Orthographic Mapping Slides Decoding the Code
Orthographic Mapping & SRS
Lesson 1 Special Education Intervention
The Decoding Barrier
"For the dyslexic learner, every flashcard is a wall before it is a window."
Cognitive Load: Effort spent decoding prevents semantic encoding.Retrieval Failure: Student 'knows' the concept but cannot access the orthographic representation.
The Paradox of Traditional SRS
SRS relies on fast, accurate retrieval to strengthen memory traces. If a student cannot read the card, the system fails before the memory can be tested.
Traditional Card: [Word] → [Meaning]
Orthographic Mapping
The mental process we use to permanently store words for immediate, effortless retrieval.
Phonemic Awareness
Hearing and manipulating individual sounds in spoken words.
Grapheme Recognition
Understanding the letters or letter groups that represent sounds.
Bonding
Connecting the sounds to the letters to store the "sight word".
Adapting the SRS Deck
1
Audio Integration
Front of card includes audio pronunciation to bypass decoding failure.
2
Color-Coded Graphemes
Visual highlighting of phonemes within words (e.g., "sh", "ph").
3
Image Occlusion
Using visual cues to prompt phoneme recall rather than text prompts.
"The goal is not to test reading; the goal is to use SRS to build the brain's ability to read."
Anatomy of an Adaptive Sight Word Card
Front of Card
knight
Prompt: "Listen and say the sounds"
Back of Card
A warrior in armor.
Verification: Image + Meaning
Dyslexia Simulation Teacher Guide Decoding Barriers
Simulation & Facilitation Guide for Lesson 1
Teacher Resource
Learning Objective
Students will experience the cognitive load associated with dyslexia and evaluate how multisensory adaptations in Spaced Repetition Systems (SRS) can bypass decoding barriers to support orthographic mapping.
The "Pseudo-Script" Simulation
Preparation
Give students a list of 5 common words written in a simple symbol-substitution script (e.g., A=Δ, B=□). Do not give them a key yet.
The Task
Ask students to "study" these cards for 60 seconds and be prepared to recall the definition. They must decode the word and memorize the meaning simultaneously.
Debrief Questions
1 Where did your mental energy go? (Decoding vs. Understanding)
2 How would a standard SRS algorithm (Anki/Quizlet) treat your "failure" to recall these words if you simply couldn't read them?
3 How did the "failure" feel? Note the emotional response and its impact on motivation.
Facilitating the SRS Adaptation Task
Strategy Neuropsychological Justification SRS Implementation Tip Audio-First Prompting Bypasses the phonological loop bottleneck by providing direct auditory input. Set "Auto-play audio" on the front of cards. Force the student to hear the word before seeing text. Grapheme Highlighting Draws visual attention to irregular phonics patterns (orthographic mapping). Use HTML tags (e.g., <span class="red">) for irregular vowels or digraphs. Image Occlusion Dual coding theory: Creating multiple retrieval paths (visual and verbal). Hide part of a complex word (e.g., suffix) behind an image of its meaning.
Graduate Discussion Prompts
Ethics of Technology
Does reliance on audio-integrated SRS prevent the development of independent decoding skills, or does it provide the necessary "ramp" to reach fluency?
Intervention Pacing
In a dyslexic profile, should the SRS "new card" count be lower than average? How do we balance memory building with the risk of cognitive exhaustion?
Multisensory Card Designer Worksheet Multisensory Card Designer
Spaced Repetition Adaptation Workshop
SESSION 01: DYSLEXIA & MAPPING
Student Name
Date
Objective
Design an adaptive SRS flashcard for a student with moderate dyslexia. Your card must utilize multisensory prompting to reduce cognitive load and facilitate orthographic mapping of a "non-phonetic" high-frequency word.
Card Prototype: "PHARAOH"
Front: The Retrieval Trigger
Draw or describe your visual/audio elements here. Consider: Grapheme highlighting, audio icons, or partial occlusion.
Example: A clickable speaker icon + color-coded "ph" and "ao".
Back: The Feedback Mechanism
Draw or describe your verification elements. Consider: Image association, context sentence, or phoneme breakdown.
Example: A picture of King Tut + the word "ruler".
Clinical Justification
1. How does your card design reduce "Decoding Cognitive Load"?
2. Identify the specific "Orthographic Trap" in the word "PHARAOH" and explain how your card supports the student in mapping it.
Audio/Visual Ratio
Intervention Goal
Math Automaticity Slides Building Math Automaticity
Procedural Memory & Dyscalculia
Lesson 2 Procedural vs. Declarative Memory
Forgetting the "How"
The Dyscalculia Barrier
It is rarely just a "calculation" error. It is a failure in the retrieval of the sequence .
Working memory overload during multi-step tasks.
Failure to transition from "counting" to "knowing."
427 ÷ 13 = ?
"I know what 13 is... I just don't know what to do with it first."
The Dual-Track SRS
Declarative Memory
"The Facts"
7 × 8 = 56
π ≈ 3.14
Procedural Memory
"The Steps"
1. Estimate → 2. Multiply → 3. Subtract
Isolate the variable: X + 5 = 12
Procedural Flashcards
How do we turn a complex process into a spaced repetition task?
Step 1: Chunking
Break a 10-step process into 3-4 "conceptual chunks."
Step 2: Micro-Recall
Front: "First step in division?" Back: "Divide the leftmost digit."
Step 3: Mixed Practice
Interleave fact cards with procedural cards to prevent habituation.
Technique: The "Next Step" Drill
Front
4x + 12 = 24
What is the very first move?
Back
Subtract 12 from both sides.
This isolates the procedural decision without the heavy lifting of calculation.
Error Pattern Analysis Teacher Guide Numerical Neuropsychology
Error Pattern Analysis Facilitator's Guide
Teacher Resource
Learning Objective
Students will differentiate between calculation errors and procedural retrieval failures in math, designing specific SRS "Next-Step" interventions based on student work samples.
Diagnostic Workshop: "The Case of the Lost Step"
Student Sample: Long Division
Subject: Leo, Age 11
Error Site
0 2 1
Teacher Observation
"Leo can multiply 12 x 2. He can subtract 42 - 24 (with help). But after he drops the 7, he looks up and asks, 'What do I do now?'"
The "Wrong" Intervention
"Giving him more multiplication drills. He doesn't need to know 12 x 3 faster; he needs to remember to REPEAT the cycle."
Designing the Procedural SRS Deck
Technique: Algorithm Interleaving
When a student has dyscalculia, their SRS deck should NOT be 100% facts. Use the 70/30 Rule :
70%
Declarative Facts
Times tables, place value names, formula components.
30%
Procedural Cues
"Next step" prompts, visual flowchart chunks, operation symbols.
Sample "Next-Step" Flashcards for Leo
FRONT: A division problem shows a remainder smaller than the divisor. What is next?
BACK: Bring down the next digit.
Discussion Prompt for Graduates
"How does procedural automaticity through SRS impact a student's anxiety ? Consider the emotional cost of being stuck on a step versus the cognitive cost of the math itself."
Procedural Flashcard Bridge Worksheet The Procedural Bridge
From Flowcharts to Flashcards
SESSION 02: MATH AUTOMATICITY
Student Name
Date
Students with dyscalculia often struggle to move from scaffolded tools (like flowcharts) to internalized memory . Use this worksheet to bridge that gap. You will take a multi-step math process and translate it into a sequence of "Next-Step" flashcards for a Spaced Repetition System.
1. Select and Deconstruct a Process
Target Math Operation (e.g., Subtracting Fractions with unlike denominators)
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
2. SRS Card Design
Create three distinct cards that prompt the student for a "decision" or "next move" rather than a final answer.
Card 1: Front
Problem visual + "What's the next step?" prompt.
Card 1: Back
Action statement (e.g., "Find the LCM").
Card 2: Front
Card 2: Back
Fading Strategy
How will you adjust the SRS algorithm or card content as the student gains fluency? (e.g., removing visual hints, increasing intervals).
ADHD Engagement Slides Hacking the Reward System
Gamification & ADHD Engagement
Lesson 3 Dopamine, Feedback, and Micro-Learning
The "Interest-Based" Nervous System
Standard SRS is repetitive and low-stimulation . For the ADHD brain, "repetitive" often equals "painful."
The Reward Gap
Delayed gratification (learning a word for a test next week) is often insufficient to trigger the necessary dopamine for sustained attention.
The "Wall of Awful"
The emotional barrier created by repeated failure or boredom.
Immediate Feedback
The key to bypassing the barrier and sustaining engagement.
Micro-Spacing & Sprint Sets
2m
The 2-Minute Sprint
Limit card sessions to 120 seconds. High intensity, clear end-point.
∞
Micro-Spacing
Short intervals between cards (seconds) to keep the "loop" tight and active.
!
Zero-Tolerance Boredom
If a card causes a "pause" longer than 5 seconds, mark it for modification.
Meaningful Mechanics
Streak Incentives: Visualizing consistency over accuracy.
Deck "Bosses": Naming difficult cards as enemies to defeat.
In-App Currency: Earning visual rewards for retrieval effort.
"The gamification is not a distraction from the learning; for ADHD students, it is the fuel for the learning."
The Engagement Audit
Before implementing an SRS intervention, ask yourself:
Boredom Risk
Are there more than 10 cards in a single session without a reward break?
Dopamine Hit
Is the feedback sound/animation satisfying enough to trigger a "win" state?
Gamification Audit Worksheet The Engagement Audit
Gamification & ADHD Redesign Workshop
SESSION 03: ADHD & DOPAMINE
Student Name
Date
Task: Analyze a standard "bare-bones" SRS protocol (e.g., Anki basic setup) and redesign it to sustain the attention of a high-school student with severe combined-type ADHD. Focus on immediacy , novelty , and reward .
Protocol Transformation
Feature Standard SRS Protocol ADHD-Adapted Protocol Session Length "Finish your daily due cards" (approx 15-20 mins) Feedback Timing Self-rating after answer is revealed.
|
| Visual Stimulus | Plain black text on white background. |
|
| Spacing Algorithm | Expanding intervals over days/weeks. |
|
Gamification Mechanic Design
The "Boss" Card
How will you visually distinguish the hardest card in the deck to make conquering it feel like a victory?
The "Combo" Streak
Design a visual or auditory reward for getting 5 cards right in a row.
Clinical Justification
Briefly explain how your gamification choices directly address Dopamine Deficiency and Executive Dysfunction (specifically Task Initiation and Sustained Attention).
Write your justification here...
Micro-Learning Facilitator Guide Dopamine Facilitation
Managing Micro-Learning Sessions (ADHD Focus)
Teacher Resource
Learning Objective
Instructors will guide graduate students in facilitating SRS sessions that prioritize high-frequency, low-duration "micro-sprints" to sustain engagement in ADHD profiles.
The Micro-Sprint Protocol (2-Minute Limit)
1. Pre-Task Ritual
Clear desk of distractors. Set physical timer for 120 seconds. Identify the "Win" condition (e.g., "See 15 cards").
2. High-Density Retrieval
Cards must be binary (Right/Wrong). No deep analysis. Move at a speed of 4-6 seconds per card.
3. Hard Stop
When the timer rings, the session is OVER. Even if 5 cards are left. This preserves the reward value of "completion."
Why it works
Students with ADHD often suffer from "Time Blindness." An open-ended task like "study your flashcards" feels infinite and overwhelming. A 2-minute sprint is a bounded, predictable commitment that is much easier to initiate.
Troubleshooting "The Wall of Awful"
Behavior Intervention Strategy Clicking "Again" Repeatedly Student is likely experiencing shame. Change the card's font or color immediately to create novelty and "reset" the card's history. Zoning Out mid-session Interval is too long. Introduce a "Physical Prompt" card (e.g., "Stand up and sit down") every 10 cards. Difficulty Starting Use the "Low Stakes Entry": The first 3 cards of every session must be something the student knows 100% (e.g., their own name).
Errorless Learning Slides Errorless Learning
Adapting SRS for Cognitive Impairment
Lesson 4 Success-Based Architecture
The Psychological Impact of "Again"
For students with significant cognitive impairments, traditional SRS can be a punishment loop .
Learned Helplessness
"If the computer tells me I'm wrong every 10 seconds, why should I keep clicking?"
Error-Based Learning vs. Errorless
Standard: Mistakes are data points for the algorithm.Errorless: Prompts ensure success before failure can occur.
Manipulating the SRS Engine
Target: 95% Success Rate
In adaptive Spaced Repetition for cognitive impairment, we prioritize confidence over efficiency .
Interval Compression
Shorten the starting intervals (e.g., 1 min, 5 mins, 20 mins) to prevent memory decay before the first review.
// SRS CONFIG: Errorless Mode
starting_interval: 1m
ease_factor: 350% (high)
lapse_penalty: 0%
"The algorithm should serve the student's emotional state, not just their memory."
Fading the Scaffold
Full Physical/Visual
The card includes the answer in a light gray font on the front. Student simply repeats.
Partial Prompt
Only the first letter or a visual clue is provided on the front of the card.
Independent Recall
Scaffold is removed ONLY after 10 consecutive "correct" markings.
"Errorless SRS is a slow, steady climb, not a race to the finish line."
Simulation: The Shut Down
Watch the simulation of a student with ID (Intellectual Disability) attempting a standard SRS deck. Identify the moment of cognitive overload and the subsequent behavioral avoidance .
Observe Body Language
Note Latency of Response
Algorithm Tuning Handout Algorithm Tuning Protocol
Configuring SRS for Maximum Success
The Goal: Errorless Architecture
"For students with moderate-to-severe cognitive impairments, we must rig the system for success. The SRS algorithm should be tuned to provide reviews just before the student is likely to forget, ensuring a 90%+ success rate."
SRS Parameter Adjustment Guide
Parameter Standard Setting Adaptive Setting Clinical Reason New Card Intervals 1m, 10m 1m, 5m, 15m, 1h Decreases initial decay; provides immediate repetition. Graduating Interval 1 Day 4 Hours Ensures same-day mastery before sleep consolidation. Ease Factor 250% 350% + Accelerates interval growth only for guaranteed success. Lapse Penalty 100% Reset 20% Decrease Prevents "starting over" frustration when a mistake occurs. Max New Cards/Day 20 3 to 5 Protects working memory capacity.
The "Success Scaffold" Hierarchy
When a student struggles with a card, do not mark it "Wrong" immediately. Apply this prompting hierarchy within the SRS session.
Level 4: Independent
Clear Card No scaffolds. Pure retrieval.
Level 3: Partial Prompt
Visual/Phonetic Hint First letter or related image provided on card front.
Level 2: Choice Set
Multiple Choice (2-3) Reduces retrieval load to recognition load.
Level 1: Full Model
"Shadowing" Answer is visible; student repeats.
Ethical Consideration
"Is there a danger in making learning too easy? When does 'errorless' become 'effortless' in a way that inhibits long-term growth?"
DOC_ID: ALGO_TUNING_v1.0
Case Study Referral Files Handout Clinical Synthesis
Lesson 5: Complex Case Study Analysis
Confidential
1. The Referral Inbox
Students are assigned one of the following "High-Priority" referral files. Each profile presents a dual-diagnosis or complex processing deficit requiring a highly customized SRS approach.
A
Subject: "MARCUS" (Age 15)
Diagnosis: ADHD (Combined) + Auditory Processing Disorder
"Failing high school biology. Marcus gets overwhelmed by audio-heavy lectures and finds standard flashcards boring. He shuts down when he hears a long definition."
Visual Learner Dopamine Seeking
B
Subject: "SARA" (Age 12)
Diagnosis: Dyscalculia + Processing Speed (1st Percentile)
"Sara takes 2 minutes to solve a simple addition problem not because she doesn't know the math, but because she 'loses her place' in the sequence."
Procedural Deficit High Anxiety
2. The Custom Intervention Plan
Graduate students must submit a 2-page Adaptive Spaced Repetition Protocol that justifies every choice using neuropsychological principles.
Modality & Content
Audio/Visual/Text ratio
Chunking strategies
Use of image occlusion
Timing & Algorithm
Custom SRS parameters
Session duration limits
Frequency of reviews
Engagement Meta
Gamification mechanics
Errorless learning scaffold
Feedback loop design
Evaluation Rubric
Criteria Target (Graduate Level) Neuro-Justification Explicitly links SRS adaptations to the student's specific cognitive deficit (e.g., phonological loop bottleneck). Customization Depth Goes beyond "add pictures"; modifies SRS parameters (ease factors, lapses) for the specific learner profile. Practical Implementation Protocol is actionable and realistic for a classroom or home setting.
Intervention Plan Final Template Clinical Referral: Intervention Design
Culminating Case Study Report
SESSION 05: FINAL SYNTHESIS
Clinician (Student) Name
Assigned Subject Profile
1. Neuropsychological Barrier Identification
Based on your assigned profile, identify the primary cognitive barrier that renders a "Standard" SRS protocol ineffective.
Explain the breakdown here (e.g., "The student suffers from an executive function deficit that causes a failure in task initiation...")
2. Technical System Modifications
Card Content Adaptations
Describe Visual/Audio changes...
Timing & Flow Adaptations
Define Sprint Duration/Intervals...
3. Prototype Sight Word / Procedural Card
Sketch Front (Prompts)
Sketch Back (Verification)
4. Outcome Measurement
Success Metric (Quantitative)
Qualitative "Soft" Goal (e.g., Anxiety)
Complex Case Study Slides Final Clinical Synthesis
Designing Complex Interventions
Final Session
Integrating the Pillars
A truly adaptive SRS system for a student with complex needs must address three layers simultaneously:
1 Cognitive: Bypassing the deficit.
2 Systemic: Tuning the algorithm.
3 Affective: Managing the emotional cost.
"The most effective intervention is the one the student actually uses when you aren't in the room."
Referral Review
Marcus
ADHD + APD
High-school biology. Retrieval failure due to boredom and auditory overload.
"If I can't see it, it doesn't exist."
Sara
Dyscalculia + Speed
Middle-school math. Multi-step procedural failure and intense math anxiety.
"I'm just bad at math. The timer scares me."
Your Mandate
Phase 1: Diagnostic
Identify the specific processing deficit hindering SRS success.
Phase 2: Protocol
Design the content, timing, and engagement mechanics.
Phase 3: Prototype
Show us exactly what a card looks like for your student.
Submission Requirement:
Justify every technical choice with at least one neuropsychological principle (e.g., Working Memory Capacity, Phonological Loop, Dopamine Dysregulation).
"Memory is not a static warehouse; it is a dynamic process. Our job is to build the architecture that makes that process possible for every brain."
Adaptive Spaced Repetition Strategies
