Demystifying Dyslexia
Dyslexia is defined as a specific learning disability that is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
But what does that mean exactly?
Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result difficulties with other language skills, such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.
Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, and/or extra support services.
Myth: You can easily identify a person who has dyslexia because they see words backwards or in reverse.
Truth: All young readers up to second grade can have persistent reversals when reading. Many children reverse their letters when learning to write, regardless of whether they have dyslexia. Reversing letters or words is not a sure sign of dyslexia. Moreover, a child can be highly dyslexic and not reverse letters. If the reversals persist past second grade, then an evaluation should be performed to see if there is a presence of a disability.
Myth: People with dyslexia are not intelligent.
Truth: According to the International Dyslexia Association, people with dyslexia have average to above average intelligence, but are unable to read at a level commensurate with their intelligence level. Many gifted people at the top of their fields have dyslexia.
Myth: Since dyslexia is a visual problem, vision therapy and eye tracking exercises will cure the condition.
Truth: Although a person who has dyslexia may have visual motor integration deficiencies or visual tracking problems, dyslexia is not a condition that can be cured with visual processing training. Visual processing may be a portion of long-term therapy for a dyslexic, along with other specific cognitive and phonetic skills that he or she lacks.
Myth: Most children will outgrow dyslexia.
Truth: Dyslexia is a medical condition that cannot be outgrown. Dyslexics can be taught many cognitive processing skills such as long and short term auditory or visual memory to help them manage their disability. Intervention does help remediate their ability to read, spell, and write.
Myth: People with dyslexia are lazy.
Truth: People with dyslexia are far from lazy. Their brains work five times harder than others doing the same task. This results in frustration and exhaustion, which can cause a student with dyslexia to give up on tasks before other children.
Myth: People with dyslexia are unable to read.
Truth: Children and adults with dyslexia do learn to read. However, the problem is the effort they require to read. Typical readers of the same ability level early on become fluent readers so that reading is automatic, fast, and pleasurable. People with dyslexia, however, remain “manual” readers who read slowly and with great effort. One of the most important truths about dyslexia is that it does not have to limit an individual’s success. Young and old alike have overcome this condition to lead fruitful, impactful lives.
If you have a student or child with dyslexia, you will likely notice some of the following:
difficulty with reading comprehension
difficulty decoding words
poor memory
difficulty with spelling
difficulty with expressive language
poor handwriting
difficulty with math facts and operations
average to high level of intelligence
may be gifted in other areas
Self-Image
Dyslexia can affect a person’s self-image. Students with dyslexia often end up feeling “dumb” and less capable than they are. After experiencing a great deal of stress due to academic problems, a student may become discouraged about continuing in school.
Many individuals with dyslexia have experienced years of frustration and limited success, despite countless hours spent in special programs or working with specialists. Their progress may have been agonizingly slow and frustrating, rendering them emotionally fragile and vulnerable.
Classroom materials and routines
Post visual schedules and read them out loud.
Provide colored strips or bookmarks to help focus on a line of text when reading.
Hand out letter and number strips so the student can see how to write correctly.
Use large-print text for worksheets.
Use audiobooks like those available through services like Bookshare, a free online library for students with disabilities.
Allow the student to use a text reader like a Reading Pen or text-to-speech software.
Use speech-to-text software to help with writing.
Have on hand “hi-lo” books (books with high-interest topics for students reading below grade level).
Provide extra time for reading and writing.
Give the student multiple opportunities to read the same text.
Use reading buddies during work time (as appropriate).
Partner up for studying — one student writes while the other speaks, or they share the writing.
Introducing new concepts
Pre-teach new concepts and vocabulary.
Provide the student with typed notes or an outline of the lesson to help with taking notes.
Provide advance organizers to help the student follow along during a lesson.
Provide a glossary of content-related terms.
Use visual or audio support to help the student understand the written materials in the lecture.
Giving instructions
Give step-by-step directions and read written instructions out loud.
Simplify directions using keywords for the most important ideas.
Highlight keywords and ideas on worksheets for the student to read first.
Check in frequently to make sure the student understands and can repeat the directions.
Show examples of correct and completed work to serve as a model.
Provide a rubric that describes the elements of a successful assignment.
Help the student break assignments into smaller steps.
Give self-monitoring checklists and guiding questions for reading comprehension.
Arrange worksheet problems from easiest to hardest.
Completing tests and assignments
Grade the student on the content that needs to be mastered, not on things like spelling or reading fluency.
Allow understanding to be demonstrated in different ways, like oral reports, posters, and video presentations.
Provide different ways to respond to test questions, like saying the answers or circling an answer instead of filling in the blank.
Provide sentence starters that show how to begin a written response.
Provide extended time for taking tests.
Provide a quiet room for taking tests, if needed.
References:
https://exceptionalindividuals.com/about-us/blog/is-dyslexia-genetic/
https://www.commlearn.com/common-misconceptions-about-dyslexia/
https://thriveedservices.com/highly-effective-dyslexia-interventions-and-programs/
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-for-dyslexia
If you would like more information about how we can help support DYSLEXIA in your school or district, go to our website www.cmdi.us to set up a free discovery call.