Logic Links: One Way to Build on Dyslexia Strengths

DYSLEXIA IS A DIFFERENCE

Logic Links is a series of puzzles using color and logic. This article reviews Logic Links in relation to its usefulness when teaching students with dyslexia. Dyslexia is often perceived as a reading disability, but that is an extremely narrow view! As Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide illustrated in their pivotal book, The Dyslexic Advantage, the brain structure that results in dyslexia also presents startling strengths in four distinct kinds of reasoning; material, Interconnected, narrative, and dynamic. The wise teacher, tutor, or parent emphasizes the strengths and teaches to the gift!

LOGIC LINKS PUZZLES TEACH TO THE GIFT

I first tried Logic Links puzzles with dyslexic students because I wanted to stimulate right brain areas with color while simultaneously lighting up the left brain with logic or math. This encourages stronger neural pathways between brain hemispheres, improving problem-solving, long-term memory, and other cognitive skills. What I found astounded me! The dyslexic students were better at the puzzles than the neurotypical students! I usually needed to read the directions to the dyslexic students, but once they understood the directions, they solved puzzles with lightning speed. What could account for this? Perhaps it relates to the dyslexic strength in dynamic reasoning — the ability to keep moving multiple pieces around while recognizing possible patterns or solutions. Dyslexic thinkers tend to excel in non-linear problem solving, and Logic Links allows that strength to shine.

LINKING THE STRENGTH TO READING

While it’s nice to let a student enjoy using their gifts, how does that improve reading? While the student is basking in the glow of happiness that comes with doing something really well, he or she is in the most teachable space. As part of a Logic Links session, the teacher adds tracking, in which the student looks at the words in the directions while hearing them read by the teacher. The teacher asks the student to scan for specific words in the directions and point at them. The student then re-reads the directions silently. This takes only a minute or two per puzzle, but it’s powerful because it’s repetition, in a meaningful context, linked to an activity the student enjoys. Learning the language of written directions brings a tremendous increase in the ability to confidently approach homework or tests.

LOGIC LINKS BRINGS A BASKETFUL OF BENEFITS

Logic Links Puzzles are a wonderful way to allow dyslexic students to work in an area of strength while building reading vocabulary. Dyslexic students need to learn words in context. The vocabulary of directions or testing generally comes with little or no context, but Logic Links makes the contextual meaning clear and memorable. Solving the puzzles with a teacher to guide the reading practice produces outstanding results for dyslexic learners. Color paired with logic strengthens pathways between brain hemispheres and learning the language of directions and testing in context improves success in school. Logic Links wins my whole-hearted approval!

Reviewed by Yvonna Graham, M.Ed.

www.dyslexiakit.net

@GrahamYvonna