Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked Questions about Dyslexia and its Symptoms
1. CAN DYSLEXIA BE CURED?
Dyslexia is irreversible. While it cannot be cured, it can be corrected. I like to use the analogy of wearing glasses. Short-sightedness is irreversible. But with prescriptive glasses, the problem can be remediated. Similarly for dyslexia, once a dyslexic knows how to turn off his disorientation at will, especially when he needs to deal with texts, and by mastering the words and symbols that cause him confusion, he will be able to read, write and spell, as well as any non-dyslexic.
2. IS THERE ANY INFORMAL ASSESSMENT I CAN USE AS AN INITIAL SCREENING TO SEE IF MY CHILD IS AT RISK OF DYSLEXIA?
Here (Screening for Dyslexia) is a free online evaluation from the Davis Dyslexia Association International website. However, this does not replace the need to have your child formally assessed by an Educational Psychologist (EP). The Ministry of Education also requires a report from an EP if you are applying for any exemptions (such as from Chinese) or exam accommodations (such as extra time) for your child.
3. WHAT IS DISORIENTATION?
Disorientation is a state in which the brain is not receiving what the eyes see or what the ear hears; the balance and movement sense is altered and the time sense is either speeded up or slowed down.
Dyslexics disorientate when they encounter words or symbols they do not have a picture of. When this happens, they get confused and when their threshold for confusion is reached, they will disorientate in order to problem solve i.e. to try and make sense of the word or symbol. At this point, they will experience perceptual distortions which will then manifest in mistakes in their reading, writing and spelling.
So in order to have accurate perceptions (i.e. our brain gets exactly what our eyes see, as our eyes are seeing it and exactly what our ears hear, as our ears are hearing it, our balance and movement sense is accurate and our sense of time is accurate), dyslexics need to learn how to be oriented. Orientation, therefore, is all about putting oneself in the proper position in relation to the true facts and conditions in the environment.
Dyslexics disorientate when they encounter words or symbols they do not have a picture of. When this happens, they get confused and when their threshold for confusion is reached, they will disorientate in order to problem solve i.e. to try and make sense of the word or symbol. At this point, they will experience perceptual distortions which will then manifest in mistakes in their reading, writing and spelling.
So in order to have accurate perceptions (i.e. our brain gets exactly what our eyes see, as our eyes are seeing it and exactly what our ears hear, as our ears are hearing it, our balance and movement sense is accurate and our sense of time is accurate), dyslexics need to learn how to be oriented. Orientation, therefore, is all about putting oneself in the proper position in relation to the true facts and conditions in the environment.
4. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WITH AN EXAMPLE, HOW A DYSLEXIC GETS CONFUSED WHEN READING, AND HOW THAT LEADS TO DISORIENTATION WHEN THE THRESHOLD FOR CONFUSION IS REACHED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY MISTAKES ARE MADE IN THE PROCESS?
Let me unpack this for you by using Ron Davis’ step-by-step breakdown of what happens when a 10-year old dyslexic reads the sentence, “The brown horse jumped over the stone fence and ran through the pasture”.
The first word “the” caused the mental imagery to go blank, because there was no picture for it. A blank picture is the essence of confusion. Using concentration, however, the child pushes past the blank picture and says “the” and forces himself to skip to the next word.
The word “brown” produces the mental image of a colour, but it has no defined shape. Continuing to concentrate, he says the word “brown”.
The word “horse” transforms the brown picture into a horse of that colour. Concentration continues and “horse” is said.
The word “jumped” causes the front of the brown horse to rise into the air. He continues concentrating as he says “jumped”.
The word “over” causes the back of the horse to rise. Still concentrating, he says “over”.
The next word, another “the”, causes the picture to go blank again. Confusion for the dyslexic has increased, but the threshold for confusion has not been reached. He must now double his concentration so he can push on to the next word. In doing so, he may or may not omit saying “the”.
The word “stone” produces a picture of a rock. With concentration doubled, he says “stone”.
The next word, “fence”, turns the rock into a rock fence. Still with doubled concentration, he says “stone”.
The next word, “and”, blanks out the picture again. This time, the threshold for confusion is reached. So the child becomes disoriented. The child is stopped again, more confused, doubly concentrating, and more disoriented. The only way he can continue is to increase his concentration effort. But now because he is so disoriented, the dyslexic symptoms will appear. It is very likely that he will omit saying the word “and”, or just as likely that he will substitute “a”, “an”, or “the” instead. At this point, he is no longer getting an accurate perception of the words on the page. He is now expanding a tremendous amount of effort and energy on concentrating, just to continue.
The next word, “ran”, because he is now disoriented, is altered into the word “runs”. He sees an image of himself running, entirely unrelated to the picture of the hovering horse. Then he says “runs”.
The word “through” is altered into “throws”. He sees himself throwing a ball and says “throws”.
The next word, “the”, blanks out the picture again, even more confused, and still disoriented. His only recourse is to quadruple his concentration. In doing so, he omits saying “the”.
By now, his disorientation has created a feeling like dizziness. He is feeling sick to his stomach, and the words and letters are swimming around on the page.
For the last word “pasture”, he must track down each letter, one at a time, so he can sound out the word. Once he does, he sees a picture of a grassy place. Even though he is disoriented, because of the extra effort and energy he puts forth in catching and sounding out each letter, he says it right, “pasture”.
Having competed the sentence, he closes the book and pushes it away. That’s enough of that! When asked what he just read, he is likely to answer with something like “a place where grass grows”. He has a picture of a horse in the air, a stone fence, himself playing ball and a grassy place, but cannot relate the separate elements in the sentence to form a mental image of the scene described.
To everyone who saw or heard him read the sentence or heard his answer to what it was about, it’s obvious that he didn’t understand any of what he just read. As for him, he doesn’t care that he didn’t understand it. He’s just thankful that he survived the ordeal of reading out loud.
Do you see some similarities between what was described above and what you see in your child when he/she attempts to read?
The first word “the” caused the mental imagery to go blank, because there was no picture for it. A blank picture is the essence of confusion. Using concentration, however, the child pushes past the blank picture and says “the” and forces himself to skip to the next word.
The word “brown” produces the mental image of a colour, but it has no defined shape. Continuing to concentrate, he says the word “brown”.
The word “horse” transforms the brown picture into a horse of that colour. Concentration continues and “horse” is said.
The word “jumped” causes the front of the brown horse to rise into the air. He continues concentrating as he says “jumped”.
The word “over” causes the back of the horse to rise. Still concentrating, he says “over”.
The next word, another “the”, causes the picture to go blank again. Confusion for the dyslexic has increased, but the threshold for confusion has not been reached. He must now double his concentration so he can push on to the next word. In doing so, he may or may not omit saying “the”.
The word “stone” produces a picture of a rock. With concentration doubled, he says “stone”.
The next word, “fence”, turns the rock into a rock fence. Still with doubled concentration, he says “stone”.
The next word, “and”, blanks out the picture again. This time, the threshold for confusion is reached. So the child becomes disoriented. The child is stopped again, more confused, doubly concentrating, and more disoriented. The only way he can continue is to increase his concentration effort. But now because he is so disoriented, the dyslexic symptoms will appear. It is very likely that he will omit saying the word “and”, or just as likely that he will substitute “a”, “an”, or “the” instead. At this point, he is no longer getting an accurate perception of the words on the page. He is now expanding a tremendous amount of effort and energy on concentrating, just to continue.
The next word, “ran”, because he is now disoriented, is altered into the word “runs”. He sees an image of himself running, entirely unrelated to the picture of the hovering horse. Then he says “runs”.
The word “through” is altered into “throws”. He sees himself throwing a ball and says “throws”.
The next word, “the”, blanks out the picture again, even more confused, and still disoriented. His only recourse is to quadruple his concentration. In doing so, he omits saying “the”.
By now, his disorientation has created a feeling like dizziness. He is feeling sick to his stomach, and the words and letters are swimming around on the page.
For the last word “pasture”, he must track down each letter, one at a time, so he can sound out the word. Once he does, he sees a picture of a grassy place. Even though he is disoriented, because of the extra effort and energy he puts forth in catching and sounding out each letter, he says it right, “pasture”.
Having competed the sentence, he closes the book and pushes it away. That’s enough of that! When asked what he just read, he is likely to answer with something like “a place where grass grows”. He has a picture of a horse in the air, a stone fence, himself playing ball and a grassy place, but cannot relate the separate elements in the sentence to form a mental image of the scene described.
To everyone who saw or heard him read the sentence or heard his answer to what it was about, it’s obvious that he didn’t understand any of what he just read. As for him, he doesn’t care that he didn’t understand it. He’s just thankful that he survived the ordeal of reading out loud.
Do you see some similarities between what was described above and what you see in your child when he/she attempts to read?
5. WHY CAN’T MY CHILD ASSOCIATE THE NAME OF A LETTER WITH THE LETTER ITSELF? WHY IS MY CHILD CONFUSED WITH SOME OF THE LETTERS? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP HIM?
The reason this is happening is because of disorientation. Dyslexics cause disorientation to occur without realising it. They use it on an unconscious level to perceive multi-dimensionally. As infants, they somehow found a way to access the disorientation function of the brain and incorporate it into their thought and recognition processes. When it is used on real objects, that actually works. But when it is used on symbols (letters, numerals, punctuation marks, sight words) where there are no pictures, it causes confusion for them and confusion triggers disorientations.
What happens is the child is triggering on selected letters. Very often, it will be similar looking ones, like b, d, p, q, m, n, v, w, but that is not to say a child will not trigger on other letters. Sometimes it is not the letter that triggers the disorientation, it can also be the sound of that letter.
The way to correct that is to give the child a method to turn off the disorientation at will. In an oriented state, the child will then be able to perceive (vision, hearing, balance/movement, sense of time) information accurately, process and reproduce that information correctly.
What happens is the child is triggering on selected letters. Very often, it will be similar looking ones, like b, d, p, q, m, n, v, w, but that is not to say a child will not trigger on other letters. Sometimes it is not the letter that triggers the disorientation, it can also be the sound of that letter.
The way to correct that is to give the child a method to turn off the disorientation at will. In an oriented state, the child will then be able to perceive (vision, hearing, balance/movement, sense of time) information accurately, process and reproduce that information correctly.
6. WHY CAN’T MY CHILD RECOGNISE A WORD DESPITE REPEATED INSTRUCTIONS? THE WORD IS IN HIS SPEAKING VOCABULARY, BUT HE JUST CANNOT RECOGNISE IT IN PRINT.
Let's take a look at what goes through a dyslexic's mind when trying to read the word "CAT" for the first time.
When a dyslexic encounters the word "CAT", all he sees is the letters C-A-T. Being non-verbal thinkers, the letters by themselves do not make any sense to him. He then experiences the feeling of confusion because his brain fails to recognise the word. This then triggers his brain that alters his perception. In a split second, his brain looks at the word in at least 40 different permutations. This is as a result of him perceiving the word from various perspectives: forward, backward, upside down, right side up, left, right, etc, an ability brought about in a disoriented state in order to try and problem solve.
Then in another split second, because he still has no recognition of the word, the word will be pulled apart and reassembled in every possible permutations, all in an effort to try and make sense of it.
Had he been shown a cat (be it a real cat or in a picture), he would be able to associate the word CAT with a visual of a cat and will be able to recognise the word. However, the only method he knows for figuring out the word is through the process of elimination. And when he does this, it looks to others as though he is guessing.
When a dyslexic encounters the word "CAT", all he sees is the letters C-A-T. Being non-verbal thinkers, the letters by themselves do not make any sense to him. He then experiences the feeling of confusion because his brain fails to recognise the word. This then triggers his brain that alters his perception. In a split second, his brain looks at the word in at least 40 different permutations. This is as a result of him perceiving the word from various perspectives: forward, backward, upside down, right side up, left, right, etc, an ability brought about in a disoriented state in order to try and problem solve.
Then in another split second, because he still has no recognition of the word, the word will be pulled apart and reassembled in every possible permutations, all in an effort to try and make sense of it.
Had he been shown a cat (be it a real cat or in a picture), he would be able to associate the word CAT with a visual of a cat and will be able to recognise the word. However, the only method he knows for figuring out the word is through the process of elimination. And when he does this, it looks to others as though he is guessing.
7. MY DAUGHTER IS 7 YEARS OLD AND IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH READING, WRITING AND SPELLING. HOW DO I KNOW IF SHE IS HAVING LEARNING DIFFICULTY AND NOT BECAUSE SHE IS LAZY OR A SLOW LEARNER?
Symptoms are the first things people notice that cause them to suspect a learning difficulty. For dyslexia, the symptoms we see are actually symptoms of disorientation. See our list of common symptoms here.
8. WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND ABILITIES OF A DYSLEXIC?
Dyslexics have the ability to think in pictures, perceive multi-dimensionally (using all senses) and experience thought as reality. They have vivid imaginations and heightened awareness of the environment. They are highly intuitive, insightful and more curious than average. Most importantly, they have the primary ability to alter and create perceptions, which make them very creative people.
9. WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN ENGAGING AN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST?
When you approach an Educational Psychologist (EP) to conduct an assessment on your child, check if the EP’s charges are piecemeal or all-inclusive. I understand there are some EPs who charge piecemeal, meaning, $X for each test conducted and $Y for the written report.
In order to save some costs, parents may be swayed to pick and choose the tests to put their child through. But is this necessarily in the best interest of the child? What we want is a comprehensive assessment that covers all grounds.
Also, the psychologist's report is valid for 3 years and you will need to go back for reassessments in order to apply for exam accommodations, such as extension of time. So check the cost as well.
In order to save some costs, parents may be swayed to pick and choose the tests to put their child through. But is this necessarily in the best interest of the child? What we want is a comprehensive assessment that covers all grounds.
Also, the psychologist's report is valid for 3 years and you will need to go back for reassessments in order to apply for exam accommodations, such as extension of time. So check the cost as well.
10. WHERE CAN I BRING MY CHILD FOR AN ASSESSMENT?
There are a few paths available, namely:
a) MOE psychologists (check with your child's school on this)
b) referral from a polyclinic, which will then direct you to KKH, NUH or IMH, depending on the child's age
c) Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) which is private but subsidized
d) Private psychologists (can be an educational or clinical psychologist)
The first 3 options may cost lesser compared to a private psychologist but it could also mean a longer waiting time for an appointment.
Also, most psychologists will only carry out an assessment when the child has at least crossed the 6-year-old mark. At DAS, I know they conduct a screening (not diagnosis) to ascertain whether your child is at risk and they will then arrange for an assessment when the child turns 6.
a) MOE psychologists (check with your child's school on this)
b) referral from a polyclinic, which will then direct you to KKH, NUH or IMH, depending on the child's age
c) Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) which is private but subsidized
d) Private psychologists (can be an educational or clinical psychologist)
The first 3 options may cost lesser compared to a private psychologist but it could also mean a longer waiting time for an appointment.
Also, most psychologists will only carry out an assessment when the child has at least crossed the 6-year-old mark. At DAS, I know they conduct a screening (not diagnosis) to ascertain whether your child is at risk and they will then arrange for an assessment when the child turns 6.
11. WHAT INTERVENTION PROGRAMME SHOULD I LET MY CHILD GO FOR? THERE ARE SO MANY OUT THERE. ANY CRITERIA I CAN USE TO ASSESS IF THOSE PROGRAMMES ARE GOING TO HELP MY CHILD?
Parents do get overwhelmed when it comes to deciding which intervention programme to put their child through.
Having gone through the process myself and having learnt what dyslexia truly is, not just from a scientific, medical or research perspective, but also through a first person's experience (Ron Davis himself), this is what I think.
Many intervention programmes being offered today can generally be summed up as seeking to teach a child how to learn. Sounds perfectly legit right? However, to correct dyslexia (yes, it is possible), it is important to recognise the cause of the dyslexic symptoms and to remove that cause. In another words, the starting point is not to teach a child how to learn but to remove what is preventing their ability (we all know they are smart cookies) to learn. Once that obstacle is removed, then easeful learning can take place.
If a child is being taught how to learn without first removing the obstruction to learning, it will be an uphill task and progress is slow. Time is not on their side, especially if they have already entered our Singapore education system.
Putting my daughter through the Davis™ programme was a game changer for her and I cannot be more thankful for that. If you are also at the crossroad now, why not find out more about that programme?
Having gone through the process myself and having learnt what dyslexia truly is, not just from a scientific, medical or research perspective, but also through a first person's experience (Ron Davis himself), this is what I think.
Many intervention programmes being offered today can generally be summed up as seeking to teach a child how to learn. Sounds perfectly legit right? However, to correct dyslexia (yes, it is possible), it is important to recognise the cause of the dyslexic symptoms and to remove that cause. In another words, the starting point is not to teach a child how to learn but to remove what is preventing their ability (we all know they are smart cookies) to learn. Once that obstacle is removed, then easeful learning can take place.
If a child is being taught how to learn without first removing the obstruction to learning, it will be an uphill task and progress is slow. Time is not on their side, especially if they have already entered our Singapore education system.
Putting my daughter through the Davis™ programme was a game changer for her and I cannot be more thankful for that. If you are also at the crossroad now, why not find out more about that programme?
12. HOW IS THE DAVIS METHOD DIFFERENT FROM OTHER APPROACHES?
Ron Davis believes that dyslexia is a result of an inherent mental gift or talent. People who develop dyslexia think in pictures, rather than words; they are imaginative and creative; and they try to solve problems by looking at the whole picture, rather than working step-by-step. Davis Dyslexia Correction relies on using the mental talents that dyslexic people share to overcome the learning problems. To do this, students must learn and follow a different approach to learning. When dyslexic students recognise their mental talents, they develop a renewed sense of self-esteem and confidence. When they start to employ study methods which capitalise on their talents, progress is very rapid.
Some of the ways that Davis Dyslexia Correction differs from other programmes are:
1. The Davis method does not rely on instruction based on phonics. Since dyslexic students think in pictures, they have difficulty thinking with the sounds of words, and thus it is difficult for them to try to read by breaking words down into component sounds. In many cases, over emphasis on phonetic strategies will make things worse, and lead to a long term pattern of slow, laborious reading.
2. The Davis method does not employ repetition or drill. Dyslexic students have a hard time remembering things that they do not fully understand. Repetition and drill are a waste of time for them, and only increases their frustration because they will not retain information unless they understand where it fits into the "big picture".
3. The Davis method does not rely on physical devices such as colored overlays or large print books. Dyslexia is a developmental learning problem, and is not a result of problems with vision or hearing. While some physical devices may seem to make reading or writing easier, the use of such devices does not help the dyslexic student to function normally.
4. The Davis method does not rely on medications or herbal treatments. It is important for dyslexic students to take control of their own learning. Since dyslexia is not a disease or a psychiatric ailment, medications are not appropriate, and will only hinder the student's learning abilities.
5. The Davis method provides multiple tools that help to correct dyslexia:
- mental technique to stabilise perceptions
- alphabet mastery
- reading exercises to build left-to-right visual tracking skills
- Davis Symbol Mastery for words
Some of the ways that Davis Dyslexia Correction differs from other programmes are:
1. The Davis method does not rely on instruction based on phonics. Since dyslexic students think in pictures, they have difficulty thinking with the sounds of words, and thus it is difficult for them to try to read by breaking words down into component sounds. In many cases, over emphasis on phonetic strategies will make things worse, and lead to a long term pattern of slow, laborious reading.
2. The Davis method does not employ repetition or drill. Dyslexic students have a hard time remembering things that they do not fully understand. Repetition and drill are a waste of time for them, and only increases their frustration because they will not retain information unless they understand where it fits into the "big picture".
3. The Davis method does not rely on physical devices such as colored overlays or large print books. Dyslexia is a developmental learning problem, and is not a result of problems with vision or hearing. While some physical devices may seem to make reading or writing easier, the use of such devices does not help the dyslexic student to function normally.
4. The Davis method does not rely on medications or herbal treatments. It is important for dyslexic students to take control of their own learning. Since dyslexia is not a disease or a psychiatric ailment, medications are not appropriate, and will only hinder the student's learning abilities.
5. The Davis method provides multiple tools that help to correct dyslexia:
- mental technique to stabilise perceptions
- alphabet mastery
- reading exercises to build left-to-right visual tracking skills
- Davis Symbol Mastery for words
13. IS THERE ANY RESEARCH DONE ON THE DAVIS METHODOLOGY FOR CORRECTING DYSLEXIA?
Yes, there certainly is. You can go to www.dyslexia.com/research/articles/evidence-base-methods/ to access the information.
Dyslexia Correction Services Singapore
Licensed and certified by Davis Dyslexia Association International
