Lying versus Reality; and Follow-up with Davis Program

Recently Coleman has been lying... sometimes telling tall tales.. and sometimes to get out of schoolwork/ studying for tests. We took swift action... taking away the things he loved the most... his golf cart and pool. When discussing the issue with Coleman, he did indicate that he was feeling a lot of pressure in school and he asked to go and see Scott again (see Davis Dyslexia post Aug 2007). He asked - it was all his idea.

I also saw the need for a follow-up because I personally had fallen off my duties in continuing to work with him in the clay and reading methods. I needed to get recommitted.

During our follow-up meeting with Scott, he explained that sometimes picture thinkers (dyslexics) have such vivid imaginations that what they see/experience becomes so real they actually think something really occured. For example, Coleman told a story about a bear approaching our camp once when he was little - which was not true -- but he was absolutely convinced that it DID happen. So, on one hand we need to understand his confusion of the facts. On the other hand, lying to get out of something is not "by accident" and most certainly should have consequences.

Coleman (and I) were reenergized by the follow-up and I have doubt it will help us get back on track.

Sound Training Rewires Dyslexic Children's Brains For Reading

A great article...

Sound Training Rewires Dyslexic Children's Brains For Reading

ScienceDaily (2007-11-04) -- Brain imaging adds further support to the idea that at least some children with dyslexia have trouble processing sound, rather than a visual problem. The study also shows that computer-based sound training exercises can not only improve reading but literally rewire the brain. The findings may help clinicians detect and remediate dyslexia even before children begin learning to read. ... > read full article

Sometimes He Can't Say What He Really Means

Example: He said "I can't", regarding a timed short division test (there's 100 division problems all on one page and students have 7 minutes to do them all).

This was strange, since I've watched him do long division during homework, pretty easily. We initially thought that he meant he could not do division... so we tried to go over again how to do division... he blocked us out...did not listen.. got upset... said "I can't" again. Then he just wouldn't - was belligerent - gave up - refused to do it - called himself stupid - cried.

Later, we talked about it again... he said in frustration "I can do it, I just can't do it THAT WAY!" What he meant was that he could not look at one page full of the facts and do it just by looking... he has to write them down. We tried it this way - with a cover sheet on which he wrote the problem and worked it out - and went zipping through them with no problem. Now, with a cover sheet, he makes 100s on these tests.

Lesson: I have to be patient and remember that Coleman really is the type of kid wants desperately to please; he is as upset as anyone when "he can't" because his brain doesn't "work right"; sometimes "I can't" really means "I can't do it that way" and what is really needed is another way of doing it :-)