Helpful Links
These links helped Amy understand how dyslexics and fluents learn to read, and what is going on in our brains when we do.
explore, Play, Learn!
Creativity is much more than 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. Creators are not mere experts. Instead of deliberately practicing down an already existing path, they often create their own path for others to follow
Source: Kaufman, Scott Barry. “Creativity Is Much More Than 10,000 Hours of Deliberate Practice.” Scientific American Blog Network (blog), 17 2016.
LD OnLine knows that there are many different ways to learn, and having the right tools at school and at home can change everything. Explore our resources and help every child reach their full potential.
Source: “LD OnLine: The World’s Leading Website on Learning Disabilities and ADHD.” LD Online. Accessed January 21, 2019.
Learning about disorders can make a huge difference for children who are struggling in any aspect of life and don’t know why. This guide evaluates all types of disorders and learning disabilities.
Source: “Learning Disorders.” Child Mind Institute. Accessed February 15, 2016.
There are 7.753 billion people on Earth. And 1 in 5 of them are dyslexic. Their skills are recognized by the World Economic Forum as the skills every workplace needs. But these skills are not spotted or supported in our schools. That’s why Made By Dyslexia is calling for every school across the world to take a day for dyslexia and skill up using our FREE online training.
Source: “Made By Dyslexia.” Made By Dyslexia. Accessed January 21, 2019.
Yes, Dyslexia is known to be very frustrating and disruptive for many things. However, did you know there are advantages to Dyslexia? Learn all about them here.
Source: Shaywitz, Sally E. “The Advantages of Dyslexia.” Mind. Scientific American, August 19, 2014.
International Dyslexia Association
Learn everything there is to know about Dyslexia, find professionals in your area, learn if you or a loved one has dyslexia. If you have a question about Dyslexia, the answer will be here.
Source: The International Dyslexia Association. “Promoting Literacy through Research, Education and Advocacy.” November 12, 2001.6.
A baby’s brain is hardwired to learn a language. That means that a baby doesn’t need to be taught how to speak a language; it happens naturally. Babies learn language pretty much from the moment they are born. It’s an amazingly complex skill, but since it’s natural, we aren’t aware of everything it involves. Unlike learning a language, though, learning to read is not natural. It has to be taught. And as complex as language is, reading is even more complex.
Source: Bainbridge, Carol. “How Children Learn to Read in Stages.” Verywell Family. Accessed February 12, 2019.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably an accomplished reader. In fact, you’ve most likely forgotten by now how much work it took you to learn to read in the first place. And you probably never think about what is happening in your brain when you’re reading that email from your boss or this month’s book club selection.
Source: Burns, Martha. “The Reading Brain: How Your Brain Helps You Read, and Why It Matters.” Scientific Learning, December 6, 2017.
Have you ever heard people say that they are more of a right brain vs a left brain thinker? From books to television programs, you’ve probably heard the phrase mentioned numerous times. Or perhaps you’ve even taken an online test to determine whether you are right-brained or left-brained.
Source: Cherry, Kendra. “Are You A Left-Brain or Right-Brain Thinker? The Surprising Truth.”
Psychology. About.com, 2013.
How many brains do you have – one or two? Actually, this is quite easy to answer…you have only one brain. However, the cerebral hemispheres are divided right down the middle into a right hemisphere and a left hemisphere. Each hemisphere appears to be specialized for some behaviors. The hemispheres communicate with each other through a thick band of 200-250 million nerve fibers called the corpus callosum.
Source: Chudler, Eric H. “Hemispheres.” University of Washington. Neuroscience for Kids, 2011.
Learn all about the areas of the brain and what they are all about. Details about how they were named, and which area is in charge of what brain activity.
Source: Dubuc, Bruno. “Broca’s Area, Wernicke’s Area, and Other Language-Processing Areas in the Brain.” The Brain from Top to Bottom, January 2002.
Medical Definition of Dyslexia
A specific developmental disability alters the way the brain processes written material. Because dyslexia is due to a defect in the brain’s processing of graphic symbols, it is thought of primarily as a learning disability. The effects of dyslexia vary from person to person. The only common trait among people with dyslexia is that they read at levels significantly lower than are typical for people of their age and intelligence
Source: “Dyslexia.” MedicineNet.com. Medterms, 2014 1996.
Dyslexic children use nearly five times the brain area as normal children while performing a simple language task, according to a new study by an interdisciplinary team of the University of Washington researchers. The study shows for the first time that there are chemical differences in the brain function of dyslexic and non-dyslexic children.
Source: “Dyslexic Children Use Nearly Five Times the Brain Area.” UW News (blog). Accessed
March 5, 2019.
The future billionaire would drop out of school at the age of 15 due in part to his learning disability. But clearly he did not let it prevent him from going on to greatness.
“Dyslexia is a kind of disability, but actually it’s an opportunity if you turn it into such,” Branson said on Thursday at SkyBridge Capital’s SALT Conference in Las Vegas.
Source: Egan, Matt. “Richard Branson: How I Turned Dyslexia into a Strength.” CNN Money,
May 8, 2015.
What are the functions of the areas on the right brain hemisphere that correspond to Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area?
Source: Kowalewski, Joel, Marcia Peterson Buckie, and Michael Soso. “What Are the Functions of the Areas on the Right Brain Hemisphere That Correspond to Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area?” Quora. Accessed June 15, 2018.
The Art of Thought: A Pioneering 1926 Model of the Four Stages of Creativity. How to master the beautiful osmosis of conscious and unconscious, voluntary and involuntary, deliberate and serendipitous.
Source: Popova, Maria. “The Art of Thought: A Pioneering 1926 Model of the Four Stages of Creativity.” Brain Pickings. Accessed October 11, 2016.
Dyslexia can deliver benefits. With reading difficulties can come other cognitive strengths.
Source: Schneps, Matthew H. “Dyslexia Can Deliver Benefits.” Mind. Scientific American, January 1, 2015.
We all knew the kid who couldn’t be pried away from her book—and the kid for whom each page was an exquisite torture. Why do people take to reading with such varying amounts of ease?
Source: Taylor, Ashley P. “How the Brains of Bookworms Compare To Those of Bibliophobes.” Discover Magazine. 80beats, October 10, 2012.
The function of a part of the human brain known as Wernicke’s area is to enable us to comprehend written and spoken language. It is located posterior to the primary auditory complex in the left temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain where information processing of all kinds takes place.
Source: Bailey, Regina. “Read This Aloud—and Thank Wernicke’s Area in the Brain.” Wernicke’s Area in the Brain. ThoughtCo, 27 2018
Reading for you is not just easy – it’s automatic. Looking at a word and not reading it is almost impossible because the cogs of written language processing are set in motion as soon as skilled readers see print. And yet, as tempting as it is to think of reading as hard-wired into us, don’t be fooled. Learning to read is not easy. It’s not even natural.
Source: Bell, Nicola. “Explainer: How the Brain Changes When We Learn to Read.” The Conversation. Accessed February 12, 2019.
All those with dyslexia will have the opportunity to know and understand their diagnosis; to become better readers; and to become confident and successful students and adults.
Source: http://dyslexia.yale.edu/the-center/our-mission/
Amy Law, Science Geek 