on learning disabilities, processing issues, and motivation

A long time ago I read an interesting study that kids can read (comprehend as in "reading comprehension") on a higher level if they are interested in the topic.  Meaning if you have a story on the child's ostensible "reading level" you think that it is pretty objective.  How complicated are the sentences, how many unfamiliar words do they have to get from context, etc.

But they found that let's say, a kid who can't read his 3rd grade reader can actually hack his way through something much more advanced if it's about airplanes and he loves airplanes. 

This fascinated me because there isn't a direct correlation to "reading ablility."  It has to do with motivation.  Motivation actually makes the brain work differently.  And better.

In a sense, unschooling follows this path and kids read what they want and never think about "reading ability" and "reading level."  They try to read what they are interested in, and ask someone to read it to them if they have difficulty.

As I've spoken about, one of my kids has a learning disability where they have to read things up to seven times in order to comprehend it.  And tends to gravitate towards gaining information in ways other than reading as a result.

But I just realized I didn't think twice about sending this neuropsychological analysis of aphantasia: 

 "Their self-reported selective inability to vividly recollect personally experienced events from a first-person perspective was corroborated by absence of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potential (ERP) biomarkers associated with naturalistic and laboratory episodic recollection, as well as by behavioral evidence of impaired episodic retrieval, particularly for visual information. Yet learning and memory were otherwise intact, as long as these tasks could be accomplished by non-episodic processes. Thus these individuals function normally in day-to-day life, even though their past is experienced in the absence of recollection."

Because I knew she'd be interested and be able to understand it.

The Eternal Sunshine of the Non Spotless Basement

That's right, folks. 

This is the AFTER picture.  Just imagine that stuff all over the floor so you can't walk (except for my path, to the right of the duct tape, which has been kept largely clear).  This was cleaned only because we have Shabbos guests coming. 

They tell me they love scavenging for pieces of cardboard and wood and cloth to make all sorts of creations. 

Why I love learning with my kids

Today we learned the bracha of Teshuva (2nd request in Shemona Esrei).  I asked E:
When we ask H' for something, is it something we can control or H' can control?
He said: It depends.
I said: Teshuva.  Who is in control of that? Us or Him?
E: Us.
Me: So what are we asking for?
E:...
E: He could put the thought into our head...
Me: Is that what we are asking for? Mind control?
E: No, I wouldn't want that
Me: It's a riddle.  Go forth and think