Reading support
Whole Language v.s. phonics
Over the decades there has been a pendulum that has swung from teaching reading through either a whole language approach or phonics. At times, and in some places, the pendulum has slowed in the middle to try to provide a more balanced approach to literacy. Phonics, attention to the details and sounds, is great for a person with a left hemisphere lead, such as myself, but does not work at all if the child has a strong right hemispheric lead, which tend to characterize those with dyslexia or other learning disorders. These children learn from whole to part, rather than part to whole, and benefit from a more whole language approach. The best approach would be the balanced approach which would better address the diverse needs of the classroom.
As a parent, you should know what approach your child's teacher and/or school is using so you know how to support your child at home. If you suspect that your child leads with the right hemisphere and he is receiving phonics instruction at school, support his learning by providing more whole language opportunities at home, and vice versa. There are many books and programs out there that specialize to teaching right brain learners. Here is a video that describes what is happening and an example of how phonics, or sounds, are introduced to right-brained learners.
I also have noticed that many children are unable to visualize, or create stories in their head when reading, a sign of a weak right hemisphere. There is a curriculum that is geared specifically to teaching children how to visualize by Lindamood Bell called Visualizing and Verbalizing. It is very good, and as a parent, I would recommend it if you notice your child can decode but does not comprehend what he is reading.
Over the decades there has been a pendulum that has swung from teaching reading through either a whole language approach or phonics. At times, and in some places, the pendulum has slowed in the middle to try to provide a more balanced approach to literacy. Phonics, attention to the details and sounds, is great for a person with a left hemisphere lead, such as myself, but does not work at all if the child has a strong right hemispheric lead, which tend to characterize those with dyslexia or other learning disorders. These children learn from whole to part, rather than part to whole, and benefit from a more whole language approach. The best approach would be the balanced approach which would better address the diverse needs of the classroom.
As a parent, you should know what approach your child's teacher and/or school is using so you know how to support your child at home. If you suspect that your child leads with the right hemisphere and he is receiving phonics instruction at school, support his learning by providing more whole language opportunities at home, and vice versa. There are many books and programs out there that specialize to teaching right brain learners. Here is a video that describes what is happening and an example of how phonics, or sounds, are introduced to right-brained learners.
I also have noticed that many children are unable to visualize, or create stories in their head when reading, a sign of a weak right hemisphere. There is a curriculum that is geared specifically to teaching children how to visualize by Lindamood Bell called Visualizing and Verbalizing. It is very good, and as a parent, I would recommend it if you notice your child can decode but does not comprehend what he is reading.
Unlocking Dyslexia in Japanese is a very interesting article in which a mother describes the effect learning Japanese had on her son who struggles with dyslexia. This article made complete sense to me, since children who are dyslexic are considered to be strong right hemisphere (weak left), and the Kanji aspect of Japanese writing is pictorial, or concept, based. I actually read another article some time ago that researched Japanese patients who received head trauma to either the left or right side of their brain. Those suffering from the right-side injury were no longer able to read Kanji (Chinese characters), which is pictorial-based, and those suffering from the left-side injury were no longer able to read Hiragana, their phonetic-based characters. The interesting thing is that since the Japanese writing system is a combination of the two types of writing, when receiving an injury on only one side of the brain, they still have access to written language, in one or the other forms.
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Scotoptic Sensitivity Syndrome /
Irlen Syndrome Irlen Syndrome (also referred to at times as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, and Visual Stress) is a perceptual processing disorder. It is not an optical problem. It is a problem with the brain’s ability to process visual information. Children with this problem are either sensitive to light or when they look at the words on the page (especially a white page) they may move or change size. Providing them with color overlays can be very helpful. Any child who complains of light sensitivity or is having a hard time reading when it seems like they shouldn't, should be tested for SSS. Also, SSS has been linked to the unintegration of the moro reflex and being sympathetic dominant, and these children should be doing exercises and activities to help integrate this reflex and to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. |
This video is found on the Irlen website and describes what this syndrome is and how children and adults perceive printed words when they have it. The website also has some great books. I, however, prefer to by my overlays, and testing kits from the NRSI website.
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