The AFS-Method
A Comprehensive Guide
The pedagogical-didactical approach to dyslexia and dyscalculia — developed from empirical educational research through interdisciplinary cooperation.
The pedagogical-didactical approach to dyslexia and dyscalculia — developed from empirical educational research through interdisciplinary cooperation.
For more than a century, science has been occupied with why some people have difficulty learning writing, reading, or calculating. The early medical framing gave way to a crucial pedagogical insight:
A person with dyslexia, with good or average intelligence, perceives their environment differently and their attention decreases when they encounter symbols such as letters or numbers, because their brain processes these symbols differently than non-dyslexic individuals due to their different sensory perceptions, which leads to difficulties in learning to read, write, or spell.— Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller, 1995
The AFS-Method establishes that improvement of writing, reading, and calculating skills solely by working on symptoms is not possible. Instead, three interconnected areas must be addressed together.
Every training plan addresses all three areas in an integrated, individualized approach.
Training flexible, sustained awareness when confronted with letters and numbers. Coordination of thought and simultaneous action.
Sharpening the specific sensory perceptions needed for writing, reading, and calculating — one subarea at a time.
Targeted practice on individual error patterns. Learning must involve all senses and occur slowly, steadily.
Dyslexic individuals experience intermittent inattention specifically when confronted with letters and numbers — not in other activities. This is fundamentally different from clinical attention disorders like ADHD.
The goal is training flexible, sustained awareness rather than rigid concentration. The affected individual must be made aware that they can work at this problem.
Attention training utilizes:
It is only important that the child is receptive to the chosen exercise. Frequent conversation about attention capability involving symbols is essential.
Dyslexic children have differentiated sensory perceptions — different, often very fast thought processes that hinder accurate symbol processing. They require more time to deal with symbols.
Not all subareas are affected in every child. And sensory perceptions cannot all be trained simultaneously — one subarea must be addressed after another.
The difficulty level must be calibrated individually — providing enough sense of achievement so the child does not lose enjoyment.
Symptomatic training targets the specific errors. Learning must occur slowly, steadily, and coordinate with increasing attention capability and sharpening sensory perceptions.
The dyslexic child comprehends most easily by handling things. Letters and word pictures should be experienced three-dimensionally.
How the word looks — visual representation
What the word means — semantic understanding
How the word sounds — phonological processing
The AFS-Test is a standardized, computerized educational assessment (60–90 minutes) that evaluates attention, sensory perception, and error symptoms — automatically determining whether the profile indicates biogenetic dyslexia or acquired deficiency.
Biogenetic — gene-conditional, transmitted by inheritance
Acquired — results from life circumstances
Training is highly individualized: one-on-one sessions (60 minutes weekly), supplemented by 10–20 minutes of daily parent-guided home practice.
Warm-up to reset posture, breathing, and focus
Multisensory exercises targeting a maximum of two of the lowest-scoring sensory perceptions
Real reading, writing, or math practice tailored to the learner's error profile
3,370 test subjects confirmed that 85% improved their writing, reading, and calculating performance continuously over a two-year observation period.
People with dyslexia/dyscalculia are neither learning-weak nor learning-disabled; they simply have different information processing and associated different learning abilities.— Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller
The American Dyslexia Association is dedicated to providing free information and teaching aids to help dyslexic and dyscalculic people reach their full potential.