Two reminders: 

1.  The webcast of Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia is on April 30. More information in the box to your left.

2.  Maintaining Brains Everyday DVD is on sale - for one more week only. It works to integrate the primitive reflexes, and is FOR ALL AGES!! Not just those over 40.

Also, you can get it as a DVD or download. Just go to http://www.pyramidofpotential.com/maintaining-brains. 

All of my clients must complete reflex integration before starting brain training. I have found that they cannot get as far with the training if they still have anxiety, auditory and visual issues, and if the brain is not set up to improve brain skills like sequencing, memory, attention, and processing speed. Reflexes first, then brain training. A beautiful recipe for a beautiful mind!

Only after reflex integration and brain training do we work on academics, like reading.

Before we get into the article, I want to share some results that an Elementary School is getting using this type of system with their toughest kids. I received this email just yesterday. The team had attended the Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia workshop, met with me, and implemented the program described below. The results are amazing in just 6 weeks!!

Good Morning Kathy!

As promised, I wanted to give you an update on how our program has progressed at Lakewood Elementary School.  Our team of three trainers began by working for six weeks with a pilot group of two 3rd graders.  We concentrated on the moro and palmar primitive reflexes and the working memory and processing speed cognitive skills.  We followed the following basic outline:

• Starfish
• Patterned Numbers
• Math Facts
• Clap-Counting
• Marching
• Palmar
• Blending
• Segmenting
• Reading Chorally
• Lazy Eights
• Cognitive 1st Exercises

As you can see, we incorporated a computer based program at the end of the session. We did this for several reasons: we were awarded a grant through Cog1 and wanted to see their program, we used it as an incentive, and it extended the cognitive exercises in a way that kids really enjoyed... a video game.

As part of the Cog1 grant, we were also the beneficiary of ten Gibson Cognitive Screeners. These were invaluable have really allowed us to track the progress of students. Here are the results of our most neediest student after just six short weeks:

Skill: Pretest > Post

• Processing Speed: 5 > 7.9
• Working Memory: 6.3 > 7.5
• Long Term Memory: 5.5 > 6.8
• Visual Processing: 5 > 5.2
• Auditory Processing: 7 > 8.5
• Logic & Reasoning: 5 > 9
• Word Attack: 7 > 11.8

We had a lot of success, but there is still a lot of work to do.  Going forward, we have received parent permission to continue working with our two students from the first pilot group (adding visual processing, fly to the moon, and slow angels).  Also, we are adding a second pilot group of second graders; plus, we are adding another session that will be one-to-one with another third grader.  We also have a sixth grader who cannot come before or after school, but is using the Cog1 program independently in conjunction with the primitive reflex exercises.

It is our sincere hope that the expanded sample size will provide us with the needed data to make a compelling case for our school board to invest in brain-based intervention strategies.  We will be presenting our case to the board in May, days after our second pilot group concludes.  Also, we were selected as Brain Awareness Day Grant awardees by BrainWare, which will provide us with 30 BrainWare Safari licenses to use next school year.

Clearly, we have a lot going on here in terms of brain based interventions, and I want to sincerely thank you for your help throughout the process.  Please let me know if you have any questions!

Have a nice day!

Ryan McBurney

12 Definitions of Dyslexia 

Today I have quoted many different texts on exactly what Dyslexia is. Do you know? How can we be sure? Who is right - the psychiatrists, congress, or an expert who was diagnosed with it? Read and make up your own mind! You may even think of other places where Dyslexia has been described or defined. If so, let me know!

Click here to read...

 Next we will explore the definitions of Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia.