Symbol Orientation

Dear Reader…here’s to a new school year 06-07--may we continue our learning together.

Since my last section (Perception and Memory) of Jay’s evaluation at Dyslexia Services, I’ve spent considerable time searching and reading new research about the motor pathways of the brain in preparation for this presentation, Symbol Orientation, the next section of Jay’s evaluation. Let’s start with a brief history of the kinesthetic/motor modality in learning language and then continue with my research findings.

Symbol Orientation evaluates the kinesthetic/motor modality, one of the three modalities of the Orton-Gillingham triangle--the other two being visual and auditory. Orton and Gillingham were pioneers in the field of dyslexia and its treatment.

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, Samuel T. Orton, M.D. (neurology and neuropathology) identified congenital dyslexia (belonging to one from birth) and experimented with educational treatment using the eye, ear, and hand. Anna Gillingham, an educator, worked with Dr. Orton and compiled the tested treatment (Orton-Gillingham Approach) into a manual. This Orton-Gillingham Approach is based on the three modalities (visual-auditory-kinesthetic/motor) of language learning. Each one of these three modalities needs to reinforce the other for language mastery to succeed. Furthermore, each one of these three modalities has its own area of operation in the brain cortex (eye-occipital, ear-temporal, hand-pariental) and is connected to the others via neurons, dendrites, and axons. A weakness in any one modality affects the other two modalities. Therefore, the focus of the Orton-Gillingham Approach is to reinforce the strong modality(ies) and to use the strong to strengthening the weak modality(ies) through eye-ear-hand linkages.

A kinesthetic/motor evaluation includes posture and pencil grip. Motor pathways that originate in the motor cortex of the brain travel down the spinal column and control posture and muscle tone of the body. Poor posture and improper pencil grip are markers of impaired muscle tone. My research evolves around the impaired pencil grip. The ideal pencil grip is the tripod grip where the thumb and index finger (stabilized by the middle finger) control the pencil. A link exists between the thumb and index finger grip and the brain (posterior pariental cortex). A major player in this link is the median nerve which originates from the brachial plexus (start of spinal column), runs down the arm to the thenar muscles in the hand, and supplies the energy of the thenar muscles which enable the hand to grip and hold a pencil. The proper alignment of brain, median nerve, hand, and thumb and index finger gives the hand the mobility and the thumb and index finger the strength to function properly.

In the tripod grasp, the index finger controls the writing process to minimize fatigue and muscle tension and hurt. In holding the pencil, the bent of the index finger (second joint) and the bent of the thumb should make an open web space (circle) while the pencil rests on the first joint of the middle finger and the ring and pixie fingers touch the paper.

As soon as your child takes pencil to hand, check the grasp. If the child makes a fist around the pencil, the thenar muscles controlling the index finger and thumb need to open into a circle (web). Good exercises are cutting paper or cardboard with the thumb and middle finger holding the scissors. Other exercises are picking up objects with index finger and thumb or opening clothes pins or hair pins (index finger on top). If allowed to write with the fist, the muscles will be reinforced and develop into a fist grasp which is difficult to break and causes muscle stress and pain.

A kinesthetic evaluation also evaluates the direction and sequence when stroking letters and numbers. The direction of stroking indicates whether the student is processing left to right in the flow of language or right to left, opposite to the flow of language.

If your child or student cannot remember how to make a letter form, reverses (b/d, s/z), or inverts letter forms (u/n, b/p, m/w), faulty kinesthetic/motor processing needs to be addressed. Ask your child or student to print the alphabet. Note if he or she hesitates to recall a letter form or starts at the beginning of the alphabet (singing the abc’s song) to remember the next letter. The printing of the alphabet is a revealing first step in identifying kinesthetic/motor weakness.

Further reading:
Gillingham, A. & Stillman B. (1969). Remedial Training for Children with Specific Disability in Reading, Spelling and Penmanship (5th ed.). Cambridge, MA: Educators Publishing Service, Inc.
H.H. Ehrsson, A. Fagerin, R.S. Johansson, and H. Forsberg. “Evidence for the Involvement of the Posterior Pariental Cortex in Coordination of Fingertip Forces for Grasp Stability in Manipulation.” J.Neurophysiol; November 1, 2003; 90 (5): 2978-2986.
“A Patient’s Guide to Hand Anatomy” Louisville, KY: Apex Physical Therapy, 5/5/2006, 1-5. http://www.eorthopod.com/eorthopodV2/fuseaction/topics.detail/ID/3a680c091a62a9749e073... 5/5/2006

Let’s now evaluate Jay’s Symbol Orientation

SYMBOL ORIENTATION.
Letters
Numbers
Accuracy of letters and numbers gives insights into visual-kinesthetic/motor (eye-hand) linkages and left to right sequence. The English language flows from left to right. Reversed, inverted, and transposed letters indicate right to left sequence, opposite to the left to right flow of language. Those with dyslexia usually have difficulty with symbol perception and memory and with left to right sequence. Jay showed these visual-kinesthetic/motor memory and perception weaknesses.

Letters.
Since 95% of what we read is lower case print, the immediate recall of lower case letters is an essential part of success in language. Upright posture and a strong index finger grip on the pencil are indicators of kinesthetic strengths. Jay slouched on the table and his middle finger and thumb gripped the pencil. He printed most of the letters in lower case (except F, G, Z), showed by boxing his upper case G that he was aware that the letter was not lower case but could not remember how to make the form for lower case g. He then printed g for j (showing his confusion between the two letters) and upper case “Z” after u. He printed the letter n after the letter y (singing abc’s—y ‘n z) and ended with the number 5 (for z which he later self corrected) and added lower case g at the end of the alphabet. He showed his struggles with the b and d reversing the letters in sequence (“a, d, c, b”). He accurately down stroked the stick letters in the left to right flow of language. However, he started the ball letters (a, g, o) at 6:00 (base line) and circled clockwise, opposite to the left to right flow of language. Jay showed weak visual memory and weaknesses in visual-kinesthetic/motor linkages blocking his ability to master letter formation and alphabet recall.

Numbers.
This informal testing measures number forms and their orientation as mathematical language that flows from left to right. Jay’s form and orientation for most of his numbers was accurate. His stroking of numbers 5 and 9 can lead to confusion. A sloppy 5 can become confused with an upper case S. In his stroking of number 9, he ended to the left of the number rather than the right (mathematical flow). To evaluate sequence, Jay was asked if he could write numbers 30 through 1 (reverse). He said, “Yes,” started at the right margin of the paper and proceeded to the left (opposite of mathematical flow). He accurately wrote “30, 29, 28, 27” then wrote “29”, self-corrected, then wrote “25, 26.” The examiner changed the task to writing graduated numbers 1 through 30. Jay accurately wrote 1 through 12, repeated 11, self-corrected, and accurately continued the task through 30. Mathematical errors can occur when the forming of numbers is opposite to mathematical flow. Directional confusions affect computation. My suggestion is to use large-block graph paper when computing to help him with accuracy, organization, and calculation.

Let's review Jay's performance

Dear Reader...tomorrow is the first of March. Will the month come in as a lion or a lamb? Nice to know, no matter what...spring is a breath away. Let's continue Jay's evaluation within the section of Perception and Memory.

The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing CTOPP is a standardized test that evaluates the student’s phonological perception and memory. The CTOPP was authored by Richard K. Wagner, Joseph K. Torgesen, and Carol A. Rashotte and is published by pro-ed. Their manual informs that this standardized test measures and compares phonological abilities and has norms based on a broad spectrum of American students. I use it precisely for its numbers, comparisons, and norms.

The CTOPP assesses phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming. Each of these three has its subtests. Jay had Elision and Blending Words, core subtests for phonological awareness. Elision requires breaking down sounds of a spoken word. Blending Word (in reverse) requires squeezing sounds together to make a word. Jay was given Memory for Digits and Nonword Repetition, core subtests for phonological memory. Memory for Digits assesses efficiency of short term memory-he listened to numbers presented at a rate of 2 per second. Nonword Repetition assesses cognition of a string of sounds in uncommon words and short term memory efficiency when repeating the word. Jay had Rapid Naming of letters, digits, and objects. Rapid Naming measures speed of seeing and knowing. Researchers in the field of dyslexia are still debating how weaknesses in rapid naming affect reading. The term double deficient is used when deficits occur both in phonological awareness and rapid naming.

Rapid Naming informs me whether an additional problem, dysnomia, might exist. Have you ever had a block when you see a face and you can’t remember the name? Yes? Then you understand--the same blocks occur with letters and sounds.

Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing CTOPP. Phonological awareness, phonological memory, rapid naming.

Phonological Awareness
Elision
Raw Score 4
Standard Score 5
Percentile Rank 5th
Age Equivalent 5-9
Grade Equivalent k.7

Blending Words
Raw Score 14
Standard Score 10
Percentile Rank 50th
Age Equivalent 7-3
Grade Equivalent 2.2

Composite Score 85
Sum of 2 Standard Scores 15
Percentile 16th

Phonological awareness is the ability to tune into a string of sounds in a word and recognize words within words, syllables within words, or individual sounds within the string of sounds. Jay’s performance on the Elision subtest was weaker than on the Blending Words subtest. Both were below his present third grade level.

On the Elision subtest, Jay was successful with the awareness of a word within a word (say popcorn, now say popcorn without saying corn) in three tasks. Errors began when he had to tune into a string of sounds and identify initial (say cup without saying /k/ (up)) and final sounds (say time without saying /m/ (tie). Some of his errors included saying tan without saying /t/ (he said “am”), mike without /m/ (he said “kite”), time without /t/ (he said “lime”, then “tim”). On the Blending Word subtest, Jay succeeded in blending up to five individual sounds in common words (it, saw, bone, jump, stamp). He omitted initial and inner sounds in less common words with five and more sounds (“mysterious eye” for t-e-s-t-i-f-y and “ux” for c-ir-c-u-s).

Phonological Memory
Memory for Digits
Raw Score 8
Standard Score 5
Percentile Rank 5th
Age Equivalent 5-3
Grade Equivalent k.2

Nonword Repetition
Raw Score 8
Standard Score 8
Percentile Rank 25th
Age Equivalent 5-6
Grade Equivalent k.4

Composite Score 79
Sum of 2 Standard Scores 13
Percentile 8th

Phonological memory refers to the ability to keep recognized words and/or sounds in working or short term memory (approximately 10 seconds). A deficit in this area affects the learning of new words not as yet in the individual’s vocabulary. The two subtests that measure phonological memory are Memory for Digits and Nonword Repetition.

Scores on both the Memory for Digits and the Nonword Repetition subtests were below Jay’s grade level. AJ was successful remembering two to four digit tasks by repeating. Although for one four digit task, he said “74579” for 7596. On the Nonword Repetition, Jay was successful with the two syllable tasks (woo-dolp, ni-gong). Overload occurred on the three syllable words where he substituted and omitted sounds.

Multi-sensory programs exist that are designed to improve Jay’s phonological awareness. He needs intervention that will bring sounds to conscious working memory. He needs to internalize sounds so he hears the sequence of sounds and understands the structure of the English language. Overload on phonological memory will be tempered with the development of sound fluency.

Rapid Naming
Letter Naming
Raw Score 59
Standard Score 7
Percentile Rank 16th
Age Equivalent 7-0
Grade Equivalent 2.0

Digit Naming
Raw Score 58
Standard Score 7
Percentile Rank 16th
Age Equivalent 6-9
Grade Equivalent 1.7

Object
Raw Score 87
Standard Score 7
Percentile 16th
Age Equivalent 6-9
Grade Equivalent 1.7

Composite Score 81
Sum of 3 Standard Scores 21
Percentile 10th


Reading is influenced by phonological processing (awareness of speech sounds) and by the rapid and fluent ability to speedily recognize (eye) a letter and simultaneously connect its sound. The Rapid Naming Tests measure the processing time of cognitive (knowing) awareness and attentiveness through three processing measures--letter, digit, and object. Jay’s efficiency showed processing time below grade level on letter, digit, and object recognition and naming. Rapid naming is visual processing of the brain (occipital). With weak visual recordings on the brain, fluency and instantaneous recognition is harder to attain. Visual processing needs to be linked to auditory (phonological awareness) processing through the development of alphabet fluency, conscious recognition of sound, and understanding of the English code.

Let's review Jay's performance

Dear Reader...good day…we continue the evaluation within the section of Perception and Memory.

I use parts of The Bangor Dyslexia Test to measure rote memory. The Bangor Dyslexia Test was developed by T.R. Miles, a psychologist in England. His book Dyslexia The Pattern of Difficulties explains his test--a double sided sheet that measures his observed indicators of dyslexia (left-right, polysyllabic words, subtraction, math facts, months forward, months reversed, digits forward, digits reversed, b-d confusion, familial incidence).



Bangor Test. The Bangor test is a rote (auditory) memory measure. Its subtests include the forward recitation of the months of the year and a mental subtraction task. Jay showed rote memory weaknesses on the subtests. For the months’ forward task, he was given the prompt to start with January. Skipping February, he started with “March”, maintained accurate sequence through September, skipped October, and accurately finished with “November, December”. On the mental subtraction task, Jay answered quickly and succeeded with 9 take away 2 and 24 take away 2. With double digits, he hesitated, repeated the task a few times. He succeeded with 19 take away 7. For 12 take away 9, he said “2”. When asked how he got his answer, he said, “How much it takes [to] go between them.” Jay showed the effects of overload on his auditory memory and the negative affects that a weak visual memory has on the development of rote memory fluency. His learning needs to be supplemented with concrete examples (manipulatives) so Jay can understand the concepts through hands-on, multisensory (sees, hears, does) experiences.

Let's review Jay's performance

Dear reader...we continue the evaluation.

This next section of the testing deals with Perception and Memory. For me, the Slingerland Screening Tests for Identifying Children with Specific Language Disability (not yet normed) are the best measure of perception and memory since a personal experience in 1994. Aaron, a seventh grader, was circling all the right answers which was a puzzle because he could not read the words. He sensed my puzzlement when he spoke out, “Do you know how I remember?” He said when he saw the word (exposed on a 3x5 index card), a rhythmic beat brought “blinking” letter after letter of the word in a variety of bright colors into his “head” which disappeared after he circled the word. I refer to this type of visual memory as visual photographic memory. Since Aaron, I have asked each one of the many students that I have tested to tell me if he read the word, if she made a visual picture, or how he or she remembered the task. Aaron, along with Lisa, Stacey, and Matthew are among those with more unusual visual photographic memories. You will now be reading how Jay remembers.

PERCEPTION and MEMORY.
Slingerland Screening Tests, Form B, Grades II & III
Bangor Dyslexia Test
Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing CTOPP Phonological Awareness
Phonological Memory
Rapid Naming
The Slingerland Screening Tests evaluate visual (eye), auditory (ear), and motor (hand) perception and memory performance in short term memory. The Bangor Test evaluates verbal processing and rote memory. The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing CTOPP measures phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming.

The Slingerland Screening Tests, Form B, Grades II & III. This screening includes subtests one and two (visual perception and kinesthetic/motor perception and memory), three (visual perception and memory), four (visual perception and discrimination), five (receptive-expressive language), seven (auditory-visual-kinesthetic/motor linkage), and eight (auditory perception and memory). Jay showed strengths in auditory memory, inconsistencies in visual and kinesthetic/motor memories, and weaknesses in visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/motor perception.

Subtests one and two evaluate visual perception (eye-see) and kinesthetic/motor (hand-write) linkages. Subtest one evaluates at far point and subtest two at near point. Attention is placed on eye span and eye to print focus, letter forms, letter-size relationship, and spacing. On subtest one (far point), Jay attended to the copying task when the words were three to four letters and he could read them and spell them. He was distracted when he had to print longer words. For birthday, he printed “bir”, became distracted, returned to task with the help of the examiner after asking “Where did I stop?”, made brackets around the word “bir”, and continued printing. He was distracted and made brackets around “new”, “play” (omitted ending (played)), and “crem” (omitted vowel (cream)). Some distractions occurred after one letter (w…e (we)) or two letters (da…ddy). Most of his printing showed good letter-size relationship. His spacing was adequate between most words. On subtest two (near point), the words were two syllable words. Jay spanned one to three letters at a time. All the letters rested on the base line. When he came to task six, he began to check off the words that he had finished printing. At near point he showed good letter-size relationship and spacing between letters.

Subtest three is a visual perception and memory task. To test his visual perception and short term memory, Jay had a brief exposure of a word on a 3x5 index card and a ten second wait before he matched the word task from among several choices. He was asked after each task if he read the word, if he pictured the word, or how he remembered. He showed his reliance on auditory memory and the workings of his visual photographic (camera) memory. He accurately circled 4 of 6 word tasks of words of one and two syllables, 1 of 3 three random letters tasks, 2 of 3 one to three digit tasks (after a self-correct). He read all the words correctly but transposed and circled “hlep” for help and reversed and circled “mabe” for made. He accurately circled the two syllable words money and window. On the random letters task, he transposed and circled “um” for mu and reversed the b and d circling “br” for dr. On the double digit tasks, he transposed and circled “61” for 16, caught his error, and self-corrected. His visual photographic memory was inconsistent. For help, Jay said that the letters appeared “black” on “white”, yet he transposed the middle letters. For made, he said, “Got it,” and that the letters appeared “white” on “black”, yet he reversed the b and d. For two of the other four word tasks, he said, “No” when asked if he pictured the words (when, money). For the other two word tasks (there, window), he said the letters of the words appeared “white” on “black. He said, “No” when asked if he pictured the random word tasks. He said the single digit task (6) appeared “blue” but said, “No” when asked if he pictured the two and three digit tasks.

Subtest four requires reliable visual perception exclusive of memory. Jay needed to pair the lead word with one of four choices. He succeeded in 2 of 8 words tasks of one to four syllables. In his pairing (accurate and not), the first letter was right in 5 of 6 tasks. The last letter was right in 3 of 6 tasks. He transposed the middle letters in 3 of 6 tasks. He reversed the letters b and d in 2 of 2 b/d tasks. He inverted the n and u in 2 of 2 n/u tasks. He accurately paired the words help and happy. He paired funny with “funny” and “fnuuy”, lady with “lady” and “laby”, there with “there” and “theer”, thing with “thign” and “thing”, left with “left” and “felt”, anybody with “anyboby”, “auybody”, and “anydoby” (self-corrected this sequence).

Subtest five evaluates visual perception and memory with kinesthetic/motor linkages. This measure requires a higher degree of language processing because it requires eye (visual-receptive) and hand (kinesthetic/motor-expressive) to work together. Jay had a brief exposure of a task on an index card and a ten second wait before writing or making the task. The test includes words, numbers, and graphic (geometric) patterns. After each task, he was asked if he read the words, if he made a visual picture, or how he remembered the task. Jay relied on his auditory memory for letter and word tasks and his drawing in space (kinesthetic/motor memory) for graphic tasks. His visual photographic memory was helpful in two tasks. He succeeded in 1 of 2 letter tasks (after a self-correct), 2 of 6 word tasks, 0 of 1 phrase task, 2 of 2 digit tasks, and 2 of 3 graphic tasks. On the letter tasks, he self-corrected the digit 2 at the start of the ckp task then erred when he substituted and printed “Bcl” for “BSL”. For the word tasks, he read and repeated to himself the words “drop”, “help”, and “drip”. When he had to write the tasks from memory, he transposed, substituted, and reversed (b/d) letters (“brop” for drop, “hlep” for help, “brip” for dirt). “Can’t read it”, he said for brunch. He wrote “ripe”. For the word task whom, Jay read “women”, then accurately spelled “whom”. For the phrase task “from the store”, Jay added one additional letter writing, “frome the store”. For the first graphic tasks, he said, “How am I supposed to remember that?” He solved his problem by draw the triangle in space with his finger. He accurately drew a two triangle tasks. “Cool”, he said when he had to draw an arrow pointing to the right then erred with the angular detail at its tail. For the digit tasks, he kept repeating and when asked if he finds that he needs to repeat numbers to remember, he said, “Yes.” His visual photographic memory responded in two tasks. He said as he drew the triangle in space with his finger, its form appeared “black” on “white”. For lady, he said the letters appeared “black” on “blue”. This subtest revealed the effects of overload on his auditory memory and the unreliability of his visual photographic memory.

Subtest seven measures the ability to associate sounds (auditory) with visual-kinesthetic/motor response (ear-hand). After ten seconds in short term memory, the student is required to write the letter for the initial consonant sound for the first nine tasks, the final consonant sound for the next nine tasks, and the short vowel sound (consonant-vowel-consonant pattern) for the remaining five tasks. Jay was given an example before he began. He accurately discriminated 6 of 9 initial consonant sound tasks (/n/, /j/, /sh/, /d/, /ch/, /p/). He erred when he transposed the first for the last sound (/g/ for /l/) in gazelle and substituted /hu/ for /b/ in bunting and /fr/ for /th/ in thermostat. He accurately discriminated 7 of 9 final consonant sound tasks /n/, /f/, /t/, /r/, /g/, /p/, /ch/ (self-corrected /s/). He erred when he substituted /d/ for /b/ in grab (showing his inconsistencies with b/d) and transposed /r/ for /d/ in grind. He accurately discriminated short vowel sound /u/ in muv, /a/ in mav, and /o/ in mov. He substituted /a/ for /i/ in miv and omitted the short vowel sound /e/ (writing “v”) in mev. Distraction and error seemed to come together. For two of the tasks, he said, “What?” He said he remembered the /j/ in janitor because he “used to help the janitor”. His visual photographic memory responded in three tasks but not always effectively. Jay transposed /r/ from initial to final sound in grind and said the letters appeared “blue” on “white” and then “disappeared”. He said that sometimes the letters “leave quickly”. For clasp, he said he “kinda saw end…blue”, knew the word, and was successful. For miv, he said the letters were “black” on “white” but wrote the letter /a/ for /i/ in miv.

Subtest eight evaluates auditory perception and memory of words. Errors may result from faulty auditory perception for words or poor visual recall or both. The examiner sounded the word and Jay circled the correct spelling after ten seconds in short term memory. He was asked after each task if he made a visual picture of the word or how he remembered. Jay switched right and left ears as he listened. In two of the tasks, the examiner repeated the task when he said, “What?” Hearing the word, random letter(s), and numbers, repeating to remember, then seeing the task proved to be workable strategies. He succeeded in 9 of 10 word tasks of one (was, stop) and two (baby, daddy) syllables, 3 of 3 one and two random letter tasks, and 1 of 1 one digit task (9), 1 of 1 two digit whole number (31) task, and 1 of 1 three digit whole number task (647). His error was transposing the r and i and circling “gril” for girl. Sshowing its inconsistencies, Jay’s visual photographic memory responded to the word tell. He said the letters appeared “black” on “white” and “stayed” until he circled the task. He showed unique qualities of his short term memory whereby in three of the tasks, even though distracted, he recalled the task despite a lapse in time.

Let's review Jay's performance

Dear reader...we continue the evaluation.

Let’s review Jay’s performance, which includes measures on standardized and informal tests. This evaluation will include signs of dyslexia, auditory attention span, perception and memory, phonological awareness-phonological memory-rapid naming, symbol orientation, digit span, sounds, reading, comprehension, and spelling and writing.

SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA.
Signs of dyslexia are mixed dominance which is strength in both right and left eyes, ears, and hands, reversed sequence which is counter to the left to right flow of language, and verbal labeling weaknesses which is language overload.

Dominance.
Jay wrote with his right hand, but used his right hand along with his left hand when he worked with sound blocks. He used his right eye on a preferred eye test and listened at times with his right ear and other times switched to his left ear. Ideally he should be right dominant and consistent.

Sequence.
The English language flows from left to right. Reversed sequence indicates that language processing is flowing opposite to language flow which results in dyslexic errors (transposing, reversing, inverting, omitting, substituting). Right-left confusion occurred with abstract sounds. Lindamood Auditory Conceptual Test and with Jay’s forming of letters and digits and with his sound sequencing.

Verbal Labeling.
Jay showed overload when directions became complex. This measure uses hand commands to point to personal body parts and then to those of the examiner. The first three questioned his sense of right and left. He succeeded on the one step tasks--show me your right hand, show me your left ear—but erred with the two step task (touch your right ear with your left hand), hesitated, then self-corrected. When the examiner became involved, overload occurred. He erred on the one step--point to the examiner’s hand. On the two step tasks (point to my right eye with your right hand), he succeeded identifying his own right or left hand, but erred when he had to switch opposites and identify the body parts of the examiner. Overload and errors occurred in tasks with more than one step.

Jay showed all three signs of dyslexia: mixed dominance, reversed sequence, and verbal overload.

AUDITORY ATTENTION SPAN.
Auditory attention span is essential in order to learn and be successful in processing sound. Jay’s successes were inconsistent. The most difficult part for Jay was when he had to manipulate the auditory input of abstract sounds. He struggled with changing the placement of two abstract sounds. He treats new words with the same weaknesses when he omits, substitutes, and transposes sounds.

Accident set me back

Dear Reader....this is my first blog since July 21, '05 when I started you on a journey to share my 30 years of experience as a dyslexia specialist and diagnostician. A misstep ended in a depressed tibia plateau, surgery, seven weeks in a wheel chair, months of therapy, and finally back to the office. Happy, healthy 2006. Experience has taught me to hold on the rail when walking down steps.

You met Jay the 8 and a half year old lad with dyslexia. I printed the Observations and Evaluation Procedure of his diagnostic evaluation. You read my observations about his strengths and his weaknesses. I addressed the research definition of dyslexia and reading fluency. The blog ended after the listed procedures, tests, and scores.

Next week I will resume with "Let's review Jay's performance"--where I left off. May we be blessed with good health and a wealth of learning.

Stephanie M. Gordon

Welcome...let's move along

Dear Reader,

Welcome to my site as I share my 30 years of experience as a dyslexia specialist and diagnostician.


Students--kindergarten through adult-- come to Dyslexia Services for consultation because of their difficulty learning language. Is it dyslexia? These children and adults are normal in every way except for the way they learn or don't learn. Testing discloses that each one has his or her specific learning style--his or her specific dyslexia.

As a dyslexia diagnostician, I test to seek each one's unique learning style so I can then as a dyslexia specialist address the learning problems. The object is to meet the needs of each student's unique learning style. Testing helps me address each one's individual needs.

My journey as a dyslexia diagnostician and specialist began as a parent of a bright six year old. He was in the first grade at an area Montessori school when my suspicions were confirmed. Given the Stanford Achievement Test, he scored fourth grade in math and pre-K in reading. After conferring with the principal at our local public elementary school and acting on the observation of our son in the classroom, his father and I decided to transfer him to our public school a block away from our home. And thus began his eleven years of hard knocks through the school system at the wake of the passage of PL 94-142 and its slow acceptance among administration and faculty.

Through those years, I grew in my profession as he grew in understanding how language works and in self-esteem. Upon graduation from high school, he was accepted at a highly respected university in the East without accommodations and graduated with a dual major in history and economics. He was admitted to the university's law school, joined its banking and law review in his third year, and graduated cum laude. Today, he is a successful corporate attorney who strongly believes that we do no favors accommodating students. They must learn how to read and write and become independent learners.

As you begin this journey with me, you will meet Jay, an 8 and a half year old entering the fourth grade. You will learn about Jay's strengths and weaknesses in visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/motor memories and perception which affect his language learning. My diagnostic evaluation will expose you to the testing that was done, analyze his learning problems, and offer recommendations. After the completion of Jay's diagnostic evaluation--which is lengthy--I will present unusual discoveries of visual photographic memory in other students. Then my plan is to "show and tell" you how to reach a student's unique learning style.