Understanding My World: Alison May Alison's story is the perfect example of what many families face when faced with the possibility of having a child diagnosed with learning difficulties. learning. Alison wasn't diagnosed with visual and auditory dyslexia until the summer before she entered college. However, when she was still a child, her symptoms were brought to her mother's attention by her sister's teacher. Alison's mother then noticed her habit of repeating words incorrectly and how Alison needed tactile cues to follow directions. On the advice of her kindergarten teacher, Alison was tested for learning disabilities and the school psychologists' findings were that she was acting stubborn or disobedient. His family didn't stop at the school's diagnosis. They completed private tests which confirmed that Alison did not have a specific learning disability. The final word came from a relative who was a psychologist. He insisted that Alison would overcome her difficulties. So Alison continued her elementary, middle, and high school career as a student and daughter with an undiagnosed learning disability. Alison spent 12 years of her life learning to learn. He was comfortable with the conversation, but couldn't understand the directions. This caused her to have a lot of self-esteem issues as a child, trying to fit in with all the other kids. He felt enormous pressure both at school and at home. At the age of seven, he finally realized that he simply didn't understand. It was then that he began to develop coping mechanisms such as asking others to repeat and clarify directions, whether spoken or written. She used cues from those around her and observed her classmates and their reactions...... middle of paper ......yslexia http://www.tsrhc.org/dyslexia-take -flight.htm• Intel Reader by Intel-GE Care Innovation http://www.careinnovations.com/assistive-reading-technologyAgencies for Dyslexia• Catapult Learning http://www.catapultlearning.com/• Children's Dyslexia Centers of New Jersey http://www. mlcnj.org/• Dyslexia My Life http://dyslexiamylife.org/resour3.html• Bridges4Kids http://www.bridges4kids.org/states/nj.htm• National Disability Rights Network http://www. ndrn.org /Dyslexia Organizations • Dyslexia International http://www.dyslexia-international.org/index.html • The International Dyslexia Association http://www.interdys.org/• American Dyslexia Association http://www .american-dyslexia -association.com/• Davis Dyslexia Association International http://www.dyslexia.com/• National Center for Learning Disabilities http://www.ncld.org/