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What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that impacts on reading and spelling ability and can cause children to struggle with literacy skills development. It has nothing to do with intelligence and is not a disability but rather a different way of dealing with language in the brain. It is like being left-handed in a world created for right-handed people.
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that impacts on reading and spelling ability and can cause children to struggle with literacy skills development. It has nothing to do with intelligence and is not a disability but rather a different way of dealing with language in the brain. It is like being left-handed in a world created for right-handed people.
What causes dyslexia?
It’s linked to genes, which is why the condition often runs in families. You're more likely to have dyslexia if your parents, siblings, or other family members have it. The condition stems from differences in parts of the brain that process language. About 5% to 10% of Americans have some symptoms of dyslexia, but dyslexia is different for everyone. Some people have a mild form that they eventually learn how to manage. Others have a little more trouble overcoming it and need structured, systematic instruction on how to make sense of the letter/sound combinations.
It’s linked to genes, which is why the condition often runs in families. You're more likely to have dyslexia if your parents, siblings, or other family members have it. The condition stems from differences in parts of the brain that process language. About 5% to 10% of Americans have some symptoms of dyslexia, but dyslexia is different for everyone. Some people have a mild form that they eventually learn how to manage. Others have a little more trouble overcoming it and need structured, systematic instruction on how to make sense of the letter/sound combinations.
How does dyslexia affect reading?
Kids who have dyslexia are often smart and hardworking, but they have trouble connecting the letters they see to the sounds those letters make and then blending those sounds into words. Because of this, reading becomes a slow and difficult process. The effects can be carried into other subject areas such as mathematics, science, and social studies. Without specific instruction, these children may become frustrated with reading resulting in poor academic growth and lower self-esteem.
Kids who have dyslexia are often smart and hardworking, but they have trouble connecting the letters they see to the sounds those letters make and then blending those sounds into words. Because of this, reading becomes a slow and difficult process. The effects can be carried into other subject areas such as mathematics, science, and social studies. Without specific instruction, these children may become frustrated with reading resulting in poor academic growth and lower self-esteem.
Does being dyslexic hinder future success?
Absolutely not! Many people with dyslexia view it as a gift. It allows them to visualize the world differently: to think "out side of the box." Check out the Did You Know page for famous achievers in a variety of fields who attribute their success to being dyslexic.
Absolutely not! Many people with dyslexia view it as a gift. It allows them to visualize the world differently: to think "out side of the box." Check out the Did You Know page for famous achievers in a variety of fields who attribute their success to being dyslexic.
What are the signs of dyslexia? (Second Grade through High School)
Reading
Reading
- Very slow in acquiring reading skills. Reading is slow and awkward
- Trouble reading unfamiliar words, often making wild guesses because he cannot sound out the word
- Doesn’t seem to have a strategy for reading new words
- Avoids reading out loud
Speaking
Speaking
- Searches for a specific word and ends up using vague language, such as “stuff” or “thing,” without naming the object
- Pauses, hesitates, and/or uses lots of “um’s” when speaking
- Confuses words that sound alike, such as saying “tornado” for “volcano,” substituting “lotion” for “ocean”
- Mispronunciation of long, unfamiliar or complicated words
- Seems to need extra time to respond to questions
School and Life
School and Life
- Trouble remembering dates, names, telephone numbers, random lists
- Struggles to finish tests on time
- Extreme difficulty learning a foreign language
- Poor spelling
- Messy handwriting
- Low self-esteem that may not be immediately visible
Strengths
Strengths
- Excellent thinking skills: conceptualization, reasoning, imagination, abstraction
- Learning that is accomplished best through meaning rather than rote memorization
- Ability to get the “big picture”
- A high level of understanding of what is read to him
- Improvement as an area of interest becomes more specialized and focused—and a miniature vocabulary is developed that allows for reading in that subject area
- A surprisingly sophisticated listening vocabulary
- Excels in areas not dependent on reading such as math, computers, and visual arts, or in more conceptual (versus fact-driven) subjects such as creative writing.
© Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 123–125
What do I do if I think my child is dyslexic?
In Lufkin ISD, we keep a close eye on students' reading development beginning in kindergarten. The district dyslexia therapists analyze reading data on each child in kindergarten, first, and second grades in order to detect possible dyslexia tendencies. Parents are informed if dyslexia is suspected. Sometimes a child may be able to compensate in the early years and difficulties are not as apparent. It is when the text becomes more difficult with multiple-syllable words, complex spelling patterns, and unfamiliar content that the child begins exhibiting difficulties. Grades begin to slide, and the child who once loved to read begins avoiding it. If this happens, follow the steps below:
In Lufkin ISD, we keep a close eye on students' reading development beginning in kindergarten. The district dyslexia therapists analyze reading data on each child in kindergarten, first, and second grades in order to detect possible dyslexia tendencies. Parents are informed if dyslexia is suspected. Sometimes a child may be able to compensate in the early years and difficulties are not as apparent. It is when the text becomes more difficult with multiple-syllable words, complex spelling patterns, and unfamiliar content that the child begins exhibiting difficulties. Grades begin to slide, and the child who once loved to read begins avoiding it. If this happens, follow the steps below:
- Initiate a conversation with your child's teacher. Don't wait. Request a conference as soon as you notice a problem. Listen to what the teacher has to say. Reading difficulties are not always a result of dyslexia. Your child may be struggling with attention or comprehension issues. Both require a different approach to intervention.
- If dyslexia is a possibility, your child's teacher will refer him or her to me, the campus dyslexia therapist. I will assess your child using several different screeners. If I detect possible dyslexic tendencies, I will refer your child to the district dyslexia diagnostician who will conduct a more in-depth assessment to determine if your child is dyslexic. If I do not suspect dyslexia but there is a gap in basic reading skills, I will include the student in intervention to address those gaps.
- Complete all paperwork requested. We cannot evaluate a child for dyslexia without certain information from the parent and a signed consent to test. Delay in returning any documents means a delay in assessment and possibly a delay in starting dyslexia therapy.
- Attend the parent-teacher meeting at which time the results of the dyslexia assessment will be discussed. Dyslexia assessment is not a guarantee that your child is dyslexic. We want to make absolutely sure that we address the specific origin of difficulty and then design and provide exactly the intervention your child needs .
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