Is Spark Development right for your child?  Take this quick survey to find out:

Does your child have consistent trouble with academics?

Have you tried tutors or tutoring programs with little or no real success?

Does your child have difficulty understanding new concepts or relating what he or she has learned in the past to new material?

Does your child have difficulty recalling information?

Does your child have difficulty evaluating information? For example, does he or she have trouble with “compare and contrast” questions.

Does your child find problem solving difficult?

Does your child have difficulty dealing with ambiguity?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your child may have underdeveloped cognitive processing skills. Weakness in this area will make learning the content taught in school, or even by tutors, very difficult.

 

Does your child have difficultly distinguishing left from right?

When reading, does your child consistently:

• skip or reverse letters or words?
• lose his or her place?
• pick up letters or words from the lines above or below the intended line of sight?
• use a finger to hold his or her place?
• quickly become dizzy, experience eye fatigue or get headaches?

Does your child find athletic activities difficult, especially those that involve tracking small objects?

Is your child very clumsy or awkward or does he or she often bump into objects or other people?

Does your child have trouble with timing?

Is your child very sensitive to noise?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, your child may have underdeveloped sensory integration skills which are interfering with his or her ability to attend and learn (See below for an example of an eye movement issue that affects many children's ability to read.)

 

Does your child have very dry skin?

Is your child always thirsty?

Is your child highly allergic?

Does your child have dark circles under the eyes or constantly red ears?

Does your child suffer from recurring infections?

Is your child a very finicky eater or have a very limited diet?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your child may have nutritional or dietary issues that affect his or her ability to attend, learn or behave.

 

An example of a sensory issue that can affect your child's ability to read.

One example of a sensory issue that might affect a child's ability to read deals with SACCADIC EYE MOVEMENT.  SACCADIC EYE MOVEMENT relates to the eyes ability to move from point to point.

Read the following passage about Abigail Adams:

Abigail Adams was not the only American thinking about the changes that independence from Great Britain might bring. Encouraged by their victory over a great European power, people in the 13 states believed that anything was possible. Many of the enslaved African Americans who had fought against the British in the American Revolution asked for their freedom and got it. Richard Allen, a former slave, started the Free African Society in 1787. Some historians have called this the first organized movement for rights by African Americans in North America.

Everyone was thinking about change. The states, too, began to explore their independence. First they set up their own governments. By 1777, 10 of the 13 states had adopted constitutions. Soon, however, there were conflicts between the states. In 1783 George Washington wrote, “It is yet to be decided whether the Revolution [was] a blessing or a curse.” The states were independent, but they were not fully united.

Simple enough, right?  However, to a child with a saccadic eye movement problem, that same text might appear as:

Abigail Adams might bring American thinking victory over independence from Great Britain states believed Encouraged by the possible. Many a great European power, Americans got it. Richard fought against the British slave. the American Revolution in 1787. freedom and got it. called this, a former slave movement for African African Americans in North America.

Everyone was thinking about The states, too, began to explore the dependence. First they set own governments. By 1777, 13 states had adopted constitutions. Soon, there were conflicts be states. In 1783 George Washington “It is yet to be decided whether the volution [was] a curse.” The states were independent, they were fully united.

Why?  What does someone with a saccadic eye movement issue "see"?   Just follow the arrows.

In order to read easily and efficiently, your eyes need to move smoothly, in a level path, from left to right across the line of text. If your eyes “jump,” or “dip,” or “skip” words or letters, you will pick up words you should not, miss words that you should see, often lose your place, and comprehend little of what you have tried to read.