I’ve been neglecting my blog, but as I’ve yet to learn how to drive traffic to it, I’m just sat here talking to myself anyway for now! I have been researching, but as I said earlier I do not want to promote sites that sell or advise people to take medication for their difficulties, and there are a lot more that do, than don’t!
I’ve yet to find out if this is a competitor of the Dore Programme, but at Gifted Dyslexic at http://www.lesblind.is/aboutgifted/aboutgifted.cfm they appear to split each condition into segments, and charge £1,800 for a course of treatment for Dyslexia, then another £1,800 for the treatment of Dyscalculia, (the proper name for being rubbish at Maths!)
That’s convenient for them. I’m still on the lookout for a cheaper alternative, but only for now, as I cannot afford the Dore Programme yet.
Another Programme that was featured on GMTV recently is the www.tinsleyhouseclinic.co.uk Dr Robin Pauc’s programme is a lot cheaper, but is it as effective? His site doesn’t boast the testimonials that the Dore Programme does, but they say they can treat adults too. I’ve been advised to buy the book ‘Is That My Child?’ which I’ve ordered from Amazon.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
30. Reading Age – Comprehension Age
At the Dore Presentation, Wynford Dore explained how children could score reasonably well with on their reading age but not so well on their comprehension age.
I asked Mr Dore if he could explain further as I couldn’t write my notes fast enough. He explained more about how the working memory affects the difference between the reading age and the comprehension age:
“It’s often noticed that children with a learning difficulty can score reasonably well with a reading age but far worse with their comprehension age. What we believe is happening is that many of the functions used during the process of reading have not been automatised.
Virtually everyone that goes through the Dore Programme is found to have serious problems with eye tracking, in other words they are unable to smoothly move their eyes across a line of words so that those words go into the brain in a smooth manner.
The fact that the eyes are jumping rather than moving smoothly suggests that that process has not been automatised and is, therefore, probably being controlled in working memory. The fuller working memory is with those things that have not been automatised and, therefore, should not really be there the less space is left for processing.
Thus for someone with a learning difficulty trying to read they may well be using up all their available working memory space just working out what that particular word means. They then move on to the next word and the process starts again.
The problem seems to be that after they have worked out what each individual word means they do not have the working memory capacity to retain that word and the subsequent ones in the sentence.
Thus the lack of working memory capacity will reduce the comprehension ability even though that person has been able to work out what each individual word means. It is, therefore, quite common and explainable that someone can have a good reading age but poor comprehension age.
And, of course, this makes all the difference between wanting to read for pleasure and not.” – Wynford Dore
www.dore.co.uk
I asked Mr Dore if he could explain further as I couldn’t write my notes fast enough. He explained more about how the working memory affects the difference between the reading age and the comprehension age:
“It’s often noticed that children with a learning difficulty can score reasonably well with a reading age but far worse with their comprehension age. What we believe is happening is that many of the functions used during the process of reading have not been automatised.
Virtually everyone that goes through the Dore Programme is found to have serious problems with eye tracking, in other words they are unable to smoothly move their eyes across a line of words so that those words go into the brain in a smooth manner.
The fact that the eyes are jumping rather than moving smoothly suggests that that process has not been automatised and is, therefore, probably being controlled in working memory. The fuller working memory is with those things that have not been automatised and, therefore, should not really be there the less space is left for processing.
Thus for someone with a learning difficulty trying to read they may well be using up all their available working memory space just working out what that particular word means. They then move on to the next word and the process starts again.
The problem seems to be that after they have worked out what each individual word means they do not have the working memory capacity to retain that word and the subsequent ones in the sentence.
Thus the lack of working memory capacity will reduce the comprehension ability even though that person has been able to work out what each individual word means. It is, therefore, quite common and explainable that someone can have a good reading age but poor comprehension age.
And, of course, this makes all the difference between wanting to read for pleasure and not.” – Wynford Dore
www.dore.co.uk
Monday, April 10, 2006
29. Working Memory
I know my working memory is rubbish, because of the examples I gave in my Spelling post, and I cannot play the game ‘Answer the previous question’. If I was asked a series of questions and was required to not answer the first question until after the second question had been asked (and so on), I would fail after only one question – two if I’m lucky.
I also made a hopeless barmaid at college, because if someone wanted more than three drinks, I’d have to ask them again what the first one was.
Most people who don’t have learning disabilities can remember a substantial number of things at once, because they have automatised other tasks. However, people with learning disabilities haven’t automatised other tasks, such as reading, or hearing a sequence of numbers, so they are busy using up their working memory in order to simply process the information they are being given.
This means that there is very little available working memory left. I think of it as like using an overdraft! (something I can relate to!) I was wrong to say I have a ‘small working memory’ yesterday. I actually have the same working memory as most people, but it is being used to process information that should be automatised, so has a smaller available balance!
I once shared reading a book with a classmate, and she was finishing each page long before I was. So I asked her to read aloud at the same speed she was reading in her head, as I thought she was skipping some of the lines. Her response was that she was reading all the words, but at a much faster rate than she could speak (because it was automatised). I thought she was lying! Even now when I read, I imagine saying each word aloud.
See further information on working memory at:
http://www.learnplus.com/guides/learning-sys-memo.html
http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/working-memory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_memory
I also made a hopeless barmaid at college, because if someone wanted more than three drinks, I’d have to ask them again what the first one was.
Most people who don’t have learning disabilities can remember a substantial number of things at once, because they have automatised other tasks. However, people with learning disabilities haven’t automatised other tasks, such as reading, or hearing a sequence of numbers, so they are busy using up their working memory in order to simply process the information they are being given.
This means that there is very little available working memory left. I think of it as like using an overdraft! (something I can relate to!) I was wrong to say I have a ‘small working memory’ yesterday. I actually have the same working memory as most people, but it is being used to process information that should be automatised, so has a smaller available balance!
I once shared reading a book with a classmate, and she was finishing each page long before I was. So I asked her to read aloud at the same speed she was reading in her head, as I thought she was skipping some of the lines. Her response was that she was reading all the words, but at a much faster rate than she could speak (because it was automatised). I thought she was lying! Even now when I read, I imagine saying each word aloud.
See further information on working memory at:
http://www.learnplus.com/guides/learning-sys-memo.html
http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/working-memory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_memory
Sunday, April 09, 2006
28. Confidence and Mood Swings
I have bought loads of books on building confidence, and for the first few days I’ve felt great - then I’ve tried in vain to put them into practice, because I’ve forgotten most of the content. But I think even if I’d remembered, I’d still only be ‘papering over the cracks’ because the root of the problem must be in the fact that I know I have limitations. I now know those limitations are in the cerebellum.
I even bought a book on Nasty People and how to deal with them, as I could never stand up to them effectively, and now I know all the psychology behind why they behave that way (as I did when I was a child), and yet I can’t put it into practice because my working memory is so small, I still can’t speak effectively -the number of times I lose my thread during a conversation.
I’d love to know for sure that when I opened my mouth, something intelligent would come out, and people wouldn’t frown and wonder what I was on about! That I could speak without semi-stuttering, and stay focussed without going off on a tangent, then I’d have so much more confidence. And I believe this would have a snowball effect, because there are so many situations that I avoid at the moment.
And for years I was an unruly child, then an anarchic teenager, then had major mood swings as an adult. I joined a Bi Polar group because I thought I was manic depressive. A psychiatrist even said I might be, but she didn’t force me to take medication, because I wasn’t considered a danger to myself or anyone else.
This is why I related to Toyah so much, because she seemed to have the same problems as me when she was very young. The thing I am most looking forward to when I finally get on the Dore programme is to eliminate the mood swings, as Toyah did. I will have such a fulfilling life, because I’ll be much nicer to know!
www.dore.co.uk
I even bought a book on Nasty People and how to deal with them, as I could never stand up to them effectively, and now I know all the psychology behind why they behave that way (as I did when I was a child), and yet I can’t put it into practice because my working memory is so small, I still can’t speak effectively -the number of times I lose my thread during a conversation.
I’d love to know for sure that when I opened my mouth, something intelligent would come out, and people wouldn’t frown and wonder what I was on about! That I could speak without semi-stuttering, and stay focussed without going off on a tangent, then I’d have so much more confidence. And I believe this would have a snowball effect, because there are so many situations that I avoid at the moment.
And for years I was an unruly child, then an anarchic teenager, then had major mood swings as an adult. I joined a Bi Polar group because I thought I was manic depressive. A psychiatrist even said I might be, but she didn’t force me to take medication, because I wasn’t considered a danger to myself or anyone else.
This is why I related to Toyah so much, because she seemed to have the same problems as me when she was very young. The thing I am most looking forward to when I finally get on the Dore programme is to eliminate the mood swings, as Toyah did. I will have such a fulfilling life, because I’ll be much nicer to know!
www.dore.co.uk
Friday, April 07, 2006
27. Ozzy Osbourne - Paranoid
Ozzy Osbourne said he had ADHD. Let’s just recap the words to ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath:
"Finished with my woman
'Cause she couldn't help me with my mind
People think I'm insane
Because I am frowning all the time
All day long I think of things
But nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind
If I don't find something to pacify
Can you help me, occupy my brain?
Oh yeah!
I need someone to show me
The things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true Happiness,
I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh
And you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel
And love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words
Telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life
I wish I could but it's too late"
It’s difficult to know if Ozzy was fully responsible for all the words, as the whole band are credited with all the song writing. But still, I bet Toyah could persuade Ozzy to attend the Dore Centre.
www.dore.co.uk
"Finished with my woman
'Cause she couldn't help me with my mind
People think I'm insane
Because I am frowning all the time
All day long I think of things
But nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind
If I don't find something to pacify
Can you help me, occupy my brain?
Oh yeah!
I need someone to show me
The things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true Happiness,
I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh
And you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel
And love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words
Telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life
I wish I could but it's too late"
It’s difficult to know if Ozzy was fully responsible for all the words, as the whole band are credited with all the song writing. But still, I bet Toyah could persuade Ozzy to attend the Dore Centre.
www.dore.co.uk
Thursday, April 06, 2006
26. Stories of Inspiration
Whilst waiting for your free DVD from the Dore Centre, have a look at these pdf files:
http://www.dorecenters.com/files/SundayMail_Aug05.pdf
http://www.dorecenters.com/files/Toyah.pdf
When reading the one about Toyah, I was reminded again of one of the cerebellum exercises that they give you to do on the Dore Programme; walking downstairs whilst blindfolded!
OK, I’m sure it must adhere to all health and safety regulations, and there must be more to it than that, but my initial reaction was, “Well, a cracked skull would probably sort out most cerebellum problems…!”
I can only just manage going forwards with my eyes open!
But hey, Toyah survived didn’t she?
www.dore.co.uk
http://www.dorecenters.com/files/SundayMail_Aug05.pdf
http://www.dorecenters.com/files/Toyah.pdf
When reading the one about Toyah, I was reminded again of one of the cerebellum exercises that they give you to do on the Dore Programme; walking downstairs whilst blindfolded!
OK, I’m sure it must adhere to all health and safety regulations, and there must be more to it than that, but my initial reaction was, “Well, a cracked skull would probably sort out most cerebellum problems…!”
I can only just manage going forwards with my eyes open!
But hey, Toyah survived didn’t she?
www.dore.co.uk
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
25. Astronauts' Balance Disorders
I talked earlier about the balance machines at the Dore Centres, which were developed by NASA to monitor astronauts’ balance progress after returning to earth. Wynford Dore has kindly sent me additional information after speaking at the Dore Presentation in Cardiff on March 21st, about the astronauts’ temporary difficulties.
“I’ve been trying hard to find the old astronauts balance problems link - I haven’t seen them for two or three years and they seem to have been taken off the various websites. One of the references I can remember clearly was a French - Russian mission where they described in detail the co-ordination problems experienced by cosmonauts when they returned to earth. Some of them were writing backwards, some of them had orientation problems, a number of them had travel sickness problems for a while. When we first started doing our research one of our specialists went to America to discuss with the expert that had been working with NASA on the development of the equipment we subsequently obtained. NASA have constantly denied that astronauts have “dyslexic problems”. We know some of the symptoms they suffer temporarily are exactly the same as those that are suffered every day by some people.” – Wynford Dore
Astronaut David Wolf also said in National Geographic that upon his return to earth, balance problems caused him to run into doors.
There is more information on astronauts’ balance disorders at:
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=11919
And general information on balance disorders at:
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance/balance_disorders.asp
www.dore.co.uk
“I’ve been trying hard to find the old astronauts balance problems link - I haven’t seen them for two or three years and they seem to have been taken off the various websites. One of the references I can remember clearly was a French - Russian mission where they described in detail the co-ordination problems experienced by cosmonauts when they returned to earth. Some of them were writing backwards, some of them had orientation problems, a number of them had travel sickness problems for a while. When we first started doing our research one of our specialists went to America to discuss with the expert that had been working with NASA on the development of the equipment we subsequently obtained. NASA have constantly denied that astronauts have “dyslexic problems”. We know some of the symptoms they suffer temporarily are exactly the same as those that are suffered every day by some people.” – Wynford Dore
Astronaut David Wolf also said in National Geographic that upon his return to earth, balance problems caused him to run into doors.
There is more information on astronauts’ balance disorders at:
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=11919
And general information on balance disorders at:
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance/balance_disorders.asp
www.dore.co.uk
Monday, April 03, 2006
24. Clumsiness
I have always been clumsy and quite heavy handed, when opening and closing cupboard doors for example, and when I write I press quite hard.
The more tired I am, the worse I am, but I’m not too bad when I go out. I think I subconsciously know to be more careful!
I did some research on Clumsiness and was interested to find that several sources claim that hand/ eye co-ordination exercises help clumsiness. Tennis and Ping Pong are supposed to help quite a lot, and positive and calm imagery, as stated at:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/16/42.cfm
It also states that rolling a stick on top of two other sticks, in the shape of an ‘H’ will improve Clumsiness. I wonder if this is because it stimulates the cerebellum? That sounds easy to do, and I always have old wrapping paper tubes lying around (I’m a hoarder!)
(Later) Woohoo! A co-ordination exercise I can do first time! I may have been cheating by using very long tubes with a considerable overlap to stop the top tube from falling off, but I found it easy and quite therapeutic. I made the rule that you can only hold the two parallel tubes and not let the horizontal one fall off the end or touch your hands. I think it’s rather similar to doing a hill start in a car, in relation to the pressure and speed that you allow the top tube to travel.
If I didn’t have more pressing things to do, I could do this all evening! Parents! Save money on expensive toys! Give your kid three tubes and tell them to make an ‘H’!
www.dore.co.uk
The more tired I am, the worse I am, but I’m not too bad when I go out. I think I subconsciously know to be more careful!
I did some research on Clumsiness and was interested to find that several sources claim that hand/ eye co-ordination exercises help clumsiness. Tennis and Ping Pong are supposed to help quite a lot, and positive and calm imagery, as stated at:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/16/42.cfm
It also states that rolling a stick on top of two other sticks, in the shape of an ‘H’ will improve Clumsiness. I wonder if this is because it stimulates the cerebellum? That sounds easy to do, and I always have old wrapping paper tubes lying around (I’m a hoarder!)
(Later) Woohoo! A co-ordination exercise I can do first time! I may have been cheating by using very long tubes with a considerable overlap to stop the top tube from falling off, but I found it easy and quite therapeutic. I made the rule that you can only hold the two parallel tubes and not let the horizontal one fall off the end or touch your hands. I think it’s rather similar to doing a hill start in a car, in relation to the pressure and speed that you allow the top tube to travel.
If I didn’t have more pressing things to do, I could do this all evening! Parents! Save money on expensive toys! Give your kid three tubes and tell them to make an ‘H’!
www.dore.co.uk
Sunday, April 02, 2006
23. Dogs With ADHD Part2
OK, I may have been joking yesterday when I said The Dore Centre plans to include dogs in their Training Centres (my contribution to April Fool’s Day – I’ll cross off ‘comedienne’ shall I, from my Miscellaneous List of Possible Careers?) but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility for dogs to have ADHD, is it? I mean, in theory, anything that possesses a brain could have it.
I did a bit of online research, and found that some sites that mention dogs with ADHD, dwell on the ‘Hyperactivity’ part of ADHD a bit too much (well I guess it’s difficult to test most dogs’ spelling) and I’m having trouble finding any sites at all on ADHD that don’t suggest medication, which I do NOT want to promote.
Talking of spelling, I was tempted yesterday to write that the Dore Centre has facilities for testing dogs’ memory, balance, co-ordination and spelling! But I thought that would make it a bit too obvious. Although I have no doubt that someone could teach a clever dog to spell certain words, with enough buttons, bells and whistles, if that person had a lot of time on their hands!
Maybe it’s not a ludicrous idea to test and try to treat dogs for ADHD. If a good drug free programme is devised, I doubt there’ll be a shortage of customers.
I did a bit of online research, and found that some sites that mention dogs with ADHD, dwell on the ‘Hyperactivity’ part of ADHD a bit too much (well I guess it’s difficult to test most dogs’ spelling) and I’m having trouble finding any sites at all on ADHD that don’t suggest medication, which I do NOT want to promote.
Talking of spelling, I was tempted yesterday to write that the Dore Centre has facilities for testing dogs’ memory, balance, co-ordination and spelling! But I thought that would make it a bit too obvious. Although I have no doubt that someone could teach a clever dog to spell certain words, with enough buttons, bells and whistles, if that person had a lot of time on their hands!
Maybe it’s not a ludicrous idea to test and try to treat dogs for ADHD. If a good drug free programme is devised, I doubt there’ll be a shortage of customers.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
22. Dogs With ADHD
Of course humans are not the only creatures who can have ADHD and other learning disabilities. Since 2001 dogs too have been tested for the condition. Some findings can be found here at:
http://www.ahherald.com/senior/2005/ss050428_adhd_dogs.htm
I had a chat with Wynford Dore at the Dore Presentation in Cardiff about his involvement with ADHD dogs at Crufts UK earlier this year. Go to:
www.bbc.co.uk/crufts
The Dore Centre at Kenilworth, Warwickshire already has facilities to test dogs on their memory, balance and co-ordination and a Canine Dore Programme is due to be available from September. Mr Dore hopes that by 2009 there will be as many Canine Dore Training Centres worldwide as there are for people.
www.dore.co.uk
http://www.ahherald.com/senior/2005/ss050428_adhd_dogs.htm
I had a chat with Wynford Dore at the Dore Presentation in Cardiff about his involvement with ADHD dogs at Crufts UK earlier this year. Go to:
www.bbc.co.uk/crufts
The Dore Centre at Kenilworth, Warwickshire already has facilities to test dogs on their memory, balance and co-ordination and a Canine Dore Programme is due to be available from September. Mr Dore hopes that by 2009 there will be as many Canine Dore Training Centres worldwide as there are for people.
www.dore.co.uk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)