Dyslexia is often confused with visual perception, reversals and ADHD. The one question we wish we had asked was not about Dyslexia, it was"
Is my child a right-brained learner, who would benefit most from a right-brained program?
Here are a few questions to help you determine if your child is a right-brained learner:
Does your child remember places they have been, even from years ago?
Does your child remember details from movies they have seen, even if they miss the plot?
Does your child learn best when seeing and experiencing information?
My name is Mira Halpert. I am an educator with a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Michigan, a mother of four, and two of my children have Dyslexia and ADHD.
We have helped thousands of parents to understand if their child has Dyslexia, if their child is a Bright Right-Brained Learner, and if their child has one or more of the following challenges:
- Visual perception
- Visual motor integration
- Attention
- Auditory Processing
- Processing Speed
- Working memory
- Self-esteem and self-efficacy
Below are 39 Symptoms of Dyslexia, Right-Brained Learners and Challenges that students with Dyslexia often face:
Dyslexia
- Does your child have problems with:
1- Reading comprehension, understand what they read? Students with Dyslexia can often understand when read to, but students with Dyslexia often have problems understanding what they read to themselves.
2- Putting their thoughts on paper?
Students with Dyslexia are often far better giving you the answer verbally.
3- Math word problems?
4- Reading fluently? Student with Dyslexia often have problems reading.
5- Sight word vocabulary? Words like but, what, if, however and why.
6- Pattern recognition? They do not recognize a word they have previously seen.
7- Spelling correctly when they write? Spelling tests can or cannot be a problem, but when they try to use the word when writing, they can often spell creatively.
Visual perception issues
Does your child:
1- Reverse numbers and/or letters? This is not Dyslexia but it is a very common co-existing condition with Dyslexia.
2- Have difficulty copying off the board?
3- Skip words or lines when reading? This is a more difficult challenge to recognize.
Visual Motor Integration Issues
Does your child:
1- Have left and right confusion?
2- Have difficulty riding a bike?
3- Have difficulty catching a ball?
4- Have difficulty skipping?
5- Did your child go right to walking and either not crawl or crawl for a short period of time?
Visual motor integration and Dyslexia often occur in the same child.
Attention Problems, Whether it is ADHD or Not
Does your child:
1- Lose focus in class?
2- Pay attention to video games for a long time, but have real trouble paying attention when doing homework?
3- Lose things and have organization challenges?
4- Have difficulty sitting still?
5- Have to be re-taught what they should have learned in school? This is a common problem when ADHD or attention issues co-exist with Dyslexia.
Are they a right-brained learner -- this is critical because students with Dyslexia will often do far better when they are taught to their strengths -- does your child:
1- Remember places they have been, even from years ago?
2- Remember details from movies they have seen, even if they miss the plot?
3- Learn best when they see and experience information?
If the answer is yes to these questions there is a good chance
Auditory Processing Challenges
Do you often have to:
1- Repeat what you say
2- Reteach what your child "heard" but not what you show them
Processing speed
Does your child:
1- Have difficulty finishing their work in school?
2- Have difficulty with timed tests?
3- Take a long time to get homework done?
Working Memory
Does your child have trouble:
1- Remembering multiple step directions -- go to your room and get your shoes, your notebook and a comb -- and they bring back a sweater
2- With spelling words or math facts-- note Dyslexia and Working Memory are common challenges
3- Taking notes when the teacher is talking?
Self-esteem/Self-Efficacy
Does your child believe:
1- They are not smart or they are stupid - even if Einstein, Edison and Disney had this problem called Dyslexia
2- There is something wrong with them
3- They cannot succeed at now tasks - Dyslexia and self-efficacy issues often co-exist
Is your child a Bright Right-Brained Learner?
Does your child:
1- Remember places they have been, even from years ago?
2- Remember details from movies they have seen, even if they missed the plot?
3- Learn best when they see and experience information?
Is your child much smarter than their results at school and with reading would indicate.
If your child is a Bright Bright-Brained Learner, it will dramatically impact:
- How you teach them
- How you communicate with them
- Which professionals you choose to partner with
While understanding Dyslexia, visual perception and the other challenges are all critical, I believe the single most valuable piece of information to know is ...