READING AND WRITING

Reading

A Complex Task

Reading has been called the acme of human achievement. Unlike speaking and listening, reading must be learned. Reading involves various centers of the brain, each dedicated to the perception and interpretation of various features of a printed word. One area connects the printed symbol to a sound, another adds meaning. With repeated practice, quantitative and qualitative changes occur. Neural pathways strengthen and become faster, and new circuitry develops that enables the reader to automatically transform printed words into meaning. Slow word analysis or "word attack” in one region of the brain (parieto-temporal) gives way to rapid (less than 150 milliseconds) word recognition in another (occipito-temporal), the so-called word form area. Once accomplished, reading can open the doors to a world of information and enjoyment.

Difficulties

However, not everyone learns to read easily or well. For many, reading remains slow and often inaccurate. The cause may be dyslexia, or a congenital "glitch” in the word form area. For others, a poor language environment or poor instruction may have inhibited development of an otherwise intact system. In either case, tremendous improvements are possible, especially when begun early.

Diagnosis and Instruction

The first step in correcting a reading problem is understanding it. Careful and thorough diagnosis enables Dr. Gates to pinpoint any area(s) of weakness in word identification skills, vocabulary, or comprehension. She then selects the research-based instructional program that has been proven effective in the correction of the identified problem and is interesting and compatible with the learner. (For more information on research findings and reading programs, visit the International Dyslexia Association, the International Learning Disabilities Association, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, or Schwab Learning.)

Program components may include:

• Word Attack – learning to use phonics, context clues, and memory to rapidly identify words
• Vocabulary Development – broadening word knowledge through study of definitions, analogies, and etymology
• Comprehension – developing critical thinking skills to understand both stated and implied information
• Reading Textbooks – applying reading skills to acquire information from content materials
• Note Taking – locating key concepts and imposing order on information using a variety of formats

Results

Progress is monitored continuously through testing and other measures. Both self-referenced and norm-referenced tests are used. That is, the reader’s performance on a specific skill is measured before instruction and again after. The difference in scores tells us how much skill has been acquired. Norm-referenced testing is useful in telling us how an individual’s performance compares to others. Scores are frequently reported in terms of grade or age levels or percentile rankings. These scores can also be used to measure the trajectory of an individual’s learning. Other assessments such as changes in attitude and confidence or performance in school or at work are important gauges of progress as well. Dr. Gates provides student and parents with regular reports that detail progress.

"My second grader was starting to hate school. He just dreaded reading. After working with Dr. Gates, he learned how to sound out words and now he feels like he can keep up with the rest of his friends. I love seeing his new confidence.” (N. Bakerston)

"I think the best thing we got from working with Dale is that she took the mystery out of reading for us. We knew something was wrong but we didn’t know what to do about it. We always read to our daughter and she tried really hard in school, but that wasn’t enough. Now I feel I understand reading better so I don’t get frustrated when she makes a mistake and I can help her much better now.” (L. Mooney)

Writing

Challenges

Communicating effectively in writing is a challenge for many. Even good readers may find it difficult to express themselves well on paper. For some, getting started is the hard part. They know what they want to say, but they don’t know where to begin or how to shape their thoughts. Other people are intimidated by mechanics. They’re afraid to make a mistake that will make them look uneducated.

Writing is a very personal form of expression. Criticism of our printed words stings in a way criticism of our speech may not. Many students graduate school each year with a sigh of relief that they won’t need to write essays ever again only to find that the demand for written communication increases after school. Jobs and promotions may hinge on the ability to write effectively.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a neurologically based disorder that is characterized by poor handwriting and misalignment of writing on the page. There may be concurrent problems with spelling, editing, composing, and reading. The young student may be wrongly criticized for laziness or carelessness. Writing inefficiency significantly impairs the older student who must demonstrate learning through writing. Dysgraphia must be remediated through careful and thorough teaching using specialized methods and materials, and it must be accommodated through use of assistive technologies and changes in the classroom or workplace.

An Individualized Approach

Working in a comfortable, collaborative one-to-one setting, Dr. Gates helps each individual overcome skills weaknesses and develop confidence in writing. She first identifies the learning goals through dialogue and assessment and then creates an individualized learning program to meet those goals. Instruction may focus on composition, writing mechanics or a combination. A typical writing program may include work on the following components:

• The cognitive content, or the logic and coherence of the construction
• Syntactic and semantic structures, or the use of appropriate vocabulary and grammar
• The conventions of writing, or rules of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
• The individual’s work or school assignments may be used as a basis for instruction.

Reading and Writing

For some students, a combination of a reading and writing program is the most desirable plan. Analysis of another’s writing can improve reading comprehension and one’s own skill in constructing meaning on paper. Also, understanding the regularities of the sound system of the language both strengthens reading decoding and demystifies spelling. The balance of reading and writing components is individually determined for each student. In all cases, learning goals are established at the outset and progress is carefully monitored throughout the instructional period.

"I went to Dr. Gates for professional reasons. I had been promoted to a position that required much more writing. While I knew the technical aspects of my job, I was feeling unprepared for all the writing I had to do. Dale helped me write more clearly and confidently. She was very supportive and I learned quickly.” (T. Thomas)

"Our son was miserable in his high school English classes. He is very bright but received poor grades on his essays. He complained bitterly that the teachers didn’t understand him and he stubbornly refused to make changes as they suggested. He didn’t want help from us, so we went to Dr. Gates. She broke through his defensiveness and helped him feel he could still be himself and take his readers’ needs in mind. We’re very grateful to Dale.” (M/M Stoddard)