely on medications or herbal treatments.
It is important for dyslexic students to take control of their own learning. Since dyslexia is not a disease or a psychiatric ailment, medications are not appropriate, and will only hinder the student's learning abilities.