Building the Core Cognitive Skills to Overcome Dyslexia

Come learn how cognitive remedial therapy can help remediate students with dyslexia. You can also discover some of the needed educational materials.
Although dyslexia is called a learning disability, it does not mean that one is unable to learn. Instead, dyslexia is a learning difference that often requires multisensory instruction as well as cognitive remediation. Therefore, certain cognitive skills that may come easily for most students may require additional attention and training for many students that struggle with dyslexia.

What Types of Cognitive Skills Need This Extra Attention?
Each individual with dyslexia has their own unique profile, but here is a list of some of the common cognitive deficits that result in a diagnosis of dyslexia.
  1. Auditory processing: Auditory processing problems do not originate in the ear. Instead, it is an issue with how the brain processes auditory information. 
  2. Visual processing: Visual processing problems also reside in the brain. There are no problems with vision; rather, they are difficulties with how the brain makes sense of visual stimuli. 
  3. Language processing: Language processing is the way people process words to extract information, ideas, and meanings. 
  4. Sequential processing: Sequential processing is the ability to process information in a series or in a sequence.
  5. Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN): Rapid automatic naming (RAN), or rapid naming, is the ability to quickly process and verbalize a series of familiar items, including letters, numbers, colors or objects. Experts agree that RAN tests can be used to predict reading abilities.
  6. Executive functioning/attention: Executive functioning is like a mental workspace that encodes, retrieves and manipulates information. 

What is Cognitive Remedial Therapy?
Cognitive remedial therapy is an educational therapy approach that exercises weak areas of cognition to improve core neurocognitive abilities.

Can Cognitive Remedial Therapy Erase Deficits?
A focused intervention plan that targets a specific area of cognition, such as visual memory or auditory discrimination, can improve abilities over time. There is a three-step process:
  1. Assess abilities: This information can be gleaned from psycho-educational or neuropsychological reports. 
  2. Define the underlying cognitive processing weaknesses: This can be determined by locating the lowest test scores. 
  3. Implement focused exercises: Begin with exercises that match current abilities and gradually increase in difficulty.

 Who Offers This Type of Intervention?
Educational therapists and learning specialists are usually the best professionals to help with this form of intervention.  You can learn more about these professionals by reading my blog post:
Tutor, Learning Specialist, and Educational Therapist: What's the Difference?

Can I Do These Cognitive Exercises Myself?
Good Sensory Learning offers a wide selection of cognitive remedial tools to help struggling learners with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.  To review all of the cognitive remedial tools, click here.  In addition, here are a few of my personal favorites for students with dyslexia.

Product Name Link
Dyslexia Cognitive Remedial Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/bundles/products/dyslexia-remedial-bundle
Executive Functioning Cognitive Remedial Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-cognitive-remedial-bundle
Working Memory & Hemisphere Integration Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/cognitive-remedial-products/products/working-memory-bundle

Following Directions Primary, Beginners, & Intermediate Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/cognitive-remedial-products/products/following-directions-primary-beginners-intermediate-bundle
Reversing Reversals Download Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/cognitive-remedial-products/products/reversing-reversals-download-bundle
Executive Functioning Card Games Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/cognitive-remedial-products/products/executive-functioning-games-bundle
Reading Games Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/cognitive-remedial-products/products/reading-games-bundle
Speech and Language Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/bundles/products/speech-and-language-bundle
Assessment Bundle
https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/bundles/products/assessment-bundle

I hope you found this blog helpful! If you need any help defining the specific tools required for cognitive remedial work, reach out any time.

Cheers, Erica
Dr. Erica Warren, Learning Specialist & Educational Therapist

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses.

· Blog www.learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com
· YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1
· Podcast: https://godyslexia.com/
Newsletter Sign-up: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/69400

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Accommodating Students with Dyslexia: 12 Strategies for Success

Image
Students with dyslexia or symptoms of dyslexia often struggle in school. It is not that they have limited abilities.  On the contrary, many have IQs in the above average or genius range. As a result, instead of a dumbed down curriculum, these students need to be challenged and they need to receive accommodations, modifications and multisensory teaching techniques to unleash their learning potential.   What makes it difficult to accommodate students with dyslexia is that each student has their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Yes, two students with dyslexia don’t have the same pattern of cognitive processing deficits. In fact, there are a number of profiles that can lead to this diagnosis . In addition, there are a number of specific cognitive skills that can cause symptoms of dyslexia . Consequently, a successful remediation often requires a tailored, individualized approach.  To tap into the quickest results, I have learned that one has to look at the specific cognitive difficul
Read more

Finding the Best College for Students with Learning Disabilities

Image
Finding the best college is tricky for any student, but for those with learning disabilities (LDs) it can be an even bigger feat.  In fact, the perfect school is out there for practically anyone, but finding it, takes some time and persistence.  There are a number of options for students with LDs from colleges that cater primarily to this population to larger universities that offer specialized programs.  With the proper testing in hand, all schools are mandated to provide reasonable accommodations, but not all institutions make it an easy task. What Are My Options? Pre-colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities: These programs help to prepare students for the rigors of college and make sure they have the study skills, basic math, reading and writing capabilities needed to be a successful student.  This might be a summer program or an additional year - commonly called a 13th year.  For example, Thames at Mitchell College is a unique transition program on a college campus. Coll
Read more

Important Dyslexia Accommodations in the Classroom

Image
Getting a school to recognize, test, and then accommodate your child with dyslexia can be an arduous and frustrating task. Although public school systems can accommodate the individual needs of our struggling students, many administrators don’t like to tap into the general education coffers for a single student. As a result, parents often have to rally and wrestle to obtain reasonable accommodations for their children with dyslexia and other disabilities that impact learning. The key to navigating this slippery slope is to understand the laws, the lingo as well as the menus of mandated accommodations and modifications. What are my Options? There are two options for acquiring accommodations: 504: A 504 is a formal plan that protects the rights of students with disabilities in school. Covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, this civil rights law gives students with disabilities access to services and supports in the general education classroom. There are no mandated rules on
Read more