Kathy Johnson – Dyslexia, Dyscalculia & Dysgraphia: An Integrated Approach

Dyslexia, Dyscalculia & Dysgraphia: An Integrated Approach – Kathy Johnson

Strategies for…

• Increasing sequencing and memory
• Reading ability including instant improvement
• Handwriting
• Increasing words written
• Math skills
• Improving processing speed
• Reducing anxiety, including test anxiety
• Stopping reversals

In this recording, professionals from many different perspectives come together to learn how their interventions integrate to remediate some of the more complicated dysfunctions seen in education. The Pyramid of Potential approach starts the remediation with building blocks of mind and body health from the nutrition and psychology disciplines. This is followed by neurodevelopment and sensory-motor development from occupational therapy, physical therapy and vision therapy disciplines. Finally, cognitive skills training, such as memory, attention, and processing speed, come from education.

This program combines lecture and notes with discussion and hands-on exercises to help facilitate different learning styles.

1. Breakdown the common causes of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia to inform the clinician’s choice of treatment interventions.
2. Analyze the efficacy of the integration of many professions, such as education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nutrition, psychology and others and identify how the integration of these professions can alleviate symptoms of Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia.
3. List the underlying areas of brain development to improve client academic engagement.
4. Administer hands-on cognitive development activities to put to practical use in-session.
5. Analyze the clinical implications of visual and auditory processing difficulties and identify areas of improvement as it relates to clinical outcomes.
6. Create a systematic plan of interventions to improve level of functioning in clients with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia or Dysgraphia.

Introduction

• Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia definitions
• Common causes, similar approaches
• The Pyramid of Potential – brain development

Mind and Body Health

• Nutritional needs for healthy brain function
• Role of exercise and sleep
• Stress: physical and emotional

Brain Development and the Primitive Reflexes

• How to test and integrate the reflexes – video and practice
• Moro and Dyscalculia
• Palmar – Dysgraphia
• Tonic Labyrinthine – Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia
• Spinal Galant – Dyslexia
• Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex – Dyslexia and Dysgraphia
• Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex – Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia

Sensory Development – Auditory
Processing Disorder

• Diagnosis
• Listening therapy
• Listening devices

Sensory Development – Vision

• Screening for tracking and convergence
• Simple eye exercises
• Irlen Syndrome – colored overlays
• Vision therapy

Cognitive Development

• Skills: Phonemic awareness, memory, processing speed, attention, logic and more
• Hands-on activities
• Programs or create your own program
• Create a sample plan of intervention for LD students

Review

• Brainstorm: 10+ strategies for improving test scores