Do you know someone with dyslexia?  One out of five people in the world have dyslexia.  This common condition can be exhausting, terrifying, and extremely stressful. Kids with dyslexia struggle to perceive information correctly.  They have both visual and auditory deficiencies that interfere with learning, although they have normal or above IQ’s. Dyslexia students suffer in many more ways than just reading Students with dyslexia have minds that have a difficult time interpret

Dyslexia has become one of the most controversial learning disorders out there.  It’s no wonder.  People with no education or experience in the field, martial arts instructors and the like, who’ve never even worked with a dyslexic child in an academic setting, are suddenly professing to be experts.  Or hiring a team of experts.  Oh, yeah.  After you give them a tub of money. Schools are ignoring the problem, letting these brilliant kids slip through the cracks. Sure, they mig

I was working with Carter this week, a boy with dyslexia and a lot of emotional issues as far as reading goes.  He’s made a lot of improvement.  But not enough for me. He kept changing beginnings and endings of simple vowel, consonant, vowel words.  For instance, he’d read the word “beg” as “bet” and the word “kid” as “lid”.  After coaxing, changing teaching methodology, offering a numerous of other approaches, asking him where the “t” was in the word “bet” and so forth, I ra

Did you know that 48% of the prison population in the United States has dyslexia? Ouch!  That one hurts.  I don’t have to ask myself why.  Dyslexic children are smart, often boasting of higher than average intelligence.  Because of this, they are fully aware of how they aren’t pulling the grades that other kids are.  And because of this, they often become “con” artists. Is this where any dyslexic child should end up? This is the kid who clowns around in front of the class so

Kids with dyslexia stumble over words.  They guess at words.  They pull their hair out while they read.  Their stomachs hurt. They slouch over their desks, often tilting their paper.  That’s because they don’t perceive the world as we do. Words and letters might be fuzzy, moving, at a slant, or even upside down. They might hear only one part of a word, or a jumble of sounds.  They might hear a computer whirring away in the background as loud as a jet plane.  Or they might not

Kyle is a nice boy going into sixth grade in a few weeks.  He’s had a great summer, mostly playing video games, the only thing he truly excels at.  Oh, and hanging out with his friends.  He’s a popular boy. Kyle is polite, kind to others, sensitive, and really smart. The problem? He’s dreading going back to school.  He’s fully aware that he suffers from dyslexia.  He’s fully aware that he’s three grade levels behind in reading.  Writing?  Forget it.  Math?  He doesn’t want to

For a while I kept up with Jacob’s progress, talking occasionally to Michelle or meeting her for lunch.  But life pulls you in so many directions and so many things can change that it is easy to lose touch. The last time I heard from Michelle, Jacob was back at his first private school, the first one that was so rigorous academically and where he failed miserably.  I can’t help but remember how Michelle pulled him out of the school, the ultimate sadness that overtook her enti

For a while I kept up with Jacob’s progress, talking occasionally to Michelle or meeting her for lunch.  But life pulls you in so many directions and so many things can change that it is easy to lose touch. The last time I heard from Michelle, Jacob was back at his first private school, the first one that was so rigorous academically and where he failed miserably.  I can’t help but remember how Michelle pulled him out of the school, the ultimate sadness that overtook her enti

It’s always sad to say good-bye to a student, but it is also one of the sweetest tastes…like taffy rolling around inside of your mouth.  Jacob is done.  He is above grade level in most areas and holding his own academically.  I bend down and hug Jacob’s once scrawny body and he wraps his thicker arms around me.  “Thanks, Miss Lisa.  I love you,” he giggles, then races off. I give Michelle a big hug as well and let her know I will always be there for Jacob. Jacob has continued

It’s always sad to say good-bye to a student, but it is also one of the sweetest tastes…like taffy rolling around inside of your mouth.  Jacob is done.  He is above grade level in most areas and holding his own academically.  I bend down and hug Jacob’s once scrawny body and he wraps his thicker arms around me.  “Thanks, Miss Lisa.  I love you,” he giggles, then races off. I give Michelle a big hug as well and let her know I will always be there for Jacob. Jacob has continued

Jacob…entering the final days These days with Jacob are a blur.  He is on fire academically and seems to have moved through the auditory processing skills that have been such a hurdle for him to overcome.  He is easy to work with and Michelle is happy.  She struts around like a proud mother hen, relating what Jacob has recently accomplished. We have been focusing on math.  Jacob can now do long division.  He knows all of his multiplication facts and can do word problems, some

Jacob…entering the final days These days with Jacob are a blur.  He is on fire academically and seems to have moved through the auditory processing skills that have been such a hurdle for him to overcome.  He is easy to work with and Michelle is happy.  She struts around like a proud mother hen, relating what Jacob has recently accomplished. We have been focusing on math.  Jacob can now do long division.  He knows all of his multiplication facts and can do word problems, some

Jacob Day 33 Jacob is back in school now.  Michelle was afraid to put him in his previous private school due to the rigorous academics expected there, however, she wanted him in a school with normal academic expectations.  She knows this school is probably a stepping stone for another school and is nervous about how well he will do at any school.  She is sure he will fail again and that her options will be limited. She found a private school with a caring staff with low stude

The first time that I arrive for Jacob’s session, I am expecting the worst, but I am greeted by the old Michelle.  Her grin is huge and infectious.  Jacob’s report card came, and he has all A’s and B’s.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  Somehow through this process, I have begun to second guess what I am doing, something that has never happened before. I continue to work with Jacob’s auditory processing and math skills. He is plugging along now.  He seems to have made a breakthro

The first time that I arrive for Jacob’s session, I am expecting the worst, but I am greeted by the old Michelle.  Her grin is huge and infectious.  Jacob’s report card came, and he has all A’s and B’s.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  Somehow through this process, I have begun to second guess what I am doing, something that has never happened before. I continue to work with Jacob’s auditory processing and math skills. He is plugging along now.  He seems to have made a breakthro

When I arrive for Jacob’s session, I am expecting the worst, since Michelle has fallen into that pit of despair she can’t seem to climb out of.   I am surprised and shocked when I am greeted by the old Michelle.  Her grin is huge and infectious.  Jacob’s report card came, and  she waves it at me, almost shouting that he has all A’s and B’s.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  Somehow through this process with Jacob’s ups and down’s and Michelle’s mood swings, I have begun to second

When I arrive for Jacob’s session, I am expecting the worst, since Michelle has fallen into that pit of despair she can’t seem to climb out of.   I am surprised and shocked when I am greeted by the old Michelle.  Her grin is huge and infectious.  Jacob’s report card came, and  she waves it at me, almost shouting that he has all A’s and B’s.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  Somehow through this process with Jacob’s ups and down’s and Michelle’s mood swings, I have begun to second

Jacob Days 36-40 Each time I arrive to work with Jacob, Michelle seems to be falling deeper and deeper into a depression.  Usually dressed stylishly, she greets me at the door in her blue jogging suit. (Oh no, not again!)  Her hair is a mess, and her face is pinched.  I have seen her cry more than once.  I can’t seem to carry both the burden of fixing Jacob and holding her together as well.  It is more than I signed up for, but I can’t quit this child.  Or his family.  I made

Jacob is back in school now.  Michelle was afraid to send him back to his previous private school due to the rigorous academics expected there, however, she wanted him in a school with normal academic expectations.  She knows his new school is probably a stepping stone for another school and is nervous about how well he will do at any school.  Wringing her hands, she frets that Jacob will fail again and that her options will be limited. A smile creeps up on her face, though.

Jacob Day 30 Today Jacob is too busy to even come say hello to me.  Michelle and I visit for a few minutes, and down he comes. This boy isn’t just walking, he’s swaggering as if he owns the world, strutting might be a better word.  Of course, since he is feeling so good about himself,  has the sillies at first and doesn’t want to work.  It doesn’t take long for him to settle down, even though we are primarily working on auditory skills right now, which are usually difficult f