From U.K. with love: Dyslexia program hits states.A controversial program designed to minimized or eliminate symptoms of dyslexia dyslexia (dĭslĕk`sēə), in psychology, a developmental disability in reading or spelling, generally becoming evident in early schooling. To a dyslexic, letters and words may appear reversed, e.g. , dyspraxia dyspraxia /dys·prax·ia/ (dis-prak´se-ah) partial loss of ability to perform coordinated acts. dys·prax·i·a n. Impairment of the ability to execute purposeful, voluntary movement. and attention disorders from England is now looking to make its way into U.S. public schools. An extension of Dyslexia Dyspraxia Attention Deficit Treatment, the DORE Achievement Centers, named after founder and British businessman Wynford Dore, have more than a 90 percent success rate. But opponents say the treatment is not yet supported by current research. The drug-free treatment uses a personalized exercise program for 10 minutes twice daily for a year The exercises focus on stimulating the cerebellum cerebellum (sĕr'əbĕl`əm), portion of the brain that coordinates movements of voluntary (skeletal) muscles. It contains about half of the brain's neurons, but these particular nerve cells are so small that the cerebellum accounts for , which is supposed to help patients process information more quickly. A typical one-minute exercise is throwing a beanbag bean·bag n. 1. A small bag filled with dried beans and used for throwing in games. 2. A small folded bag filled with lead pellets, used as ammunition in a stun gun. 3. from one hand to the other while standing on one leg. The cerebellum has many pathways leading to the cerebrum cerebrum: see brain. cerebrum Largest part of the brain. The two cerebral hemispheres consist of an inner core of myelinated nerve fibres, the white matter, and a heavily convoluted outer cortex of gray matter (see cerebral cortex). , or "thinking brain," which aren't fully developed in people with learning disabilities. New research suggests the cerebellum is responsible for integrating sensory information to facilitate learning. The end result has been major improvements in reading, writing and comprehension, with no regression. Skeptics of DORE say the program makes their treatment sound like a "silver bullet silver bullet - magic bullet ." Jane Browning, the executive director at the Learning Disabilities Association of America, says the program is similar to treatments that have been around for 30 years. "I don't see it as a big breakthrough," she says. According to DORE representatives, the treatment takes a physiological approach rather than a phonetic approach to combating learning disabilities. Randall Redfield, DORE national vice president for marketing, adds it is a "good compliment" to learning. He says DORE does not provide knowledge, instead it builds "new neural pathways to new parts of the brain from the cerebellum." Twenty-five schools in England The schools in England are organised into nine lists, one for each region of England.
www.ddat.co.uk, www.dorecenters.com Following The Money Funding is DORE's main challenge, says Ali Tiegs, the program's national education consultant. DORE is seeking Title I funds to become a supplemental education service provider. "Most ... who need it, can't afford it," she says of the program, which is about $2,500 per person annually. |
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