How the Special Education Brain Learns

David Sousa

Writing, Reading, Math, Behavior

Disabilities
Theresa Knipstein Meyer
 Two Functions of Writing
• Mental functions that select the content of
the writing
• Mental functions with the physical act of
moving a writing instrument
 Writing involves
• Attention
• Fine motor coordination
• Memory
• Visual processing
• Language
• Higher order thinking
• Visual memory for symbols, whole word
memory, and spelling rules
 Writing Involves
• Properly functioning central nervous system
• Intact receptive and expressive language skills
• Related cognitive operations
• Emotional stability
• Application of the concepts of organization and flow
• Understanding of the rules of pronunciation,
spelling, grammar, syntax, visual and spatial
organization
• Simultaneous processing
 Difficulties in Writing
• Environmental
• Deficits within one or more of the neural
networks needed for legible and clear writing
 Writing and Reading
• Brain does not perceive writing to be a
survival skill so the brain has no writing
centers comparable to those for spoken
language.
• Learning to write requires direct instruction-it
is not innate to the brain.
 Writing in School
• Little time is given to formal writing
instruction in handwriting.
• Some difficulties students experience with
writing may be due to an unfortunate
combination of learning the difficult skills of
writing with very little practice.
 Spelling Errors
• Indication of the child’s thought processes while
making sense of letter sound relationships
• Research shows-appropriate teacher intervention,
invented spellings gradually come closer to
conventional forms.
• Remember practice eventually makes permanent.
• Consistent repetition of incorrect spellings will in time
lead to their storage in long term memory.
• Teachers need to use strategies that will help children
transform invented spelling into conventional spelling.
 Dysgraphia
• Spectrum disorder describing major difficulties
in mastering the sequence of movements
necessary to write letters and numbers.
 Dysgraphia Characterized
• Slow copying
• Inconsistencies in letter formation
• Mixtures of different letters and styles
• Poor legibility.

*Teachers need to realize that this is a

neurological disorder not result of laziness, not
caring, not trying, or just carelessness in writing.
 Dysgraphia
• Dyslexic
• Motor
• Spatial
 Dysgraphia Notes
• Can occur with other learning difficulties-
dyslexia, ADHD, and auditory and visual
processing disorders.
• Some students lack confidence in their ability
to write.
• Educators need to help students regain
confidence by using adaptations and
remediation strategies.
 Strategies for Students with Writing
Disorders
• Allow more time
• Encourage Keyboard skills
• Provide partially completed outlines; graphic organizers
• Allow students to dictate to another student
• Correct spelling in first draft; encourage use of spell
checker
• Reduce copying of printed work
• Allow students to use abbreviations
• Allow students to use lined and graph paper
 Strategies for Students with Writing
Disorders
• Allow students to use different writing instruments
(markers, ball point pens, mechnical pencils)
• Have pencil grips available
• Use a speech recognition program-dictate their
thoughts and other technological tools
• Proofread after some a delay in time
• Provide effective writing instruction
• Intervene early
• Tailor instruction to meet individual needs
 Building Confidence as Writers
• Expect the each child will learn to write
• Address road blocks with a plan: low
tolerance for failure, attention difficulties,
impulsivity, disorganization, inflexibility, lack of
persistence , frequent absences, and poor
home support.
• Provide frequent feedback
 It is not like Spoken Language
• Reading is not a natural ability. There are no
areas of the brain that specialize in reading.
• To read the brain must recruit regions that are
specialized for other purposes.
• Reading is the most difficult task a young brain
undertakes.
 Before They Learn to Read…
• Acquire vocabulary by listening to others
• Practice pronunciation and usage of new
words in conversations.
• Children with language impairments are at risk
for problems with reading.
 Two Operations
1. Decoding=student needs phonemic
awareness, understand phonics, adequate
vocabulary (mental lexicon)

2. Comprehend=student needs to know what

the words in the lexicon mean (vocab) and
be able to decode with reasonable fluency.
 Three Neural Systems
1. Visual-processing system
2. Auditory-processing system
3. Executive system
 Causes of Reading Disabilities
• Social

• Cultural

• Physical
 Physical Causes
Linguistic Causes-
1. Phonological deficits
2. Differences between auditory and visual processing
speeds
3. Structural differences in the brain
4. Working memory deficits
5. Genetic defects
6. Brain lesions
7. Word blindness
 Physical Causes
• Nonlinguistic Causes
1. Poor perception of sequential sounds
2. Inability to discriminate certain sound
frequencies
3. Inability to detect sounds from background
noise
4. Deficits in the cerebellum-poor motor
coordination
 Brain Imaging
• Studies have revealed differences in both
structure and function of the brains with
dyslexia compared to typical brains.
• These studies may lead to more accurate
diagnosis and treatment.
 Detecting Reading Problems
• Not an easy task
• Early signs of problems with spoken language
delays
• Early signs of difficulties with spoken language
• Failure to respond to reading interventions in
grades one and two
 Indicators of Dyslexia
• Difficulty recognizing written words
• Difficulty rhyming or sequencing syllables
• Difficulty determining the meaning or main idea of a
simple sentence
• Poor sequencing of letters or numbers
• Difficulty with encoding words-spelling
• Delayed spoken language
• Difficulty with handwriting
• Difficulty in expressing thoughts verbally
• Possible family history of dyslexia
 Rewire Brains
• Studies have demonstrated that with intensive work
it is possible to rewire the brains of children with
dyslexia.
• The brains resemble typical brains when reading
after the intensive work is finished.
• Commercial computer games are available for
struggling readers with this research as its base.
(Earobics, Fast forWord and Lindamood Phoneme
Sequencing Progam)
Programs Showing Significant Improvements

• Reading Recovery
• Success for All
• Read 180 Program
 Good Reading Programs
• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension
• Fluency
• Instructional methods-explicit and direct
instruction, scaffolding strategies, targeted
practice and high quality feedback
 Increase Reading Achievement
Kids need…
• To read a lot
• Access engaging classroom and school library media center
collections
• Choice in selecting books appropriate to their independent
reading levels
• to be Read aloud to every day
• Positive reading role models
• Engage in a variety of reading activities every day
• Talk to others about what reading
• Quality teachers and high-quality instruction
Mathematical Disabilities and the Brain
• Research shows that humans are born with a
number sense.
• Parietal and frontal lobes are primarily involved
in basic mathematics.
• Other parts of the brain are recruited into action
when dealing with more complex mathematics.
• Brain areas responsible for calculations are
different from those used in processing language.
(Language is not necessary to calculation.)
 Math
• 6-8% of school age children have serious
difficulty processing mathematics (same
number as serious reading problems)
 Dysacalculia Types
• Number concept difficulties
• Counting deficits
• Difficulties with arithmetic skills
• Procedural and memory disorders
• Visual-spatial deficits
 Strategies for Mathematics
• Teach strategies in Mathematics for different
learning styles
• Help students look at concrete models and
link them to abstract numerical
representations.
• Allow for more time for mathematics study
and for completing assignments
• More oral and fewer written tests
 Strategies for Mathematics
• Have purposeful and meaningful practice exercises
• Provide feedback before independent practice
• Maintain balanced expectations
• Build on student’s strengths and learning
strategies and learning styles
• Use Manipulatives appropriately-connect to what
thinking!
• Connect to prior knowledge or future usefulness
 Brain Basics
• Check the environment-clutter free,
compatible colors, music, lamps, plants
• Brain Food-fish, eggs, poultry, nuts, turkey-
dark meat, orange juice, tuna, white meat,
whole grains, bannans, pears, peaches,
apples, yogurt
• Pure water 8-15 glasses per day-Hydrate