Lviing thiw dylsxia

(Living with dyslexia)

Local tutor's passion helps afflicted

[September 04, 2008]  Lynne Neal has been a specialist working for 27 years with students diagnosed as learning disabled or with attention deficit disorder. In that time as an after-school tutor, she has helped young children, teens and adults as old as 70 to learn to read and become proficient in their school or life skills.

To Neal, who has opened up an office on the second floor of the Montessori Children's House of Lincoln, helping people with dyslexia is a passion. Not only does Neal tutor, but she also acts as an aide, or conduit, in confirming the affliction and steers sufferers to the correct agencies to get them the help that they need.

According to the National Institutes of Health, it is believed that as much as 15 percent of the total population suffers in varying degrees from dyslexia. Several other sources state the number could be as high as 20 percent.

For years, dyslexia sufferers were put into various categories without knowing or understanding the person had a real disorder. "Slow learner" or "not very smart" were labels put on children who, in effect, weren't seeing the words the way they were put down in print.

It is this inability to grasp proper spellings, word and letter order that can make it so difficult for dyslexics to read, and thus learn.

According to Yale University professor Sally Shaywitz, scientific studies using magnetic resonance have shown that the brain of the dyslexic reader is activated in a different area than that of the non-impaired reader. Interestingly, the dyslexic reader may be strong in reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking, but invariably lacks phonetic awareness -- the ability to break words apart in distinct sounds -- which is critical in order to crack the reading code. Without being able to read, the educational door cannot be opened no matter how bright a person is.

It is believed that such notable scientists and thinkers as Albert Einstein, Ben Franklin and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as Leonardo da Vinci and Tolstoy, suffered in varying degrees from dyslexia.

Neal, who has a master's degree in education from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., wants family members who are concerned with their child's educational progress to know that she can help with an evaluation of their child to see if they suffer from dyslexia or need basic after-hours tutoring.

Currently there are two area centers, located in Springfield and Peoria, to help dyslexic sufferers. These centers are funded by the 32nd degree Masonic Learning Centers for Children Inc., a nonprofit corporation created specifically to fund the creation and operation of these centers.

In the event that Neal's studies show a dyslexia problem, she can assist the child in being helped by one of these area centers. If she finds that the child has poor study habits, needs one-on-one tutoring in varied subjects or just needs to learn how to learn, she has a history of being able to accomplish those goals.

Neal's office is located on the second floor of the Montessori Children's House of Lincoln, at 406 Keokuk. Her cell phone number is 217-737-1167.

[By MIKE FAK]