Second Language Training
Dyslexics aren’t slow learners. They just learn differently. Their I.Q. ranges from average to superior.
Dyslexia can be verified by a brain scan. For people without dyslexia, the two brain hemispheres are asymmetrical: the left side is larger than the right. For people with dyslexia, the two hemispheres are symmetrical. Because the left side of the brain is the seat of sequential, linear thinking prevalent in reading and writing, dyslexics tend to have problems in these areas. However, because the right side of the brain is the seat of intuitive, creative, and visual thinking, dyslexics tend to be favored in this domain, like Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexander Graham Bell, and Walt Disney to name only a few.
Whereas the average person summons around 150 images per second, the dyslexic can muster from 1500 to 4000 images per second. Faced with a veritable onslaught of visual imagery, selecting the right word to keep up with the flow of images can be extremely challenging for the dyslexic.
This visual ability also translates not only into quantity but quality. Dyslexics can see in 3-D. When looking at an object, they can view it simultaneously from different perspectives. This is good for creativity, but bad for reading. If you look at a pencil upside-down, it’s still a pencil; if you look at the letter “p”, it becomes a “b” or a “d”. This shifting of visual vantage points can give the impression that the letters are literally jumping. Some people will actually place their hands flat open against the printed page in an attempt to keep the letters in place long enough for them to be able to read.
Traditional teaching methods however, do not always take into account the unique findings of scientific research that can allow individuals to most efficiently utilize brain processes in learning. Particularly in regards to language learning - a highly social and emotional process - a traditional “one style fits all” teaching method could potentially result in a frustrating lack of development or improvement, and a discouraged attitude towards language learning. By incorporating the latest research about how the brain processes language into innovative teaching practices, learning can be significantly facilitated.
Training Method
The Canadian Dyslexia Centre has designed a unique training method called S.M.T. (Simultaneous Multisensory Teaching) that meets precisely the needs of adult learners.
The S.M.T. program was primarily designed for dyslexic learners. The program is offered in French, English and Spanish. Its main objective is to provide students with learning differences with language abilities that they cannot acquire otherwise.
The left side of the brain of a dyslexic person operates in a way that makes it systematically reject “complex” information. Consequently, any information of this type tends to be directed towards the right side of the brain that was not primarily designed for this purpose. Actually, we are talking about a different way of recording different types of information but not a dysfunction as such.
Recent scientific studies reveal that this learning scenario actually happens for any person over 45 years old learning a second language.
The S.M.T. teaching method helps turn “complex” concepts such as grammar into more “pleasant” information so as to have it recorded on the right side of the brain that is the only hemisphere, in a dyslexic person, likely to handle any information without severe discrimination.
Given the similarity between a dyslexic condition and learning a second language when over 45 years old, The S.M.T. program seems the most appropriate training method for Public servants willing to reach a level of bilingualism in accordance with the Public Service Commission.
For people with dyslexia condition, indeed, the S.M.T. seems a unique scientific solution for language learning.
For people without any particular learning differences the S.M.T. program provides a fast learning process besides reducing training costs for sponsoring institutions.
For superior training and customer service contact the Canadian Dyslexia Centre today to inquire about how we can help you or your students meet their language learning goals.