What does it look like?
Dyslexia is the most common learning difficulty in the US, impacting roughly 15-20% of the population. It occurs in students of all backgrounds, intellectual levels, and even in languages other than English. This course was designed to help explain what Dyslexia is, what it's not, and ways parents and educators can support these unique learners.Â
Dyslexia, Defined
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” - Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002
Dyslexia and the Brain
Neurodiversity is the concept where neurological differences (like Dyslexia) are to be recognized and respected the same as any other human variation, such as hair color or height. The Wilson Language Training Corporation describes the Science behind Dyslexia, and how advances in brain imagining have given us the closest look at how the neurodiversity of a Dyslexic learner varies from non-impaired peers.
Read more about the Science of Reading
Dyslexia Explained (3 minutes)
Characteristics
Difficulty reading words in isolation (single words)
Difficulty accurately decoding (sounding out) unfamiliar words
Difficulty with oral reading (slow, inaccurate, or labored)
Difficulty spelling
Phonological Processing Skills
Difficulty segmenting, blending, and manipulating sounds in words (phonemic awareness)
Trouble learning the names of letters and their sounds
Difficulty holding information about sounds/words in memory (phonological memory)
Struggles with rapidly recalling the names of familiar objects, colors, or letters of the alphabet (rapid naming)
Unexpected
In the absence of print, the child can understand content
It is a surprise that the child is having difficulties learning to read
Can do much better on assignments if they are read aloud
Secondary Consequences
Variable difficulty with aspects of reading comprehension
Variable difficulty with aspects of written language
Limited vocabulary growth due to reduced reading experiences
đźź Â What You're Seeing in Your Preschooler
🔵 What You're Seeing in Your Grade-Schooler
Understood.org has created simulators designed to help parents understand their child’s day-to-day experience. Every child’s experience is unique, but Through Your Child’s Eyes can give valuable new insights into what it’s like to have learning and attention issues.Â
M.I.N.D. - What are the Dyslexia MIND StrengthsÂ
M-Material Reasoning: reasoning about the physical or material world, spatial thinking, visual thinking, navigationÂ
I-Interconnected Reasoning: ability to spot connections between different ideas, objects, or different points of view, interconnected thinking, pattern detection, big pictureÂ
N-Narrative Reasoning: reasoning and learning with stories, storyteller, personal memory, scene creationÂ
D-Dynamic Reasoning: reasoning in complex and changing environments, mental stimulation, and ability to predict future, goal directed, complex systems Eide, B., & Eide, F. (2011). The dyslexic advantage: unlocking the hidden potential of the dyslexic brain. New York: Hudson Street Press
 How to Teach Letters & Sounds (3 minutes)
 How to Choose Books for Kids Who Struggle With Reading (3 minutes)
 How to Build Vocabulary in Kids (3 minutes)
 Home Strategies: Homework (4 minutes)
 Home Strategies: Sight Words (6 minutes) Fry's List PDF
 Please see Technology Resources page to learn about Audiobooks for you child
Students may also be eligible for certain class/testing accommodations in their college courses. It is important that you contact the university's office of disability to ensure proper documentation is gathered, submitted, and approved prior to your first day on campus.Â
Article: Advice for the College Student, by Judy York Director, Resource Office on Disabilities, Yale UniversityÂ
Click the college logos below to visit the Office of Disability page for many popular universities in Texas.Â
