(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)As summer draws to a close and another school year begins parents are being urged to look out for early signs of learning difficulties in their children.
Speaking from the Dubai Lexicon Reading Centre which focuses on early reading and writing difficulties Programme Supervisor Praveen AV said early detection of conditions like dyslexia and dysgraphia is beneficial to a child's social and mental development. "If problems can be detected at the school going age preferably when a child first starts school then bad habits can be remedied easier." The incidence of children with significant reading difficulties is estimated to be between five and eight per cent in English speaking countries. But in the UAE where many school-going children are not native English speakers acquiring a new language while trying to grasp basic reading skills can complicate things. "Awareness is a huge factor here. Some parents are not aware their child has a problem till they reach high school. What we want to do is encourage an early diagnoses so the child can feel as normal as its peers." For those concerned for their children AV said there are simple signs to look out for including: difficulties in reading constant reversal of letters and trying to guess words. "If your child portrays these types of characteristics just get them assessed. It could be nothing but if it is early detection makes the learning process a lot easier." On Wednesday the centre concluded its month-long summer programme to help children in the region with dyslexia and dysgraphia. To raise awareness of learning difficulties in the region clinical professor at the University of California and director of the US-based Slingerland Institute Professor Nancy Cushen-White guest taught at the centre and introduced a multisensory teaching approach for those challenged by literacy difficulties. "What is important with these children is choosing an approach that suits their individual needs. Each individual is different. They need to understand what is being taught and why" she told Khaleej Times. Though early detection is preferred Professor Cushen-White said "it's never too late" to help a child with learning difficulties. "A late diagnoses doesn't mean all hope is lost. It just means a child has to unlearn more things. But the earlier the diagnoses the better." The right teaching approach Dubai Lexicon Reading Centre provides a remedial teaching approach to its students. Teaching students "strategies rather than subjects" AV said it is all about embedding the mechanisms of reading speaking and writing in children. Though no specific figures relating to the number of children with dyslexia are readily available in the UAE AV said the UAE community - particularly Asian community - has come on "leaps and bounds" in regards to awareness. "To say your child has dyslexia or any learning difficulty is hard for a parent. This was often brushed under the carpet but now parents are so much more aware. That is great for the child." (ئKTUAEReporters)
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