About Dyslexia

Since Jemicy was founded in 1973, interest and research in the field of dyslexia and other related language-based learning differences has increased dramatically. Yet parents with a child struggling in school can be easily overwhelmed with information and opinions from specialists. It can be a challenge to fully understand a child’s learning style and choose appropriate interventions.

Many learning differences are inherent in brain structure, from birth. It is often hereditary and can affect the way the brain processes information. Specialized instruction can create successful learners. Jemicy’s curriculum is geared to serve some difficulties characterized as “language-based,” where individuals exhibit difficulties in one or more of the following areas even though they have the ability and have had opportunities to learn:

Reading
Written Expression
Spelling
Organization

Interestingly, a child with dyslexia or another related language-based learning difference can have a weakness in one of the above areas yet show giftedness in another. For example, many young students who struggle to understand the relationship between a letter and its sound, and therefore have trouble learning to read, are very gifted in math.

Who Does Jemicy Serve?

Jemicy’s curriculum is designed to serve students who have strong innate comprehension skills – see “the big picture,” make inferences and think abstractly – yet who struggle with one or more of the mechanics of language. These are students who thrive on the challenge of a college-preparatory curriculum yet also need repetition, practice, and on-going intensive instruction in reading, writing, spelling, and organization.

A good educational program addresses both a child’s learning needs and his intellectual gifts; Jemicy’s ability to do this well is at the core of our success.

Some Common Symptoms of Dyslexia/Language-Based Learning Differences

Early identification is important. Below are some indicators that a child may have dyslexia or another related language-based learning difference:

List of 7 items.

Directional Confusion
the reason for reversing of letters, whole words or numbers, or “mirror writing”
- uncertainty of left and right
- unable to read a map accurately
- conceptual trouble with up/ down, top/bottom
Sequencing Difficulties
affect ability to read and spell
- puts letters, syllables, words in wrong order
- omits letters in reading or writing
- trouble remembering the order of the alphabet, strings of numbers
Difficulties with Little Words
- misreads little/simple words
- omits/ twice reads little words
- adds little words that don’t appear
Bizarre Reading and Spelling
- guesses wildly at words whether they make sense or not
- spells bizarrely
Late Talking
link between abnormal speech development and learning disabilities
- not understanding simple words and commands from the age of nine months
- not saying first words from around a year
- not acquired vocabulary of up to 200 words, two-word phrases by two
- not acquired a vocabulary of up to 900 words, full sentences by three
- not fully able to talk by four
- talks immaturely, makes unexpected grammatical errors at five years old
Difficulties with Handwriting (dysgraphia)
- illegible writing
- letter inconsistencies
- mixes upper/lower case letters, print/cursive letters
- irregular letter sizes, shapes
- unfinished letters
- struggles to use writing as a communicative tool
Difficulties with Math
- problems with number/ calculations
- confuses similar-looking mathematical signs
- trouble with math terminology
- reverses /transposes numbers
- difficulty with mental math or telling time