So where did it go?

You gave the instructions clearly. You watched them nod. Then they went off to do the job, and it was like none of it had gone in anywhere.

They heard every word. It wasn't their memory that let them down. It's more like the instructions disappeared into thin air before they had a chance to filter into their brain. It's as if there's no compartment for it to fit into, so poof, they're gone. For a visual thinker, spoken instructions without something to see or hold onto often just slip straight through and out the other side.

This was the experience of one of my clients before we worked together. In her words: "I found everything hard, I didn't like learning, I had no motivation, I didn't understand what I needed to do so I didn't do it." The moment that changed for her was using clay. "It was then that I could visualise everything in my head." It was like her thoughts had suddenly materialised into something real. She's far more confident within herself now, and she loves learning.

If your child hears instructions clearly but seems lost the moment they need to use them, there are five signs worth checking for. Most parents have simply never had a reason to look for them, it usually just gets put down to not listening, or not concentrating hard enough.

Grab the free checklist here: https://www.dyslexiaunpuzzled.co.nz/five-signs