Case 1

Errors as a basis for Reading Skill Instruction
Diagnosis/Misdiagnosis/Vague Diagnosis:
Diffuse Cortical Dysfunction/Mild Mental Retardation
Agressive Oppositionality

What X Can NOT do:

Rearrange the bottom letters to make the word on top

BED

R D N E T B F

Point to the words we practiced several times while making up and cooking up a recipe

chips --------- cookies

Read or point to any other words

What X Can do:

Spell: cat------ sncnk(snake)------- elsvd (elephant)
Error-Based Diagnosis
At Least Average Intelligence/Directed Attention/Visual Search Deficit
frontal regions of the brain (frontal eye fields/FEF)
The directed search part of the visual perception network is attributed to frontal regions of the brain, i.e., the frontal eye fields (FEF), that support systematic scanning of the sequential and analytical kind. Although there is direct feedback to and from eye movements and saccades (fixation points) as part of scanning activity, it is also true that FEF is the basis for visual scan even when there is no measurable eye movement, i.e., this is not simply a motor issue but one also of directed attention.
Error-Based, Individualized Instruction

AVOID Drill and Practice requiring directed attention and sequential scan :
WON'T WORK --------- PROVOKES ANGRY OPPOSITION

Rely on motor rather than visual perceptual feedback to learn letters and spelling patterns (orthography)*
Use phonological strength by working from spelling to reading*
Consult with PT/OT for optimal motor feedback
Visual Displays (for ex. in math) should be big, globally apparent, uncluttered, available for motor exploration*
 Consult with physician about possibility of benefits of stimulant therapies to support frontal functions
*very detailed instruction is available upon request at the email address