About Dyslexia

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.

Common characteristics of dyslexia include difficulty breaking words into individual sound parts, difficulty recognizing sight words, difficulty reading fluently, difficulty with written expression, reliance on listening rather than reading for comprehension and frustration with the amount of time required and energy expended for reading.

While there is no cure for dyslexia, students can overcome reading challenges with the right support at the right time. Early identification is critical so students can receive appropriate remediation before they fall multiple grade levels behind and suffer damage to their self-esteem.

There are a variety of dyslexia resources both locally and nationally that can help families navigate the educational and emotional needs of dyslexic students.

International Dyslexia Association: The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) is a national non-profit dedicated to helping individuals with dyslexia, their families, and the communities that support them. Visit their site to connect with the Austin branch, find IDA-member providers in your area, and learn more about dyslexia.

The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity: Yale University’s Center for Dyslexia and Creativity seeks to illuminate the strengths of those with dyslexia, disseminate information, practical advice, and the latest innovations from scientific research, and transform the lives of children and adults with dyslexia. Visit their site to learn more about their cutting edge research and get concrete tips for parents, educators, and individuals with dyslexia.

Dyslexia on KidsHealth and Dyslexia on TeensHealth: Is for parents or educators looking for age-appropriate materials on dyslexia. These articles offer the basics of dyslexia, tailored for the reading and developmental level of kids and teens.

Parent's Dyslexia Network of Austin: For parents of children diagnosed with Dyslexia. Watch or join this local Facebook group for upcoming events and/or issues pertinent to dyslexic students in the Austin area.

Understood.org: This is a free online resource to help parents of kids with learning and attention issues. This website provides easy to understand articles written by experts and is easy to search by topic. It is aimed at providing families with practical tools and advice for their child's academic, social and emotional journey.

Bookshare: Bookshare is an accessible online library for people with dyslexia and other disabilities. Over 160,000 titles are available, and membership is free for students with disabilities.

Learning Ally: Learning Ally, formerly known as Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, offers more than 75,000 digitally recorded audiobooks (including both textbooks and literary titles).