Christy Harrison's Advice On Dyslexia: (a) Inadequate and (b) Plagiarized from the Jehovah's Witnesses

dyslexia

Christy Harrison is director of operations at Sylvan Learning Center in Cookeville, Tennessee, and the principal of Cumberland Early Scholars Academy.  Part of her duties as principal is to publish articles in the local paper, the Herald-Citizen.  Her most recent was an article on dyslexia. 

The title of the article is "Make A Plan To Overcome Frustrations of Dyslexia".  The advice offered in the article does not give parents an effective plan to meet their childrens' needs..  The article is riddled with inaccuracies and myths.  The only source for further dyslexia information given in the article is the phone number for Harrison's school.

It is also not Ms. Harrison's work.  The body of the piece is plagiarized from an earlier, copyrighted article.  The recommendations to parents are lifted from a website.

In the course of researching this post, I discovered the original source of the body of the article: The Jehovah's Witness publication, Awake, originally published August 8, 1996, and available online at http://www.watchtower.org/e/19960808a/article_01.htm.  The original article has some better recommendations that the truncated version that Harrison published under her own name.

The top ten list of recommendations to parents are lifted from Gerard Sagmiller's site, again without attribution.

I wonder if Sylvan's study skills courses  and the curriculum at  Cumberland Early Scholars Academy cover plagiarism.

(If you will recall,  I've published previous articles on Sylvan and other chain tutoring operations, and how they aren't equipped to remediate learning disabilities: Survey of Chain Tutoring Programs; Sylvan's Mendacious Advertising)

There are two excellent resources for accurate information on dyslexia in Tennessee: the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia and the Tennessee branch of the International Dyslexia Association. It is a pity the Herald-Citizen didn't ask either of these two organizations for an article.

Below the fold, Ms. Harrison's article, indented in roman, and my comments, full width,  in italic.

Make a plan to overcome frustrations of dyslexia
by  Christy Harrison, Special to the Herald-Citizen

COOKEVILLE -- "What is your telephone number?" asks Julie. The caller replies. But the figures Julie jots down bear little relation to the number given.

True.  Many dyslexics  who haven't had effective help -- remediation --struggle with accurate oral-to-written transcriptions. Even some remediated dyslexics find it difficult to quickly record oral information.

"My brother tore up the picture I painted," laments Tommy, adding, "I could never remember what he was saying."

Semi-true.  Some, but not all, dyslexics (remediated and unremediated) have difficulty with auditory comprehension and recall.  On the other hand, some dyslexics have excellent auditory comprehension and recall.  Children who struggle with auditory comprehension should have  a complete hearing workup from a pediatric hearing specialist, a otorhynolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat, ENT). Auditory difficulties may indicate Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)

David, a 10th-grader, struggles to read simple words that he mastered more than a decade ago.

This is a hallmark  of a dyslexic child who has not been given accurate, effective teaching.  Without that teaching, the dyslexic child "learned to read" by memorizing the shape of  a relatively small number of words.  The child has no "phonemic awareness" -- the sense that words are made up of smaller sounds; and has no grasp of the "alphabetic principle": the idea that those sounds map onto a predictable set of letters, or combinations of letters.  David may have memorized the word "stop" by its shape, but be  totally unable to relate it to the word "pop" or "stove" -- because he is relying on his memory of word shapes, not the underlying connection between the individual sounds in words, and the letters, or combinations of letters those sounds are tied to.

Julie, Tommy and David have a learning difficulty -- a frustrating one. It is dyslexia.

I don't agree that dyslexia is a  "learning difficulty" or "learning difference".  Dyslexia  is a disability.  However, it is a disability that can be lessened (remediated).  A diagnosis of dyslexia is not a diagnosis of life-long frustration.  Just ask the thousands of dyslexics who have learned to manage their condition, through effective, accurate teaching.

One dictionary defines dyslexia as "a disturbance of the ability to read." Though often viewed as a reading disorder, dyslexia can involve much more. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that as many as 15 percent of American students may be dyslexic.

Ms. Harringon's inability to give an accurate, accepted definition of dyslexia indicates to me that she is unsophisticated in the field.  What it really indicates is that she plagiarized this essay.

The definition of  dyslexia adopted by the International Dyslexia Association has also been adopted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD):

"Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge."

This definition requires a  reading level above most  popular publications.  In more common language:

Dyslexia is a problem with learning that is caused by differences in how the brain responds to spoken and written language.  It is not a disease. 

A person with dyslexia may look at a well-known word (such as “stamp”) and read it as “stand” – a problem with accuracy. .  A person with dyslexia may have difficulty looking at a well-known word (such as “stop”) and saying that word out loud—a problem with fluency. People with dyslexia may jumble letters when writing (“siad” for “said”).

People with dyslexia have normal thinking ability and hearing ability. However, they may have trouble picking out the smaller sounds within words,  and reliably connecting those sounds with letters.

If a person with dyslexia gets accurate, direct teaching about language sounds and their connection with letters, he or she can learn to read.  Without that kind of teaching, people with dyslexia can have trouble understanding what they read.  Without that kind of teaching, they may also read less than people without dyslexia.  Reading has many benefits.  It teaches words that aren’t used in every day speech (vocabulary), and builds a picture of the world larger than everyday experience (background knowledge).

What causes dyslexia?

Poor eyesight frequently causes learning difficulties. Correct the vision defect, and the dyslexia disappears.

This both true and false. 

The true part: children with uncorrected vision defects have difficulty learning.    All children should have a thorough examination of their visual abilities before starting kindergarten, and any child struggling in school should also be examined.   The exam should cover "visual acuity" (the 20/20 part); how well each eye sees individually, and how well each eye is coordinated with the other.  A good introduction to the pediatric eye exam is here: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/pediatricadvice/a/vision_scrning.htm

The false part: A very small fraction of children who have difficulty learning have undiagnosed vision defects.   Dyslexia is not a vision defect.  There is little evidence that "vision therapy" -- exercises for the eyes -- has any benefit for most children with learning disabilities.

A small proportion of those who have difficulty learning to read find that they can focus better on the words when they place a thin sheet of colored plastic over the text. Others find this to be of no help.

This is unlikely to be helpful for the child who cannot distinguish the smaller sounds within words, and has not been directly taught the connection between those sounds and the letters that represent them.  If your child has had  at least 150 hours of intensive, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and the connections of sounds to letters,  and still complains that the words "move around", by all means try a colored overlay, such as a transparent colored file folder.

The part of the brain that controls posture, balance, and coordination is called the cerebellum. Some medical experts claim that it also plays a part in our thinking and language processing.

The most visible proponents of cerebellum-based treatments are Levinson and Dore. Larry Silver, MD, has this to say about Levinson: "In summary, there is no current evidence supporting the theory of vestibular dysfunction nor supporting the proposed treatment approaches. Yet, the primary proponent of this treatment for learning disabilities remains extremely busy evaluating and treating these children."  In another article, Dr. Silver reports on the Dore approach: "The Dore approach to treating learning disabilities is, by my standards, to be considered a controversial therapy. I encourage parents to learn more than the information in their fact sheets and advertisements. Ask questions about the theory and treatment approach being proposed. This intervention is expensive and takes time. The buyer must beware. Learn before you spend your money and put your child through the program."

Children generally find little difficulty in maintaining their balance when asked to stand still, one foot in front of the other with arms outstretched. But blindfold them, and the dyslexic children wobble far more, since they rely heavily on sight to help them balance.

This was such a wonky claim I searched for the last sentence, and to my surprise, discovered the original article published in Awake.  Yes, some children have difficulties with balance.  Some of those children have dyslexia -- but some don't.  I don't know of any reputable, research-based dyslexia treatment that believes in the connection between sight, balance and dyslexia.

Still other researchers point out that the brains of dyslexic children show anatomic differences. Normally the rear portion of the left side of the brain is slightly larger than the corresponding portion of the right side, whereas in the brain of a dyslexic, the left and right halves appear equally developed. Then others claim to have found a distortion of the arrangement of nerve cells in parts of the brain that deal with language.

This is not current.  Remember, the source article that was plagiarized was published in 1996.  Since then, advances in technology have allowed us to look at the brain as it is in use (functional imaging).  From such studies, we have learned the following:  compared to normal readers, unremediated dyslexics use different parts of the brain;  effective, intensive teaching makes the dyslexics' brain use more like that of good readers. 

But regardless of the physical cause of their dyslexia, how can those who have the problem best be helped?

This would have been an excellent time to talk about the kind of teaching that remediates dyslexia.  Ms. Harrison fails to do so.

What can parents do?

Some who are parents of a dyslexic child feel guilty and blame themselves for their offspring's plight. If you feel this way, dispel the gloom by recognizing that none of us are perfect and we are all different. Start by recognizing that just as a color-blind child needs help to live with this defect, so does your dyslexic child. You as a parent have a definite role to play in the education of your child.

 

Here are the top 10 things you can do:

The 10 tips aren't Ms. Harrison's ideas.  They are lifted directly from Gerard Sagmiller's site, again without attribution.  I don't agree with some of Sagmiller's recommendations, either.

My #1  choice would be to get the child effective, intensive remedial instruction.  Sources of such instruction, in no particular order: Scottish Rite Language Centers (the link is for Tennessee); Lindamood Bell (link is for Tennessee); contact the Tennessee Branch of the International Dyslexia Association for service providers; or use the Barton Reading and Spelling System at home.  See Susan Barton's site for common myths about dyslexia.

*Give hope.

This is good advice, but a parent can't give hope unless he or she understands where the problems are, and have effective teaching strategies.  See #1.

*Watch the video "How Difficult Can This Be." Call the library or PBS at (800) 424-7963.

This video is aimed at parents and teachers.  I would not recommend that children watch this video until late in their teens.

"This unique program lets viewers experience the frustration, anxiety, and tension faced by children with learning disabilities. Workshop facilitator Richard Lavoie presents a series of striking simulations emulating daily experience of LD children. Teachers, social workers, and parents, workshop participants, reflect upon how the workshop changed their approach to LD children. Includes discussion of mainstreaming discipline and self-concept."

*Read or listen to book "Dyslexia My Life." ISBN: 096430871-1.

Yes, this is an inspiring book, but again not suitable for younger children.

I would also recommend Robert Frank's The Secret Life of the Dyslexic Child, ISBN 1579549853.  Frank is dyslexic and an educational psychologist.  Sally Shawitz's book, Overcoming Dyslexia, ISBN 0679781595 is very thorough, both on the neurological bases of dyslexia and how it is best remediated.

There are a number of books suitable for the k-5th grade set.  The stories written by children with LDs at LDOnline are a good start.  I would recommend the Hank Zipser novels for younger children.  Also, Patricia Polacco's Thank You Mr. Falkner, ISBN  0399231668 is suitable for children as young as pre-school.

*Use alternatives to books such as software that read texts, books on tape, or books on audio cassette. To find out more, call (800) 424-8567.

The phone number given by Ms. Harrison is for The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), at the Library of Congress.  There are more direct sources:

Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, 866-732-3585.  To become a member of RFB&D,  you must provide certification, and "The certifier must be a recognized  expert who attests to the physical basis of the visual, perceptual  or other physical disability that limits your use of standard print."

Kurzweil Learning Systems, 800-894-5374.  To use the Kurzweil system, a text is scanned into the system, and the user can hear a synthesized voice read the material.

*Use a shape-based system. Many kids learn through memorization and not phonics.

This is a quote from Mr. Sagmiller, the author of "Dyslexia My Life". I'm not sure what Mr. Sagmiller is trying to say, but if you can only read the words you have memorized, you are stuck at a third-grade reading level.  Developing phonemic awareness, and the ability to "decode" words you've never seen before, is critical to learning beyond third grade.

*Develop a visual clue to remember something. To help with left-right disorientation here's a simple trick: When you hold your hands up in front of you, as you view your thumb and index finger on your LEFT hand, you see the letter "L."

Yes, children with dyslexia may need to develop systems for memorizing material. A good source for hints is http://www.mindtools.com/memory.html

*Let them do whatever they do best -- running, skating, etc. Give them time each day to do this. Using objects such as clay, LEGGOs, or sand to "build" new words.

Ms. Harrison truncated Mr. Sagmiller's tip.  He ended the sentence "allows the individual to utilize his/her creative outlet and accomplish an otherwise frustrating task. They will develop mental pictures, concepts or ideas using the "hands-on" materials."  Many dyslexic kids practice their spelling on sand trays, by drawing the words in clay, or using other multi-sensory methods.  And all children benefit from having an interest in an activity outside of school.

*Have them repeat instructions and give all instructions on paper as a checklist.

Again, Ms. Harrison truncates Sagmiller.    The following link, http://coe.jmu.edu/mathvidsr/inst_strat/laim.htm, has some excellent suggestions for getting children to become more engaged in the classroom.  Many people give poorly-formed instructions, directions, or commands.This link,  ccdfy.org/saphier/GivingClearDirections.pdf,  (note: downloads PDF) is a checklist of how to craft better instructions and directions.

*Use colors to organize things as much as possible. Color code notebooks.

LD Online has some excellent tips for developing childrens' organizational skills.  The Peoria school district has a complimentary set of tips. The gifted homeschoolers site has another set of tips.

*Join a support group.

Absolutely.  There are several excellent on-line support groups (in no particular order): SchwabLearning's Parent Message Board;  LDOnline's Online Discussion Groups; and the International Dyslexia Association's Forums.

For more information on help with dyslexia call (888) 64LEARN.

The phone number is for the Cumberland Early Scholars Academy, of which Ms. Harrison is the principal.  CESA is a pre-K-7th grade school, with an enrollment of 66, and focuses on children who  are "not achieving to their fullest potential." It does not appear to use  multi-sensory reading curricula.

For more information on dyslexia, contact

• SchwabLearning
• LDOnline
• The International Dyslexia Association. IDA has chapters in many states.

 

Published February 23, 2007 8:17 AM CST

 

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[Glenn]

Should you be quoting Larry Silver -"In summary, there is no current evidence supporting the theory of vestibular dysfunction nor supporting the proposed treatment approaches" this Article is from Spring 2001!! Things have moved on considerably from there.

[Your Mom]

Christy Harrison would not do this sort of thing. i worked with her for 16 years ,and the stuff that she wrote when she was at Sylvan for the Citizen, they told her to write it so if you have a problem with her you can shuv it up your ass and contact me at Upperman66@hotmail.com

[Cumberland Early Scholars Academy]

Christy Harrison is no longer affiliated in any way, shape, or form with Cumberland Early Scholars Academy. Any articles published by Ms. Harrison under her own name or Sylvan Learning Center are not approved by CESA and do not reflect any opinion or position held by the school body, its teachers, or its Board of Directors.

[Christy Harrison]

To Whom It May Concern:
It is interesting to see comments made regarding an article published in the Herald-Citizen over a year ago. I am no longer affiliated with neither Sylvan Learning Center nor Cumberland Early Scholars Academy. While employed at Sylvan Learning Center, like many franchises, we are given material to use for public services and advertising. Some of the articles published in the Herald Citizen were used for this purpose. We are given full rights to any article given and approved by Sylvan Learning Center Corp. and we are also given the right to use it under our own name as being a director of the center. The article in question would be one of those articles. Many of the articles placed in the Herald Citizen were my own, however this particular one was not. This article was prepared by Sylvan Learning Center therefore rights were given to Sylvan to use the information. I resent the assumption that not only had I plagiarized the article, I resent the fact that you also assumed that my knowledge of Dyslexia was lacking. I have spent the last 8 years of my life researching and living the life of being a parent of a Dyslexic child. Not only did I live it at home every day- my job consisted of helping dyslexic and other learning disabilities (your preferred word) every day. The school- Cumberland Early Scholars Academy- was created and designed for students with learning differences- whatever they may be. The curriculum and design used at the time I was principal was chosen and researched carefully and implemented by a fantastic group of very talented teachers. The school was created and designed with my own son as my motivation . Words cannot describe how much he gained from this environment and curriculum the time that he was there. I wish that all students had the opportunity that he had so that they too can learn in a way that they learn best. I credit you with the time and effort that it took to research the article, however, if you are as passionate about students with learning difficulties as I am, it would seem to me that you would have at least contacted me with your questions before slandering my name, the name of Sylvan and especially the name of Cumberland Early Scholars Academy.

Sincerely,
Christy Harrison

[Liz Ditz]

I stand by what I wrote. An ethical author reveals her sources. Ms. Harrison didn't say, "this material was supplied to me by Sylvan" and Sylvan didn't let its franchisees know "this material originally published in an article in AWAKE! magazine, in the print version of August 8, 1996" or "this material is adapted from Gerard Sagmiller's site, "Dyslexia My Life", at http://www.dyslexiamylife.org/help.html

It's called academic integrity, and it is what I try to model.

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