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How does dyslexia affect a child's cognitive development in elementary school?

A child in grade school with dyslexia may struggle when it comes to reading, writing or spelling so it has nothing to do with their intelligence just their way of learning.

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It is an inherited neurobiological difference that makes it extremely difficult to learn to read, write and spell even if they're more intelligent in other areas such as math (Canada, 2018). Dys means 'difficult' and Lexa means 'word' or 'language' (Dyslexia, 2017). Having dyslexia affects an individuals ability to read, write, spell and communicate in accepted ways.

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There are many forms of dyslexia so a person may have one or more different forms. Children with dyslexia will be able to learn to read better if it is recognized early and get a proper structured approach to reading (Canada, 2018). They have trouble reading accurately and fluently because their brain is not processing the information as it normally would so they may also struggle with spelling, reading comprehension and writing. Now they may have a hard time answering questions about something they've read but they won't have trouble answering if the text was read to them. It is the most common learning issue but it is not clear as to what percentage of children have the learning disability which is why some experts believe it is around 5-10% while others believe it is around 17% (Team, 2018). the reason there is such a different and wide range of percentages is because experts may define dyslexia based on their own findings.

It is essential that people know that dyslexia impacts learning and not a child's intelligence. Children with dyslexia are just as smart as their peers and many people who have dyslexia were able to make successful careers out of it. If a child has dyslexia they won't 'grow out of it', so there are methods to help overcome their challenges such as a variety of teaching approaches, strategies and supports for learning (Team, 2018).

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In an average Ontario Classroom there are up to five children that are functionally illiterate because of untreated dyslexia

15-20% of the world's population struggles to learn to read due to dyslexia (Canada, 2018)

Out of approximately 1360000 elementary students in Ontario there are probably about 140000- 210000 children that are dyslexic

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The main sign that dyslexic children show is trouble decoding words, which is the ability to match letters and sounds then apply that skill in order to read words fluently and accurately (Team, 2018). One reason they have this difficulty is that they struggle with phonemic awareness, that is a more basic language skill that gives you the ability to recognize individual sounds in words (Team, 2018).
In grade school some signs a child may show include:

Trouble taking away the middle sound from a word or blending several sounds to make a word

Mixes up the order of letters (frequently mispronouncing)

Quickly forgets how to spell words they studied or can't remember the details of a story

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There isn't an exact cause for dyslexia but researchers do know that the brain has a part in it because there is a difference in the brains of individuals with or without the learning disability (Team, 2018). The difference were in areas of the brain where it involves key reading skills that include knowing what sounds are represented in words  or identifying what written words look like. Children that undergo reading intervention have displayed an improvement on phonemic awareness, rapid naming, symbol imagery, pseudoword reading and reading comprehension (Lstraigh, 2011). Reading intervention can result in changes in gray matter volume which is in several parts of the brain. it involves muscle control and sensory perception which is like memory, seeing and hearing, speech and emotion (Lstraigh, 2011).  An increased volume of gray matter cuold be helpful for children that struggle with these skills which is why it showed a difference in dyslexic children.

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This research connects with the inquiry question because it digs deeper into this learning disability. Many people often assume that dyslexic people just get words and letters jumbled in their mind but that isn't always the case for everyone. This research explains how dyslexia affects the learning process and development of elementary school children because there are signs that are shown and can be helped if they are noticed early. Taking different approaches to leaning will allow them to reach their full potential and become even a better version of themselves. The cognitive development of is definitely affected because the development of certain areas of a dyslexic child's brain is different compared to someone that is not dyslexic. Conducting tests have shown that there is improvement and that there are ways to help them out a lot, providing an even brighter future than before. Since this is such a complex topic the research found was broken down into parts that included the key ideas and information.

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1. Since dyslexia is a life long condition that people do not 'out-grow' how can experts come up with a permanent cure to this learning disability?

2. When was dyslexia first identified in people?

3. How has the number of dyslexics in Canada increased or decreased in the last 10 years?

4. How come people who possibly have dyslexia might not seek help?

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There are 2 ways to get your child tested for dyslexia which is through your school board or from a private assessment. You can get your child tested as early as 5 1/2 years old but you can also get tested at any age. Evaluation usually takes around 2-3 sessions in order to get the most information required. The person evaluating your child will be working with pathologists, psychologists, occupational therapists and physicians. Many events are also taking place currently and in the past such as Word on the Street 2017 or Reading for the Love of it 2018. These events are celebrating reading and writing with a variety of authors that have presentations and workshops that allow people to explore several Canadian books.

In my community I believe that spreading awareness shouldn't just be talked about from educators, adults or professionals because the youth can also bring a lot forward about our experiences and ideas. Instead of the typical announcement, poster or banner i feel like creating a simulation will be more effective. the simulation will allow those who aren't dyslexic to experience what it might feel like having that learning disability. Videos can be created and students or teachers could watch and really think about how much dyslexics go through while reading or writing for example. By creating a simulation it will allow people to recognize that dyslexia shouldn't be taken lightly since so many people are affected and there is a way to help out.

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Canada, D. (n.d.). Dyslexia Basics. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from https://www.dyslexiacanada.org/dyslexia-basics/

Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2018, from https://teenhealthandwellness.com/article/141/1

Lstraigh. (2011, September 15). Gray Matter Volume Changes Following Reading Intervention in Dyslexic Children. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/latest/gray-matter-volume-changes-following-reading-intervention-dyslexic-children

Team, U. (n.d.). Understanding Dyslexia. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia