What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience 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, or extra support services. What causes dyslexia? The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a person with dyslexia develops and functions. Moreover, most people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with identifying the separate speech sounds within a word and/or learning how letters represent those sounds, a key factor in their reading difficulties. Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods, students with dyslexia can learn successfully. How widespread is dyslexia? About 13–14% of the school population nationwide has a handicapping condition that qualifies them for special education. Current studies indicate that one half of all the students who qualify for special education are classified as having a learning disability (LD) (6–7%). About 85% of those students have a primary learning disability in reading and language processing. Nevertheless, many more people— perhaps as many as 15–20% of the population as a whole—have some of the symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words. Not all of these will qualify for special education, but they are likely to struggle with many aspects of academic learning and are likely to benefit from systematic, explicit, instruction in reading, writing, and language. Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. People with dyslexia can be very bright. They are often capable or even gifted in areas such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, math, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports. In addition, dyslexia runs in families; parents with dyslexia are very likely to have children with dyslexia. For some people, their dyslexia is identified early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older. What are the effects of dyslexia? The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty is with word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Some individuals with dyslexia manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays. People with dyslexia can also have problems with spoken language, even after they have been exposed to good language models in their homes and good language instruction in school. They may find it difficult to express themselves clearly, or to fully comprehend what others mean when they speak. Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major problems in school, in the workplace, and in relating to other people. The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom. Dyslexia can also affect a person’s self-image. Students with dyslexia often end up feeling “dumb” and less capable than they actually are. After experiencing a great deal of stress due to academic problems, a student may become discouraged about continuing in school. How is dyslexia diagnosed? Before referring a student for a comprehensive evaluation, a school or district may choose to track a student’s progress with a brief screening test and identify whether the student is progressing at a “benchmark” level that predicts success in reading. If a student is below that benchmark (which is equivalent to about the 40th percentile nationally), the school may immediately deliver intensive and individualized supplemental reading instruction before determining whether the student needs a comprehensive evaluation that would lead to a designation of special education eligibility. Some students simply need more structured and systematic instruction to get back on track; they do not have learning disabilities. For those students and even for those with dyslexia, putting the emphasis on preventive or early intervention makes sense. There is no benefit to the child if special instruction is delayed for months while waiting for an involved testing process to occur. These practices of teaching first, and then determining who needs diagnostic testing based on response to instruction, are encouraged by federal policies known as Response to Intervention (RTI). Parents should know, however, that at any point they have the right to request a comprehensive evaluation under the IDEA law, whether or not the student is receiving instruction under an RTI model. A comprehensive evaluation typically includes intellectual and academic achievement testing, as well as an assessment of the critical underlying language skills that are closely linked to dyslexia. These include receptive (listening) and expressive language skills, phonological skills including phonemic awareness, and also a student’s ability to rapidly name letters and numbers. A student’s ability to read lists of words in isolation, as well as words in context, should also be assessed. If a profile emerges that is characteristic of readers with dyslexia, an individualized intervention plan should be developed, which should include appropriate accommodations, such as extended time. What are the signs of dyslexia? The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using written language. It is a myth that individuals with dyslexia “read backwards,” although spelling can look quite jumbled at times because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and forming memories for words. Other problems experienced by people with dyslexia include the following: Learning to speak Learning letters and their sounds Organizing written and spoken language Memorizing number facts Reading quickly enough to comprehend Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments Spelling Learning a foreign language Correctly doing math operations Not all students who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia. Formal testing of reading, language, and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia. How is dyslexia treated? Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. With proper help, many people with dyslexia can learn to read and write well. Early identification and treatment is the key to helping individuals with dyslexia achieve in school and in life. Most people with dyslexia need help from a teacher, tutor, or therapist specially trained in using a multisensory, structured language approach. It is important for these individuals to be taught by a systematic and explicit method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time. Many individuals with dyslexia need one-on-one help so that they can move forward at their own pace. In addition, students with dyslexia often need a great deal of structured practice and immediate, corrective feedback to develop automatic word recognition skills. For students with dyslexia, it is helpful if their outside academic therapists work closely with classroom teachers. Schools can implement academic accommodations and modifications to help students with dyslexia succeed. For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete tasks, help with taking notes, and work assignments that are modified appropriately. Teachers can give recorded tests or allow students with dyslexia to use alternative means of assessment. Students can benefit from listening to audiobooks and using text reading and word processing computer programs. Students may also need help with emotional issues that sometimes arise as a consequence of difficulties in school. Mental health specialists can help students cope with their struggles. How to Recognize Dyslexia Symptoms by Age 1. The preschool years The earliest signs of dyslexia emerge around 1 to 2 years of age when children first learn to make sounds. Children who don’t say their first words until 15 months of age or their first phrases until 2 years of age have a higher risk of developing dyslexia. However, not all people with speech delays develop dyslexia, and not all people with dyslexia have speech delays as children. A speech delay is just a cue for parents to pay attention to language development. Children from families with a history of reading difficulties should also be monitored closely for dyslexia. Other dyslexia warning signs that arise before age 5 years include: having problems learning and remembering the names of letters in the alphabet having difficulty learning the words to common nursery rhymes being unable to recognize the letters of their own name mispronouncing familiar words or using baby talk being unable to recognize rhyming patterns 2. Kindergarten and first grade Around age 5 or 6 years, when kids begin learning to read, dyslexia symptoms become more apparent. Children who are at risk of reading disabilities can be identified in kindergarten. There is no standardized test for dyslexia, so your child’s doctor will work with you to evaluate their symptoms. Signs that your kindergartener or first grader may be at risk include: not understanding that words break apart into sounds making reading errors that aren’t connected to the sounds of the letters on the page having a history of parents or siblings with reading problems complaining about how hard reading is not wanting to go to school showing problems with speaking and pronunciation having trouble sounding out basic words like “cat” or “map” not associating letters with sounds (for example, that “p” sounds like “paa”) Early intervention programs usually focus on phonological (word sound) awareness, vocabulary, and reading strategies. 3. Second through eighth grade Many teachers are not trained to recognize dyslexia. Children who are intelligent and participate fully in class often slip through the cracks because they are good at hiding their reading trouble. By the time your child reaches middle school, they may have fallen behind in reading, writing, and spelling. Signs of dyslexia in grade school and middle school include: being very slow in learning to read reading slowly and awkwardly having difficulty with new words and sounding them out disliking or avoiding reading out loud using vague and inexact vocabulary, like “stuff” and “things” hesitating while finding words and answering questions using a lot of “umms” in conversation mispronouncing words that are long, unknown, or complicated confusing words that sound alike having trouble remembering details, such as names and dates having messy handwriting 4. Young adulthood: High school and college years High school and college involve a new set of challenges for students with dyslexia. They face far more rigorous academic challenges when quick reading comprehension is essential. High school and college students are assigned more reading material. They must also learn to work with several different teachers, all with different expectations. Without treatment, some people’s childhood dyslexia continues into young adulthood. Others’ will improve naturally as their higher learning functions develop. In addition to the signs already seen in childhood, dyslexia signs in young adulthood can include: requiring a great mental effort for reading reading slowly rarely reading for pleasure avoiding reading out loud in any situation pausing and hesitating often while speaking using a lot of “umms” using vague and imprecise language pronouncing names and places wrong frequently having difficulty remembering names confusing like-sounding names missing quick responses in conversation having limited spoken vocabulary having difficulty with multiple-choice tests considering themselves stupid despite good grades 5. Dyslexia in adults It’s unknown exactly how many adults have dyslexia. A lack of a uniform definition of dyslexia makes it hard for researchers to study. Various estimates suggest that as many as 5 to 10 percent of the population may have dyslexia. It’s typically diagnosed in childhood, but some people are never diagnosed. If you’ve always had trouble reading, there’s a good chance you could have dyslexia. Symptoms you might recognize in yourself include: You rarely or never read for pleasure. You hate reading out loud in front of your coworkers, friends, and children. You have trouble understanding jokes, puns, or turns of phrase. You struggle with tasks that require memorization and repetition. You have time management issues, or things take much longer than you think they will. You have trouble summarizing things you read. You have trouble doing math. Sources: https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-basics/ https://www.healthline.com/health/dyslexia-symptoms-by-age https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dyslexia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353552 Prepared by Viktorija Stučytė based on online sources #dyslexia #reading #writing #problems #learning
