Let's talk about dyslexia!
Dyslexia is NOT a disability that has to cause your child to be dependent on you always reading their schoolwork to them, or on them listening to all their schoolbooks on audio.
Your dyslexic child doesn’t have to be relegated to being dependent on audio books or the constant help from others all their life.
Case in point, the profoundly dyslexic young woman who graduated with a double major in neuroscience and chemistry in 4 years, who at the age of 14 DID NOT KNOW that cat has 3 sounds. Further, she didn’t have to listen to her college science textbooks on audio. She read them! She decoded. She processed them. She KNOWS them.
Dyslexia is NOT a disability that has to stunt a child’s life and make reading, writing and spelling difficult.
At Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, we don’t refer to dyslexia as a disability because it really isn’t. It’s just a difference. We refer to it as a learning difference, but it really isn’t a difference to your dyslexic child.
It’s just another way some brains can process print.
It’s the way their brain does process print.
All dyslexia IS, is their brain’s way of processing printed material (reading, writing and spelling) that necessitates us as their teachers to TEACH THEM TO READ, WRITE AND SPELL THE WAY THEIR BRAIN LEARNS TO READ, WRITE AND SPELL.
It’s just that simple.
Teaching them isn’t hard.
Actually, it’s easy, and much more fun than workbooks and circle the correct word. It’s active and engaging for us and them. It’s them learning and connecting the way their brain can learn and connect reading, writing and spelling.
When we teach them the way their brain learns words and sentences and connects meaning, it all makes sense to them right away. They don’t struggle.
If they have been struggling, with Silent Elephant “e”®’s structured processes they soon begin to relax and celebrate their successes. Watching them relax makes your heart sing.
As one 10-year-old profoundly dyslexic said so softly and with wonder, “I think I’m going to be able to read now!” And, boy, did she fly. She entered college 6 years later.
In Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, every single phonics concept (preschool through high school) is introduced with an activity that engages their whole dyslexic brain and their 5 senses so there is not one reading concept they will not understand or miss.
The dyslexic way of learning is NOT sitting in front of a computer screen, a workbook, or a typical worksheet trying to figure out what’s there and maybe being frustrated because the letters and words won’t stop moving around.
Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® does have worksheets, but they're specifically designed for the dyslexic student. Their dyslexic brain needs consistency as they are learning new concepts. Every Silent Elephant “e”® worksheet is in the same format and font, with only one concept presented per page. This blog post explains more about our worksheets.
Even children who experience the letters and words shifting around will find the letters and words stabilizing when we teach them the way their brain processes them. Several wonderful success stories are in these blog posts. 😊
What is the dyslexic way of learning?
THE DYSLEXIC WAY of learning is active, because their brain can’t learn to read, write and spell unless it’s actively dynamically connecting the concepts with other learning in creative ways through their 5 senses. It can’t.
THE DYSLEXIC WAY of learning includes verbalizing and explaining – talking, sharing, teaching. Their brain processes their learning through talking about the concepts and words and explaining how they know a word is that word, how they know it’s spelled the way it is and how they know a sentence, or paragraph means what it means.
THE DYSLEXIC WAY of learning is their brain appreciating time to think, share, and explain what they are learning to read, write and spell. Their brain likes time to make connections to other learning, to understand them and enjoy them.
When we teach our dyslexic children the way their brain learns, they learn quickly and they have fun all along the way, which is also very important.
Watching them find their confidence is heart-warming.
Dyslexia is just a difference.
When we teach our dyslexic children to read, write and spell the way their brain processes print, they learn easily. They don’t struggle, they have fun and they’re set for life.
Through learning the way they learn with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, 14 dyslexic students have been removed from special education because they no longer needed that support. They are free to read, write, learn and explore.
They’re set for life!
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