Is your child a visual-spatial learner with dyslexia? Many dyslexic students are.
A visual-spatial learner is someone who processes information primarily through images and spatial relationships rather than through sequential or verbal means. This type of learner often excels in tasks that involve visualization, such as art, design, and problem-solving, and tends to think in holistic terms rather than linear sequence
Many students with dyslexia are a visual-spatial learner. We also see many very smart and gifted visual-spatial learners with dyslexia. If you discover your child is a visual-spatial learner, it may change:
- How you coach your child — using pictures, visualization and teaching whole to part instead of the more traditional logical, sequential and auditory approach
- How you describe your child to their teachers — sharing what works and what does not
- Who you work with — a visual-spatial learner with dyslexia may do far better with a strength=based approach that is more engaging, works whole to part, uses hands-on and experiential learning, allows your child to discover patterns and creates AHA moments
Dyslexia and visual-spatial strengths often coexist.
We suspect that most dyslexic students are visual-spatial learners with dyslexia,
Our “visual-spatial learner” screening tool may uncover unique strengths that can change your child’s life.
Your child may be bright, creative, and full of ideas—and still struggle with reading. A dyslexia diagnosis can explain important challenges. Understanding your child’s strengths can help you see more of the picture. The key discoveries that led to our daughter’s success and the creation of 3D Learner was that our daughter was a visual-spatial learner with dyslexia and would do far better when she was taught to her visual-spatial strengths
At 3D Learner, we encourage parents to ask an additional question: Does my child understand and remember information more easily when they can see it, picture it, and experience it? Download our no cost “Is my child a visual-spatial learner” screening tool. Complete it yourself and then ask your child the same questions – their answers may surprise you.
For 29 years, we have helped students with dyslexia, primarily from our South Florida location. We recently moved our headquarters to Durham, North Carolina, bringing our strength-based approach to families in the Triangle Region. We continue to serve students nationwide.
Looking beyond the diagnosis
One mother was frustrated after a psychologist confirmed her gifted son’s dyslexia diagnosis and recommended a dyslexia program and a school specializing in dyslexia. Looking at his high scores on several visual subtests, she asked whether there was a program that would teach to his visual-spatial strengths. The psychologist recommended 3D Learner.
In our first conversation, his mother said she believed her son could succeed at a highly competitive private school, although the psychologist had questioned whether he could gain admission. We began by asking about his strengths and sharing our visual-spatial learner screening tool. His responses suggested that visual and hands-on approaches could be useful for him.
During his work with 3D Learner, his reading comprehension rose from the 58th to the 99th percentile. He later graduated as valedictorian of the private school and went on to graduate from Harvard.
His mother described what mattered most:
“You changed my son’s attitude and that was 90 percent of the battle.” — JG, Boca Raton
When more intervention had not been enough
Another mother discovered us through the question, “Is your child a visual-spatial learner?” Her daughter had already completed a $34,000 dyslexia program, without much progress. As she entered fifth grade, her reading comprehension was at a first-grade level, her measured reading rate was 115 words per minute, and homework took approximately two and a half hours each night.
When her mother went through our screening questions with her, the responses suggested a strong preference for visual and experiential learning. Within six months of working with 3D Learner, her reading comprehension improved four grade levels, her reading speed doubled, and her homework time was cut in half.
These are individual experiences shared by 3D Learner, and individual results may vary
For smart and gifted visual-spatial learners with dyslexia, we often see excellent results.
Parents played a pivotal role
Both mothers were willing to look beyond their children’s difficulties and explore their strengths. They embraced our approach and became what we call Transformational Strength-Based Parents: parents who recognize strengths, address challenges, and develop their skills as coaches and advocates.
Their involvement mattered before, during, and after training. They helped their children practice, encouraged progress, and kept looking for opportunities that matched their potential.
Our own daughter inspired 3D Learner
We started 3D Learner after a similar experience with our daughter. After multiple dyslexia interventions, we encountered the terms “right-brain learner” and “visual-spatial learner.” That encouraged us to explore instruction that made greater use of pictures, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences.
Our daughter, who had been told she was not college material, gained 4.2 grade levels in reading comprehension in seven months. Today, she has a doctorate in education and is in her 23rd year of teaching.
That experience continues to shape our work: help families recognize what their children can do while providing targeted strength-based support for what is difficult.
Strengths and reading instruction belong together
We use “visual-spatial learner” as a practical description of children whose strengths may include thinking in pictures, understanding spatial relationships, and learning through concrete experiences. It is not a medical diagnosis or a fixed learning-style category.
Dyslexia does not automatically imply exceptional visual-spatial ability. Research shows considerable variation in these abilities among people with dyslexia. Understanding the individual child is more useful than assuming a profile from a diagnosis alone.
At 3D Learner, we combine attention to strengths with explicit reading instruction. We have added UFLI Foundations ®, a dyslexia program developed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute, to our work. UFLI is an explicit, systematic phonics program that addresses foundational reading and spelling skills.
We also use CORE reading assessments to identify skill gaps and guide instruction. Reading assessments and our visual-spatial questionnaire serve different purposes; neither should be presented as a stand-alone dyslexia diagnosis. When a diagnosis is needed, families should seek a comprehensive evaluation from a qualified professional.
Two ways to take the next step
If your child has dyslexia—or you suspect they do—consider exploring their strengths alongside their reading needs.
- Download our visual-spatial learner screening tool. Answer the questions yourself, then ask your child for their answers. Their responses may surprise you and can start a helpful conversation about how they approach learning. This questionnaire is a conversation starter, not a diagnostic test.
- Schedule a no-cost conversation about helping your visual-spatial learner with dyslexia. We can discuss your child’s strengths, your biggest concerns, what you have already tried, and whether our approach may be a good fit
.
Call 919-371-5295 or 561-361-7495, or
Schedule a no-cost conversation
Your child’s reading challenges deserve attention. So do their strengths. Understanding both can help you become the coach and advocate your child needs.
