Teaching a child to read

Essentially language is made up of sounds represented by symbols called the alphabets that are stringed together to form words and sentences. So it is essential to work on the sounds of the letters and relate them to the sounds of the words. This is the foundation of reading.

For someone like my son whose attention span is short, I have to make up stories using alphabets, reading rhymes and singing songs to get him interested. Fortunately, he seemed to enjoy such 'learning' sessions. Also, such sessions enable us to develop a stronger bond.

As my son easily forgets what he have learned, I would cluster words together so that these form a pattern such it will facilitate him in recalling the words e.g. fall, ball, tall etc. I would also play word games with him so that he could make use the words he had learned recently. When we eat out or shop, I would sound out some of the words of the signages, bill boards, menu etc. I would also encourage him to do the same.

With concerted effort and patience, he has made some progress. He is been able to read and spell a little. Although his development lags behind others, I am glad that he is improving.

Helping out with Schoolwork

Tips in helping out in schoolwork:

(1) Show a keen interest
It is necessary to show a keen interest in your child's homework. For example, asking about which subject he liked most and any work that he needs to complete. Asking the child to write down the assignments given the teacher(s) in a notebook will help monitoring homework.

(2) Set a regular time frame for homework
Help your child organize homework materials before beginning. Establish a regular time with your child to do homework-developing a schedule helps avoid procrastination. Find a specific place for your child to do homework that has lots of light, quiet, and plenty of work space. Encourage your child to ask questions and search for answers, taking the time to figure out correct answers. Make sure your child backs up answers with facts and evidence.

(3) Relate schoolwork with everyday life
Relate what was covered in school to your child's everyday life. This will create an inquisitive mind to probe furhter by reading up or asking others like parents, teachers, older siblings etc for clarifications. Also, take the opportunity to read a book or newspaper and avoid switching on the television as this will distract your child.

(4) Praise
Praise your child for both the small steps and big leaps in the right direction. This will encourage the child to develop and improve further.

Dyslexia: Signs and symptoms

Dyslexia is a complex problem which is not easily detected especially pre-school children. Often symptoms become visible only when a child starts school. Some of the common symptoms are described in below by Mayo Clinic.

According to Mayo Clinic: "Children with dyslexia commonly have problems processing and understanding what they hear. They may have difficulty comprehending rapid instructions, following more than one command at a time or remembering the sequence of things. Reversals of letters (b for d) and a reversal of words (saw for was) are typical among children who have dyslexia. Reversals are also common for children age 6 and younger who don't have dyslexia. But with dyslexia, the reversals persist. Children with dyslexia may fail to see (and occasionally to hear) similarities and differences in letters and words, may not recognize the spacing that organizes letters into separate words, and may be unable to sound out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word."

As mentioned above, even children without dyslexia may exhibit symptoms from time to time, especially those 6 years old or younger. So do not be unduly concerned and it may well worth to have those suspected with this problem to be evaluated by professionals. Early intervention will help those afflicted with this problem to better cope with the additional challenges they face at schoool which include emotional and social difficulties. They will have rough at school with other children calling them names making them retreating into their own world. Teachers who may not be aware of the difficulties faced by dyslexics may attribute their poor performance at school for not putting in effort and do their work like other children. It can be quite counter-productive.

When in doubt, check it out. In Singapore, you may contact the Dyslexic Association of Singapore (DAS) and a host of other private organisations that could offer assistance in assessing and managing dyslexia.The following are useful links:

www.disability.org.sg
www.das.org.sg
www.moe.gov.sg/esp/schadm/sec1/Ref%20I.pdf

Learning Disabilities

Many of the learning disabilities are caused by the way the brain works. Although we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, smell with our noses and taste with our tongues, we perceive with our brains. People with learning diabilities tend to interpret visual and auditory signals differently. For instance, instead of reading the alphabet as 'b' as visually seen, the brain interprets it as 'd'. There also those with difficulties in making the sense out certain words or sounds they hear. These create confusion and a host of obstacles for a person with learning disability to learn.

There are many common types of learning disability. Perhaps the most commonly talked about disorder is dyslexia. People with dyslexia not only have problems with reading and writing but with spelling as well. People with this difficulty often have a hard time trying to figure the shape of the letters and most time reverse the order of the letters arranged in a word. Other types of common learning disorders include Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), developmental articulation disorder, developmental arithmetic disorder and developmental language disorder.

Learning disabilities affect between 5% to 20% of a nation. While there is not cure for learning disorders, the key to managing them is to understand the difficulties faced by a person that has one or more of the difficulties and help him/her with the challenges of everyday life.