Episode 2: What are dyslexia and dysgraphia?

Michael Shanahan

In this episode, Michael and Bill do their very best to arm parents and educators with information about dyslexia and dysgraphia so they can better spot a good intervention and avoid precious time and money on unproven and disproved treatments.

Watch episode 2 on YouTube

Show notes

Dyslexia and dysgraphia – huge enough on their own and often live together in one brain making life doubly hard for people. There’s just so much misleading information out there about these Specific Learning Difficulties. It was just the other day Bill gave some advice to a very grateful tradesperson about not paying a nutritionist who had claimed that a change in his son’s diet could help his dyslexia! Until you understand the core difficulty of any SLD, you are vulnerable to all sorts of snake oil and quackery. What a minefield for parents.

Links from episode

Dr. Mark Seidenberg – Talks about phonemic awareness as a fiction. This is does NOT mean it’s not important – it is critical. Check out:

https://seidenbergreading.net/

Dr. David Kilpatrick – is mentioned when Bill talks about the creation of the Phoenician Alphabet. Check out:

https://www.equippedforreadingsuccess.com/

Dr. Linnea Ehri – Orthographic Mapping Theory – Stephen Parker explains orthographic mapping nicely but DO NOT stop here. Understanding this mental process and the skills that underpin it is critical to knowing how to teach reading.

https://www.parkerphonics.com/post/the-essential-linnea-ehri

Bill’s BIG Spelling Rules Mural (infographic) – quickly mentioned as Michael explains how the letter ‘y’ was almost used for the θ sound, and is where “Ye Olde Shoppe” came from. Check out:

https://www.hansberryec.com.au/product-page/spelling-rules-mural

Dyslexia and Dysgraphia Comorbidity – Hmmm not that simple to find but here’s some reading:

https://web.math.princeton.edu/~sswang/CB-pediatric/2011%20-%20Nicholson%20-%20Dyslexia,%20dysgraphia,%20procedural%20learning,%20and%20the%20cerebellum.pdf

Playberry Multisensory Language Program – Mentioned by Michael in the context of handwriting. Both Bill and Michael use Playberry in their private practices and are both TSD graduates where folks learn to use Playberry. Check out:

https://www.hansberryec.com.au/playberry

Lyn Stone – Bill mentions Lyn when talking with Michael about handwriting

https://lifelongliteracy.com/

Research comparing note-taking with handwriting vs typing and the effect on recall and comprehension (mentioned by Bill):

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/154193120905302218

Sir Jackie Stewart – Not a Cruel Fiction. Bill mentions Formula 1 World champion and how he says that unless you have Dyslexia you’ll NEVER really understand how it feels. Check Out:

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Episode 24: Supporting Adults & Older Students

In this episode I chat with Dr Shae Wissell, Shae is a speech pathologist, researcher, dyslexic, dysgraphic, ADHD-er, and founder of Rethink Dyslexia, We talk about what happens after students living with learning difficulties leave school and we become adults!

Episode 23: Mental Health Strategies For Parents

In this episode, I talk with Brisbane-based psychologist Leanne Tran about how to look after your own mental health as the parent of a child living with learning difficulty. We work through the whole journey as a timeline, from that first feeling that something might not be right, all the way through to letting go when your child is ready to advocate for themselves.

Episode 22: Five Common Mental Health Challenges For Kids Living With Learning Difficulties

In this episode, I’m joined again by clinical psychologist Valli Jones to talk about the mental health issues she most commonly sees in children and young people living with learning difficulties. We framed the conversation as a “top five”, not to rank problems, but to help parents and educators feel less alone and better able to recognise patterns.

Episode 21: Why Maths Word Problems Are So Hard

In this episode, I talk with teacher and intervention specialist Sue Griffith about word problems in maths and why they are so difficult for students living with learning difficulties. We look at the role of language, working memory anxiety and ambiguity, and share practical ways to teach problem-solving more clearly.

Episode 20: ADHD Coaching with Sharon Collon

In this episode, I am joined by Sharon Collon from The Functional Family. We discuss ADHD coaching and how it works to support students living with ADHD, their teachers and families. We focus on practical strategies for supporting executive function, increasing engagement, dealing with emotions, and solving predictable problems.