THE BIG PICTURE

Dyslexia means "trouble with words." Recently, however, it has been further categorized into many different labels including ADD, ADHD, Receptive Language Delay, visual-spatial learners, processing disorders, etc. As more is learned about the commonality in thinking styles among all of these, there is a consistent theme with respect to many learning disabilities: Disorientation.

Disorientation is actually a natural talent - a gift. When disoriented, visual-spatial thinkers can problem-solve, create, invent, engineer, and escape by using their extraordinary and vibrant multi-sensory thoughts, similar to movies. This same gift, however, is also what makes dealing with 2-dimensional words and symbols a tedious task.

Disorientation affects many areas of learning such as reading, spelling, comprehension, writing, and math.

Because many written words and symbols are abstract, and cannot be deciphered by their natural picture-thinking style, visual-spatial learners become confused. When confused, their automatic response is to disorient and examine the source of the confusion multi-dimensionally. This works beautifully with real-world objects, but it doesn't work for the written word. The result of disorientation while reading is distorted perception of the words - causing frustration, mistakes, loss of comprehension, and fatigue.

[turning put]   [flipping put]

When equipped with the right tools, people with dyslexia and other related learning disabilities can intentionally control and correct their perceptions and avoid the disabling aspects, allowing their gifts and talents to shine.


Open Door Learning Center will provide clients with the tools to correct the distorted perception that causes confusion with symbols, as outlined in The Gift of Dyslexia and The Gift of Learning by Ronald D. Davis.

Open Door Learning Client  Open Door Learning Client

How does disorientation affect reading, spelling, comprehension?

Words on a page may be perceived as strung together, with no spaces, making it nearly impossible to decipher words within it.

[words strung together]

Words may appear to be "hovering" or even sliding off of the page.

[hovering letters]

It can cause words to appear or disappear (addition or omission of words in the text).

It can cause transpositions of words, like: was/saw, on/no, from/form; as well as transpositions with individual letters within words, like: b/d/p/q, f/t, u/n.

The severity of the symptoms varies with each individual and the symptoms of disorientation vary from day-to-day and minute-to-minute, depending upon the situation.

Bottom-line: Disorientation prevents the information from being perceived accurately.

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Professional services described as Davis®, Davis Dyslexia Correction®, Davis Symbol Mastery®, Davis Orientation Counseling®, and Davis Math Mastery® may only be provided by persons who are employed by a licensed Davis Specialist, or who are trained and licensed as Davis Facilitators by Davis Dyslexia Association International.


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