Understanding Dyslexia: A Guide for Families

Dyslexia is a common, language-based learning disability that primarily affects word-level reading. Children with dyslexia often struggle with decoding words, recognizing familiar words automatically, and associating letters with their corresponding sounds. These challenges make reading slow and effortful, and they can also affect spelling and writing. Dyslexia represents the largest group of children in special education. Empirical studies show that dyslexia can occur in individuals across the full range of intellectual abilities, and having dyslexia is not related to how smart someone is.

What Causes Dyslexia? 

The exact causes are still being researched, but studies show dyslexia is neurobiological. The severity of dyslexia can be impacted by environmental factors, including a lack of evidence-based literacy instruction. Most individuals with dyslexia struggle with identifying separate speech sounds within words (phonological processing) and understanding how letters represent those sounds. Learning to read is an acquired process, not natural like learning to walk or talk, and requires the brain's neural circuits for language and visual processing to reorganize to support literacy.

How Widespread is Dyslexia? 

Studies vary depending on how dyslexia was defined and what the predetermined cutoff scores were for those students. The percentages cited vary from 5% to as high as 20%. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. This includes difficulties like slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words. Dyslexia also tends to run in families.

What Are the Signs to Watch For? 

Dyslexia can manifest differently depending on a child's age. The core difficulties are with word recognition, reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Other signs may include:

• Difficulties learning to speak.

• Problems learning letters and their sounds.

• Struggles to spell words correctly.

• Difficulty memorizing number facts.

• Struggling to read quickly enough to comprehend.

• Has to re-read sentences frequently to understand them.

• Challenges with persisting through and comprehending longer reading assignments in older grades. Forgetting what is read. 

• Difficulties learning a foreign language.

• Struggles with correctly performing math operations 

• Quickly recalling facts-multiplication, facts in history class, etc. 

The Impact of Dyslexia 

The effects of dyslexia can extend beyond academic struggles. Children with dyslexia frequently experience a sense of academic failure and poor overall school performance. They may also develop challenges with social-emotional well-being, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression, and can be at a higher risk for suicidal ideation. In some cases, it can also lead to behavioral problems, delinquency, or incarceration.

Why Early Identification and Prevention Matter 

Advocates emphasize the need for timely and appropriate intervention due to the negative consequences of dyslexia. Research shows that interventions to address reading difficulties are significantly more effective when administered in kindergarten and first grade compared to later grades. Waiting until second grade or later for diagnosis often means reading problems and negative consequences are already well underway. This delay in effective intervention is sometimes called the "dyslexia paradox".

A prevention-based approach is seen as a better strategy than waiting for diagnosis and treatment. This approach aims to prevent the occurrence of reading difficulties or reduce their negative consequences.

How Is Risk for Dyslexia Identified Early? 

The first step in prevention is universal screening of all children to identify those at risk for dyslexia. Many states now mandate this screening. Screening can take place as early as kindergarten or first grade, and some tools are designed for preschool, using parent questionnaires or specific literacy screeners.

Screening tools identify risk factors, which do not definitively determine if a child will have dyslexia but indicate the probability. These risk factors include:

• Deficits in phonological awareness (awareness of sounds in words).

• Difficulties with letter knowledge.

• Slow rapid naming.

• Weaknesses in oral language.

• A family history of dyslexia or language delay.

High-quality screening tools can accurately identify children who later have significant reading problems. However, they can sometimes over-identify typically developing children as at risk (called "false positives"). To improve accuracy, screening is often combined with short-term intervention within a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) or Response to Intervention (RTI) approach.

The Importance of Structured Literacy 

Students with dyslexia need more intensive, structured, and systematic literacy instruction to build foundational reading skills. Structured Literacy explicitly teaches phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, fluency, and comprehension, providing the repeated practice and targeted support that students with dyslexia need to become accurate and automatic readers. Screening and progress-monitoring data are essential to guide the intensity, frequency, and focus of instruction, ensuring that each student receives the support necessary to close reading gaps and achieve grade-level skills. 

The Role of Response to Instruction (RTI/MTSS)

 In an RTI/MTSS approach, students are provided with high-quality, evidence-based instruction (Tier 1) that includes word-level reading instruction (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency) and meaning-focused instruction (vocabulary, syntax, background knowledge).  Students with dyslexia need intervention with decoding, spelling, and fluency. If a child doesn't respond adequately to this initial instruction, they may receive targeted, supplemental instruction (Tier 2). For those at highest risk, a more intensive, customized structured literacy intervention plan is provided. (Tier 3). This tiered system helps educators determine who truly has a severe, protracted reading problem versus those who just need more high-quality instruction (learning gap versus learning disability). Please see MTSS and Dyslexia for more information. 

What About Diagnosis and Treatment? 

Schools do not diagnose dyslexia; however, they are responsible for identifying characteristics of dyslexia which can qualify a student for an individualized education program (IEP). If a student continues to show inadequate progress, a comprehensive evaluation may be needed to confirm a specific learning disability in basic reading and or fluency, also known as dyslexia. 

Dyslexia is a lifelong condition, but with proper help, individuals can learn to read and write well. Treatment often involves a multimodal, structured literacy approach, which is systematic and explicit, engaging multiple senses (hearing, seeing, writing) simultaneously. Many students benefit from one-on-one help, extensive structured practice, and immediate, corrective feedback.

Support for Students with Dyslexia Schools can provide various supports and accommodations, such as:

• Extra time for tasks.

• Help with note-taking.

• Modified work assignments.

• Recorded tests or alternative assessment methods.

• Access to audiobooks, text-reading, and word-processing software.

Classroom Teachers

Teachers are a valuable asset to students with dyslexia, serving as primary reading teachers and influencing their self-worth. With the right knowledge and skills, teachers can significantly impact students' learning and life trajectories. Parental understanding and strong relationships also contribute to a child's sense of self-worth, and mentoring programs can foster socioemotional resilience.

Legal Rights

 In the United States, individuals with dyslexia are protected by federal laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws mandate that special services and appropriate educational programs be provided to meet their needs and protect against discrimination

Current Challenges Supporting Students With Dyslexia

Even when students move to an IEP for reading support, several challenges remain:

• Scheduling barriers limit consistent intervention time.
  
  

• Limited opportunities for practice can slow skill development.
  
  

• Teacher training and support gaps mean many special educators are not fully prepared to deliver structured literacy instruction.
  
  

• High caseloads make it difficult to provide individualized attention.
  
  

Acknowledging these challenges is critical: MTSS and Special Education only work if schools provide the resources, training, and time needed to implement interventions effectively.