Note: All information directly from the IDA fact sheet unless noted.
Dyslexiais a language-based learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, spelling, and reading decoding. People with dyslexia have problems discriminating sounds within a word or phonemes, a key factor in their reading and spelling difficulties. Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods, people with dyslexia can learn successfully.
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Impacts - 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 people 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.
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General warning signs- The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using written language. It is a myth that dyslexic individuals “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: (Not all students who have difficulties with these skills are dyslexic. Formal testing of reading, language, and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia.)
1. Learning to speak at an early age
2. Learning letters and their sounds 3. Organizing written and spoken language 4. Memorizing number facts 5. Reading quickly enough to comprehend 6. Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments 7. Spelling 8. Learning a foreign language 9. Correctly doing math operations |
Specific Warning Signs(from Bright Solution for Dyslexia website)
1. In preschoola. delayed speech
b. mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words c. chronic ear infections d. stuttering e. constant confusion of left verse right f. difficulty learning to tie shoes g. trouble memorizing their address, phone number or the alphabet h. can’t create words that rhyme i. a close relative with dyslexia 2. In elementary schoola. slow, non-automatic handwriting that is difficult to read
b. letter or number reversals past first grade c. slow, choppy, inaccurate reading d. terrible spelling e. often can’t remember sight words f. difficulty telling time with a clock with hands g. trouble memorizing multiplication tables h. when speaking, difficulty finding the right word i. extremely messy bedroom, backpack, and desk j. dreads going to school 3. In high school(in addition to the above)
a. limited vocabulary
b. extremely poor written expression c. unable to master a foreign language d. difficulty reading printed music e. poor grades in many classes f. desire to drop out of high school 4. In adultsa. education history similar to the above
b. may have to read a page 2 or 3 times to understand it c. terrible speller d. difficulty putting thoughts on paper, dreads writing memos or letters e. still has difficulty with right verses left f. often gets lost, even in a familiar city g. sometimes confuses b and d, especially when tired or sick |
Successful people with dyslexia1. Famous people from history like…a. Albert Einstein and Alexander Graham Bell (Inventors!)
b. Pablo Picasso and Leonardo daVinci (Artists!) c. Ludwig von Beethoven and John Lennon (Musicians!) d. F Scott Fitzgerald and Agatha Christie (Writers!) e. Thomas Jefferson and George Washington (Presidents!) 2. Famous actors and directors like…a. Henry Winkler (the Fonz)
b. Keira Knightly c. Tom Cruise d. Steven Spielberg e. Jennifer Aniston f. Vince Vaughn 3. Famous investors and businesspeople…a. Erin Brockovich
b. Richard Branson c. Charles Schwab d. David Boies e. Steve Jobs 4. Famous athletes like…a. Mohammed Ali
b. Tim Tebow c. Dexter Manley d. Magic Johnson e. Frank Gore |
Literacy Facts and Figures1. 63% (up from 55% in 2013) of all 4th grade students in Maryland read below proficient levels (NAEP 2015)
2. 63% (up from 58% in 2013) of all 8 grade students in Maryland read below proficient levels (NAEP 2015) 3. 82% of economically disadvantaged 4th grade students in MD read below proficient levels (NAEP 2015) 4. 82% of black 4th, 8th and 9 and 8 grade students with disabilities in Maryland read below proficient levels (NAEP 2015) 5. 60% of Maryland students read below grade level (PARCC 2015) 6. 95% of all children can be taught to read at a level constrained only by their reasoning and listening comprehension abilities. (Fletcher & Lyon, 1998) 7. 11% of adults in Maryland are illiterate. Even more suffer with low literacy. (National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003) 8. About 7 in 10 prisoners perform in Levels 1 and 2 on the prose, document, and quantitative scales. These prisoners are apt to experience difficulty in performing tasks that require them to integrate or synthesize information from complex or lengthy texts or to perform quantitative tasks that involve two or more sequential operations and that require the individual to set up the problem (Literacy Behind Prison Walls). 9. 85% of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate (National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003). |
Programs and services for kids with reading difficulties or dyslexia
1. Barton Spelling and Reading System
a. Orion-Gillingham influenced
b. Research and Evidence based c. Intense intervention d. Supports Common Core e. Created by Susan Barton 2. Wilson Reading System
a. Flagship program of Wilson Language Training
b. Structured literacy instruction c. Based on phonological-coding research d. Orton-Gillingham principles 3. Project Read
a. Complete language arts program
b. Targeted multi-sensory strategies c. Kinesthetic/tactile activities 4. Sounds in Syllables
a. Orion-Gillingham Approach
b. Differentiated Instruction Techniques c. Multi-sensory Structured Language education d. Strengthen weak neural pathways 5. Phonological Programs |