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Meeting the needs of a student with dyslexia can be a complicated process because most require an individualized approach.   Although two students might struggle with common symptoms such as word reversals or spelling problems, the underlying causes can be remarkably different. This is true because there are a variety of cognitive-based deficits that can cause a diagnosis of dyslexia. The two most common, core difficulties lie within the processing of either auditory or visual information. Dysphonetic Dyslexia: Those with dysphonetic dyslexia experience difficulties connecting sounds to letter symbols, sounding out words, and spelling words phonetically. Although hearing is not impaired, the problem lies in the way the brain processes this auditory information. For example, a student with dysphonetic dyslexia may struggle to discriminate the difference between the short vowel sounds. Dyseidetic Dyslexia: In contrast, those with dyseidetic dyslexia do not have difficulties with processi

Doing homework after a long day of school can be a real backbreaker for many young learners!  Downtime is both limited and cherished, so making assignments enticing is key.  So, what can we do to make the process less burdensome and possibly pleasing? Homework Don'ts: Never pair homework with a punishment. When this is done, students associate homework with unpleasantries, and it can have a negative impact on future assignments. Don't call home assignments, "homework."  Who wants to take their work home?  Besides, when it is called work, it becomes work.  Personally, I like to call it, "home fun!" Homework Dos: Create enticing names for home assignments. For example, I never teach script or cursive. I teach roller-coaster letters!  Generate excitement about upcoming assignments by sharing your own excitement and enthusiasm for the content.  Bring creative options such as drawing, sculpting, and music into assignments. Introduce the fun factor to your lessons

One of the most common questions I get asked is how to help students improve reading comprehension. There are many books on this topic, and the vast majority of strategies involve a structured and mindful approach to teaching this skill. While this can serve many students, I have found that the best possible tool to nurture voracious readers is to teach students how to apply visualization skills while reading. Although this is not a strategy that is taught often, the research behind this approach is robust and has been used for centuries . Why is Visualization Important in the Reading Process? Can you imagine what it would be like to go to the movies with your eyes closed?  Who would want to do that?  It would be hard to maintain attention.  In addition, it would be difficult to comprehend and remember the plot, because images help to support the storyline and develop the characters. Similarly, reading without visualizing can cause comparable difficulties with attention, comprehension,

Voice to text, or what Google Docs calls, voice typing, is an application used by more and more learners. This technology allows students to dictate ideas to a computer, and it types for them. While learners need to get comfortable speaking clearly and dictating punctuation, this way of writing can be extremely beneficial for those that like to express their ideas aloud, as well as those that struggle with spelling or typing skills. In fact, for many, it frees the mind to focus on content. Although many students toy with this technology, if they had the knowledge of all the voice commands, they could complete their written homework in record time. How Can I Access Voice Typing? If you would like to learn how to access Voice Typing on Google Docs, come read my comprehensive blog on this.  CLICK HERE   You can also view a demonstration here: What Are All The Voice Commands? It's amazing how quickly you can write an essay using Voice Typing on Google Docs.  The trick is mastering a