Advancements in technology now allow researchers and educators to understand how the brain functions in relation to human learning. In a recent project, researchers using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technology observed how certain areas of the brain behave during the process of reading. Studies of MRI-generated images compared dyslexic and non-dyslexic readers’ brainwave patterns during the act of reading. The resulting reports noted observable dysfunctions within phonologic modules of dyslexic readers’ brains - specifically, their language processing systems.
The phonologic module, described in layman’s terms, is a component of the brain’s “language factory.” Here, the most elemental features of language (sounds/phonemes and symbols/graphemes) are collated to compose the next-most basic units of language—individual words. According to the report, dyslexic readers’ brains most likely lack the ability to efficiently translate and collaborate these two different sources of language information. It is suspected that dyslexic disruption most likely occurs during embryonic formation.
Consequently, because the neurosystems either scramble or inefficiently relay the most-basic “bytes” of language code, extracting meaning from print becomes a daunting task for the dyslexic reader. It is suspected that one of every five Americans (approximately 50 million) may be affected with some degree or variation of dyslexia.
The good news is that research has shown how varying degrees of successful reading intervention can be achieved with instruction of explicit, systematic phonics.
Reading Horizons and Discover Intensive Phonics provide what some reliable language research advocates—explicit, systematic phonics presented in a logical sequence that is both easy to teach and easy to learn. Students participate in many hands-on, multi-sensory experiences that encompass the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities of learning. Throughout the course, students learn to use a unique marking system that helps students develop left-to-right orientation, scrutinize the inner details of words, and identify word patterns and families.
Whether students are dyslexic, underexposed to the conventions of print, or are fortunate enough to be unaffected by reading problems, the program’s highly structured delivery methods enhance most students’ understanding of the predictable and patterned constructs of language.