Q. My daughter is six years old and she attends a Montego Bay-based primary school. She is very good with figures, but she doesn't read or spell well. I really don't know what to do. I want to know if there is somewhere I may take her for an assessment, or somewhere for assistance. I eagerly await a response.

A. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties you are having with your six-year-old. It is nevertheless encouraging that she handles figures very well. It could be that she is gifted at mathematics and slow at reading and spelling and needs to work harder at developing those skills.

It is also possible that your daughter has some form of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a disorder wherein persons who fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing and spelling proportionate to their intellectual abilities. It is NOT mental retardation or lack of intelligence, but is a learning disability that can hinder a child's ability to read, write and spell. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children. It does not result from vision or hearing problems.

One-on-one tutoring

In your daughter's case, she is smart and may need one-on-one tutoring by a professional, trained in using established/ recognised reading and spelling systems, as well as reasonable classroom accommodations until her reading, writing and spelling skills have reached grade level. This, therefore, will require a teacher who understands her frustration (not being able to read and spell in proportion to her intellectual level), and that her difficulties are due to brain differences and not laziness or lack of intelligence. Classroom accommodation will include the way information is presented to her, and the assurance of not embarrassing her in front of her peers (e.g., forcing her to write on the chalkboard, entering The Gleaner's Children's Own spelling bee or reading aloud in class).

Concerning your specific request for a place or persons who could help; there is an educational diagnostician in Montego Bay, St James, named Jacqueline Bernard. In Kingston, two of the better-known centres are McCam Child Development Centre and Mico Child Assessment and Research in Education.

I hope you get a professional assessment quickly so that you can deal with your child's learning disability. And continue to be supportive of her educational endeavours. meet with her teachers regularly and let them know what accommodations work for her. Affirm her good results in mathematics and her efforts in spelling and reading.

Send your issues and concerns to our counsellor. Email: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223