From Perceptual Talent to Disorientation

• The essential first step for all learning is accurate perception. To perceive concepts and information accurately, we need to read and hear without distortions to sensory input. Davis® uses the term orientation to describe this state of accurate perception. In an oriented state, mental perceptions match the true facts and conditions in the environment.
  
• Dyslexic individuals experience distortions of sensory input as a result of their natural ability to explore the environment using 3-dimensional manipulation. Viewing objects from all potential angles using the mind’s eye is the natural problem solving skill of dyslexia.
  
• This unconscious approach to gaining information about the tangible world is what Davis® calls the perceptual talent. This is a highly effective method for understanding real-world objects, concrete elements which exist in 3-D.
  
• However, when interacting with symbols, this unconscious yet natural problem solving approach creates problems. Letters and words, punctuation marks, numerals and math signs are not three dimensional objects, they are symbols.
  
• Investigating symbols using 3-D manipulation does not provide accurate input. In fact, this is where the problems of dyslexia arise: The specific skills that give dyslexics their great gifts in art, music, engineering, architecture and other creative realms end up causing confusion when applied to symbols.
  
• This state of confusion due to distorted sensory input is what Davis® calls disorientation. In a disoriented state, mental perceptions do not agree with the true facts and conditions in the environment.
  
• For many dyslexic individuals, symbols are triggers to confusion. The natural response to confusion is to enter into a state of disorientation. This in turn leads to a cycle of increasing confusion: Sensory input is distorted in the state of disorientation. In a disoriented state, discovering an accurate solution to the problem of interpreting symbols is unlikely. Symbols examined will not resolve into meaningful 3-dimensional objects. They will continue to be symbols.
  
• This is why establishing a state of optimal orientation is KEY to the Davis® method. Once the dyslexic individual can smoothly and efficiently reach the oriented state, distorted perceptions are eliminated. When these confusions are eliminated, the need to disorient is eliminated.
  

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How the Perceptual Talent Interferes with Accurate Symbol Perception

​Here is a simplified illustration of distorted perceptions dyslexic individuals may receive using the perceptual talent to interpret symbols. Actual experiences vary greatly from one individual to another.
An individual unconsciously using the perceptual talent—moving his or her mind’s eye to investigate objects from all possible perspectives—may end up seeing one letter as another. In some cases, multiple letter interpretations are possible:

• We can all see that this is a dog.
• Accurate perception tells oriented individuals,
• “This is letter ‘d’.”

• We can all see that this is a dog.
• A disoriented individual may see the letter as ‘b’.

• We can still recognize the dog, despite upside-down view.
• A disoriented individual may see the letter as ‘p’.

• We can recognize the dog, despite upside-down view.
• A disoriented individual may see the letter as ‘q’.