I am once again so thrilled to welcome Dr. Erica Warren to Minds in Bloom. This post is a must-read for any teacher (or parent) who teaches reading or works with struggling readers.
Many young learners encounter obstacles with the reading process and, for some, it is a pervasive problem. New estimates report that as many as 1 in 10 children have reading disabilities, such as dyslexia, that impact academics in the areas of word decoding, reading comprehension, reading fluency, word retrieval, reading speed, and tracking. So what can we do to help these struggling readers? First, we can learn to recognize the common indicators so that students can be formally tested and diagnosed. Second, we can learn about the remedial tools and resources that can help these students traverse and manage these hurdles.
15 Common Causes of Reading Disabilities
- Trouble rhyming words
- Problems memorizing number, letter, and word sequences
- Mis-sequencing of sounds or syllables in a word (pissgetti – for spaghetti)
- Perceives letter and number sequences correctly but remembers and recalls them in a different order
- Misreads and skips words
- Trouble sounding out words
- Problems spelling
- Word finding difficulties
- Difficulties with rote memorization
- Repetitions, transpositions, additions, substitutions, and omissions of letters, numbers and/or words
- Difficulty understanding idioms, inferences, and jokes
- Problems tracking from left to right across a page
- Dizziness, headaches, or stomach aches reported while reading
- Problems discriminating the difference between similar sounding letters and words
- Trouble understanding word problems
10 Solutions for Reading Disabilities
- Black text on a white background can be visually uncomfortable for many children, as the contrast can make the letters appear to move or vibrate. If this is the case, then you can make color overlays. You can cut out your own overlays by using transparent, colorful report covers or pocket folders. I like to use a paper cutter and slice them into strips that can be used as bookmarks too. As another option, you can purchase glasses with color-tinted lenses. The most popular colors are blue and yellow.
- Similarly, if changing the background color is helpful when reading, these students will probably benefit from changing the background when typing. On a Mac computer using MS Word, this can be completed by selecting the Format drop down menu and then choosing background. Here other background colors can be selected. Please note that the background will not be impacted when printing documents. On a PC this can be done by choosing Page Layout and then Page Color.
- Play search games with words and letters that are confusing. For instance, if a young learner mixes up the letters b and d, provide a magazine, newspaper, or other print out and ask them to circle all the letter b’s. They do not have to read the text. They will just be scanning for the letter or word. If you ask them to look across one line at a time, then you will also help them to improve tracking skills.
- Locate some jokes on the internet or in a book. Review each joke and discuss what makes it amusing. Talk about words that have double meanings, and make a list of as many words that you can think of that have multiple meanings. Lastly, suggest that the learner makes his or her own joke book.
- If spelling is a problem, go through the student’s notebooks and handouts to uncover commonly misspelled words. Place each word on a single page, and have fun inventing memory strategies that will help the student recall the correct spelling. For example, if a student is having difficulty with the word “what,” he or she may notice that the word “what” has the word “hat” in it. Then, they may draw hats on the page and then write down the question, “What hat?”
- Play enjoyable, free internet games and watch videos that review basic phonics. Look at sites like Star Fall or Phonics Chant 2 and MagicE.
- Integrate tactile and kinesthetic modalities into lessons to make them enjoyable and memorable. Form difficult letters, numbers, and words out of tactile manipulatives with the learner. You can use jelly beans, wet spaghetti, pebbles, raisins, pipe cleaners, a sand tray, shaving cream, clay, etc. You can also place difficult numbers, letters, and words on balloons, balls, and play games. Every time a player grabs hold of the ball or balloon, they read the first word that they see.
- Read aloud or utilize books on tape. While listening, ask learners to close their eyes so they can picture the story in their mind. Many learners with reading disabilities never fully develop their ability to imagine or visualize a story, because the process of reading is so mentally taxing that they do not have the cognitive space to envision imagery. Helping these learners to develop the capacity to utilize their mind’s eye will improve attention, reading comprehension, and memory. Another alternative is to have learners read along with the audio, so they can begin to observe whole words and phrases. An organization that offers a large selection of books on tape for students with reading disabilities is Learning Alley.
- Create an enticing reading area. Fashion a fun name for this place, too, such as the “cozy corner.” Together, decorate it and fill it with stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, and other soothing objects. You can make a tent out of sheets, hide a bean bag under an elevated table, or build it in a bay window or around a hammock. Have highlighters, colored pencils and paper, and a selection of books within reach.
- Schedule a consistent time, a few times a week, when the whole class or family selects a book and reads. Everyone should gather and read in a common room. Make sure to provide yummy food, as well as comforting objects so that reading has pleasant associations. This is a time to unwind and take pleasure in the company of one another, so make this a treasured time.
If you are interested in purchasing some products that help students with reading disabilities, consider downloading a free sample of Dr. Warren’s Reversing Reversals, Making Inferences the Fun and Easy Way, or Reading Games.
Dr. Erica Warren is a reading specialist, educational therapist, and author of multisensory and mindful educational materials. She resides in New York, where she works one-on-one with students as a “personal trainer for the brain” and as an educational consultant/teacher trainer. Dr. Warren offers her own materials at Good Sensory Learning and Teachers Pay Teachers. You can also get free advice and resources by following her blog here.
I am Bullyproof Music - Lessia Bonn says
July 24, 2013 at 11:25 pmThis is wonderful advice. My youngest son is dyslexic. We were told it's actually the same gene that can give a person perfect pitch (moi). I sensed my son had something going on so I had him tested. Everyone kept saying "He tests fine, he's just a slow starter" until finally, in grade two, a different kind of test confirmed all. I share this to encourage other parents who sense something's off to keep pushing until the school gets it right.
Am curious; A specialist insisted my son crawl a bit everyday since he'd never crawled as a baby. I wonder if you'd heard of that. I use crawling w/my singers and have noticed the quirky trick does help…Odd but true.
Anonymous says
July 25, 2013 at 2:14 amI teach in a rural school located in northwest Iowa. I had a student this year that after watching her struggle with many of the issues you have listed and I had documented proof the special education coordinator for the AEA told the following to me in a meeting:
1. Color overlays have proven time and again to not be effective and do not help. He went on to explain the lady who discovered the overlays and how she came about the overlays and that most all school districts debunk her ideas and they are "NOT" researched based. I was told to discontinue use that they do nothing for the student.
2. They immediately went to Iowa Assessment scores and although they were low, not low enough to show any reason that this student could be dyslexic. When I explained the student was in 9th grade and had years of coping skills, they rejected it as the student was normal and that we needed to call the parents to help her or hold her after school every time she struggled with assignments. This student mixed numbers as well as processes up and confused her immensely. The student complained of letters and words moving and that the overlay helped a lot. When the student writes we get about 4 sentences out before the student tires out – not giving up but is extremely tired like shes been working for days.
I was left in this meeting with that although I came from SA, TX and they may have taught me what I think I know about dyslexia and struggling readers, but I really don't. Its a motivational issue and I need to work on motivating this student more.
I think this article is awesome and I'm printing it off and giving it to the parents!!!!
2.
Erica Warren says
July 25, 2013 at 4:30 amThanks so much for your comments. I have not heard about the benefits of crawling, but exercises that cross the midline of the body can help to integrate the brain. In other words, one hemisphere can become dominant and approaches such as Brain Gym can stimulate both the left and right hemisphere for improved learning. I wrote a short blog about it: http://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/2013/06/can-hemisphere-integration-exercises.html
As for color overlays, it all depends on the type of dyslexia or reading disability. For some students that have Dyseidetic Dyslexia or Visual Dyslexia, occasionally the change in background color can help sooth the extreme contrast of black on white which can cause the words to appear to move or jump around on the page. The overlays can also serve as an added tool to help students manage tracking text. If you want to learn more about the different types of dyslexia, here is another link to a recent blog post: http://learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-different-types-of-dyslexia.html
You can also learn more about colored lenses by Chromagen Lenses at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vctz3TsMhhQ
Cheers, Erica
Susan Efseaff says
July 25, 2013 at 2:43 pmThank you for such a great post on such an important topic. This is the perfect time to consider this information as we get ready to begin a new school year!
Susan
Jen Sykes says
July 26, 2013 at 2:19 amWonderful article! Thank you for sharing your strategies – very insightful.
~Jen
Hello Mrs Sykes
Sarah Lacey says
November 24, 2013 at 7:38 amThank you so much for your article. My daughter is almost 8 and is in the 2nd grade. We have been noticing that she is extremely smart in everything that she does, but is struggling with reading. Although she gets almost always 100% on her spelling tests. She will memorize the stories they read each work and then when she is to read it to me, she tries to recite it almost completely from memory. She also mixes up a lot of her letters like b and d, and reads words like was as saw and she wont sit still while we are trying to read. We had a meeting with her teacher about it and she said that it was normal for kids her age. She says that she doesn't think that there are any issues with her. But I honestly feel like there is something off and would like to get her tested. But I have no idea who I would need to go to. Any suggestions would be a great help. Thank you again for your article!
housebecky says
December 7, 2013 at 3:35 pmIt seems like the 1st 15 things may actually be symptoms, not causes. I could be wrong, though.
Anonymous says
December 29, 2013 at 3:34 amExactly what I was thinking.
Anonymous says
January 10, 2014 at 1:56 amI am an experienced first grade teacher and the first 15 are indicators of a disability certainly not causes.
Anonymous says
January 10, 2014 at 1:57 amI am an experienced first grade teacher and the first 15 are indicators of a disability certainly not causes.
Madge says
April 18, 2014 at 2:04 amBoth of these strategies helped my struggling daughter immensely. If you are wondering how crawling (and much more motor work) can help, check out
brainhighways.com
Specially lenses were a huge relief to my daughter, and my neighbor's daughter too. To discover more information and to find someone qualified to test you for Irlen syndrome at
irlen.com
Madge says
April 18, 2014 at 2:07 amoops, *Specially colored lenses were a huge relief to my daughter and to my neighbor's daughter, too.
Anonymous says
September 7, 2014 at 6:21 pmIf you have any of the problems listed as casues then it would be a cause for a problem in reading. If you can not rhyme for instance then it will be a cause/ reson for a reding problem to develop. Yes it is a symptom also, but I believe it is a csue as well. Cause and effect.
Anonymous says
January 5, 2015 at 1:33 amAs A Speech Pathologist, these are symptoms of language disorders or language delays…. NOT Causes….
Marisa Constantinides says
May 12, 2016 at 2:26 amFully agree – these are SYMPTOMS and not causes