Dyslexia in the Classroom

05.06.19 - Sharing highlights from the article referenced below.

About the International Dyslexia Association (IDA)

• Founded in 1949...>8,000 members...43 branches in the USA/Canada… partners in 19 countries
• Supports interdisciplinary research
• Exists to pursue & provide the most comprehensive range of info & services that address dyslexia and related reading/writing difficulties

What is Dyslexia?

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological 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 the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”(p. 4)

Misconceptions:

1. Individuals with dyslexia ‘read backwards’

“Their spelling can look quite jumbled at times not because they read or see words backwards, but because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and letter patterns in words.” (p.5)

2. Dyslexia is a disease.

3. Individuals with dyslexia have lower levels of intelligence

Social & Emotional Connection

“If children succeed in school, they will develop positive feelings about themselves and believe that they can succeed in life. If children meet failure and frustration, they learn that they are inferior to others, and that their effort makes very little difference.” (p. 7)