Tag: AFS-method

  • 10 Free Halloween Worksheets for Kids: Spooky-Fun Practice for Seeing, Hearing, Counting, and Reading

    10 Free Halloween Worksheets for Kids: Spooky-Fun Practice for Seeing, Hearing, Counting, and Reading

    Halloween is a week away, and we made something for it: 10 free Halloween worksheets for kids, ready to print as one PDF. Each sheet trains one skill that reading, spelling, writing, and/or calculating are built on, from looking closely and remembering to listening, counting, and telling b from d. The figures are friendly, not scary, so even the youngest can join in.

    In short

    • 10 free Halloween worksheets plus an answer key, 11 pages in one PDF, US Letter.
    • Every sheet trains one area of the AFS-Method: seeing, remembering, sequence, space, hearing, quantities, letters, and words.
    • About ten minutes per sheet. One sheet a day fits nicely into the week before Halloween.
    • No sign-up, no email, free for home and classroom use.
    • Want to play too? Our free Halloween memory game runs in any browser.

    What is in the free Halloween worksheet pack?

    The pack has ten worksheets and one page with answers for parents and teachers. Each worksheet names the skill it trains in the purple header, so you can pick the sheets your child needs most. Click a picture to see the sheet in full size.

    Free Halloween worksheet 1: Find the Twin (Seeing: visual differentiation)
    1. Find the Twin
    Seeing: visual differentiation. Circle the one picture that looks exactly like the sample. The others are flipped, turned, or have a different color.
    Free Halloween worksheet 2: Spot the 6 Differences (Seeing and attention)
    2. Spot the 6 Differences
    Seeing and attention. Two Halloween scenes that look the same, but six details changed.
    Free Halloween worksheet 3: Remember the Monsters (Visual memory)
    3. Remember the Monsters
    Visual memory. Look at five pictures for 30 seconds, fold the page, then find them again in a grid of twelve.
    Free Halloween worksheet 4: What Comes Next? (Visual sequencing)
    4. What Comes Next?
    Visual sequencing. Continue six picture patterns, from easy (pumpkin, bat, pumpkin) to tricky.
    Free Halloween worksheet 5: Where Is It? (Spatial orientation)
    5. Where Is It?
    Spatial orientation. Above, below, left, right: answer six questions about the Halloween shelf.
    Free Halloween worksheet 6: Count the Treats (Numbers and quantities)
    6. Count the Treats
    Numbers and quantities. Count candy, pumpkins, bats, candy corn, and spiders, then compare: how many more?
    Free Halloween worksheet 7: b or d? Pumpkin Patch (Symptom training: letters)
    7. b or d? Pumpkin Patch
    Symptom training: letters. Color the b pumpkins orange and the d pumpkins green. p and q stay white.
    Free Halloween worksheet 8: Halloween Word Search (Reading and spelling)
    8. Halloween Word Search
    Reading and spelling. Ten Halloween words, only across and down, with a picture next to every word.
    Free Halloween worksheet 9: Clap the Syllables (Hearing: auditory differentiation)
    9. Clap the Syllables
    Hearing: auditory differentiation. Say the word, clap the syllables, color one circle per clap, and write the first letter.
    Free Halloween worksheet 10: Help the Ghost Find the Pumpkin (Attention and fine motor skills)
    10. Help the Ghost Find the Pumpkin
    Attention and fine motor skills. A maze for a slow, careful pencil line.

    How do you use Halloween worksheets with a child who has dyslexia?

    Short and daily works better than long and rare. Ten minutes is enough. Pick a calm time, the same time every day, and stop while it is still fun. Praise the effort, not only the result: a child who tries the maze slowly and carefully has done exactly what the sheet asks.

    A simple plan for the week before Halloween:

    • Start with the sheets for seeing and attention (1, 2, 3, 4, and 10). They warm up the eyes and the focus.
    • Then add space, hearing, and numbers (5, 9, and 6). Read the questions aloud if reading is still hard.
    • Save the letter and word sheets for last (7 and 8). By then the child has practiced looking closely, and b and d are easier to tell apart.
    • Use the answer key together. Errors are information, not failure: they show you which skill needs a little more practice.

    If your child struggles with the same kind of sheet again and again, write it down. That pattern is useful for a closer look with a Certified Dyslexia Trainer.

    Why do the worksheets train seeing, hearing, and space before letters?

    The worksheets follow the AFS-Method, developed by dyslexia researcher Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller. The method trains three areas together: attention, the sensory perceptions, and the symptoms in reading, spelling, writing, and/or calculating. A child who mixes up b and d often does not need to write b and d fifty more times. The child first needs to see the small difference, remember it, and know where left and right are. That is why most of the Halloween sheets train perception, and only two work with letters and words.

    The sensory perceptions behind reading and math are visual differentiation, visual memory, visual sequencing, spatial orientation, auditory differentiation, and the sense of quantity. Each of them has its own sheet in this pack, so one Halloween week covers the whole set.

    Is there a Halloween game, too?

    Yes. Our free memory game Pairthrum has a Halloween card set with nine funny spooky figures. It runs in any browser, with no ads and no sign-up, and you can choose 6, 8, 12, or 18 cards. Memory games train visual memory, the same skill as worksheet 3.

    For more free practice after Halloween, see our free dyslexia resources for parents and teachers, the 1,500 free worksheets, and the 31-day plan for Dyslexia Awareness Month. More games for every sense are free at easy-training-program.com, a new picture puzzle waits every day at spot-differences.com, and more word searches are at findthewordsabc.com.

    Frequently asked questions

    Are these Halloween worksheets really free?

    Yes. All 10 worksheets and the answer key are free to download, print, and copy for home and classroom use. There is no sign-up and no email address needed. The American Dyslexia Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and keeps its materials free for families and teachers.

    What age are the Halloween worksheets for?

    Most sheets work for children from about 5 to 9 years. Younger children can do the picture sheets (find the twin, spot the differences, memory, patterns, maze) with a grown-up reading the instructions. The letter and word sheets fit children who are learning to read and write.

    How long should a child work on one worksheet?

    About ten minutes. Short daily practice works better than one long session. Stop while the child still enjoys it, and praise the effort, not only the result.

    Can these worksheets help a child with dyslexia?

    They can be part of the practice. The sheets train attention and the sensory perceptions that reading, spelling, writing, and/or calculating are built on, in the order of the AFS-Method. They do not replace an assessment or regular training with a Certified Dyslexia Trainer.

    About the American Dyslexia Association

    The American Dyslexia Association (ADA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity based in Osprey, Florida. It supports children, families, educators, and adults affected by dyslexia and dyscalculia with free information, worksheets, games, and the AFS-Method. More at american-dyslexia-association.org.

    Sources

    1. Kopp-Duller, A.: Dyslexia – Training Using the AFS-Method, 3rd revised edition, 2021.
    2. AFS-Method: overview of attention, function, and symptom training. https://www.afs-method.com/
    3. Pairthrum memory game, Halloween card set. https://appsthrum.com/pairthrum/
  • 31 Days of Free Dyslexia Help: Your Dyslexia Awareness Month Plan

    31 Days of Free Dyslexia Help: Your Dyslexia Awareness Month Plan

    In short

    • October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. This plan gives you one free activity for each of its 31 days.
    • Each activity takes about ten minutes. You need no account, no app purchase, and no special training.
    • The order follows the AFS-Method: attention first, then seeing, hearing, space and body, then words and numbers.
    • Sundays are family days: you read aloud or play together, so your child gets one calm day each week.
    • You can start on any day. Missed a day? Skip it or move it. Consistency matters more than the calendar.
    The 31-day plan in about 90 seconds.

    Every day of the plan also comes with a short video that shows exactly what to do. You will find one new video a day, through October 31, on our Facebook page at facebook.com/americandyslexiaassociation and on Instagram at instagram.com/americandyslexiaassociation.

    As many as 1 in 5 people have dyslexia, according to the U.S. Senate resolution that designated October 2025 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month [1]. The same resolution notes that the gap between typical readers and dyslexic readers appears as early as first grade. So this Dyslexia Awareness Month, we did not want to give you another list of facts. We wanted to give you something to do, every day of October, for free.

    Below is your 31-day plan. Every day has one short activity from the free resources of the American Dyslexia Association (ADA) and its partners: brain-training games, printable worksheets, audio training, a word of the day, and learning apps. Bookmark this page, or print it and put it on the fridge.

    How does the 31-day Dyslexia Awareness Month plan work?

    You spend about ten minutes a day on one activity, and you follow the order of the weeks. The plan is built on the AFS-Method, which works in three steps: Attention, Function (the sensory perceptions of seeing, hearing, and spatial orientation), and Symptom (reading, writing, and math). Most children with dyslexia do not need more of the same spelling drill. They need their perception trained first, so that the letters and numbers they practice later can actually stick.

    That is why the plan starts with two attention games and moves on, week by week, to seeing, hearing, space, and body. Only in the last week do words and numbers come in. Three simple rules make it work:

    1. Same time, every day. After an afternoon snack or before dinner works well. Ten minutes, then stop, even if it is going well.
    2. Praise the effort, not the score. Children with dyslexia hear a lot about their mistakes at school. At home, they should hear what went well.
    3. Stay calm on hard days. If an activity frustrates your child, switch to an easier level or yesterday’s game. Nothing in this plan is a test.

    Most games in the plan come from the Easy Training Program, a free collection of brain-training games sorted by sensory area. They run in any browser, on a tablet or a computer, with no sign-up.

    Week 1, October 1 to 7: Attention and looking closely

    The first week trains attention and visual recognition, because a child who cannot hold attention for a few minutes cannot use any other exercise. Background: Attention Training: Building Focus for Learning Success and Inside the AFS-Test: Visual Recognition.

    DayYour 10 minutesWhat it trains
    Day 1
    Oct 1 (Thu)
    Play Arrow Stroop: click the direction of the middle arrow and ignore the others.Attention
    Day 2
    Oct 2 (Fri)
    Play Count Stroop: count how many digits you see, not which digit it is.Attention
    Day 3
    Oct 3 (Sat)
    Solve today’s Picture of the Day on spot-differences.com, online or printed.Visual recognition
    Day 4
    Oct 4 (Sun)
    Read-aloud Sunday: you read, your child listens and looks at the pictures. Why this matters: The Book Lady.Joy in stories
    Day 5
    Oct 5 (Mon)
    Play Dot to Number: match the dots to the right number.Visual recognition
    Day 6
    Oct 6 (Tue)
    Play Shape Matcher: shape, fill, and outline must all match.Visual recognition
    Day 7
    Oct 7 (Wed)
    Print one page from the Visual Recognition set in the ADA FREE Worksheets (276 pages).Visual recognition

    Week 2, October 8 to 14: Remembering what you see

    The second week trains visual memory and visual sequencing, the skills a child needs to keep the order of letters in a word. Background: Inside the AFS-Test: Visual Memory and Visual Sequencing.

    DayYour 10 minutesWhat it trains
    Day 8
    Oct 8 (Thu)
    Play Memory 4×4: memorize the cards, then find the 8 pairs.Visual memory
    Day 9
    Oct 9 (Fri)
    Play Color Recall: which color was in the highlighted square?Visual memory
    Day 10
    Oct 10 (Sat)
    Play Picture Sequence: watch the pictures, then repeat them in order.Visual sequencing
    Day 11
    Oct 11 (Sun)
    Read-aloud Sunday, plus one printed puzzle from Spot the 10 Differences.Visual recognition
    Day 12
    Oct 12 (Mon)
    Play Number Chain: the chain of numbers grows each round.Visual sequencing
    Day 13
    Oct 13 (Tue)
    Play Simon Visual: repeat the growing color sequence.Visual sequencing
    Day 14
    Oct 14 (Wed)
    Print one Visual Memory or Visual Sequencing page from the ADA FREE Worksheets.Visual memory and sequencing

    Week 3, October 15 to 21: Listening carefully

    The third week trains auditory perception, because a child who cannot hear the difference between two sounds will struggle to write them. Background: Sensory Perception Training: Visual, Auditory, and Spatial Foundations.

    DayYour 10 minutesWhat it trains
    Day 15
    Oct 15 (Thu)
    Listen to Track 1 of Ears Open!, ADA’s free audio training, and name every sound you hear.Auditory recognition
    Day 16
    Oct 16 (Fri)
    Play Tone Match: are the two tones the same or different?Auditory recognition
    Day 17
    Oct 17 (Sat)
    Play Rhyme Detective: do the two words rhyme?Auditory sequencing
    Day 18
    Oct 18 (Sun)
    Read-aloud Sunday with a rhyming book. Then try a harder track of Ears Open! (there are 12).Listening
    Day 19
    Oct 19 (Mon)
    Play Sound Sequence: repeat the sounds in the right order.Auditory memory
    Day 20
    Oct 20 (Tue)
    Play Missing Sound: which sound was left out?Auditory recognition
    Day 21
    Oct 21 (Wed)
    Play Beat Pattern: copy the pattern of high and low beats.Auditory sequencing

    Week 4, October 22 to 28: Space, body, and the first words

    The fourth week trains spatial orientation and body perception, then moves to words, the point where perception training turns into reading and writing. Background: Symptom Training in Language Arts.

    DayYour 10 minutesWhat it trains
    Day 22
    Oct 22 (Thu)
    Play Turn Me Right: find the picture turned 90 degrees.Spatial orientation
    Day 23
    Oct 23 (Fri)
    Play Mirror Me: find the mirrored picture. Think of b and d.Spatial orientation
    Day 24
    Oct 24 (Sat)
    Play Left or Right?: tap the right body part, fast.Body perception
    Day 25
    Oct 25 (Sun)
    Family Sunday: build three figures together in Tangramthrum, free in the browser.Spatial orientation
    Day 26
    Oct 26 (Mon)
    Take today’s Word of the Day: look at it, say it, explain what it means.Reading and spelling
    Day 27
    Oct 27 (Tue)
    Make a sheet with the Word of the Day in the Handwriting Worksheet Wizard and write it five times.Writing
    Day 28
    Oct 28 (Wed)
    Do one puzzle on Find the Words, starting at Level 1.Reading

    October 29 to 31: Reading, numbers, and a look back

    The last three days bring reading and math together and end the month with praise.

    DayYour 10 minutesWhat it trains
    Day 29
    Oct 29 (Thu)
    Fill in one cloze text on cloze-test.com: read the sentence, find the missing word.Reading comprehension
    Day 30
    Oct 30 (Fri)
    Play Twenty Zone or Math Bingo on AFS5.com, then print one sheet from the Math Worksheet Wizard.Math
    Day 31
    Oct 31 (Sat)
    Let your child pick the favorite game of the month and play it once more. Then tell your child three things that got easier.Confidence

    What if we start in the middle of October?

    Start today with the day that matches today’s date, or start with Day 1. Both work. If your child has never trained attention, Day 1 is the better start, because the later weeks build on it. If you start late, simply carry the plan into November. A child who trains ten minutes a day for 31 days has done the plan, no matter which month it ends in.

    If your child is younger than six, pick the easiest level of each game and do it together. If your child is older, let them choose the order inside each week. A choice turns practice into something they own.

    Why ten minutes a day instead of one long session?

    Short daily practice works better than one long session on the weekend, because perception is trained by repetition, not by effort. In the AFS-Method, parents practice with their child for ten to fifteen minutes a day, and a Certified Dyslexia Trainer guides the plan about once a week [3]. Ten minutes is short enough that a tired child can still do it, and long enough to make a difference over a month.

    Our free lesson series explains how trainers turn this into a home routine: From Session Design to Home Practice. The lesson is written for trainers, but many parents find it helpful.

    What a free plan can do, and what it cannot

    This plan can show you where your child finds things easy and where they find them hard. It cannot replace a test or a Certified Dyslexia Trainer. Watch which weeks go smoothly and which ones are a struggle. A child who flies through the visual games but cannot hear the difference between two tones in Week 3 is telling you something useful.

    If you notice that pattern, the next step is a closer look. The AFS-Test checks attention and each sensory perception one by one and turns the result into an individual training plan. To find a Certified Dyslexia Trainer near you or online, use dyslexiatrainer.com.

    Teachers and parents who want to go further can train as a Certified Dyslexia Trainer themselves. The 48-lesson Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program is 50% off this October for the first 50 sign-ups, and Lesson 1 is free.

    Where to find more free dyslexia resources

    This plan uses only a part of what we give away. The full list is in our post Free Dyslexia Resources for Parents and Teachers. You will also find 1,500 free worksheets on this blog, the Freebies section, and more than 1,500 printable pages in the ADA FREE Worksheets library. Our free learning apps are listed on appsthrum.com.

    All of this stays free because the American Dyslexia Association is a nonprofit. Read what ADA’s 501(c)(3) dyslexia charity status means for donors and members.

    Frequently asked questions

    When is Dyslexia Awareness Month?

    Dyslexia Awareness Month is in October. The U.S. Senate designated October 2025 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month in S. Res. 471, and a resolution for October 2026 was introduced on September 30, 2026.

    Are all activities in the 31-day plan really free?

    Yes. Every game, worksheet, audio track, and app in the plan is free and needs no account. The games are on easy-training-program.com, the worksheets on american-dyslexia-association.org.

    What if my child still struggles after October?

    Then a closer look helps. The AFS-Test shows which sensory perceptions need training, and dyslexiatrainer.com lists Certified Dyslexia Trainers who work in person and online.

    Sources

    1. U.S. Senate, S. Res. 471, 119th Congress, agreed to October 28, 2025: designating October 2025 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month. govinfo.gov
    2. U.S. Senate, S. Res. 933, 119th Congress, introduced September 30, 2026: support for October 2026 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month. congress.gov
    3. Kopp-Duller, A. (2021). Dyslexia – Training Using the AFS-Method (3rd revised ed.). Background: afs-method.com
    4. Easy Training Program, free brain-training games by sensory area. easy-training-program.com
    5. American Dyslexia Association, FREE Worksheets and Ears Open! audio training. american-dyslexia-association.org

    More for October: for the last week of the month, print our 10 free Halloween worksheets for kids.

  • Free Dyslexia Resources for Parents and Teachers: What We Give Away on International Literacy Day

    Free Dyslexia Resources for Parents and Teachers: What We Give Away on International Literacy Day

    Free dyslexia resources from the American Dyslexia Association, all in one place: 1,500 printable worksheets, two worksheet generators, a word and a picture every day, ten math games in one app, and a learning platform for families. None of it costs money. Most of it needs no sign-up. We are publishing this list on International Literacy Day, which turns 60 today, because the day is about access, and access starts with price.

    Why free, and why today

    At least 739 million young people and adults still lack basic literacy skills, and 4 in 10 children do not reach the minimum level in reading. Those are UNESCO’s figures for International Literacy Day 2026, the sixtieth since UNESCO proclaimed the day in 1966. Nobody fixes that from Osprey, Florida. What a small association can do is remove the first barrier: no family and no teacher should have to pay to start. A child with dyslexia or dyscalculia does not need a miracle. The child needs practice that fits how he or she perceives letters and numbers, in small daily doses, from adults who stay calm. The free dyslexia resources below are built for that.

    More on this topic: all of this stays free because the American Dyslexia Association is a nonprofit and a 501(c)(3) public charity. Read what ADA’s 501(c)(3) dyslexia charity status means for donors and members.

    1,500 free worksheets, no sign-up

    Our largest collection is the set of 1,500 free printable worksheets on this blog. They follow the three parts of the AFS-Method: attention, sensory perception (the “function” part), and symptom training in reading, writing, and math. Pick what fits your child, print it, use it at home or in class.

    One rule before you print anything: do not start with the mistakes. A child who reverses letters or loses the line does not need the same exercise ten more times. The child needs a few minutes of perception training first, then one short reading or writing task. The worksheet post explains why practicing the errors alone does not work.

    Every freebie on dyslexia.me is licensed under Creative Commons, so teachers may copy and share them. The Freebies section has the running list, and the association keeps its own free worksheet library on the ADA website.

    Two worksheet generators

    Two generators on this blog turn one word or a word list into practice sheets in seconds. The Handwriting Worksheet Wizard lets you choose print or cursive, the font size, and the line pattern. The Math Worksheet Wizard lets you choose the operations and the level, then prints arithmetic sheets for elementary school. Both are free for teachers and for parents who teach at home.

    Something small every day

    Short daily practice beats one long session on the weekend, so two of our sites publish something new every day.

    Word of the Day takes one English word a day through the three steps our trainers use: word image, word sound, word meaning. This is the AFS-Method procedure called word formulation, and it belongs to the symptom part of the method, the part that trains reading, writing, and spelling directly. A word only stays in long-term memory when a child has seen its shape, heard it clearly, and understood what it means, which is why none of the three steps can be skipped. Read it together, say it, write it, and you have done ten minutes of word formulation without opening a workbook.

    Picture of the Day shows a new spot-the-differences picture every day. Your child solves it online, or you print it as a PDF with or without the solution. It looks like a game, and it is one, but it trains visual recognition: the child has to look closely, compare two pictures, and notice where they differ. In the AFS-Method that is the function part of the training, visual differentiation, and it is the same skill a child needs to tell b from d or to see that a word on the page is not the one they just read. If you prefer paper, there is a printable set of 10-differences puzzles on this blog.

    Ten math games in one free app, with no ads

    Free apps for children usually pay for themselves with advertising. A University of Michigan study of 135 apps for young children found ads in 95 percent of them, and in every single free app (Meyer et al., Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 2019). AFS5 is the exception we built: ten math games in one app, from addition and subtraction to fractions, counting money, and telling time. Ten languages, no account, no ads, no subscription. It runs on iPhone, Mac, and Android.

    A learning platform for families: parents.learnedy.com

    parents.learnedy.com is our online learning platform for parents. The parents package is free: access for up to four children, quizzes without limits, and exercise books you put together for your own child. It has been free of charge and free of advertising since March 2020, and the site promises to ask its users before that ever changes. The platform is endorsed by the American Dyslexia Association and by the International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations.

    How much practice does a child with dyslexia need?

    Ten to fifteen minutes a day at home, plus one session a week with a trained specialist. That is the pattern the AFS-Method has used since 1997, now in more than 60 countries, and it is the pattern behind the numbers: in a long-term study of children trained this way, 85 percent improved significantly (Kopp-Duller and Pailer-Duller, Dyslexia – Dyscalculia!?, 3rd edition, 2020). Every home session follows the same order: a minute or two of attention, a few minutes of perception exercises, then one reading, writing, or math task. Stop while the child is still willing. Praise every small step, because, in the words of the method’s author, praise is the daily bread of these children. If you want to see how trainers plan this, Lesson 9 of our free 48-part series turns a training plan into home practice.

    Which of the three areas a child needs most is not something you have to guess. The AFS-Test is the educational test built for that question: it looks at the attention span, the sensory perceptions, and the errors the child actually makes, and it has been evaluated on more than 100,000 children between 6 and 14. Dyslexiatest.com explains what the test covers and lists the certified trainers who conduct it.

    Questions parents ask us

    How much should a child with dyslexia practice each day?

    Ten to fifteen minutes a day at home, every day, plus one session a week with a Certified Dyslexia Trainer. Short and daily works better than long and rare. This is the home-training pattern of the AFS-Method (Kopp-Duller 2021). In the long-term study of children trained this way, 85 percent improved significantly (Kopp-Duller and Pailer-Duller 2020).

    Are free worksheets enough to help a child with dyslexia?

    No. Worksheets that only repeat the errors do not help a child with dyslexia and can make things worse. The AFS-Method trains three areas in every session: attention, sensory perception, and only then the symptom, meaning the actual reading, writing, or math task. Use worksheets as the last step of a short session, not as the whole session.

    From what age can a child use these free dyslexia resources?

    The perception exercises, the picture puzzles, and the counting games work from preschool age. The AFS-Test, which tells you which areas to train, has been evaluated on more than 100,000 children aged 6 to 14. If you suspect a problem before school, start with perception games and have the child assessed once reading instruction begins.

    What if the problem is math, not reading?

    The International Dyslexia Association describes dyscalculia as a mathematical disability in which a person has unusual difficulty solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts. An estimated 4 to 7 percent of students have it, one or two per classroom, and it often goes together with dyslexia. The same three-part training applies. For arithmetic, always pair the written number with a quantity the child can touch or count. Pictures on a page are not enough: use coins, blocks, or beans, because counting real things is the base of all arithmetic.

    For teachers who want to go further

    If you teach and want to work this way professionally, the Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program is accredited by the American Dyslexia Association. Lesson 1 is free. In September the program site marks International Literacy Month with half-price enrollment for the first 50 sign-ups, through September 30.

    Read to them tonight

    International Literacy Day is a good excuse for the simplest thing that works: read aloud to your child, even if the child can read alone, and especially if reading is hard. If you need a text to start with, bestselling author Don Bentley wrote a message to children with dyslexia for us last month. It is short, and it is worth reading out loud.

    Sources: UNESCO, International Literacy Day. Astrid Kopp-Duller, Dyslexia – Training Using the AFS-Method, 3rd revised edition, 2021. Astrid Kopp-Duller and Livia R. Pailer-Duller, Dyslexia – Dyscalculia!? The importance of pedagogical-didactic assistance in cases of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other problems in reading, writing, and doing arithmetic, 3rd edition, 2020. Meyer et al., “Advertising in Young Children’s Apps: A Content Analysis,” Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 2019, PMID 30371646. International Dyslexia Association, Frequently Asked Questions. Learning Disabilities Association of America, What is Dyscalculia?. Understood, What is dyscalculia?.

    Photo: Shixart1985, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    More on this topic: put these free resources to work with our 31-day Dyslexia Awareness Month plan, one 10-minute activity for every day of October.

    New for Halloween: 10 free Halloween worksheets for kids, one PDF with spot the differences, memory, patterns, counting, b or d, a word search, syllables, and a maze.

  • Dyslexia Has Nothing to Do with Intelligence – Why Trump’s Attack on Dyslexic People Is Wrong

    Dyslexia Has Nothing to Do with Intelligence – Why Trump’s Attack on Dyslexic People Is Wrong

    A recent public controversy in the United States has once again exposed how much misinformation still exists about dyslexia. California Governor Gavin Newsom has spoken openly about living with dyslexia. President Donald Trump then publicly mocked Newsom’s dyslexia and used it to question both his intelligence and his fitness for office. Newsom responded with a message aimed directly at children:

    “To every kid with a learning disability: don’t let anyone, not even the President of the United States, bully you.”

    — Governor Gavin Newsom

    That exchange matters for one reason above all others: dyslexia is still widely misunderstood.


    What dyslexia really is

    Dyslexia is not a sign of low intelligence. It is a difference in how the brain processes written language. Leading institutions such as the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity explain that dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty in reading that has no connection to overall intelligence. Yale also notes that many people with dyslexia are often highly creative thinkers with strong reasoning abilities.

    Dyslexia is also far more common than many people realize. Yale states that it affects about 20 percent of the population, making it one of the most common learning differences related to reading.

    This means that in classrooms, workplaces, and communities across the United States, millions of bright and capable children and adults are navigating reading and spelling challenges that have nothing to do with their potential.

    The real harm of public misinformation

    When a public figure treats dyslexia as proof that someone is “dumb,” that message does not stop with one politician. Children hear it. Teenagers hear it. Adults who struggled silently for years hear it too.

    That is why this conversation is bigger than politics. It is about stigma. It is about whether children with dyslexia grow up believing they are broken, or whether they grow up understanding that they learn differently and can absolutely succeed with the right support.

    Public ridicule does real damage. Accurate information does the opposite. It opens doors.


    Dyslexia and success are not opposites

    For decades, researchers and educators have observed that dyslexic individuals often develop strong compensatory skills such as persistence, problem solving, big-picture thinking, and creative approaches to challenges. A comparative study on entrepreneurship found a significantly higher incidence of dyslexia among entrepreneurs than among corporate managers and the general population.

    That does not mean dyslexia is easy. It is not. Reading, spelling, and written expression can be frustrating and exhausting without the right instruction. But dyslexia does not define intelligence, and it does not set a ceiling on achievement.

    Why early identification and the right instruction matter

    The real issue is never whether a child with dyslexia is capable. The real issue is whether that child is identified early and taught with methods that match how they learn.

    At the American Dyslexia Association, this is exactly why awareness matters. The sooner families and educators understand what dyslexia is, the sooner children can receive structured, targeted support instead of blame, shame, or the false label of being lazy or unintelligent.

    How ADA and DRC USA support educators and families

    The American Dyslexia Association and the Dyslexia Research Center USA are committed to helping educators, tutors, specialists, and homeschooling parents better understand dyslexia and support learners effectively.

    Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program - Accredited by the American Dyslexia Association

    The Dyslexia Trainer Certificate Program, accredited by the American Dyslexia Association, is a structured 48-lesson online certification designed to give educators practical tools they can apply immediately. According to the official program information, the training includes the AFS Method, access to the standardized AFS Dyslexia Test, and serves participants worldwide across 64 countries. The program builds on 30 years of experience and is delivered according to the training standards of the IFDDA, the International Federation of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Associations.

    This work is grounded in a simple idea: children and adults with dyslexia do not need ridicule. They need understanding, appropriate instruction, and educators who know what to do.


    This is not about party politics

    Let’s be clear. This is not about taking a partisan political position. It is about correcting a false and harmful belief.

    Dyslexia is not stupidity. It is not a character flaw. It is not a reason to dismiss someone’s future, leadership, or potential.

    When influential people spread misinformation about dyslexia, organizations like ADA have a responsibility to speak up clearly and confidently.

    The message every child needs to hear

    Every child with dyslexia deserves to know this:

    You are not less intelligent.
    You are not less capable.
    You are not disqualified from success.

    You may need to learn in a different way. You may need better tools, better teaching, and more informed support. But dyslexia does not define your worth, and it does not determine how far you can go.

    Conclusion

    The recent debate in the United States is a reminder that even in 2026, public understanding of dyslexia still has a long way to go. That is exactly why education, advocacy, and professional training remain so important.

    At ADA, we believe the answer to misinformation is not silence. It is facts, support, and action.

    Because every learner deserves the chance to succeed.



    The American Dyslexia Association does not take any partisan political position. This article serves exclusively for factual education about dyslexia.

  • 5 Surprising Truths About Dyslexia

    5 Surprising Truths About Dyslexia

    Beyond the Myths: 5 Surprising Truths About Dyslexia

    When most people hear “dyslexia,” they picture a child confusing ‘b’ and ‘d’ or struggling to spell. While these can be signs, this common understanding barely scratches the surface of a much more complex reality. For years, myths and misconceptions have created frustration for parents, educators, and especially for individuals with dyslexia themselves.

    As someone who has been training dyslexia specialists since 1996, I’ve seen firsthand how a deeper understanding can transform a child’s learning journey from struggle to empowerment. Let’s move beyond the myths and explore five truths that challenge common assumptions and offer a more accurate, helpful perspective.

    1. It’s Not Always ADHD—It’s Often Cognitive Overload

    It’s a common scenario: a child is restless, fidgets constantly, and can’t stay focused during reading or writing tasks. The immediate suspicion is often ADHD. However, for many dyslexic learners, these behaviors are not signs of a pervasive attention disorder—they’re a situational response to cognitive overload.

    This is a key diagnostic differentiator known as situational inattentiveness. The behaviors are tied specifically to symbol-based tasks because decoding letters and numbers requires immense mental effort, leading to rapid exhaustion.

    Here’s what’s important: many of these same children can focus deeply on tasks that don’t involve written symbols—building, drawing, or problem-solving. While ADHD involves challenges with regulating attention across all situations, situational inattentiveness from dyslexia is about running out of cognitive fuel during specific tasks.

    The takeaway: Restlessness or inattentiveness during reading and writing isn’t automatically ADHD—it may reflect the stress and fatigue of struggling with dyslexia. Misdiagnosing this can lead to the wrong support, focusing on behavior management while failing to address the root literacy challenge.

    2. Why “Just Try Harder” Is Terrible Advice

    One of the most persistent and damaging myths is that dyslexia can be overcome with more effort. Well-meaning parents and teachers often believe that increased practice—more reading drills, more spelling lists—will solve the problem.

    For a dyslexic child, this approach rarely works and often creates immense frustration. Dyslexia isn’t just a problem with reading and writing symptoms; it’s rooted in differing sensory perceptions and how the brain processes symbols. Piling on more drills without addressing these underlying functions is like asking someone to run faster without ever teaching them proper form.

    A-F-S Method  AFS Method

    Effective support must be comprehensive. The AFS Method is built on three essential pillars that must be addressed together:

    • A – Attention training: Building the capacity for sustained, flexible focus
    • F – Function training: Strengthening sensory perceptions (visual, auditory, spatial processing)
    • S – Symptom training: Practicing reading, writing, and arithmetic skills

    Only when all three pillars are addressed can a child build the necessary pathways for efficient learning. This shifts the focus from blaming a child’s effort to providing the right kind of individualized support.

    3. The Goal Is Flexible Attention, Not Intense Concentration

    This may seem counter-intuitive, but forcing a dyslexic child to concentrate intensely on reading is often counterproductive. There’s a crucial difference between attention and concentration.

    Attention is a flexible state of focus. It allows a learner to stay on task while remaining aware of their surroundings and receptive to guidance. An attentive child can focus on words on the page but still hear a teacher’s prompt or notice a helpful cue.

    Concentration is a narrow, intense focus that excludes everything else. For a dyslexic learner, it can lead to rapid mental exhaustion, block out helpful feedback, and create unnecessary tension.

    The goal of effective training is to strengthen flexible attention—a balanced mental state that supports learning without causing fatigue and stress. This shift in thinking is a game-changer, helping learners engage with difficult tasks in a more sustainable way.

    4. It’s Not a Deficit—It’s a Different Operating System

    For too long, dyslexia has been framed solely as a disability. While the challenges are real, this perspective overlooks the unique strengths that often accompany this different way of processing information.

    Research and experience show that dyslexic individuals often exhibit above-average creativity, problem-solving skills, and big-picture thinking. Many of the world’s most successful innovators and leaders are dyslexic:

    • Hans Christian Andersen’s dyslexia likely contributed to the simple, accessible language that made his tales universally beloved
    • Leonardo da Vinci’s highly visual thinking allowed him to excel as both artist and engineer

    By shifting the narrative from “disability” to “different ability,” we help dyslexic individuals unlock their full potential. This perspective profoundly boosts a child’s confidence and motivation, allowing them to develop their considerable talents while receiving targeted support for their challenges.

    5. IQ Tests Can Be Deceptively Wrong

    Traditional intelligence testing can be highly misleading for individuals with dyslexia. Many IQ subtests rely heavily on the very skills that are challenging for dyslexics: rapid visual processing, symbol manipulation, and visual memory.

    Consequently, a bright dyslexic individual might score poorly and be misclassified as having “borderline intellectual ability.” The evaluator may conclude that academic struggles are due to low overall intelligence—tragically overlooking the real issue.

    A sharp split between different cognitive abilities—such as strong verbal reasoning versus slower processing speed—is often a hallmark pattern of dyslexia, not an indicator of low intelligence. The danger of misdiagnosis is immense: it can lead to recommendations for basic life skills training instead of the targeted academic support they truly need.

    Conclusion: Seeing the Whole Picture

    Understanding dyslexia means looking beyond mixed-up letters and frustrating homework sessions. It means recognizing that:

    • The child who can’t sit still may be cognitively exhausted
    • “Trying harder” is often the wrong advice
    • Comprehensive support addressing attention, sensory functions, and symptoms is essential
    • Flexible attention beats forced concentration
    • Dyslexia comes with unique strengths worth celebrating
    • IQ scores should never limit a child’s potential

    What potential could we unlock if we started seeing dyslexia not as a barrier to overcome, but as a different way of seeing the world?


    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are surprising symptoms of dyslexia?

    Beyond the well-known reading and spelling difficulties, dyslexia can show up in unexpected ways:

    • Left-right confusion – Difficulty distinguishing left from right, even into adulthood
    • Time management struggles – Trouble estimating how long tasks will take or being chronically late
    • Difficulty following sequences – Challenges with steps, directions, or remembering the order of things
    • Word retrieval problems – Knowing a word but being unable to recall it in the moment (“it’s on the tip of my tongue”)
    • Trouble with phone numbers and dates – Mixing up or forgetting numerical sequences
    • Poor short-term memory – Forgetting instructions moments after hearing them
    • Difficulty with organization – Messy backpacks, lost homework, cluttered spaces
    • Mispronouncing words – Especially longer or unfamiliar words
    • Avoiding reading aloud – Even when the person is otherwise confident

    These symptoms often go unrecognized because they don’t fit the stereotypical image of dyslexia.

    What are the 4 D’s of dyslexia?

    The “Four D’s” refer to four related learning differences that often overlap:

    • Dyslexia – Affects reading, writing, and spelling
    • Dyscalculia – Affects mathematical understanding and number sense
    • Dysgraphia – Affects handwriting, spelling, and putting thoughts on paper
    • Dyspraxia – Affects motor coordination and movement planning

    Each presents unique challenges, but they share common roots in how the brain processes information. It’s not uncommon for someone to experience more than one of these conditions.

    Is Bill Gates dyslexic?

    There is no confirmed public statement from Bill Gates indicating that he has dyslexia. While many successful entrepreneurs and innovators are dyslexic, it’s important not to assume or misattribute this condition. What we do know is that Gates has spoken about the value of different thinking styles in innovation and technology.

    Who else is dyslexic?

    Many highly successful people have openly shared their dyslexia, proving that it’s no barrier to achievement:

    • Richard Branson – Founder of Virgin Group
    • Steven Spielberg – Award-winning filmmaker
    • Whoopi Goldberg – Actress and TV host
    • Keira Knightley – Actress
    • Orlando Bloom – Actor
    • Jamie Oliver – Celebrity chef
    • Tom Cruise – Actor
    • Jennifer Aniston – Actress
    • Muhammad Ali – Boxing legend
    • Albert Einstein – Physicist (widely believed, though not formally diagnosed)
    • Agatha Christie – Best-selling author
    • John Lennon – Musician

    These individuals succeeded not despite their dyslexia, but often because of the unique strengths it gave them.

    What should you NOT say to a dyslexic person?

    Certain phrases, even when well-intentioned, can be hurtful or dismissive:

    • “Just try harder” – Dyslexia isn’t about effort; it’s about how the brain processes information
    • “You’re just lazy” – Dyslexic individuals often work twice as hard to achieve the same results
    • “You don’t look dyslexic” – Dyslexia has no physical appearance
    • “Everyone struggles with reading sometimes” – This minimizes a real neurological difference
    • “You’ll grow out of it” – Dyslexia is lifelong, though strategies can help manage it
    • “Why can’t you just remember?” – Memory challenges are part of dyslexia for many people
    • “Maybe you’re just not a reader” – With the right support, dyslexic individuals can enjoy reading
    • “Are you sure you’re not just making excuses?” – This undermines their genuine struggles

    Instead, offer understanding, patience, and ask how you can help.

    What are dyslexics best at?

    Dyslexic individuals often excel in areas that leverage their unique brain wiring:

    • Creative thinking – Seeing possibilities others miss
    • Problem-solving – Finding unconventional solutions
    • Big-picture thinking – Understanding complex systems and connections
    • Visual-spatial skills – Excelling in design, architecture, engineering, and art
    • Storytelling – Communicating ideas in engaging, memorable ways
    • Entrepreneurship – An estimated 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic
    • Empathy – Having overcome challenges often creates deep understanding of others
    • Innovation – Thinking outside the box comes naturally
    • Verbal communication – Many dyslexics are excellent speakers and persuaders

    Dyslexia often comes with remarkable gifts—the key is recognizing and nurturing them alongside targeted support for challenges.


    Want to Learn More?

    Are you a teacher, tutor, parent, or education professional who wants to make a real difference for dyslexic learners? Understanding dyslexia at a deeper level is the first step toward providing truly effective support.

    Our comprehensive certification program teaches you the AFS Method and equips you with the knowledge and practical tools to help children with dyslexia thrive.

    👉 Learn more at DyslexiaTrainer.com

    Whether you’re looking to expand your professional skills or simply want to better support a child in your life, education is the key to unlocking their potential.

  • Relaunch Announcement: The ADA-Accredited Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program Returns Stronger Than Ever

    Relaunch Announcement: The ADA-Accredited Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program Returns Stronger Than Ever

    The American Dyslexia Association (ADA) is pleased to announce the relaunch of the ADA-accredited Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program (www.dyslexiacertificate.com), an internationally recognized professional training for educators, specialists, and tutors who want to make a meaningful and immediate difference in the lives of learners with dyslexia.

    This updated and expanded program reflects decades of research, practical experience, and global collaboration—bringing together the proven strengths of the AFS Method, the standardized AFS Dyslexia Test, and the pedagogical expertise of the Dyslexia Research Center USA (DRC) and its partners.

    Become a certified dyslexia trainer

    For educators passionate about supporting diverse learners, this program offers a powerful pathway to deepen skills, strengthen confidence, and create lasting impact in classrooms and communities.


    Why ADA Accreditation Matters

    Accreditation by the American Dyslexia Association signifies that a program meets rigorous standards in research-based content, practical applicability, and professional ethics.

    The Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program by DRC USA is one of the few international dyslexia training programs to achieve ADA accreditation. This ensures that participants receive:

    • Instruction aligned with current scientific understanding of dyslexia
    • Practical tools that can be applied immediately in real educational settings
    • A consistent framework based on the cognitive foundations of reading, writing, and attention
    • A trusted and internationally recognized credential
    • A professional pathway that aligns with ADA’s mission to support individuals with dyslexia through evidence-informed practice

    ADA accreditation is not merely a seal—it is a commitment to quality and outcomes. Educators can be confident that the skills they learn will support learners effectively and ethically.


    A Program Designed for Educators Who Want to Make a Difference

    The updated Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program focuses on practical, hands-on training grounded in research. This is not theoretical learning—it is actionable, accessible education that empowers participants to begin helping learners immediately.

    Key features include:

    The Standardized AFS Dyslexia Test

    Participants gain access to a widely used, research-supported screening instrument that helps identify dyslexia-related challenges with clarity and consistency.

    The AFS Method

    A structured, neurological approach to supporting foundational skills such as attention, visual perception, auditory processing, and spatial orientation—areas known to influence reading and writing success.

    Immediate Practical Application

    Each lesson includes methods and exercises educators can start using right away with learners of all ages.

    Flexible Online Learning

    Designed for busy educators, the program can be completed from anywhere, at your own pace, with ongoing support and guidance.

    International Recognition

    Graduates receive a certification that is respected and accepted worldwide through ADA partnerships.


    Who Should Enroll?

    The program is ideal for:

    • Classroom teachers
    • Special education professionals
    • Learning specialists
    • Tutors and educational therapists
    • Psychologists and school counselors
    • Homeschool educators
    • Anyone passionate about supporting individuals with dyslexia

    If your goal is to understand dyslexia deeply and help learners thrive, this certification is a powerful next step.


    Free Preview Lesson Now Available

    To support transparency and help educators experience the program firsthand, the first lesson is available for free. This preview provides an authentic look into the teaching style, structure, and practical value of the certification.

    Educators consistently report that Lesson 1 alone gives them insights they can begin using immediately.

    Sign up for your free lesson here: www.dyslexiacertificate.com


    Enrollment Is Open Now

    Enrollment is now officially open, and we invite educators worldwide to secure their place in the newly relaunched Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program and join educators from 65 countries worldwide who have already completed the certification.

    Demand for this ADA-accredited training is expected to be high, and early enrollment ensures immediate access to:

    • The introductory module
    • Program orientation
    • Bonus materials
    • The free preview lesson
    • Early community access

    This is an excellent opportunity to advance your professional skills and join a global network of dyslexia-focused educators.


    A Shared Mission: Helping Learners Thrive

    At the American Dyslexia Association, our mission is clear:

    To support individuals with dyslexia and related learning differences through understanding, research, and practical, effective education.

    The relaunch of this certification program aligns strongly with that mission.

    We are proud to endorse and accredit a program that equips educators with the tools they need—not only to teach, but to inspire, uplift, and create lasting change for learners who need it most.


    We approve and support this program.

    — American Dyslexia Association


    Are you ready to enroll and help dyslexic children effectively? Join here: www.dyslexiacertificate.com

  • Mastering Word Formulation: How the AFS Method is Transforming Language Learning for Dyslexic Individuals

    Mastering Word Formulation: How the AFS Method is Transforming Language Learning for Dyslexic Individuals

    In the ever-evolving landscape of educational resources, innovative tools that cater to diverse learning needs are invaluable. For the millions of individuals worldwide who struggle with dyslexia, finding the right approach to language learning can make the difference between frustration and success.

    Enter Wordformulation.com — a platform dedicated to enhancing language acquisition through the proven AFS Method. Developed by Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller, this structured approach to word formulation offers hope and practical solutions for individuals with dyslexia and other learning challenges.

    What Is the AFS Method?

    The AFS Method is far more than just another learning technique. Standing for Attention, Function, and Symptom training, it represents a comprehensive, research-backed approach designed specifically to address the unique challenges faced by dyslexic individuals.

    Here’s how each component works:

    Attention Training focuses on helping learners concentrate when working with letters, words, and symbols. Dyslexic individuals often experience attention lapses specifically when dealing with written language — not due to lack of effort, but because their brains process information differently.

    Function Training targets the underlying sensory perceptions that are essential for reading and writing. This includes visual differentiation, auditory memory, spatial orientation, and other cognitive functions that form the foundation of literacy skills.

    Symptom Training addresses the actual difficulties in reading and writing — but only after attention and functional skills have been strengthened. This is crucial: traditional approaches often jump straight to symptom training, which is why they frequently fail dyslexic learners.

    By addressing all three areas in a coordinated manner, the AFS Method ensures that learners receive targeted support tailored to their specific needs.

    Exploring Wordformulation.com

    Wordformulation.com serves as a practical treasure trove of resources for teaching and training in the English language. The platform offers a variety of exercises and materials designed with flexibility in mind — resources can be used both online and offline, accommodating educators, learners, and parents in various settings.

    The website is thoughtfully organized into grammatical categories:

    This structure allows users to focus on specific areas of interest or difficulty, making it easy to create customized learning paths based on individual needs.

    Why This Matters for Dyslexic Learners

    Dyslexia presents unique challenges in language acquisition that often require specialized strategies to overcome. Traditional teaching methods — which typically involve repetitive practice of the same material — rarely work for dyslexic learners. In fact, they often lead to frustration, decreased self-esteem, and a growing aversion to reading and writing.

    The AFS Method, as implemented on Wordformulation.com, takes a fundamentally different approach. By first strengthening attention and functional skills, learners build a solid foundation that makes symptom-level work (actual reading and writing practice) far more effective.

    The benefits extend beyond just improved literacy skills:

    • Increased confidence as learners experience genuine progress
    • Reduced frustration through appropriately targeted exercises
    • Better self-understanding as individuals learn how their minds work
    • Long-term skill development rather than short-term memorization

    Practical Application in Daily Learning

    One of the greatest strengths of Wordformulation.com is its practicality. The resources are designed for ease of use by:

    • Educators looking for effective classroom materials
    • Parents supporting their child’s learning journey at home
    • Learners themselves working independently to improve their skills

    Exercises can be completed online or printed for offline practice, accommodating various learning environments and preferences. The platform’s user-friendly interface ensures effortless navigation through different sections, making it a convenient tool for both daily practice and long-term learning strategies.

    The Science Behind the Success

    The development of the AFS Method by Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller is grounded in decades of intensive work with individuals facing learning challenges. Since 1995, this approach has been refined through real-world experience with thousands of learners, contributing to its proven effectiveness.

    The method acknowledges a fundamental truth that many educational approaches overlook: dyslexic individuals are not “weak students” — they are people with a different way of processing information. This shift in perspective is transformative, both for the learners themselves and for those who support them.

    Getting Started

    Whether you’re an educator seeking effective teaching materials, a parent supporting your child’s learning journey, or a learner striving to improve your language skills, Wordformulation.com offers resources that can make a meaningful difference.

    The platform is free to explore, and the structured organization makes it easy to find exactly what you need. Start by identifying areas of difficulty, then work through the relevant exercises systematically.

    Remember: progress in language learning, especially for dyslexic individuals, is rarely linear. Celebrate small victories, maintain consistency, and trust in the process.

    Conclusion

    In a world where literacy is fundamental to success, tools like Wordformulation.com and approaches like the AFS Method are more important than ever. By offering specialized, research-backed resources that address the root causes of reading and writing difficulties, these platforms are helping countless individuals unlock their full potential.

    Explore Wordformulation.com today and discover how a different approach to language learning can open new doors for you or someone you care about.


    For more information about the AFS Method and comprehensive training in supporting dyslexic learners, visit www.dyslexiacertificate.com

    Wordformulation.com is a resource provided by the Austrian Dyslexia Association (EÖDL), celebrating 30 years of service to individuals with dyslexia and dyscalculia.

  • Approaches to Dyslexia Training

    Approaches to Dyslexia Training

    by IFDDA.org

    I. INTRODUCTION

    The phenomenon of dyslexia is often referred to as a “learning disability”. However, these exceptional individuals just have different sensory perceptions due to genetic dispositions (Galaburda, LoTurco, Ramus, Fitch, & Rosen, 2006). Their different sensory perceptions cause them to view and experience our world differently, which can lead to significant accomplishments in arts, sports, and science – just not in reading and writing. Many researchers of different disciplines have dealt with this topic, mainly on how to address the reading and spelling issues that dyslexics have and how to render assistance. The approaches to research in dyslexia are as diverse as the various methods of training. What is needed is a comprehensive approach to dyslexia training that addresses all elements that cause the affected individuals’ problems to deliver faster and longer-lasting improvements.

    The different sensory perceptions of a dyslexic person cause his or her attention to diminish when confronted with symbols, like letters. The results are errors while reading and writing. The logical consequence is that dyslexics require assistance in all three areas: improvement of sensory perceptions, as well as enhancement of the attention span while reading and spelling, and last, but not least, practicing reading and spelling. Training techniques for dyslexics and research about such, however, tend to focus on only one (or at most two) of the three mentioned areas. Multiple studies have already proven the benefits of sensory perception training (Bonacina, Cancer, Lanzi, Lorusso, & Antonietti, 2015; Flaugnacco et al., 2015; Fraga González et al., 2015; Gori & Facoetti, 2014; Habib et al., 2016; Ikeshita-Yamazoe & Miyao, 2016; Wang et al., 2014). Other research focused on the advantageous role of attention training (Franceschini et al., 2015; Heim, Pape-Neumann, Van Ermingen-Marbach, Brinkhaus, & Grande, 2015; Valdois et al., 2015), while other scientific inquiries concentrated on increased practicing of the basic academic skills of reading and spelling (Law & Cupples, 2015; McArthur et al., 2015).

    Nevertheless, there is one approach to dyslexia training, which incorporates all three elements and, therefore, promises superior results: the so-called “AFS-Method” (A=attention, F=function/sensory perception, S=symptom). This method is open source and not a commercial program, and has been practiced by dyslexia specialists for the past 20 years in over 50 countries worldwide in different languages with much success. Kopp-Duller and Pailer-Duller (2011) conducted a long-term qualitative study investigating the effectiveness of the AFS-Method, which showed that 85% of test subjects were able to improve their reading and spelling abilities. Other researchers have also reported on the uniqueness of the AFS-Method in contrast to other standard practices for rendering assistance to dyslexics (Ablinger, 2006; Halfarová & Cigánková, 2006; Karli, 2006; Levski, 2011; Mészáros, 2011, Szimmuck, 2014; Zachbauer, 2011). A central key point of training in the AFS-Method is the concept of teaching word using multiple senses called word formulations, which was confirmed as beneficial by Aylward and Berninger from the University of Washington (Schwarz; 2004).

    Further research, specifically quantitative in nature, should be conducted on the distinctive AFS-training method to generate quantifiable and tangible results so the method gains more acceptance in the dyslexia community and thus more affected individuals would be able to benefit from it. If more educators knew how to support dyslexic children successfully, fewer children would struggle at school and ultimately would be able to remain in school longer and receive a better education as a result.

    II. CAUSE OF DYSLEXIA

    Dyslexia is a hereditary condition that causes different sensory perceptions (Galaburda et al., 2006). Dyslexic individuals see, hear, and experience the world differently from non-dyslexics. This can have an upside because dyslexics are often talented in areas like technology, art, music, and sports – just not in reading and writing. The different sensory perceptions cause the dyslexics’ attention to diminish when confronted with the abstract concept of letters. This lack of attention results in errors while reading, writing, and spelling, and in turn in poor academic performance in language studies (Kopp-Duller, 2012).

    Some research focuses on the aspect of auditory processes during reading, spelling, or writing: Bonacina et al. (2015) said that dyslexia stems from difficulties in auditory information processing, which results in impaired phonological awareness. Gori and Facoetti (2014) also agree that dyslexia is an auditory-phonological processing deficit, while Franceschini et al. (2015) said that dyslexics exhibit weak linguistic-phonological processing. Other researchers put the emphasis on the visual aspect: Wang et al. (2014) concluded that dyslexic individuals have an issue with their visual perceptual processing.

    The bottom line is that dyslexia is a multisensory integration deficit (Fraga González et al., 2015). Dyslexic children have a unique way of processing information which results in a unique behavior during the learning process (Kopp-Duller & Pailer-Duller, 2011). No manifestation of dyslexia is alike because not every dyslexic person’s sensory perceptions are affected in the same way. Some children exhibit difficulty in visual processing, others with auditory, and again others in spatial perception. This is the precise reason not every training program to better the effects to dyslexia works on any child. The training efforts always need to be individualized to reach faster improvements without frustrating the child in the process.

    III. ELEMENTS OF DYSLEXIA TRAINING

    The approaches to dyslexia training are as diverse as the approaches to research on dyslexia. Researchers from a spectrum of disciplines have made it their duty to explore this complex subject and ways how to deal with it. Neurologists focus on processes in the brain of dyslexics to better understand the problem this phenomenon causes during reading and spelling (Heim et al., 2015). Geneticists view the issue from a hereditary standpoint (Galaburda et al., 2006). Psychologists focus on diagnosing dyslexia using intelligence tests although these tests were not designed for this purpose (Habib et al., 2016). At last but not least, pedagogues discuss how to help affected children more effectively (Berninger et al., 2008).

    The success of various training programs has been well documented in countless studies, as demonstrated in the following subsections. Noticeably, training techniques tend to focus only on one aspect of the causation of dyslexia: training of attention, training of sensory perceptions, or training of symptoms, while the scientific evidence of the success of sensory perception training dominates. The question remains about what happens if dyslexia training is conducted using an individualized approach that covers all areas that cause the dyslexic child’s problems.

    A. Training of Attention

    The thoughts of a dyslexic person tend to wander, especially when they are confronted with the task of reading and writing. Dyslexic children reject these tasks because they cannot perform them well and would rather be doing something else. So they might act out and give the impression of being hyperactive. The wrong conclusion is often drawn from this behavior, that the child is hyperactive and, consequently, cannot read and write. However, the opposite is the case: The child cannot read and write, which causes him or her to misbehave. An important part of dyslexia training, therefore, is the focusing of attention. The goal of attention exercises is to give the affected individual the tools to focus his or her thoughts on the task at hand, which automatically yields positive results in reading and spelling (Kopp-Duller, 2012).

    Various training techniques can be used to bring forth the desired outcome of focusing a child’s attention. Franceschini et al. (2015) used action video games in their study to increase the attention span in children with dyslexia. Heim et al. (2015) showed that the training of visual attention improves reading abilities. Another study where the training of visual attention improved reading abilities was conducted by Valdois et al. (2015). Breteler, Arns, Peters, Giepmans, and Verhoeven (2010) used qEEG-based neurofeedback training to increase the attention span, where the subject learned to self-regulate and thus improve brain activities, and subsequently were able to reduce reading and spelling deficits. Research by Kast, Baschera, Gross, Jäncke, and Meyer (2011) revealed that phonological awareness exercises increased the focusing of the test subjects on the task at hand.

    B. Training of Sensory Perceptions

    As already discussed, dyslexics exhibit deficits in sensory perceptions, so-called functions. Logic and practice dictate that only with functioning sensory perceptions is a smooth learning process possible. The training and, therefore, improvement of these sensory perceptions leads to automatically better performances in reading and spelling, as the presented evidence from multiple studies will demonstrate. Training can focus on visual, auditory, or spatial sensory perceptions, while it is vital to find out in which areas the child has difficulty before starting with the sensory perception training (Kopp-Duller & Pailer-Duller, 2011).

    Fraga González et al. (2015) disclosed that training of letter-speech sound mapping led to substantial reading gains in dyslexic test subjects. Ikeshita-Yamazoe & Miyao (2016) used a specifically for dyslexics designed visual training tool for learning symbols, where test subjects were able to give 83% correct responses after two months in post-tests, compared to the traditional teaching method, where no correct answers were given. The overall concept of perceptual learning led to improvements in visual attention and reading in research by Gori and Facoetti (2014).

    Furthermore, Balido-Dean, Kupczynski, and Fedynich (2011), Berninger et al. (2008), in addition to Kast et al. (2011) showed that multi-sensory training using letters has positive effects on the reading and spelling abilities of dyslexic children. But even sensory perception training without the use of symbols leads to improvement of reading and spelling skills in a study by Burger, Kastenhuber, and Loidl (2001).

    A new approach to sensory perception training is the use of music. Training of basic musical rhythm perception skills had a positive impact on reading speed and accuracy in a study performed by Bonacina et al. (2015). Likewise, Flaugnacco et al. (2015) used music training to improve phonological awareness and reading skills in children with dyslexia. Habib et al. (2016) specifically used the concept of cognitivo-musical training to yield improvements in auditory attention and reading.

    C. Training of Symptoms

    Another part of dyslexia training is the improvement of reading and writing skills and, therefore, the eradication of errors while reading and spelling. This is achieved through practicing these basic academic skills. In the end, even for dyslexic children, reading and spelling can only be learned through reading and spelling (Kopp-Duller, 2012). A lack of recent investigations in this area demonstrates that the scientific community of dyslexic research has reached the consensus that dyslexia needs to be addressed on the multi-sensory level. Nonetheless, Law and Cupples (2015) found that the increased practice of reading led to improvement of real-world reading for dyslexic children. Likewise, McArthur et al. (2015) showed that practicing sight word and phonics reading leads to improvement in reading.

    IV. A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

    Kopp-Duller (1997), through her extensive experience in working with children who struggle in school, found that the classic method of increased practice of reading and spelling did not bring forth the desired improvement when dealing with dyslexic children. The reason for this is the sensory perceptions that are not well developed in dyslexics. These need to be activated and formed to facilitate a smooth process of learning to read and write. An altered approach to helping children who struggle with reading and spelling due to dyslexia was needed that took into account all the things that cause dyslexic children to make mistakes when reading and spelling: inattention while reading and spelling, different sensory perceptions, and errors in reading and writing.

    A. The AFS-Method

    The result was the A(=attention)F(=functions)S(=method)-Method. This method is considered comprehensive or holistic because it offers training in all areas where dyslexic children struggle and where improvement measures should focus. The AFS-Method is also considered open because it only provides the framework for dyslexia training and allows the trainer to incorporate any program, tool, or resource that can help the child. Individuality is essential in dyslexia training since every child has his or her unique difficulties and, thus, the training needs to cater to these individual problems (Kopp-Duller, 2012).

    The AFS-Method consists of three parts: Every training session should start with an attention exercise, so the child learns to focus their thoughts on the reading and spelling task. This is followed by exercises for sharpening sensory perceptions. Not every child has issues in the same perception areas. Therefore, it is critical that an assessment takes place before training starts to find out which sensory perceptions need work. Last but not least, dyslexic children also need to practice reading, spelling, and writing (Kopp-Duller & Pailer-Duller, 2011).

    Kopp-Duller (1997) also came up with the concept of so-called word formulations to integrate into symptom training. The practice of core academic skills should also be conducted by activating the senses. Word formulations involve exercises that teach children about word picture (letters make up words, what do the letters look like, etc.), word sound (letters have sounds and these sounds together form a word, etc.), and word meaning (every word has one or multiple applications, how can the word be used in a sentence, etc.). Elizabeth Aylward and Virginia Berninger from the University of Washington, as reported by Schwarz (2004), found in their research that words are not just words but that they are stored in the human brain by using neural circuits to code words in three forms. They found that the most effective way to teach dyslexic children is by showing them explicitly how letters, sounds, and meaning are interrelated.

    It is also worth mentioning that the AFS-Method is not a commercial program but is open source, unlike most training programs for dyslexia. The AFS-Method can be practiced by teachers, parents, and other professionals alike. Practice has shown that greater success in training is achieved if children see a specialist once a week for a training session, and additionally, that 10-20 minutes daily at home with their parents (Kopp-Duller & Pailer-Duller, 2011).

    B. Evaluation of the AFS-Method

    Certified dyslexia trainers in over 50 countries worldwide have been practicing the AFS-Method for over 20 years now with much success (Kopp-Duller & Pailer-Duller, 2011). International academics have discussed this distinctive approach to dyslexia training in various publications and papers and highlighted its uniqueness compared to other standard practices in the teaching of dyslexics (Ablinger, 2006; Halfarová & Cigánková, 2006; Karli, 2006; Levski, 2011; Mészáros, 2011; Szimmuck, 2014; Zachbauer, 2011). The overall consensus is that a variety of training programs for dyslexia work, but this method might bring better results because of its comprehensiveness.

    In 2008, Kopp-Duller and Pailer-Duller published a long-term qualitative study on the effectiveness of the AFS-Method. Data for the study were gathered between 2001 and 2006, and 3,370 dyslexic test subjects (71% boys, 29% girls) between the ages of 7 and 14 years (1st-4th grade: 61%, 5th-8th grade: 39%) participated. The results showed that after being instructed using the AFS-Method, all children improved their reading and spelling skills, while 85% of the participants showed significant gains in their reading and spelling abilities. The improvements were not short-term but occurred continuously over the two-year observation period. After two years of instruction, the dyslexic children had caught up with their non-dyslexic classmates and were able to fulfill the requirements at school. Parents also reported in a survey that conducted in the course of the study that their children seemed more motivated to do their school work.

    V. SUGGESTED RESEARCH AND RESULTING BENEFITS

    New programs to help dyslexic children emerge almost daily on the market of teaching aids. Most of them probably work and help dyslexic children in some cases. Scientific inquiries tend to focus on exactly such tools that have a narrow focus and only address one issue at a time, be it attention issues, individual sensory perceptions, or new ways of how to practice reading, spelling, and writing. Continuing research, however, should focus on training approaches that offer a holistic concept to tackle the problem as a whole and not investigate what can help in a niche area of training for dyslexics.

    A starting point for further research could be to conduct a quantitative study about the AFS-Method to generate quantifiable and tangible results. This might lead to a greater acceptance of this framework of dyslexia training among professionals and would promote the dissemination of dyslexia training techniques. The more educators practice this open-source method, the more children will benefit from it. Dyslexic children would be more motivated to stay in school if they had fewer failures because of inadequate teaching methods that do not cater to their needs and hence would be able to receive an adequate education. The implications for better qualifications when they enter the labor market go without saying.

    VI. CONCLUSION

    The scientific community agrees that dyslexia is a multi-sensory processing deficit that causes affected individuals to make errors while reading, spelling, and writing (Bonacina et al., 2015; Fraga González et al., 2015; Franceschini et al., 2015; Galaburda et al., 2006; Gori & Facoetti, 2014; Kopp-Duller, 2012; Kopp-Duller & Pailer-Duller, 2011; Wang et al., 2014). This is precisely why training approaches have to take into account that dyslexics have different sensory perceptions and what issues these different sensory perceptions cause: On the surface, only the symptoms are visible, namely the mistakes dyslexic children make while reading and writing. But the subject matter is more complex than that. The different sensory perceptions that dyslexic children exhibit cause them to be inattentive when they encounter letters because the concept is too abstract for them to grasp using traditional teaching methods. This inattentiveness ultimately results in erroneous reading and writing.

    Many different training approaches for dyslexia yield positive results, as was extensively demonstrated in this paper. However, training tends to focus on only one area where the dyslexic student has difficulty. Some research centers on improving the attention span of dyslexic children to teach them to focus their thoughts better on reading and spelling tasks (Breteler et al., 2010; Franceschini et al., 2015; Heim et al., 2015; Kast et al., 2011; Valdois et al., 2015). Other research focuses on sharpening the sensory perceptions to guarantee a smoother process of learning to read and write (Balido-Dean et al., 2011; Berninger et al., 2008; Bonacina et al., 2015; Burger et al., 2001; Flaugnacco et al., 2015; Fraga González et al., 2015; Gori & Facoetti, 2014; Habib et al., 2016; Ikeshita-Yamazoe & Miyao, 2016; Kast et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2014). The last camp of dyslexia research focuses on increased practice of the basic academic skills of reading and spelling (Law & Cupples, 2015; McArthur et al., 2015), although the lack of evidence in this area is promising that the scientific community has realized that traditional teaching methods do not work for most dyslexics.

    Because every manifestation of dyslexia is different, the logical implication must be that the procedure to improve symptoms of dyslexia needs to be adapted to match the dyslexic’s issues. The AFS-Method is the only training method that offers a solution to address all the areas the dyslexic child needs training in. Approaching the issue of dyslexia from a comprehensive angle seems more sensible in any case. The AFS-Method is considered not only holistic but also as open because it allows the trainer to incorporate any training program or tool in the individual areas of training: focusing of attention, sharpening of the sensory perceptions, and practicing of reading and spelling. But even the betterment of symptoms is done by using a multi-sensory concept called word formulations (Kopp-Duller, 1997). Aylward and Berninger from the University of Washington agree that words need to be taught to dyslexic children by explaining to them word picture, word sound, and word meaning (Schwarz, 2004).

    The AFS-Method has been practiced worldwide for over 20 years now, and international research agrees on the advantages of the AFS-Method (Ablinger, 2006; Halfarová & Cigánková, 2006; Karli, 2006; Levski, 2011; Mészáros, 2011; Szimmuck, 2014; Zachbauer, 2011). Kopp-Duller and Pailer-Duller (2008) investigated the benefits of the AFS method in a qualitative study. While observing 3,370 test subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of dyslexia between the ages of 7 and 14 years over a period of two years, they found that 85% of participants showed significant gains in their reading and spelling abilities, motivation was improved, and the students were able to fulfill the requirements at school.

    A good amount of research has already been conducted on the topic of dyslexia, and hopefully, researchers will continue to do so in the future to find new ways to help dyslexic individuals more effectively. However, further research into the ways on how to improve reading and spelling abilities of dyslexic children should focus on a comprehensive approach to training, like the AFS-Method. Addressing all areas where dyslexics need assistance delivers greater and longer-lasting results, as has already been found in qualitative research. But generating quantitative results about the success of the AFS-Method would prove to the education community a sophisticated way to help dyslexic students.

    If scientific research can show ways on how to train dyslexic children in practice, educators, other professionals, and parents alike would be able to facilitate a training process that brings lasting improvements for affected children. The result would be more motivated students that are able to stay in school longer and received a better education. This would allow them to achieve ultimately greater things and hopefully, lead better lives.

    Putting these approaches into practice takes structured training. The Dyslexia Trainer Certification Program teaches the AFS method in 48 self-paced online lessons and is open to teachers, learning specialists, and homeschooling parents, with no prior professional training required.

    References

    Ablinger, M. (2006). Frühkindliche motorische Entwicklungsdefizite und Rechtschreibschwäche. Salzburg, Austria: University of Salzburg.

    Balido-Dean, L., Kupczynski, L., & Fedynich, L. (2011). An analysis of dyslexic students at the elementary level. Journal of Case Studies in Education, 2, 1-11. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1057186.pdf

    Berninger, V., Winn, W., Stock, P., Abbott, R., Eschen, K., Lin, S., & Nagy, W. (2008). Tier 3 specialized writing instruction for students with dyslexia. Reading and Writing, 21(1-2), 95-129. doi:10.1007/s11145-007-9066-x

    Bonacina, S., Cancer, A., Lanzi, P. L., Lorusso, M. L., & Antonietti, A. (2015). Improving reading skills in students with dyslexia: The efficacy of a sublexical training with rhythmic background. Frontiers In Psychology, 6(1510), 1-8. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01510

    Breteler, M., Arns, M., Peters, S., Giepmans, I., & Verhoeven, L. (2010). Improvements in spelling after QEEG-based neurofeedback in dyslexia: A randomized controlled treatment study. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 35(1), 5-11. doi:10.1007/s10484-009-9105-2

    Burger, T., Kastenhuber, M., Loidl, K. (2001). Evaluationsstudie zum Einsatz von Lernsoftware bei Kindern mit Lese-Rechtschreibschwäche. Retrieved from http://www.legasthenie.at/eval/studie.html

    Flaugnacco, E., Lopez, L., Terribili, C., Montico, M., Zoia, S., & Schön, D. (2015). Music training increases phonological awareness and reading skills in developmental dyslexia: A randomized control trial. PLoS ONE, 10(9), 1-17.

    Fraga González, G., Žarić, G., Tijms, J., Bonte, M., Blomert, L., & van der Molen, M. W. (2015). A randomized controlled trial on the beneficial effects of training letter-speech sound integration on reading fluency in children with dyslexia. Plos One, 10(12), e0143914–e0143914. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0143914

    Franceschini, S., Bertoni, S., Ronconi, L., Molteni, M., Gori, S., & Facoetti, A. (2015). “Shall we play a game?”: Improving reading through action video games in developmental dyslexia. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 2(4), 318-329. doi:10.1007/s40474-015-0064-4

    Gori, S., & Facoetti, A. (2014). Perceptual learning as a possible new approach for remediation and prevention of developmental dyslexia. Vision Research, 99(1), 78-87. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2013.11.011

    Galaburda, A. M., LoTurco, J., Ramus, F., Fitch, R. H., & Rosen, G. D. (2006). From genes to behavior in developmental dyslexia. Nature Neuroscience, 9(10), 1213-1217. doi:10.1038/nn1772

    Habib, M., Lardy, C., Desiles, T., Commeiras, C., Chobert, J., & Besson, M. (2016). Music and dyslexia: A new musical training method to improve reading and related disorders. Frontiers in Psychology, 1-15. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00026

    Halfarová, L., & Cigánková, S. (2007). Dyslexie u dospělých a výuka cizího jazyka (Dyslexia in young adults in foreign languages). Ostrava, Czech Republic: Technical University of Ostrava.

    Heim, S., Pape-Neumann, J., Van Ermingen-Marbach, M., Brinkhaus, M., & Grande, M. (2015). Shared vs. specific brain activation changes in dyslexia after training of phonology, attention, or reading. Brain Structure & Function, 220(4), 2191-2207. doi:10.1007/s00429-014-0784-y

    Ikeshita-Yamazoe, H., & Miyao, M. (2016). A visual training tool for teaching kanji to children with developmental dyslexia. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 29(1), 88-102. doi:10.1080/09588221.2014.889716

    Kast, M., Baschera, G., Gross, M., Jäncke, L., & Meyer, M. (2011). Computer-based learning of spelling skills in children with and without dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 61(2), 177-200.
    doi:10.1007/s11881-011-0052-2

    Karli, D. (2006). Dyslexia in theory and practice. Klagenfurt, Austria: University of Klagenfurt.

    Kopp-Duller, A. (1997). Der legasthene Mensch (1st ed.). Klagenfurt, Austria: KLL-Verlag.

    Kopp-Duller, A. (2012). Legasthenie – Training nach der AFS-Methode (4th ed.). Klagenfurt, Austria: KLL-Verlag.

    Kopp-Duller, A. & Pailer-Duller, L. (2008). Legasthenie – Dyskalkulie !? (1st ed.). Klagenfurt, Austria: KLL-Verlag.

    Kopp-Duller, A., & Pailer-Duller, L. (2011). Dyslexia – Dyscalculia !? Osprey, FL: Dyslexia Research Center USA.

    Law, C., & Cupples, L. (2015). Thinking outside the boxes: Using current reading models to assess and treat developmental surface dyslexia. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 1–47. doi: 10.1080/09602011.2015.1064453

    Levski, V. (2011). Discovering and supporting dyslexia in the early years. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey: Education and Culture, European Commission, Socrates Comenius.

    McArthur, G., Castles, A., Kohnen, S., Larsen, L., Jones, K., Anandakumar, T., & Banales, E. (2015). Sight word and phonics training in children with dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(4), 391-407. doi:10.1177/0022219413504996

    Mészáros, S. (2011). Dyslexia, as Austrian teachers see it. Budapest, Hungary: Eötvös Loránd University.

    Schwarz, J. (2004, February 12). Children must learn relationship among spoken, visual, meaning of word forms. University of Washington Today. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/news/

    Szimmuck, K. (2014). Interventionsmethoden für Legasthenie. Welche zentralen pädagogischen Interventionsmethoden gibt es für Kinder mit Legasthenie? Ein Vergleich. Hamburg, Germany: University of Hamburg.

    Valdois, S., Peyrin, C., Lassus-Sangosse, D., Lallier, M., Démonet, J.-F., & Kandel, S. (2014). Research report: Dyslexia in a French–Spanish bilingual girl: Behavioural and neural modulations following a visual attention span intervention. Cortex, 53, 120–145. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2013.11.006

    Wang, Z., Cheng-Lai, A., Song, Y., Cutting, L., Jiang, Y., Lin, O., . . . Zhou, X. (2014). A perceptual learning deficit in Chinese developmental dyslexia as revealed by visual texture discrimination training. Dyslexia (Chichester, England), 20(3), 280-296. doi:10.1002/dys.1475

    Zachbauer, P. (2011). Dyslexia and high talent – When two phenomena collide. Salzburg, Austria: University of Salzburg.

  • Dinosaur perception training

    Dinosaur perception training

    Kids + dinosaurs = fun! Enjoy our new free no-prep printables with dinosaurs. Kids will have fun and train their visual and spatial perception, patterning, and counting up to 5.

    Dinosaur, perception training, children, freebie, no prep printable, parents, school, teacher, dyslexia, dyscalculia, AFS-method

    Visual and spatial perception:

    Dinosaur, perception training, children, freebie, no prep printable, parents, school, teacher, dyslexia, dyscalculia, AFS-method

    Patterning:

    Dinosaur, perception training, children, freebie, no prep printable, parents, school, teacher, dyslexia, dyscalculia, AFS-method

    Counting till 5:

    Dinosaur, perception training, children, freebie, no prep printable, parents, school, teacher, dyslexia, dyscalculia, AFS-method

    Download: Dinosaur perception training

    You want even more dinosaurs? Check out this free online game: Dinosaur – Find the pairs! You can choose different levels. The game can be played in any browser on any computer, smartphone or tablet.