Turning the Brain on for Reading

Turning the Brain on for Reading Dr. Valerie Scaramella-Nowinski Drina Madden M.A., C.A.S. C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Brain Scan to Lesson Plan Rhythms Reflexes Relationships C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Brain Scan to Lesson Plan Development is dependent upon: Genetic Predisposition Brain Structure - Electrical – Chemical Pathways Internal Economy External/Environmental Cues C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain Understanding Brain Pathways Leads to More Specific Diagnosis and Treatment Leads to Healthy Development C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain Functions of Development • Multisensory Attention • Memory • Speech/Language • Sensory/Motor • Mood/Social • Executive Function Systems Biology C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Systems Biology MULTISENSORY ATTENTION C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Systems Biology MEMORY C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Systems Biology SPEECH/LANGUAGE C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Systems Biology SENSORY/MOTOR C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Systems Biology MOOD/SOCIAL C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Systems Biology EXECUTIVE FUNCTION/PLANNING C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain Stronger Brain Pathways lead to Development of the Functions of Learning C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain STRONG STIMULUS = STRONG RESPONSE Weak stimulus = Weak response C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain PARADOX 1 STRONG STIMULI Weak response C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain PARADOX 2 Weak stimuli STRONG RESPONSE C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain Poor Synchrony/Timing can affect all sensory pathways – rhythms and reflexes (Light/Dark, Loud/Soft, Heavy/Light, Slow/Fast…) C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain Better synchrony/timing consolidates multisensory memory This is the Basis of Learning C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain WeLEARNby MULTISENSORY • Repetition • Recollection • Reflection C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain What makes us human is the complexities of language C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain We need repetition, recollection and reflection of all sensory experiences for language to develop C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain As sensory rhythms and reflexes are synchronized (the “in-sync” child) language pathways are being strengthened C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain External speech Becomes Internal speech Which governs self-regulation of behavior/executive function C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain Expression /Self-Regulation/Planning Reception /Analysis /Storage Rhythm/Synchrony C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Awakening the Brain • WHAT’S THE BRAIN DOING WHILE YOU LEARN? • WHAT’S LANGUAGE ALL ABOUT? • DYSLEXIA • TURN ON THE BRAIN FOR LANGUAGE/READING • STRENGTHENING LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • LANGUAGE DEPENDS UPON • Ability to pay attention • Relaxed alertness • A well designed visual system • A well designed auditory system • A strong sensorimotor system • A strong memory system • Ability to execute a plan/organize C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Attention to: • What you SEE • Your world • The squiggles on paper • This requires the coordination of different brain areas cat C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Eyes must focus - together C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Eyes must perceive shape and size of symbols a B c d • Eyes must “track” motion C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Coordinated eye movements C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Uncoordinated eye movements C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Visual brain must notice/perceive symbols f r o g • Visual experiences must be stored • Memory: retrieval from storage • Output/expression: a complex task frog C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Attention to what you HEAR • Environment and the People in it • The individual sounds of the human voice • Pitch • Volume • Tone • Frequency Mary little lamb had a Mary had a little lamb MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Ears need a clear/clean hearing path • Ears must modulate sounds C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Auditory system must notice/perceive different sounds /p/ /b/ • Phonemic awareness (noticing the individual sounds in words) must occur /c//a//t/ cat C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Sounds and experiences must be stored • Storage must be accessed C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Attention to and storage of sensorimotor experiences C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Multisensory Reflexes Begin in Utero to assist survival C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Sensorimotor reflex development • Relaxed Alertness fosters appropriate reflex development C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • Needs a combined sensory experience C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • READING NEEDS • Ability to combine motor, visual and auditory memories • Blend sounds and symbols f-r-o-g • Hold new blended sounds in memory • Connect to create a whole word • Connect to world experiences • Head/neck movement: eye-hand coordination • Relaxed alertness • Ability to hold new symbolic connections in memoryfrog C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • READING NEEDS • Ability to apply meaning to the combined words and experiences “I love to read” • Ability to recall the full impressions gained through the reading process • Images • Posture • Words • Word meaning • Understanding of content C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Learning • READING NEEDS • To be applied to everyday life memories • To enhance abstract thinking C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turn On The Reading Brain • The human brain is not hard-wired for reading C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Dyslexia • Dyslexia is a difficulty with the multisensory regulation of language • Attention, reception, storage, expression • Verbal and nonverbal C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Dyslexia • A student can be GIFTED and have Dyslexia C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Dyslexia • Brains of dyslexics are formed differently than non-dyslexics C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Dyslexia • Inefficient brain connections make sounds, symbols and movements hard to locate C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Dyslexia • Dyslexics have cognitive difficulty associated with: • Visual to verbal coding • Short term memory • Order perception • Sequencing C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Dyslexia • For dyslexics, reading is • inaccurate • slow • laborious C.H.I.L.D Foundation www.childhealthlearn.org

Turning the Brain on for Reading