Dyslexic children have trouble sequencing. That means that they have trouble remembering what comes next, what comes first, etc.
A True Story…
I’d like to talk a minute today about the importance of sequencing. It is an often overlooked problem for dyslexic children. Yes, it can be frustrating that they struggle to remember the days of the week and months of the year. Yes, it can be frustrating that it takes them so long to learn how to tie their shoes or ride a bike. But there is one aspect of sequencing that most have not thought of. Dyslexic children (and especially those with the co-morbid condition of ADHD) frequently mistake the order of events in their own lives. What does this look like? Your child runs to you and tells you another child pushed them. You ask them to tell you everything that happened. They claim that they did nothing to the other child. A witness comes forward and recounts what actually happened. Your child was incorrect in their account of the story. What is your initial response? “Why did you lie?” When this happens multiple times, the child is branded a “liar.” The problem is, your child might be telling you the truth. The truth as THEY know it. It is not that they are trying to lie, it is that their interpretations of the events are in the wrong order. This presents an interesting dilemma as we figure out how to teach our children to own their actions, but also validate their feelings and perspective of the events and how they transpired.
This was an all-too bitter realization for me as I had a dear student that everyone had labeled a “liar.” He would adamantly deny what happened or would recount the events in a distorted fashion. So many people, including his parents, viewed him as a liar and considered him untrustworthy. He was defeated, alone, and felt completely unloved. As his teacher, I cared deeply for him but also couldn’t understand why he kept lying. Then, I learned that dyslexic children can have different perspectives of events that happened TO THEM! My student was NOT lying. He just had a distorted memory of what happened. I will never forget the feeling I got at this realization. I felt absolutely horrible and was devastated for what has been happening to him. As soon as I could, I went back and talked with every one of the staff that interacted with him. I explained what was happening and that we would have to come up with a plan to help him.
Now, I’m not saying I’ve solved the problem and everything is rainbows and unicorns. But what I am saying is that knowledge is the first step. We must be ever-vigilant on the latest research and findings for dyslexia and ADHD and how it affects those that we love and interact with.