Severe dyslexia is often addressed with phonics-based programs.  In fact, students with severe dyslexia often learn best when they see and experience information.

Students with severe dyslexia often have a problem with:

• Working memory challenges

• Processing speed

• Attention 

• Anxiety or frustration

• Self-esteem

• Visual perception

• Sight word vocabulary.   Your child may have an impressive verbal vocabulary, but the small words often trip them up

• Pattern recognition. Your child may not remember words have previously learned

Too often we see psycho-educational reports for severe dyslexia that recommend:

• Activities to improve working memory and processing speed

• Phonics-based programs

• ADHD Medication if ADHD is an issue

• Counseling for anxiety

What is often not mentioned are:

• The learning difference that is really the key to the working memory, processing speed, sight word vocabulary and pattern recognition issues

• The visual perception issues. One psychologist who did a thorough report recognized the student was a visual learner, but said it was not possible for a visual learner to have visual skill problems. It is our experience that students with severe dyslexia are several times more likely to have visual challenges than their logical, sequential and auditory peers.

Self-esteem and self-advocacy skills turn out to be two critical areas that are often not addressed for the student with severe dyslexia.

As one dad said, "Your team is all excellent at boosting my son''s self-esteem"

We have seen parents try tutoring, which tends not to address the root cause of the challenges.  The moms and dads who have had the most success, took the following three steps:

• Decided that success was the only option. They realized their child had incredible potential

• Assessed for whether their child learned differently and what were the blocking issues

• Partnered with the right professional(s) to make the difference.

We recommend:

• First deciding that that success is the only option for your smart struggling child

• Learning more about learning differently and establish if this profile fits your child, and then determining which of the challenges fits your child

• Finding the right professional for your child with severe dyslexia to reach his/her full potential, and to help you to be the coach and advocate your child needs

Mira Halpert M.Ed. developed the 3D Learner Program ® for her daughter. We have since helped many students with severe dyslexia.  For more insights go to our 3D Learner Parents page, www.3dlearner.com/parents, then take our Free Learning Survey and then call 3D Learner at 561-361-7495