When learning styles don't match expectations

As a pediatric occupational therapist, our team often meets parents searching for answers about their child's unique way of learning. Perhaps your child resists reading, seems overwhelmed by verbal instructions, or acts out during tasks that look simple from the outside. Often, the root of these struggles isn't a lack of ability — it's a mismatch between how the child naturally processes information and the methods we're using to teach them.

Often we focus on isolated skills — vision, motor control, behavior — and miss the bigger picture of how the brain and body work together. When a child's dominant eye doesn't align with their dominant hand (or foot, or ear), the brain has to work harder to coordinate movement, process information, and respond. This can result in fatigue, frustration, and inconsistent performance — especially in school or sensory-rich environments.

Parents and educators may try traditional approaches and find they don't work — leading to a cycle of discouragement. Without understanding why these difficulties arise, it's easy to misinterpret them as stubbornness or deficits, when in reality they reflect the child's unique neurological wiring.

The framework: dominance profiles

In The Dominance Factor, Carla Hannaford — biologist, educator, and a foundational voice in neurodevelopmental education — introduces a game-changing idea: each of us has a dominance profile. It's a combination of our preferred eye, ear, brain hemisphere, hand, and foot. These preferences shape how we think, learn, and interact with the world. By identifying your child's profile (and your own), you can adapt teaching and communication strategies to align with their natural strengths.

Hannaford's approach is both science-based and parent-friendly. She offers simple, non-invasive ways to figure out dominance — like noticing which ear your child turns toward a sound, or which hand they naturally pick up a pencil with. Once you know their profile, you can tailor how you support them. For instance:

• A child with a dominant right ear (linked to the left brain) often excels with step-by-step verbal instructions and logical tasks like math
• A child with a dominant left eye often grasps concepts better through pictures, charts, or movement-based activities

The book also includes simple exercises — inspired by techniques like Brain Gym® — to help integrate the brain's hemispheres. These activities reduce stress (a common barrier to learning) and keep kids in a relaxed, ready-to-learn state. You don't need fancy equipment or special training; these are tools any parent can use at home.

What this looks like in real life

Imagine your child struggles to copy notes from the board. You might discover they're dominant in their left eye and right hand — making it tricky to coordinate visual input with writing. Armed with that insight, you could suggest they take down key points in their own format, or use a visual aid to ease the process.

Or picture a child who resists reading aloud but loves building things. Recognizing their dominance profile might lead you to pair stories with hands-on projects — turning a challenge into a strength.

This isn't just for kids. Understanding your own dominance can transform how you connect with your child. If you're a logical, left-brain thinker, you may naturally lean toward structured lessons. But if your child is right-brain dominant, they may respond better to creative, big-picture approaches. Adjusting your style can bridge that gap.

Beyond the classroom

The Dominance Factor isn't about fixing problems — it's about honoring how differently we all learn. By recognizing your child's profile, you help them feel valued for who they are, which boosts confidence and curiosity. Hannaford's work reminds us there's no single "right" way to learn. In a world that pushes uniformity, this approach creates space for every child to thrive.

Earl with Dr. Carla Hannaford at the RMTi Levels 1 & 2 Conference in Kalispell, Montana — June 2024.

How we use this in our Brewer clinic

Every pediatric OT evaluation at Sensory Therapy Place includes informal observation of your child's dominance patterns. We notice which hand picks up the pencil, which eye leads when tracking, which ear turns toward sound. We combine that with primitive reflex screening and sensory profile data — because dominance, reflexes, and sensory processing are all parts of the same nervous system picture. Read about retained primitive reflexes →