Children with learning differences such as dyslexia often fail in school. It can be very difficult for them. When this happens, parents can get very frustrated, not knowing what to do.
It’s no surprise when these children struggle in the public school system. The system is not set up to provide a good education for them. Kids that don’t fit the mold fall through the cracks. They get labeled as unintelligent. This is sad because they may be the most intelligent in their class.
This is because dyslexics often develop higher-level ways of thinking. They develop mental gifts. These gifts help them overcome areas that they struggle in.
The Magic of Neuroplasticity
The forming of these gifts is due to the brain’s ability to adapt. When the brain adapts it is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is what sets human brains apart from animal brains. Neuroplasticity is what makes us intelligent.
Dyslexics being so good at adapting is great news. The ability to adapt can also help a dyslexic overcome their difficulties. Brains can and do change. We need to help them do so.
You can help your child with this by doing simple exercises. You can help them develop their unique gifts. While at the same time eliminating their struggles
The Bad News
Most children with learning differences don’t get help. They get squeezed into the box of public education. They end up falling behind. They become frustrated with school work. They assume they are stupid. Then they give up.
This is incredibly tragic. Some dyslexics somehow overcome this and go on to live successful lives. Unfortunately, the majority don’t. They barely make it through school. Often passed on without a good education. They take jobs far below their potential. And because of their low self-esteem, they choose mates that are not good for them.
Schools Are Not Able To Help
Most teachers are not trained to help children with learning differences. Because teachers can’t help, kids get pushed into remedial classes. Schools warehouse children. They push them through the system. These children are never provided with a decent education
Dyslexia is a different way of thinking and a result of neurodiversity. Dyslexics have different strengths than typical students. It can be confusing for a student to be in a typical learning environment.
- Each person’s brain operates a little differently from any other person’s brain.
- Typical teaching methods are not always compatible with the way a dyslexic learns
- Most educational methods cater to using one broad approach for all students.
Dyslexic Brains Are Organized Differently
Children with dyslexia tend to struggle with phonics or sounding out words. There are three areas that can challenge the dyslexic brain:
- Phoneme awareness
- Fluency
- Comprehension
There Are Simple Ways Parents Can Help
Step 1 – Build Confidence
Children with learning differences lose confidence. This is because they assume they are stupid. When they are just different.
So the most important first step is to help the child build confidence in themselves. Neuroscience has come up with many proven techniques for building confidence in children.
Warning! There is still a lot of bad information out there on building confidence. Early childhood development gurus got this wrong. So be careful.
Step 2 – Proprioceptive Exercises
Brains change and grow. We are not stuck with the brains we were born with. But because this was recently proven, a lot of people still think otherwise.
Parents can embrace their children’s true brilliance. At the same time, they can help them develop in their weaker areas.
Proprioceptive exercises prep a child’s brain for learning. These exercises have become more popular. Many parents use them with their children now. The results are thrilling.
Step 3 – Build Up The Cognitive Micro-Skills
Struggling in school is always due to weaknesses in certain cognitive micro-skills. As we know, brains can change and grow. That means children can correct these weaknesses.
Parents can help their children correct these weak areas by using micro-skill exercises. Coupling these exercises with proprioceptive exercises speeds progress.
When confidence building techniques are also used the child will work harder. They actually become thrilled to learn again. Learning becomes fun. Instead of learning being drudgery
Key Takeaways:
- A Learning Difference Does Not Mean Stupid
- Brains can and do change
- It takes a little work but it’s not impossible
It’s Important to Recognize Learning Differences Early
Dyslexic think a little differently. Thus, learning to read for a dyslexic child requires non-traditional methods. Learning methods that work well for others may not work for them.
And what makes things worse is that schools wait way too long to do anything.
Long after the student has experienced repeated scholastic failures. Long after they have fallen far behind their peers.
If a child suffers for a long period before getting help it is likely they will lose self-esteem. This makes things far more difficult.
Steps to Correct
1) Neuroscience and psychology-based confidence building techniques
A lot of studies has centered around confidence. How to build it and how it affects everything else. We’ve come a long way in the science of confidence. The techniques used in the ’70s and ’80s have been shown to be wrong. Even damaging. Use modern confidence-building techniques.
2) Proprioceptive Exercises
Use proprioceptive exercises to stimulate neuroplasticity and create spatial awareness. This will also improve focus because it integrates the senses better
3) Improve Cognitive Micro-Skills
Our intelligence is actually made up of many smaller skills. These are called cognitive micro-skills. Together they make up our intelligence. You can improve each one individually. Doing so improves overall intelligence.
Three simple processes any parent can do with their child. They are all built into the Brain Bloom System.
By doing so you can give your child their best life possible. Isn’t that what we, as parents, want most?.