Can ChromaGen Glasses Really Cure Dyslexia?

                                               Image offered at Chromogen Website 

If ChromaGen glasses can cure dyslexia, this implies that the root cause of this condition lies in the visual domain.  However, recent research, by Guinevere Eden, Ph.D. at George Washington University Medical Center suggests that visual processing weaknesses are not the cause of dyslexia.  Nonethless, some individuals with dyslexia also report visual distortions when reading, and for those who suffer from the illusion that words appear to move on the page and also experience headaches, fatigue, and nausea when reading, these glasses may warrant a second look. 

What is the History of ChromaGen Glasses

The ChromaGen website reports that what began as an optical corrective solution for color blindness, soon became a tool for some individuals with dyslexia when they reported a reduction in certain symptoms.  As a result, ChromaGen now offers a series of 16 lenses that are designed to help children or adults who have visual reading disorders associated with dyslexia.

How Do the Glasses Work:

According to ChromaGen, for some individuals, the eyes do not work together properly.  The visual information that travels along the brain’s neurological pathway is imbalanced.  The creators of ChromaGen glasses claim that colored lenses change the wavelength of light going into the eyes so that the speed of the information is altered.  By placing different colored filters over the eyes, the glasses can balance the information traveling to the brain.  Dr. Harris, who developed the ChromaGen lenses, also purports that 90% of individuals with dyslexia, that report visual distortions, benefit from their product.

What are the Pros

1.   ChromaGen glasses are noninvasive and could offer a quick fix for some visual processing symptoms.

2.   ChromaGen glasses are approved by the FDA.

3.   ChromaGen glasses offer a 90 day, no questions asked, money back guarantee.

4.   There are no reported side effects.

Cons

1.   ChromaGen glasses are expensive at $150.00 for a screening and $750-$1200 for a pair of glasses.

2.   ChromaGen glasses are not covered by insurance.

3.   ChromaGen glasses only address one specific symptom that effects only some individuals with dyslexia.

4.   Although the ChromaGen website offers plenty of written and video-based testimonials about the benefits of their product for individuals with dyslexia, they still need to back their claims with rigorous, quantitative research. 

If you are still curious about ChromaGen glasses, they offer a questionnaire on their website that can help you determine whether you or your loved one is a candidate for this technology.  Here is a link to the survey:

http://surveys.testmyreading.com/s3/irbnhomepage

You can also view some videos about the Chromagen lenses at the following link: http://www.ireadbetternow.com/show_all_videos

In conclusion, these glasses may help some individuals with dyslexia to correct a specific visual processing issue, but it’s definitely not a cure for all the symptoms associated with this condition.  Although, there are many testimonials for this technology, one must consider the placebo effect.  But, if you really want to know for yourself, and money is not an issue, why not give it a try.  If you have any experience with these glasses, I would love to hear your feedback.

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.comwww.dyslexiamaterials.com and www.learningtolearn.biz  

Teaching Metacognitive Skills: A Fun, Free Illustration and Download

Many students plod through schooling as passive learners and they rarely learn to take control of their own cognition.  In contrast, others learn to be active participants in the learning process and develop metacognitive skills.  Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own cognition or thought process and it involves higher order thinking that enables understanding, analysis and control.  For many concrete learners, as well as those that struggle with attentional issues, this notion can be difficult to grasp.  However, the process can be taught through visual aids, demonstrations, discussions, group work, and graphic organizers.  In fact, the more multisensory the instruction, the greater the likelihood that all your students will master this skill. 

A Scaffolding Illustration:

The Process:

After a lesson or reading, I like to summarize important details, main ideas, and then I make connections by sharing my own thought processes.  I explain to the students that I will be thinking aloud so that they can understand how I use my brain.  Then, I describe the concept of metacognition and I define it for my students.  To make the metacognitive process multisensory, I integrate visual metaphors, as I find that the images and comparisons help students to recall the meaning and the steps of execution.  Then, through guided instruction, I like to have students share their own thought processes.  Finally, I ask them to use this method independently, or in small groups, at the end of future lessons.

A Specific Example:

1.   I project the attached image for all the students to see.

2.   I begin in the middle of the image and define the knowledge nuggets or the important details highlighted in the lesson.   I explain that these are gold nuggets because they are the most valuable details and they are the ones that we need to remember.  Then, I think aloud and fill in the knowledge nuggets.

3.   I suggest that all of those knowledge nuggets can be melted down and what results is the main golden message or the main idea of the lesson.  It defines what the lesson is trying to teach.  I then provide the main golden message and write it on the lines at the top of the graphic organizer.

4.   Finally, I illustrate to the students how to make golden connections.   I call them golden connections because attaching new information to prior knowledge is another very valuable tool that helps memory. I might connect the lesson to a personal experience or a prior class topic.  I often begin these examples with, “This reminds me of…”

5.   When I’m finished, I pull away the image with my thought processes and put the same blank illustration back up for everyone to see.  Then, I ask the students to share their own thought processes.  I ask for student volunteers to fill in the suggested knowledge nuggets, main golden message, and golden connections.  With incorrect responses, I always thank the participant for sharing his or her idea and then I express that they are, “almost there or almost golden.”  Then, I guide them to the correct answers with questions and hints. 

·      Step 5 can also be completed in small groups that later present their ideas, or you can also print the graphic organizer for each student to fill out individually. 

If you would like a copy of this graphic organizer, so you too can use it for teaching metacognition, go to the following page where you can find a copy of this blog and a free link button.  Here, you can also get a free copy of my Passive vs. Active Learning Assessment. http://www.dyslexiamaterials.com/free-advice-strategies.html 

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com www.dyslexiamaterials.com and www.learningtolearn.biz  

Auditory Discrimination Deficits Can Result in Funny Misunderstandings

As a child, I was often teased by my silly misunderstandings of expressions, phrases, words and even lyrics to songs.  Although my hearing was excellent, I struggled with auditory discrimination difficulties.  As a result, I continually confused sounds that were similar and often misconstrued what people were telling me.   For instance, after a year abroad with my family living in England, we returned to the United States and I entered the first grade.  On the first day of school, when my teachers and peers detected my British inflections they asked me about it.  To my dismay, my explanation resulted in laughter.  When I got home I complained to my mother, with a big frown on my face, that the students and teachers had laughed at me.  I just couldn’t understand why they chuckled when I told them I had an "English accident." 

One of my current students, Ben, and I are both members of what I like to call, “the dyslexia club.”  For the two of us, the primary weakness that resulted in our diagnoses was auditory discrimination deficits.   In particular, we had fun sharing our misunderstandings of song lyrics and had a good giggle.  A week later, Ben came into my office and said, "I'm so confused.  For years I thought it was, ‘play it by year,’ and recently found out it was ‘play it by ear.’  Is that my dyslexia?"  I nodded.  He looked at me with his head cocked and his brow furrowed and said, "Play it by ear doesn't make any sense."  He had a perfect understanding of the saying and felt that his misinterpretation was a better fit for the meaning.  

Here are a couple of other cute misunderstandings that my students have made:

“Challenge words are my worst emeny.”

“It happened in a half hazard manner.”

Do you have any to share?

Remember that the kids that struggle with this cognitive processing weakness are not aware of their misunderstandings, so make an effort not to laugh at them and gently guide them to the correct pronunciation.

If you want to learn more about the research behind this, check out this article from the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/health/research/02dyslexia.html?ref=dyslexia

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

The Different Types of Dyslexia: Targeting Intervention

Although reading disorders were recognized back in the late 1800s, the term dyslexia didn't become a recognized condition until the 1970's-1980's.  Since then, it has received an enormous amount of research and professional based attention.  However, many educators and clinicians are still mystified about how to best pinpoint the specific needs of each student with dyslexia.  

The primary underlying cause of this confusion is the fact that there are many cognitive weaknesses or deficits that can trigger a diagnosis of dyslexia.  So much like a dart board, if service providers continue to aim interventions at the wrong place, they may play a frustrating game and they will certainly never hit the bull’s-eye.  As a result professionals have begun to propose subtypes that categorize dyslexics based on common symptoms, so individuals with dyslexia can be understood and service providers can target the needed areas of attention. 

What are the different types of dyslexia?

The three most commonly defined subtypes of dyslexia are Dyseidetic Dyslexia or Visual Dyslexia, Dysphonetic Dyslexia or Auditory Dyslexia and Dysphoneidetic or Alexic Dyslexia. 

1) Dyseidetic Dyslexia or Visual Dyslexia: is when a learner struggles with the decoding and or spelling of words because he or she has great difficulty remembering or revisualizing the word, particularly irregular sightwords (also known as eidetic words).  These learners tend to have good auditory processing skills as well as an understanding of phonics, but they struggle with visual processing, memory synthesis and sequencing of words.  Word or letter reversals when reading, as well as writing and spelling difficulties are also common.

2) Dysphonetic Dyslexia or Auditory Dyslexia: is when a learner struggles with the decoding and or spelling of words because he or she has great difficulty associating sounds with symbols (also known as phonemic awareness).  These learners tend to have good visual processing skills, but they have deficits in auditory processing as well as linking a sound to a visual cue.

3) Dysphoneidetic or Alexic Dyslexia: is when a learner struggles with both visual and auditory processing deficits.  This subcategory is known as Mixed Dyslexia or Dysphoneidetic Dyslexia.  

What about the Other Cognitive Struggles that Are Often Associated with Dyslexia?

Although the above designations are somewhat helpful, they do not address all the areas that can be associated with dyslexia such as difficulties with handwriting, oral language, math, motor planning and coordination, organization, orientation to time, focus and attention, spatial perception, and eye movement control. As a result, Mattis French and Rapin proposed a different breakdown based on a study they conducted of 113 children with dyslexia. They proposed three very different classifications:

1) Syndrome I: Language Disorder - These learners experience anomia, comprehension                deficits, and confusion with speech and sound discrimination.

2)  Syndrome II: Articulatory and Graphomotor Dyscoordination - These learners exhibit gross and fine motor coordination deficits, as well as poor speech and graphomotor coordination.

3) Syndrome III: Visuospatial Perceptual Disorder - These learners have poor visuospatial perception and difficulties encoding and retrieving visual stimuli.

But What About Those That Learn to Compensate for Their Dyslexia?

Although dyslexia presents significant challenges, many learn to compensate and become successful and celebrated professionals.  Dr. Fernette and Brock Eide coined yet another term, Stealth Dyslexia, to describe gifted dyslexics who learned to compensate for reading difficulties with great analytical and problem-solving strengths.  However, these learners still experience significant difficulties with writing and spelling.  Because they are so smart, the difficulties these individuals experience are often characterized with inappropriate labels such as careless or lazy.  As a result,  many with stealth dyslexia can feel a sense of learned helplessness.

So, although these new ways of breaking dyslexia down into subcategories is helpful, clearly they still need to be refined.  I am dyslexic myself and feel that none of the subcategories or designations captures my profile.  Perhaps the solution lies in allowing each individual diagnosis to list the specific areas of cognitive deficits that impact learning so individual students can receive tailored interventions.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

Cheers, Erica
Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

Quick Individualized Solutions for Struggling and Dyslexic Readers

There is no single reading program or method that will address all the needs of struggling readers, because each learner has his or her own unique strengths and weaknesses.  In fact, there are many cognitive processing weaknesses that can effect young learners and if you want quick and optimal results, it’s important to pursue a comprehensive evaluation.  A good assessment will help uncover the areas of difficulty.  Then educational professionals, such as an experienced reading specialist or educational therapist can focus on strengthening those specific areas of cognition. 

What Are Some of The Cognitive Processing Areas That Impact Reading?

There are many cognitive processing areas that can impact reading.  Here are the most common:

Tracking: is the ability of the eyes to follow the movement of an object in motion or follow words across the page from left to right.

Visual Synthesis– is the ability to pull the pieces together to create a visual whole.

Visual Closure - is the ability to identify or recognize a symbol or object when the entire object is not visible.

Visual Discrimination - is the ability to discriminate between visible likeness and differences in size, shape, pattern, form, position, and color. 

Visual Reasoning - is the ability to understand and analyze visual information. 

Visual Memory - is the ability to recall what has been seen.

Visual Sequencing  - is the ability to recall the sequence of symbols, letters or numbers that have been seen.

Attention to Visual Details - is the ability to attend to and recognize all the information and fine points presented in an image.

Auditory Discrimination - is the ability to detect differences in sounds.

Auditory Memory - is the ability to remember the details of what is heard.

Auditory Sequencing - is the ability to remember the order of information in which it was heard.

Auditory Closure - is the ability to “fill in the gaps” and decipher a word or message when a part is distorted or missing.

Sound Symbol Association - is the ability to connect a sound with a symbol or letter.

Word Retrieval - is the ability to rapidly and precisely express ideas into specific words.

Receptive Language - is the ability to accurately understand language that is seen or heard.

Mental Flexibility - is the ability to shift our thoughts in order to respond effectively to any given situation.

Comprehensive Reading Programs Work, But Are They The Best Solution?

No one would suggest a whole body workout, if you just had a weak bicep.  Although a whole body workout would help in many ways, it will be a long process and your bicep may never receive the intensive work it needs to catch up with the rest of your body.  Likewise, a reading program is always beneficial, but it will probably take time and it may never strengthen the specific cognitive areas that need the most attention. 

How Can Specific Cognitive Areas Be Strengthened? 

To strengthen specific areas of cognition, it is important to do repeated activities that exercise those areas of the brain.  For example, if you need to improve a student's tracking abilities, he or she would need to do a lot of activities that would require their eyes to follow from left to right and follow objects in motion.  Likewise, to improve visual discrimination, a student would need to complete a lot of activities that would require the processing of similar images.  They would need to learn to practice and uncover likenesses and differences. 

What Are Some Specific Tools Professionals, Teachers and Parents Can Use?

To help make this process easier, I have designed a series of specific cognitive activities and games in a series of publications called Reversing Reversals.  The first publication in the Series, Reversing Reversal Primary, offers cognitive training materials for young learners that are struggling with letters and numbers, as well as those that are showing signs of dyslexia or other learning disabilities.  This product includes fun activities and games that use animals which will truly please and entice students.  Young learners will not even realize that they are working on the foundational skills that are necessary to learn basic math and reading.  The next product is Reversing Reversals.  This integrates letters and numbers into the activities and games.  Finally, Reversing Reversals 2 continues to offer more activities which work with letters, numbers and even symbols.   Free samplings of the activities are available for all three of these publications.  To learn more and try the free samples, go to dyslexiamaterials.com.  Another comprehensive tool that addresses many of the cognitive processing areas is Audiblox: http://www.audiblox2000.com/  For visual processing issues, I also like the MiniLuk system, and for Visual Discrimination and reasoning, I like Visual Discrimination by Jean Edwards.  See the links below:

                 

I hope you found this helpful!  I would love to hear your thoughts!!

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

Sharing a Powerful Analogy used by Sir Kenneth Robinson

Sir Kenneth Robinson continues to inspire educators around the globe with his ideas for educational reform.  He uses the following analogy in a recent Ted Talk entitled: How to Escape Educations Death Valley.

To view the whole video, click on the link below.
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_how_to_escape_education_s_death_valley.html

Cheers, Erica

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz 

10 Easy Ways to Strengthen the Weaknesses Associated with Dyslexia

Dyslexia is the new, hot topic in education around the globe, and it is frequently featured in educational conferences, news articles, YouTube videos, and even movies.  New estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 10 children have this difficulty, making it the most common type of learning disability.  Although dyslexia is common, many with this condition remain undiagnosed.  Furthermore, many others who have received this diagnosis don’t fully understand it and never receive the needed remediation.  So, how can we help this underserved population? 

Here are some suggestions:

1. Because black text on a white background can be visually uncomfortable for many with dyslexia, provide them the option of using color overlays or nonprescription glasses with color-tinted lenses.  You can make your own overlays by taking transparent, colorful pocket folders or report covers and slicing them into strips that can also be used as bookmarks.  You can get a selection of tinted glasses that your students can use on sites like Amazon.com.  The most popular color seems to be yellow. 

2. Similarly, if changing the color of the background is helpful for reading, it is likely that your learners will also benefit from changing the background color when typing.  On a Mac, using Word, this can be done by clicking on the Format drop down menu, and then selecting background.  Here you can select another background color.  Please note, this will not impact the background when printing documents.  On a PC, this can be done by selecting the drop down menu, Page Layout, then Page Color.

3. Play search games with letters and words that are challenging.  For example, if a learner is having trouble discriminating between the letters "b" and "d," give them a magazine, newspaper or other print out and have them circle all the "bs."  They don’t have to be able to read the text; they will just be searching for the designated letter or word.  If you instruct a student to scan one line at a time, you will also be strengthening his or her tracking skills.

4. Purchase a book of jokes, or find some on the internet.  Go through each joke and talk about what makes it funny.  Discuss double meanings, and make a list of words that have multiple meanings.  Finally, encourage the learner to make their own joke book.

5. If spelling is a real problem, make a list of the student's commonly misspelled words.  Use a notebook and place one word on each page.  Have fun coming up with memory strategies that will help the learner remember the correct spelling.  For example, if a student is having difficulty with the word “together,” he or she may notice that the word is made up of three simple words – to, get and her.  As another example, one may notice that the word “what” has the word "hat" in it.  The student might draw many hats in their notebook and then write down the question, “What hat?”

6. Play fun, free internet games and videos that review basic phonics, such as Star Fall, BBCs Syllable Factory Game, Phonics Chant 2 and Magic E.

7. Make difficult letters, numbers and words with the learner out of wet spaghetti, pebbles, raisins, pipe cleaners, a sand tray, shaving cream, or clay.   You can also place challenging letters, numbers or words on a ball or a balloon and play catch.  Every time a participant catches the ball or balloon, he or she reads the first symbol or word seen.  Integrating a tactile and kinesthetic modality into lessons will make them more enjoyable and memorable.

8. Use books on tape or read aloud.  While listening, ask the learners to close their eyes so they can image the story in their head.  Many learners with dyslexia never fully develop their capacity to envision or visualize a story, because reading is so mentally overwhelming.  Helping these learners to develop the ability to utilize their mind’s eye aids in reading comprehension and memory.  Another option is to have the learner read along, so they can begin to see and recognize whole words and phrases.  A great organization that offers books on tape for struggling readers is Learning Ally. You can also purchase Franklin's Anybook Anywhere so that books can be recorded at your convenience, yet played anytime - anywhere!

9. Have fun creating a special reading area.  Make sure to come up with a fun name for this place, such as "the book nook."  Decorate it together.  You can fill it with pillows, stuffed animals, blankets and other comforting objects.  You can hang drapes around it, get a large bean bag, hide it under a tall table, or build it around an indoor chair swing or hammock.  Have books, highlighters, colored pencils and paper within reach.

10. Create a consistent time every few days where the whole family  grabs a book and reads.  All family members should congregate and read in a common room.  Make sure to have munchies and other comforting objects at hand.  This is a time to relax and enjoy the company of one another, so make this a cherished and special time.

If you are interested in purchasing some products that help students with dyslexia, consider downloading a free sample of Dr. Warren’s Reversing Reversals, Following Directions, Making Inferences the Fun and Easy Way, or Reading Games.  These and more great publications are available at www.dyslexiamaterials.com

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials.  She is also the director of Learning to Learn, in Ossining, NY.  To learn more about her products and services, you can go to www.goodsensorylearning.com  www.dyslexiamaterials.com and  www.learningtolearn.biz