Dyslexia/Reading & Learning Disabilities

“Feeling Cranky”

by | Mar 20, 2026 | ,

On any given week parents will come in seeking my advice about their child.  Invariably they bring in work samples from the child’s school work.

As they tell the stories and show me what’s being asked of their child, I can literally feel my “CM” (Cranky Meter) rising and I think to myself, “It’s a good thing I meditate.”

One of the things that makes me particularly cranky is the way math is taught.

Having never been a particularly good mathematics student myself, I think I would be in a state of panic the way children are asked to manage math.

Not sure when the reverence for word problems emerged, but word problems predominate the landscape.  I believe it’s linked to the view that math should always be enhancing “higher order thinking” that are embodied in the word problems.

Let’s look at, Chris age 8, a third grader who is a given a worksheet with 10 problems like:

“Winnie counted between 400 and 500 oranges.  The number of oranges is an odd number.  The number of oranges is the sum of two of the numbers below.  (Show your work.”)

137                  258                  114                  164                  281

 

After Chris muddled through with no idea what he was doing, at the top of the page was a “56% – F”.  There were no other comments.

Keeping in mind the fact that Chris doesn’t know what a percent is or what the % sign means or that his grade represented an “F” (also a concept he doesn’t understand), there’s also one small piece to consider.

Chris also had no idea what an “odd number” the word “sum.”  These words meant nothing to him

Oh, and one other point.  Chris  is a struggling reader, likely to be idetntified as dyslexic.  So, giving him one math word problem after another is doing nothing for his “higher-order thinking” or his basic math skills.

Takeaway Point

My “CM” is ringing off the hook.

I need to meditate more.

 

“The Continuum of Normality”

by | Nov 21, 2025 | , ,

In my files, I came upon an article I’ve kept for a few years, called, “The Real Reason Everyone Seems to Have ADHD These Days,” by Ralph Lewis, M.D..

Here are a few choice quotes from the article:

  • … Part of the confusion stems from how ADHD is described and categorized as a “disorder.” Most textbooks or official websites state that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, portraying it as an abnormal brain condition with specific causes. The phrasing of such explanations creates the impression that ADHD is a “thing” that you either “have” or don’t have. This inevitably leads to endless debate about whether it’s a “real thing” and whether a particular individual really “has” the condition or not. 
  • “Despite the language of the textbooks and official websites implying that ADHD is a clearly defined, well-demarcated disorder, most experts if pressed, would no doubt agree that ADHD is almost always on a continuum with normality.”
  • “The fact that there is no fixed cut-off or threshold for the diagnosis means that ADHD is not a categorical yes/no diagnosis.”

Those of you who have read my blog posts for some time, know that I am in full synch with these points.

Along with what Dr. Lewis said about ADHD, you can substitute the word “dyslexia,” and the same essential point applies, as reading, spelling and writing issues occur on a continuum.

I like the phrase that he used, the “continuum of normality.”  It helps to move you away from something I refer to as “disorder thinking,” to viewing issues on a  normal continuum.

Put this on your phone notes:  “It’s all a continuum, baby.” (Dr. Richard Selznick).

Do you think that will make it into Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations?  Maybe you can nominate it for me!

 

“Getting Dissed (or ‘Dys’d’)”

by | Oct 17, 2025 | ,

Without turning this into a confessional, when I look back on my schooling here are a few things I know:

  • Math was far my strong suit. I probably needed tutoring, particularly as I had to suffer through geometry, algebra and calculus.  So, did that mean I had “dyscalculia” (i.e., a math disability)?”
  • My penmanship was awful.  My grandmother, a very old school second grade teacher, gave me penmanship lessons.  (They obviously didn’t take, as evidenced by my persistent scrawl.)  So, along with my “dyscalculia,” did I also have  “dysgraphia?”
  • My reading skills were reasonably strong, so I couldn’t own dyslexia (phew!).
  • I don’t think I was emotionally dysregulated, but who knows. My parents are no longer around to tell that side of the story.
  • While I think I got along with most of the kids, I was probably “dysmissed” by some along the way.  (Ok, I am taking poetic license here with a made up word.)

Aa long time ago in a galaxy far away, there were no “dys’s.”  They were not part of our parlance.

Now the “dys’s”  are front and center, occupying a great deal of parental speculation and concern, as in, “Do you think my child has dyscalciulia? (or whatever).

Are we better off now or the way it used to be?  I think arguments could be made on both sides.

Having assessed thousand of kids at this point, I often find it difficult to confidently determine where a weakness leaves off and a “dys” begins.  (e.g., It may be objective that the child is not reading well based on normative tests, but is it dyslexia?)

A weakness does not necessarily make it a disability.  Weaknesses are always part of a spectrum ranging from mild to more significant (severe).

Welcome to my murky world.

“Do You Have a ‘Marginally Ready’ Child?”

by | Sep 5, 2025 |

Over the years, I’ve been a bit of a hoarder. Like most things, there are advantages and disadvantages to this habit.

One advantage is that I have held on to different journals that were in the dustbins of Temple University’s renowned Reading Clinic, which at one time was one of the leading clinics in the country.

Attempting to declutter, I started going through some of these journals and found many articles written by some of the top theorists and researchers in the field from 40, 50 and 60 years ago.

Skimming through them it was stunning how many brilliant nuggets are still very relevant  to the present day.

One that caught my eye  was an article by the late learning dishabilles pioneer, Dr. Jeanette Jansky,  called,  “The Marginally Ready Child.”

In the opening of the piece, Dr. Jansky refers to early elementary grade children who rarely get anyone’s attention and are only, “marginally ready.”  (In effect, they’re borderline “ok.”)

As noted by Dr. Jansky, “Although they had learned to read at the expected time, they did not read easily…. I believe the marginally ready child slips past us all too often; he ‘sort of’ learns to read.

I love this concept of the “marginally ready” child.    Such a child would rarely qualify for any services and they easily slip through the cracks.

If you think you have one of these children, find an experienced tutor who can identify specific areas of weakness and get to work on shoring up the skill foundation.

Don’t wait, as the marginally ready child’s weakness gap can easily widen over time.

Copyright:  Dr. Richard Selznick, http://www.shutdownlearner.com

 

“Jargon & Phonemic Awareness”

by | Jun 13, 2025 | ,

There are many terms within education and dyslexia that don’t translate well.

My criteria for determining whether something translates well is the person-on-the-street standard.

That is, if you stop the average person on the street and asked them what a term means and you get a confused look, then the term is probably jargon.

Phonemic awareness is such a term often used in talking about dyslexia that does not translate easily.  It is jargon.  Therefore, I would encourage professionals to stop using it.

If you feel you must use it, find another way to explain what it means.

To help you, phonemic awareness is essentially the awareness of sounds within a given word.  The classic screening for phonemic awareness is the following:

To the child:  “Say the word ‘cat’.’”  (Child repeats the word.  “Now say ‘cat’ without saying /k/.”  If the child has awareness of word sounds, they will say “at.”

Phonemic awareness became a big deal a few decades ago when research showed that children with reading disability (i.e., dyslexia) often are weak in this skill.

In other words, phonemic awareness correlated with dyslexia.

Please keep in mind something that you may have learned from your introductory statistics classes.

Correlation does not imply causality.  In other words, phonemic awareness is not a cause of dyslexia.

Takeaway Point

Don’t weaken! Stay jargon free!

“Getting ‘Dissed'”

by | Mar 6, 2025 | ,

Without turning this into a confessional, when I look back on my schooling here are a few things I know:

  • Math was far my strong suit. I probably needed tutoring, particularly as I had to suffer through geometry, algebra and calculus.  So, did that make me “dyscalculic? (i.e., math disabled)”
  • My penmanship was awful. My grandmother, a very old school second grade teacher, gave me penmanship lessons.  (They obviously didn’t take, as evidenced by my persistent scrawl.)  So, along with my “dyscalculia,” was I also “dysgraphic?”
  • My reading skills were reasonably strong, so I couldn’t own that particular “dys,” as in dyslexia.
  • I don’t think I was emotionally dysregulated, but who knows. My parents are no longer around to tell that side of the story.  They might have just called me spoiled, without the “dys” attached to the regulated.
  • While I think I got along with most of the kids, I was probably “dysmissed” by some along the way.  (Ok, I am taking poetic license here with a made up word.)

Back in the day, a long time ago in a galaxy far away, there were no “dys’s.”  They were not part of our parlance.

Now the “dys’s”  are front and center, occupying a great deal of parental speculation and concern.  Are we better off now or the way it used to be?  I think arguments could be made on both sides.

Having assessed thousand of kids at this point, I often find it difficult to confidently determine where a weakness leaves off and a “dys” is there.  (e.g., It may be objective that the child is not reading well, but is it necessarily “dyslexia?”)

A weakness does not necessarily make it a disability.

it’s often shades of gray and unclear.

Welcome to my murky world.

 

Don’t Wait For School’s Blessings: Trust Your Gut

by | Feb 7, 2025 | ,

Anxiety over a child’s school-based problems can start very early.

After reading The Shut-Down Learner, a mom contacted me.  “My son’s drowning in in school.  Do you think he could be a shut-down learner,” she asked.

After asking a few more questions, I was struck by the fact that the child in question was only six in the beginning of first grade.

When I wrote the Shut-Down Learner I was largely envisioning a disconnected, shut-down adolescent.

However, as I gave more talks to parents, so many of the concerns raised involved young children, typically ages 5 – 9.

To help explain things to parents I created a formula:

Early Cracks in the Foundation + Time + Lack of Understanding + Widening cracks  = Shut Down Learner

So, while the child of concern may only be in beginning first grade there are cracks that can be identified.  Time goes by quickly and with a lack of understanding how to address them, they widen and the child becomes increasingly discouraged (i.e., shut-down).

Takeaway Point

Don’t wait for the school’s blessings or the doctor’s diagnosis. Trust your parent gut.  If you think there is something wrong, 99.9% of the time there is.

There’s no gain in waiting.  Do what you can to fill the cracks (e.g., tutoring, home activities targeting skills, etc.).

Venting My Spleen (Once Again)

by | Jan 30, 2025 | , , ,

Those of you following this blog for some time know there are some recurring themes in these posts.  Frequently, the blogs are my outlet for getting things off my chest that  frequently come up in my interactions with parents.

If you’re a relative newcomer, I will help to bring you up to speed with some of the predominant ones:

  1. The LD-Discrepancy Model: Easily the number one issue that gets under my skin is the LD-Discrepancy model used in many states (New Jersey being one) to classify children in special education as learning disabled.  I discussed it in a previous blog post   (LD Discrepancy Post) , but if if you need a primer on the LD-Discrepancy model, this is a great overview from Understood.org:  Understood.Org Discrepancy.
  2. Pathologizing Childhood: Not all child problems are neurobiological (i.e., “brain-based”) disabilities.   Some issues are just kids being kids. (Please see my blog on boy executive function deficits:  (Boy Executive Function Blog ).  Also, sometimes the material being given to them is inappropriate to their level of reading ability.  That is not a neurological problem (i.e., “dyslexia)   It’s a curriculum issue.
  3. “Diagnosing” ADHD Based on Small Data: Checking a few items (e.g., “Easily distractible….Inattentive, etc.”) on a rating scale like the Vanderbilt given in the pediatrician’s office is not enough.   There are a multitude of factors that could be producing the distractibility.  Many of these factors should be understood before putting a child on medication for ADHD
  4. “We can’t diagnose dyslexia – you need to see a neurologist.” Parents are reflexively told this by the school based on school regulations when they raise concerns of dyslexia.   Seriously, how many neurologists that you know give a battery of reading, spelling and writing tests that are necessary to assess dyslexia?  At its core, dyslexia is a reading, spelling and writing problem.  How can this be determined without a battery of reading (and writing) measures?  Stop telling parents it is a medical condition.
  5. “This or That Thinking:” “I just want to get to the bottom of it, ” parents will say.  “I just don’t know if it’s ADD or laziness.”   The problem as I see it is that there rarely is a bottom.  The truth is, it’s almost never,  “this or that.”  With most kids it’s almost always, “this and that and that.”
  6. Overplaying 504 Plans: Listen up, gang. The reality of 504 Plans can only do so much.  504s do not offer services, but basic accommodations (e.g., extended time, repeating directions, etc.).
  7. “Hey, Bud” Parenting: I hate to break the news to parents out there, but they are your children.  You don’t set limits with your buddies.  You set limits with children.
  8. Screen Addicts: I get it.  Times change.  I don’t get the newspaper delivered any more.  I have my phone with me most of the time, and am in a froth when I can’t locate it.  With that said, kids care about little else other than their screens.   They are becoming addicted.   We’re not facing it.

 Takeaway Point:  I understand that some may think that I am just saying these things because I am at the “get off my lawn” stage of life.  Maybe it’s compounded by that fact, but I have been repeating these themes to parents for many years, well before my current age/stage.

(Perhaps getting it off my chest helps –  it’s still cheaper than real therapy!!!)

Dyslexia (aka “Voldemort”) – “He Who Must Not Be Named”

by | Jan 23, 2025 |

Parents  frequently raise questions of dyslexia with their child’s school.

When they report back to me how the conversation went, I get the feeling that the school goes into a sort of quiet hush mode, like they are talking about Voldemort – “He Who Must Not Be Named.”

At the heart of this posture is the mistaken view that dyslexia is a medical condition and that, “Since we are not doctors, we can’t diagnose.”

Come on, folks.

Dyslexia (Voldemort) is a learning disability.

Here’s what the International Dyslexia Association said about the evil one:

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, that results in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading.

Is it really all that different than the Federal special education code’s  definition of a learning disability?

“Specific learning disability (SLD) is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or perform mathematical calculations. Specific learning disability categories include dyslexia, executive function disorder, perceptual disabilities, rain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, and developmental aphasia.” 

Takeaway Point

It’s really not that scary.

Say its name.

 

Brief Tip: Know What You Are Targeting

by | Dec 19, 2024 | , ,

Many children referred for assessments are related to struggles with reading, spelling and writing.

Not knowing what direction to go, parents feel a sense of desperation and need guidance on appropriate next steps.

Once the issues are identified, the remediation, unfortunately, can be a bit scattershot.  This is embodied in the statement a teacher recently told a mom, “Well, we do a bit of everything…a little comprehension, some decoding, and writing stories.  We’ll touch all bases.”

For struggling children, I prefer a different mindset.

Rather than a “touch-all-bases” approach, I suggest a different direction.

To get clear on the remediation, start with the concept that there are are two fundamental types of reading problems:

  • Type I: The Type I child has trouble with reading rate, accuracy and fluency.  These children largely fit the definition of dyslexia.
  • Type II: These are children who read fluently, but have difficulty understanding what they read.  Usually, they have trouble with inferences and drawing conclusions.  For such children, confusion reigns.  Unfortunately, they are often quickly viewed as Inattentive ADHD, when there are likely other variables not readily understood.

For either type, tutoring is a great way to go, but only if the tutor is clear on what the problem is and that they are committed to a laser-focused approach.

Scattershot may work for the children who are not in the Type I or Type II categories, but for the rest, it’s important to get clear.

Know what you are targeting.

Categories