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A great local website for teachers, parents and schools to find and connect with others and secure resources for children with Dyslexia. Whether you are starting your journey in Dyslexia, or well versed on the topic this is a great website.

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COVID 19 NOTICE- ALTHOUGH MANY SCHOOL AND COMPANIES HAVE SUSPENDED EVALUATIONS, D.A.S.A IS ABLE AND WILLING TO OFFER TELE-ASSESSMENTS FOR DYSLEXIA AND SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES ACCORDING TO GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY OUR MAJOR TEST PUBLISHERS. Testing may not be feasible for some of our very young clients (5-6) or those with severe ADHD, but we are successfully doing assessments through Webex video teleconferencing. Write for more information on guidelines and options at info@dyslexia-sa.com or call 210-777-3183. We stand with you in this challenging time and understand that time is of the essence for diagnosing reading difficulties.

We understand the challenges of being a struggling reader... and of being the parent or teacher of a struggling reader.

Research reveals that up to to 10% of the population will exhibit characteristics of dyslexia, yet only five out of every one hundred dyslexics will be properly identified and assisted. Dyslexia Associates of San Antonio, (D.A.S.A.) exists to change that.

Assessments are administered at the home offices of our director and/or other Diagnosticians. This allows our Master Reading Teacher and Educational Diagnosticians to provide quality assessment at a fraction of the price others may charge. We offer comprehensive testing and reporting, including recommendations for individual accommodations at work or school. Our reading assessments, which are professionally prepared, meet the requirements for legal 504 accommodation requests for school, state testing, or work. We are here to assist, not to exploit. Feel free to write us for references from former clients or to receive more information. Initial questions and consultations by telephone are absolutely free.

If at any time the ability to learn itself is in question, recommendations are made to include cognitive (IQ) testing. If the client is Spanish-language dominant, our state certified Master Reading Teacher is ESL certified and trilingual as well.

Th is site and our business is your chance to ask questions, to share concerns, and to promote ideas and opportunities related to dyslexia. Write info@dyslexia-sa.com

Each of us together is greater than each of us alone.

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COVID 19 NOTICE- ALTHOUGH MANY SCHOOL AND COMPANIES HAVE SUSPENDED EVALUATIONS, D.A.S.A IS ABLE AND WILLING TO OFFER TELE-ASSESSMENTS FOR DYSLEXIA AND SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES ACCORDING TO GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY OUR MAJOR TEST PUBLISHERS. Testing may not be feasible for some of our very young clients (5-6) or those with severe ADHD, but we are successfully doing assessments through Webex video teleconferencing.

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For parents and caregivers looking to give their child additional help and services through outside tutoring during the summer or weekends.  

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For parents and caregivers looking to give their child additional help and services through outside tutoring during the summer or weekends.  

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Hourly tutoring services available from specialized tutors with degrees and certifications to help Dyslexic students. This is a resource for parents seeking additional help outside school services or before students qualify for services. It is an out of pocket option for securing tutoring services. Parents can even screen candidates based on qualifications and experience.

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Christine B.|San Antonio, TX

Excellent Tutor

I am a certified Special Education teacher plus home bound teacher for my school district. I teach all subject areas plus some electives. I am caring and will work with all students. I have experience with a variety of disabilities including dyslexia. I will explain the lesson or homework that a student needs help with. I also will provide extra worksheets, and various tools, so the student can fully understand the lesson or homework. I have experience with ACT, STAAR, AND SAT tests. I love teaching students and watching their faces when they understand and ate not frustrated anymore.

Reviewed by Alicia M. 5/5 stars

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Dyslexia Tutors in San Antonio, TX - Care.com

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I am a certified Special Education teacher plus home bound teacher for my school district. I teach all subject areas plus some electives. I am caring and will work with all students. I have experience with a variety of disabilities including dyslexia. I will explain the lesson or homework that a student needs help with.

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Understanding Dyslexia: A Practical Approach for Parents and Teachers

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Understanding Dyslexia: A Practical Approach for Parents and Teachers

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This easy to read book is very informative with research based findings that address a number of misconceptions regarding Dyslexia.

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The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Dyslexia: Learn the Key Signs of Dyslexia and Find the Best Treatment Options for Your Child [Book]

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The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Dyslexia: Learn the Key Signs of Dyslexia and Find the Best Treatment Options for Your Child [Book]

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This book guides parents with dyslexic children through school. Children with dyslexia have many challenges to overcome in school and this book focuses on homework struggles, treatment programs, assisted technology and IEPs

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An Introduction to Dyslexia for Parents and Professionals

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An Introduction to Dyslexia for Parents and Professionals

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This book is a guide that provides basic need to know information to parents and professionals and answers frequently asked questions regarding dyslexia.

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At Home with Dyslexia: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your Child

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At Home with Dyslexia: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your Child

# data[].attributes.body
This book empowers parents by giving them tools and strategies to deal with dyslexia.

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This book provides straightforward information regarding dyslexia.

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Supporting Children with Dyslexia: Edition 2

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Supporting Children with Dyslexia: Edition 2

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This book provides valuable resources for teachers. It will help those teachers who are looking for expert guidance, strategies, and a professional development tool.

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Teaching Children with Dyslexia: A Practical Guide

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Teaching Children with Dyslexia: A Practical Guide

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This book provides teachers with photocopiable exercises, activities, recommendations for resources, teaching methods, and strategies.

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Study Skills and Dyslexia in the Secondary School: A Practical Approach

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Study Skills and Dyslexia in the Secondary School: A Practical Approach

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This book is based on theory and provides teachers with skills and strategies to help students become successful readers.

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The Dyslexia-Friendly Primary School: A Practical Guide for Teachers

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The Dyslexia-Friendly Primary School: A Practical Guide for Teachers

# data[].attributes.body
This book offers a step by step guide to creating a dyslexia friendly classroom and whole school environment.

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Dyslexia Advocate!: How to Advocate for a Child with Dyslexia Within the Public Education System

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Dyslexia Advocate!: How to Advocate for a Child with Dyslexia Within the Public Education System

# data[].attributes.body
This book provides essential information for advocates to understand US law and get the right educational entitlements for a child with dyslexia.

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Basic Facts About Dyslexia and Other Reading Problems

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Basic Facts About Dyslexia and Other Reading Problems

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Louis Moats talks about the most resent research in dyslexia. Looks at dyslexia at different stages of development, emotional factors, and effective reading instruction.

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Psychology of Dyslexia : A Handbook for Teachersby Michael Thomson

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Psychology of Dyslexia : A Handbook for Teachersby Michael Thomson

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This book is a create resource for teachers in the psychology of dyslexia.

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Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities: Strategies to Succeed in School and Life with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, and Processing Disorders

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Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities: Strategies to Succeed in School and Life with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, and Processing Disorders

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This book is based on cutting edge research that provides parents with strategies to help dyslexic children succeed in school and gain self confidence and self-esteem.

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Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents : What to Do When Phonics Isn't Enoughby Yvonna Graham and Alta Graham

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Dyslexia Tool Kit for Tutors and Parents : What to Do When Phonics Isn't Enoughby Yvonna Graham and Alta Graham

# data[].attributes.body
Based on the latest research on dyslexia, this book focuses on tools and strategies used by a tutor to help dyslexic children succeed in school.

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Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts for Schools & Parents 

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Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts for Schools & Parents 

# data[].attributes.body
This book will help parents of students with dyslexia understand the screening process and make informed decisions.

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Dyslexia: A Complete Guide For ParentsBy Reid, Gavin

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Dyslexia: A Complete Guide For ParentsBy Reid, Gavin

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This book is written especially for parents.It focuses on what kind of support role parents can play in the life of a child with dyslexia.

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Parenting a Struggling Readerby Louisa C. Moats and Susan L. Hall

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Parenting a Struggling Readerby Louisa C. Moats and Susan L. Hall

# data[].attributes.body
Well known crusader Louisa Moats addresses recognizing, diagnosing, and overcoming any childhood reading difficulty.

# data[].attributes.headline
DyslexiaLand: A Field Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia [Book]

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DyslexiaLand: A Field Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia [Book]

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Parents will find the help in navigating the tricky territory of the school system. It also focuses on the talents and abilities that many dyslexic children my attain.

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Assessment for Dyslexia and Learning Differences: A Concise Guide for Teachers and Parents

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Assessment for Dyslexia and Learning Differences: A Concise Guide for Teachers and Parents

# data[].attributes.body
This book provides great resources for teachers. Practical strategies, useful website resources, and ways of recognizing signs of dyslexia are are discussed in this book

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Teaching EFL to Students with Dyslexia: A Handbook for Practitioners [Book]

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Teaching EFL to Students with Dyslexia: A Handbook for Practitioners [Book]

# data[].attributes.body
This book offers practical advice on how to improve your EFL lessons for your students with dyslexia.

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Dyslexia Is Not a Disease - It's a Learning Difference : Theoretical and Practical Approaches to Teaching Struggling Readers with Learning Differencesby Walter L. Crockett and Mamie B. Crockett

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Dyslexia Is Not a Disease - It's a Learning Difference : Theoretical and Practical Approaches to Teaching Struggling Readers with Learning Differencesby Walter L. Crockett and Mamie B. Crockett

# data[].attributes.body
This book was created to guide educators to help dyslexic children. Characteristics of dyslexia are described and related behavior disability. Strategies are suggested for learning to match each behavior.

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These books are fun and engaging for students! They are written in easy language and are good for students with dyslexia.

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The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is also an excellent choice for students with dyslexia as it allows students to explore challenges upper grade students face in school but with easy readability.

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Dyslexia Wonders is also another excellent book choice as it is written from the perspective of a student with dyslexia.

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This is also another great book choice that dyslexic students will want to read. Students with dyslexia will be able to connect with the main character and share some similar experiences with her.

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Dyslexic students will enjoy this book as they will be able to understand and connect with the main character's frustrations as he discovers he's different from the other students in school.

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The Pony Pals series is great for students with dyslexia who are working on transitioning to chapter books. In addition to this series being engaging, dyslexic students benefit from each book being written in a similar format. Students will know what to expect in the language and sentence structure when the begin reading each book.

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This is a great read aloud for younger students in whole group, small group, and individual reading settings. Students will follow the journey of a student trying to learn his letters in Kinder and 1st grade while trying to understand his dyslexia.

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This book does an excellent job at highlighting the dyslexia that students face as a special talent. This book teaches students to be mindful of the differences of others and teaches them how to appreciate each other.

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This book has remarkable illustrations that allow students and even teachers and parents to gain a better understanding of how the brain works. The visuals help the reader make easy connections between the concepts.

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Your Fantastic Elastic Brain Stretch It, Shape It

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ZAC Power is another great series that will keep dyslexic students engaged and wanting to read. Dyslexic students often feel reluctant and intimidated to read but this adventurous series will keep students wanting more!

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IXL offers skill based activities for a variety of content areas from grades K-12. Students, especially dyslexic students, will be able to work on much needed individualized skill practice.

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The exact skills you need

Planning a lesson or prepping for an exam?
We've custom-built IXL skills to reinforce each topic within your:

State standards

Virginia Standards of Learning (2016)

Textbooks

See skills that match every chapter of 80+ popular textbooks

Assessments

Use IXL for the NWEA MAP, ACT, SAT, and more

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IXL | Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish

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IXL is the world's most popular subscription-based learning site for K-12. Used by over 15 million students, IXL provides personalized learning in more than 10,000 topics, covering math, language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish. Interactive questions, awards, and certificates keep kids motivated as they master skills.

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FunBrain is a great website for reluctant learners. As students engage with the interactive videos and activities, they won't even realize they're learning! This arcade style website will keep students coming back for more!

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Pre-K & Kindergarten Games, Books & Videos Online | Funbrain

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Funbrain playground jumpstarts the educational journey for preschoolers and kindergartners through fun, interactive games online. Visit Funbrain today.

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Into the Book is a literacy specific website that allows students to engage with texts at a deeper level. Students will engage in interactive activities in inferences, summarization, making connections, visualizing, etc. This is definitely the website for students needing support with comprehension.

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The Into the Book website will be retired on December 31st, 2023. Content will not be available after this date.

Student activities now available in English and Spanish!

Into the Book is a reading comprehension resource for elementary students and teachers. We focus on eight research-based strategies: Using Prior Knowledge, Making Connections, Questioning, Visualizing, Inferring, Summarizing, Evaluating and Synthesizing. Try the online interactive activities, or click below to find out how to get our engaging 15-minute video programs.

Please choose a language.

(Bilingual offers both English and Spanish texts, which you can switch between during each activity.)

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Into the Book is a multimedia package designed to improve elementary students' reading comprehension, as well as their ability to think and learn across the curriculum. For Grades 2-5.

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Starfall is a free website and app that has a variety of phonics, phonemic awareness, and phonological awareness activities that dyslexia students can engage in and benefit from.

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Starfall Education: Kids Games, Movies, Books & Music for K-5 and above

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At Starfall, children have fun while they learn - specializing in reading, phonics & math - educational games, movies, books, songs, and more for children K-5 and above.

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Content specific subjects such as Science and Social Studies can sometimes be a struggle for students with dyslexia. This websites offers videos, simulations, and activities for students to engage in so they don't lose out on the content the need to learn while struggling with reading.

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Some students with dyslexia sometimes will have behavior issues as they are frustrated with schoolwork and being behind their peers. This website provides some behavior management activity cards, songs, and activities that students can do to help them learn how to deal with their emotions.

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Do2Learn began in 1996 through a National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovative Research grant. Our team searches out the most talented and creative teachers and clinicians across the world. These gifted individuals work with our technical experts to transfer their knowledge into formats that we can make available to you.
Since beginning, we have grown into a world-wide resource with over 11 million hits a month. While based in North Carolina, approximately half of our users are from outside of the U.S. Thousands of sites link to us and we can be easily found on most search engines using topics such as 'picture cards', 'facial expressions', and 'job tips'. We hope you find our resources helpful and pass on our link to others.
We believe that simply telling busy teachers, parents, and professionals what they should be doing is not enough. If we explain how to devise a visual communication system using picture cards, we provide free cards to get you started.

When we present the Teacher Toolbox on how to adapt a classroom for children with special needs, we provide resources for behavior management plans, literacy tools, and the materials to create everything in your classroom.

Our approach is to use the latest technology and expert guidance to create innovative and usable solutions.

Learn about DiagnoseFirst, our newest project to help teachers and clinicians recognize the symptoms of ASD.

Pre-employment screening assessments are online or paper tests that some companies require applicants to complete during the application process. Read more about JobTIPS Student Version!

JobTIPS Toolbox PRO is filled with resources to help you coach your students through the challenges of assessing their skills, finding and applying for jobs, and practicing the social skills needed to do well in the workplace.

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picture exchange communication system cards

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Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs

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picture communication cards, songs, games and learning activities for autism, aspergers, fetal alcohol syndrome and disabilities

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These math games will help build students' fluency through video game style play. Students will develop their math skills as they engage in fun activities individually or by competing with others.

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Arcademics - Math Games, Language Arts Games, and More

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Fun and free educational games for kids in K-8. Featuring multiplayer learning games, math games, language arts games, and much more!

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Learning Ally is a great resource for audiobooks for students in grades K-12. They have a range of books students can choose from. Books will be read aloud to the student and words in the text will be highlighted for students to follow along.

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Browse Our Human Read Audiobooks Collection | Learning Ally

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Audiobooks from Learning Ally help students with dyslexia, blindness, or visual impairments read better. Our audio books include textbooks, literature, and all book genres.

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Dyslexia Quest Review provides a free, user friendly assessment that parents can administer to their child to determine which next steps to take. Students can also engage in interactive activities on this website.

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Dyslexia Quest is a game-based quest designed to help assess your child's memory and listening skills. It helps point parents in the right direction since it serves as a basic skills screener to identify strengths and weaknesses. It uses games to assess a child's strengths and weakness in the following areas: working memory, phonological awareness, processing speed, visual sequential order, auditory sequential memory, and visual memory.

It is divided into six games that each take about 10 minutes to play. If you have a child who struggles with distractibility, it may be best to play this app in increments to get the best results. Activities are divided into three levels: Elementary, middle-high school and adult. The goal is to assess working memory, phonological awareness, processing speed, visual sequential memory, and visual memory. Upon completion of each adventure, you're given scores and details about your strengths and weaknesses. Kids are inherently motivated to complete each of the quests whereas the score keeping and gaming nature provide incentive for users to retry levels in order to improve their standing.

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Dyslexia Quest Review | Educational App Store

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Dyslexia Quest is a game-based quest designed to help assess your child's memory and listening skills. It helps point parents in the right direction since it serves as a basic skills screener to identify strengths and weaknesses.

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Sound Literacy is an excellent website and app that addresses phonemic awareness, phonological processing, and morphemic word building. The Orton-Gillingham method is used in this app and has proven to be beneficial for students with dyslexia.

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This website provides an overall guide about dyslexia for parents. It defines dyslexia and provides support both academically and emotionally.

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Kids learn to read at different paces, and it's normal for them to struggle at some point. But if your child seems particularly frustrated with reading and writing over an extended period of time, there's a chance he may have a learning disorder called dyslexia.

Dyslexia might best be described as an unexpected difficulty learning to read. Children with dyslexia struggle with phonology, or the recognition and manipulation of sounds in language. Dyslexia affects a child's ability to decode words - to break them down into constituent sounds, or phonemes, and then to sound out novel words. That makes it hard to recognize words, to retrieve words, to read, to write and to spell. Some children with dyslexia just have problems quickly retrieving words.

The result is a discrepancy between ability and achievement: a child who is struggling with reading despite having the intelligence to be a much better reader. A dyslexic child isn't lacking in intelligence, and isn't necessarily failing in school, since some kids with dyslexia, by putting in a great deal more effort than their peers, are able to keep up with their work, at least in the first few grades. However, it often becomes impossible for them to keep up by about third grade, when they are expected to be able to read fluently - quickly, easily and automatically.

While they may learn to read and compensate for reading weakness in other ways, children do not outgrow dyslexia.

Dr. Sally Shaywitz, co-director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, estimates that 80 to 90 percent of children who struggle with learning disorders have dyslexia - as many as one in five children. Many dyslexic children go undiagnosed, she argues, and school failure that is attributed to environmental factors or intelligence is often undiagnosed dyslexia. Experts used to think that dyslexia was more common in boys than girls, but current research shows that it affects girls and boys equally.

A young child with dyslexia may:

Have trouble learning simple rhymes

Be speech delayed

Have a hard time following directions

Have difficulty with short words; repeat or leave out words like and, the, but

Have trouble differentiating left from right

In school, kids with dyslexia are likely to:

Have significant difficulty learning to read, including trouble sounding out new words and counting the number of syllables in words

Continue to reverse letters and numbers when reading (read bear as dees, for example) after most kids have stopped doing that, around the age of 8

Struggle with taking notes and copying down words from the board

Have difficulty rhyming, associating sounds with letters, and sequencing and ordering sounds

Have trouble correctly spelling even familiar words; they will often spell them phonetically (cmpt instead of camped)

Lack fluency in reading, continuing to read slowly when other kids are speeding ahead

Avoid reading out loud in class

Show signs of fatigue from reading with great effort

The impact of dyslexia doesn't stop when class ends. The disorder can also affect kids outside of school. Children with dyslexia might also:

Have trouble understanding logos and signs

Have difficulty learning the rules to games

Struggle to remember multi-step directions

Have trouble reading clocks and telling time

Have a particularly hard time learning a new language

Have emotional outbursts as a result of frustration

Social and Emotional Impacts of Dyslexia

While we tend to think of dyslexia as a reading disorder, it also has an effect on a child's social and communication skills. Since it can interfere with being able to retrieve words quickly, dyslexia can hinder a child's ability to interact with peers in a typical way, and respond appropriately in social situations. "A dyslexic person who has word-finding difficulties can have trouble with their expressive language," explains Scott Bezsylko, the executive director of Winston Preparatory School, which specializes in teaching kids with learning disorders. "That has a social impact, in addition to your difficulties with reading and writing, that make you feel not so good about yourself."

Children who are dyslexic, at least until they are diagnosed, often become frustrated and ashamed at their inability to learn to read, and the implication that they are either lazy or stupid. "A lot of our work with dyslexic kids is to help them rediscover that they are smart and capable," notes Beszylko, "because they've stopped believing in themselves."

How Is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

Dyslexia is diagnosed through an evaluation that determines a deficit in reading ability and rules out other possible causes for the deficit, such as hearing problems, or social, environmental or cognitive factors. Usually kids must wait until they are school-aged (or have had significant early reading instruction) to get an accurate assessment.

If you are concerned that your child is not meeting benchmarks for reading skills, you can request that your school district do an evaluation and then review the results with you. The evaluation will measure your child's intellectual capacity and reading skills, to determine if there is an achievement gap.

If your child falls below average in skills like decoding, comprehension, word recognition, word retrieval and reading fluency, your school district should recommend a plan to help bolster those skills.

If you aren't satisfied with the caliber of the evaluation, you are free to seek out a private evaluation by a psychologist, a neuropsychologist, a reading specialist, a speech and language therapist, an educational evaluator or a school psychologist. The professional who does the evaluation should provide you with a report explaining the results and making specific recommendations for your child.

This outside evaluation can be used to make the case to your school district for support or accommodations for your child.

Can Your Child's Teacher Help?

Teachers can be valuable sources of information on how well your child is progressing in reading, notes Dr. Matthew Cruger, director of the Learning and Development Center at the Child Mind Institute. Teachers are familiar with benchmarks and expectations for each age, and may have test results that highlight problems. But even teachers who recognize a lag in reading skills may be reluctant to share that information with parents.

Teachers often are focused on solving reading problems, but identifying or diagnosing a condition like dyslexia is out of the scope of their training. Therefore, in many settings, they are even formally forbidden to suggest that parents explore an evaluation for dyslexia.

Dr. Cruger also notes that if a child isn't meeting benchmarks, parents should assess how much support there is for reading at home: How often do you read to and with your child? Are there books available that suit his reading level? Is reading treated as a fun and important part of your family life?

When Should a Child Be Evaluated?

Some signs of dyslexia are evident in preschool-age children. Preschool evaluations can focus on phonological awareness and word retrieval. However, Dr. Cruger recommends waiting until children are around six years old to pursue an evaluation, when they have received formal reading instruction. If at that point a child is still struggling to recognize rhymes, common letter clusters or simple words, she should be checked out.

It's typical for parents to be told, when kids are struggling in first or second grade, that no intervention is necessary until the third grade, when kids are expected to be fluent readers. But Dr. Shaywitz points to research that shows that for children who are dyslexic, the gap between intelligence and reading ability is already clear in first grade, and the sooner children get help the easier it is for them to close the gap.

Dr. Shaywitz argues that a diagnosis that identifies a child's strengths as well as weaknesses can be a big boost to a child's self-image, since in first grade kids are already comparing themselves to their peers and worrying that there's something wrong with them. A diagnosis also opens the door to help and accommodations that can make a huge difference.

How to Help Kids With Dyslexia

Fortunately, there are evidence-based supports to help children with dyslexia improve their reading skills. A program appropriate to a child with dyslexia might include these features, says Dr. Cruger:

Multi-sensory instruction in decoding skills

Repetition and review of skills

Intensity of intervention-that is, more than being pulled out of class once a week for extra help

Small group or individual instruction

Teaching phonological skills

Drilling sight words

Teaching comprehension strategies, to help kids derive meaning from what they're reading

Dr. Cruger adds that an important part of supporting kids with dyslexia is finding ways to decrease their discomfort about reading, and to make learning to read enjoyable, not humiliating. That means minimizing the amount of time you spend correcting the child, and maximizing encouragement of even small gains.

Reading programs that have been shown to be effective for kids with dyslexia include:

What doesn't help? Simple tutoring in a conventional learning center that is not focused on remediation, or building missing skills, can backfire if it's an unpleasant experience. Practicing reading helps typical readers get better, but can be a source of distress for dyslexic readers. "If the child hates the experience of reading help, it's not helpful," Dr. Cruger notes. "And it's not treating the source of the problem, the phonological weakness."

Accommodations for Kids With Dyslexia

Children who have dyslexia are entitled to accommodations that enable them to learn - and demonstrate their learning - despite their reading challenges. Dr. Shaywitz notes that students with dyslexia often have to fight to get extra time on things like tests, but they shouldn't. "Dyslexia robs a person of time," she says, "and accommodations give the time back to her." Accommodations can include:

Extra time on tests

A quiet space to work

The option to record lectures

The option to give verbal, rather than written, answers (when appropriate)

Elimination of oral reading in class

Exemption from foreign language learning

Other Ways to Support a Child With Dyslexia

For any child who is struggling, it is particularly important to encourage the things he enjoys and excels at, so that he feels confident in some areas. This could be sports, theater, art, science, debate team or anything else that makes him feel good at something.

Sharing stories of successful individuals with dyslexia might also help reinforce that it has nothing to do with intelligence.

Supportive tools and technology can help your child navigate difficult problems:

Audio books can be a great alternative to reading

Typing on a computer or tablet instead of writing

Apps that can help make learning fun by turning phonological awareness into a game

Old-fashioned rulers can help kids with dyslexia read in a straight line, which might help keep them focused

Like most learning disabilities, dyslexia often has hidden costs. If your child has dyslexia he may feel frustrated or embarrassed if asked to do things - like reading out loud - that are difficult for him, especially during class or when other students are present. But the problems can often go beyond school. Dyslexia's impact on day-to-day activities - playing board games, following directions or even reading clocks accurately - can cause kids to feel self-conscious and avoidant.

Helping your child understand her learning disorder can give her the tools she needs to manage her dyslexia - both academically and emotionally.

Talk to her about the difficulties dyslexia can cause and be specific: "You know how you have a hard time reading signs, or copying notes from the board? That's dyslexia."

Acknowledge her struggles and praise hard work - even if the results aren't perfect: "I understand how challenging that reading assignment was. I was so proud of how hard you worked on it."

Help her identify specific strengths: "That drawing you made of our family had such vivid colors and details. You're a great artist."

Combat negative self-talk: If your child starts saying things like "I'm just stupid," don't ignore it. Instead, check out these ideas for helping kids who are too hard on themselves.

This guide was last reviewed or updated on February 23, 2023.

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares. Kids learn to read at different paces, and it's normal for them to struggle at some point.

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This website provides resources for teachers for reading. It covers the Big Five reading components and provides instructional strategies and help for students with Dyslexia.

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Dyslexia Resource: Free Reading Activities For Teachers and Parents

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Free reading activities for teachers and parents to help with dyslexia, fluency and other reading strategies.

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This website provides educators with information on instruction and school culture for assisting students with Dyslexia.

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Dyslexia is extremely common, affecting one in five people and representing 80-90 percent of all learning disabilities. Unfortunately, ...

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This website contains a plethora of information and resources for working with children with dyslexia. This website provides online and local resources to assist teachers in providing accommodations and best practices to assist students with Dyslexia.

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This website is an online forum that provides tips and strategies for parents with children who have been diagnosed with dyslexia or reading difficulties. Parents may join this online community for support from experts.

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Before you go, get your Free Dyslexia Posters.

These free dyslexia posters provide knowledge, understanding, inspiration and direction for children and adults with dyslexia. Created by Liz Dunoon, Editor of Dyslexia Daily.

Thank you. The posters have been emailed to you.

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Dyslexia Daily | Dyslexia Resources | Dyslexie

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Before you go, get your Free Dyslexia Posters. These free dyslexia posters provide knowledge, understanding, inspiration and direction for children and adults with dyslexia. Created by Liz Dunoon, Editor of Dyslexia Daily. Thank you. The posters have been emailed to you.

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This website is broken down to support parents understand dyslexia, to plan for reading instruction, and to find resources online.

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Dyslexia Reading Well, a Virtual Well of Reading Resources

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Your trusted one stop site for everything about dyslexia from definitions to treatment to resources in your local community!

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This website provides webinars and parent training on dyslexia.

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We are a Grassroots Movement committed to helping Parents, Students, Educators and Policy Makers make informed evidence based decisions about dyslexia. We provide support, share resources and advocate on behalf of Students with and Families with Dyslexia in Texas.

Dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty learning to read. Dyslexics are at or above intelligence compared to typically reading peers, so why do they struggle with reading and spelling and for some writing? Dr Kelli Sandman Hurley's Video "What is Dyslexia" is a good place to start https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zafiGBrFkRM

Understand the Difference Between a 504 Plan and IDEA

Steps To Take Now To Work With Your School

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We are a Grassroots Movement committed to helping Parents, Students, Educators and Policy Makers make informed evidence based decisions about dyslexia. We provide support, share resources and advocate on behalf of Students with and Families with Dyslexia in Texas. Dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty learning to read.

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This website provides resources for teachers in an instructional method to help support the needs of students with Dyslexia. There are link to online and onsite training in the Orton-Gillingham Approach of instruction

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We are so glad you stopped by for a visit! We, at the Orton Gillingham Online Academy (OGOA), believe that all people have the right to reach their full potential. The OGOA exists to serve children, adolescents, and adults with Dyslexia. We offer parents and teachers resources to assist with teaching our English language. We are dedicated and committed to present to you tools that will enhance the teaching/learning venue. It is our goal to maintain a standard of excellence for the practice of the Orton Gillingham Approach. We make it our mission to reach students across the globe.

To learn more about our online course options for individuals

To learn more about our onsite training options for groups

Connect to Comprehension Testimonial

"As a district administrator who oversees MTSS, having Lynn Givens' expertise and support has been an absolute blessing . She is quick to respond, eager to provide meaningful professional learning opportunities, and consistently helps us improve our instructional approaches in effort to help struggling readers develop the skills and strategies necessary for becoming proficient readers."

I would highly recommend this program to parents, teachers or anyone who is passionate about remediating those who learn differently." Angela Warren (Teacher)

"Since completing the certification, I have been able to help remediate other children who have been diagnosed with Dyslexia. It is comforting to know that this program doesn't end when I finish the course. I am able to continue a relationship with the OGOA and as Marisa Bernard (Executive Director of the OGOA) has told me "Please know you have a friend in us for life and if ever we can be of support to you, we want to avail ourselves."

"The experience has given me a greater understanding of how children with Dyslexia learn. The Practicum Extension gave me a hands on experience where I was able to put into practice the knowledge I had gained in the Basic Language Course. The Practicum Extension course came with a knowledgeable supervisor who gave me step by step feedback. "

"While the knowledge I gained in the Basic Language course was extremely beneficial, it wasn't until I was able to implement this approach under the supervision of a trained Orton Gillingham supervisor that I truly felt confident in helping to remediate those with Dyslexia."

"It is with pleasure and gratitude that I share my experience with the OGOA in the understanding of how to effectively teach children with Dyslexia. While I have read numerous books on Dyslexia to try and help my own two children who have been diagnosed with this, I did not truly understand the implementation of this multisensory approach until I participated in the Practicum Extension."

Marcy (Reading Teacher from Dubai)

"The innovative ideas, positive feedback, along with suggestions for improvement are helping me become a better teacher and providing top notch instruction that these children so desperately deserve. I feel now, that I really know how to teach children to read and spell. Thank you so much!"

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We are so glad you stopped by for a visit! We, at the Orton Gillingham Online Academy (OGOA), believe that all people have the right to reach their full potential. The OGOA exists to serve children, adolescents, and adults with Dyslexia. We offer parents and teachers resources to assist with teaching our English language.

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This website is hosted by the Texas Education Agency and provides instructional and administrative resources for students with Dyslexia. You can find the Dyslexia handbook on this website for future reference.

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Purpose

Texas has a long history of supporting the fundamental skill of reading. This history includes a focus on early identification and intervention for students with dyslexia. This page includes resources to assist in identifying and providing services for students with dyslexia and related disorders in Texas schools. In addition to this page, information is available through the State Dyslexia Coordinator, ESC Dyslexia Network Coordinator, the dyslexia contacts at each of the 20 regional education service centers and the helpline. We welcome any suggestions you may have that will improve this page.

Please note: House Bill 3928 was passed by the 88th Texas Legislature (Regular Session) and impacts dyslexia evaluation, identification, and instruction. While the agency works to update the necessary materials, be aware that the law is effective immediately. The State Board of Education's proposed timeline for its required changes will be communicated as that timeline is determined and communicated to the agency.

The agency has created resources to assist with the implementation of HB 3928:

Dyslexia Handbook

The Texas Dyslexia Handbook is developed and adopted into administrative rule by the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE). The SBOE requires that each district and open-enrollment charter school implement the SBOE's strategies for screening, individualized evaluation, and techniques for treating dyslexia and related disorders through its approved "Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders" [ 19 Texas Administrative Code 74.28]

On September 3rd, 2021, the State Board of Education (SBOE) gave final approval for updates to the Dyslexia Handbook. Some of the updates to the Dyslexia Handbook may require LEAs to make policy, procedure, and practice changes. LEAs were informed of these changes in a To The Administrator Addressed letter in September, 2021 so that they could be well positioned to be in compliance once the changes went into effect.

The updated Texas Dyslexia Handbook, linked below, is in effect as of February 10th, 2022.

2021 Handbook Resources:

Dyslexia Resources

To The Administrator Addressed Correspondence (TAA):

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Texas has a long history of supporting the fundamental skill of reading. This history includes a focus on early identification and intervention for students with dyslexia. This page includes resources to assist in identifying and providing services for students with dyslexia and related disorders in Texas schools.

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This website provides resources and support for children with dyslexia at home. The website also offers a paid membership for a library of audiobooks.

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Audio Books for Kids with Dyslexia | Learning Ally

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Discover how Learning Ally's audio books for kids with dyslexia can help your child thrive in school and in life.

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This website provides parents resources and tips/strategies to implement at home and in daily life. The website helps parents understand dyslexia and helps parents be more informed on how to advocate for their child.

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Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Understood.org is the resource that helps the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences anticipate the challenges, barriers, or opportunities in life and confidently reach their potential.

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This website provides resources for parents to understand and help their child with dyslexia. There are various articles that focus on home, school, and outside resources. The website also contains stories about families with individuals with dyslexia to help them relate.

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As a parent, it's easy to feel alone when you're struggling to get the support your dyslexic child ...

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This website features a Question and Answer parents may have about dyslexia. Parents can use this website to quickly answer their questions and receive a quick overview.

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Question:

What is dyslexia?

Answer:

Dyslexia is a language-based disability derived from differences in brain structure and brain function. Common areas of difficulty include reading, writing, and spelling, information processing, short-term memory, planning, and organization.

Although dyslexia presents itself somewhat differently in each person, some salient characteristics can be determined through evaluation. The following articles can help you learn more:

For more information, browse our dyslexia resources or contact the International Dyslexia Association.

Question:

I suspect my child might have dyslexia. What should I do?

Answer:

It is important to address reading problems early so you can begin getting your child the appropriate help. You can use our Target the Problem activity to get a general idea of your child's academic strengths and weaknesses. More comprehensive information can be found on the article page.

The following articles describe specific characteristics common to students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. You may find it helpful to read these articles to determine whether you see similar characteristics in your child:

If, after reading these articles, you still suspect your child is showing signs of having a learning disability, it is within your rights as a parent to request a free educational evaluation through your public school. Whether or not he is found eligible for special services, the evaluation will help determine your child's academic strengths and weaknesses and how best he learns. The following articles describe the steps involved in the evaluation process, including your rights as a parent:

After this process is complete, you can use the information from the evaluation to help you make a decision about the next step in your child's educational path.

Question:

How should I teach beginning reading to primary students with special needs?

Answer:

Reading Rockets has a wealth of information about teaching children to read. Here are some articles that provide basic knowledge on this topic:

Reading Rockets offers strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn to read. Its resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who need some additional help developing these reading and comprehension skills. Our sister site, Colorín Colorado, which is designed for Spanish-speaking parents and educators of English language learners, also has excellent information for anyone interested in early reading instruction. You can also try TeachingLD, a site for Special Education teachers.

Question:

How common are language-based learning disabilities?

Answer:

According to the International Dyslexia Association, about 13-14% of the students in the United States qualify for special education. Roughly half of these students have a learning disability, or LD. Of those with LD, 85% experience primary deficits in reading and language. Overall, between 15-20% of the general population display symptoms of dyslexia, the most common language-based learning disability.

Fortunately, there is plenty of information on how to address the needs of these children. Strategies and resources to help children with learning disabilities are available on Reading Rockets and our sister site, LD OnLine.

Question:

My child has a learning disability and I'm concerned that the reading program her school uses is ineffective. Can you recommend a reading program?

Answer:

Although we don't review specific reading programs, the following articles outline the elements that all effective reading instruction contains. From these articles, you can see how your child's reading program compares:

This next article also lists characteristics of effective reading programs for students with learning disabilities and includes information and worksheets to help determine the quality of a specific reading program:

Also, we recommend a report from the American Federation of Teachers called Building on the Best, Learning from What Works: Five Promising Remedial Reading Intervention Programs.

Have a meeting with your child's teachers so that you can share your concerns. Any reading remediation that she receives should be individualized to her specific needs, because no pre-packaged programs are able to address every child's areas of weakness, strengths, and the instructional methods with which they learn best. You and your child's teachers should work together to ensure that her specific needs are being met. This may require an IEP meeting to develop a new IEP with more skill-specific educational goals and objectives. If you are concerned that the school is not interpreting your child's IEP correctly, here are some steps to take.

You may also be interested to know about Learning Ally and WordTalk, two programs designed for students with LD, ADHD, or visual impairments. Providing accommodations in the form of read aloud or dictation software can lessen some of the burden experienced by struggling readers.

Question:

How do I find a tutor for my child with dyslexia?

Answer:

There are several national organizations that may be able help you through this process and give local professional referrals. For instance, you can contact the International Dyslexia Association, or the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA). In addition, you may wish to contact your local school district to learn of any free tutoring services offered, or a local university that may have a list of teachers who also tutor.

Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy has a useful nationwide search tool. Use it to locate tutors and other professionals in your area. You can also contact the Parent Educational Advocacy Resource Center in your state for more options.

Also, LD OnLine's Yellow Pages service and LD Resources section have a great deal of helpful information. Search by state for organizations, or find a parent advocacy group near you.

Lastly, you may be interested in Eye to Eye, a national LD/ADHD movement that pairs students with LD and caring, knowledgeable mentors with similar experiences. The mentorship program provides a fun and safe environment for children to realize their potential as learners.

You may also want to ask the teachers and guidance counselor at your child's school for suggestions for a tutor, since they will be familiar with his/her specific strengths and weaknesses. Local schools often know of great tutors located in the school's neighborhood.

Remember to ask potential tutors about their experiences and what they specialize in before you choose a provider. You want to make sure that the person you choose will be a good match for your child.

Question:

My child was tested in kindergarten for dyslexia but they didn't find anything. What should I do now that he is in 3rd grade and still struggling with reading and writing?

Answer:

It is often challenging to detect learning difficulties in very young children. When your child was tested in kindergarten, he may have been able to compensate for his learning challenges to the point where there was little discrepancy between his ability and achievement. In order to be diagnosed with a learning disability and receive special education services, a child must exhibit both a processing deficit and a discrepancy between what he is capable of doing and what he is actually achieving in school.

As your child gets older, it may become increasingly difficult for him to compensate, and the gap between his ability and potential achievement may widen. If your child does have a learning disability, it will be easier to detect now than when he was in kindergarten. The following articles describe characteristics common to children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Look through them to see if you recognize any of your child's challenges in these descriptions:

If you see some of these characteristics in your child, you may want to request that his school give him an educational evaluation. It is within your rights as a parent to request a free evaluation and to have a vote throughout the evaluation process.

The educational evaluation will help you and the school better understand your child's academic strengths and weaknesses and how he learns best. The following articles will give you a clearer understanding of the evaluation process:

Please be sure to share any of the interventions that you have been trying at home and the concerns you have. The following articles may give you some insight as to how you can make the most of the local screening meeting and subsequent meetings in this process:

Your willingness to help your child at home will go a long way in giving him academic and emotional support, as well as the comfort of knowing that he is not alone in his struggles. The articles below suggest ways you and your child can work together at home:

Remember that you are the strongest and most knowledgeable advocate for your son, so trust your instincts and don't give up! The sooner your son receives the assistance he needs and the quicker you and his teachers work together to develop a plan for home and school, the closer he will be to fully realizing his academic potential.

Question:

My daughter just started preschool and I have noticed that sometimes she writes letters backwards. Should I be concerned?

Answer:

Writing letters backwards is a normal part of developing writing skills in preschool. If you have other reasons to suspect dyslexia (like parents or relatives with dyslexia, or problems identifying sounds or learning to say the alphabet), you should continue to monitor her progress and document your observations in case you see signs of a bigger problem.

Keep practicing with her by doing fun writing activities at home, like writing a shopping list, or writing a letter to a relative. Most of her early mistakes will be part of the process of learning to write, so model the right way, but don't hold her to it too early! She is in an experimentation phase with this skill.

The Reading Rockets website has articles that may be of interest to you as you help your child learn to read, including sections on writing and developmental milestones.

Question:

Is there anything I can do at home to help my dyslexic child learn to read and spell?

Answer:

Even though the English language is complex, dyslexic children CAN learn phonics! They need the support of a sequential, multisensory, structured reading program, and solid reading support at home (including reading together, playing games that isolate sounds or build words, etc.).

The Reading Rockets website focuses entirely on reading and how to help kids who struggle. See, for example, the section on strategies to help kids who struggle. Also check out this page for parents, which gives you tips on what you can do at home.

And here is a link to LD Online's collection of articles on dyslexia.

Question:

If my husband is dyslexic, is there a possibility that my children will be dyslexic too?

Answer:

Dyslexia is a hereditary condition, so if you have a history of dyslexia in your family, it's a good idea to get information now so that you can catch early warning signs in your own children. However, children today do not have to struggle as much with their dyslexia as the generations before them. We have a greater understanding of what it means to be dyslexic and we know which educational interventions are most effective in helping these children learn to read.

The Reading Rockets website is all about reading. Here are some articles on dyslexia that will help you identify signs and find help, so that even if your children are born with dyslexia, they will grow up to be readers!

Also, it is helpful to keep in mind the many overlooked strengths of people with dyslexia. Current research is focused on understanding how to interpret and foster these strengths. You can find out more in this article from the International Dyslexia Association.

Question:

We scan materials for students to use on Kurzweil 3000 at school. Could you recommend an efficient way to scan and email a textbook page home to a student with dyslexia? He has Natural Reader on his home computer, but he does not have Kurzweil.

Answer:

There are several options that might be appropriate for this student or for others in a similar situation. Some scanners come with software enabling the user to scan directly into a PDF document; however, it is more likely that you will have to purchase either Adobe Acrobat or third-party software that will allow you to convert scanned documents into PDF.

Converting the scanned image would enable you to maintain the original layout of the document and still work with Natural Reader since it is capable of reading PDFs as well as MS Word documents. Having the capability to convert documents to PDF could also be beneficial for other students, as the newer versions of Adobe Reader have improved read out loud capabilities. This could be helpful for students who don't have access to a screen reader at home. You could convert any text to a PDF and students could hear it read aloud using the free Reader program.

If purchasing additional software is not a feasible option, you may also try searching for a digital version of the text online. Learning Ally has audio versions of many textbooks, and websites such as BookShare and Project Gutenberg have electronic books freely available for download (BookShare provides books free for users with documented print disabilities).

Question:

When I'm reading, it is helpful for me to both see and hear the word. Where can I find software that can read text to me when I'm online? I need something that can read websites and other text aloud to me.

Answer:

If you are regularly downloading articles or documents to read that are in PDF, you can use the built in screen reader in Adobe Acrobat Reader called Read Out Loud to hear any text in the document read aloud.

If you need assistance with reading MS Word documents, or to have the text of your writing read back to you for editing purposes, one good option might be WordTalk, a free program text-to-speech program for Microsoft Word. You can also use the built-in screen reader/text-to-speech features on your computer.

Both Microsoft and Apple have simple text-to-speech programs built into their operating systems. Microsoft's Narrator is relatively limited in features, and is intended for users with visual impairments. However, some of the features may be helpful for you. Apple's VoiceOver has similar capabilities and can assist users with reading typed text, windows, menus and controls.

If you are mostly concerned with being able to hear text on websites read aloud, you might consider ROKTalk. ROKTalk is a web-based application that allows you to hear any web text read out loud. Because it is web-based, you don't have to install software, which may be useful if you are using different computers (at the library, in the classroom, etc.). ROKTalk is free for a few websites (Google, Wikipedia, the BBC) and charges a monthly fee for unlimited access to any website. Browser-based apps such as Google Chrome's text-to-speech tool, SpeakIt! and Read&Write for Google Docs are also effective tools for online reading. Similarly, Natural Reader has free text-to-speech programs with limited functionality that may be sufficient for your needs. Several options are available from a basic copy for free download, to a more full-featured version for purchase.

If these free tools don't provide you with the level of functionality you need, you can also try searching the TechMatrix to find other text-to-speech products and compare features by selecting the Subject Area of Reading and the Learning Support of Access to multiple formats of text, notation, and symbols.

Question:

Some of our students read very slowly. We are wondering about providing recorded books. We would like to give them access to print as they learn to read. Can you tell us where we can get recorded books? Any advice on how to make the textbooks and other st

Answer:

Fortunately, there are now a number of fairly inexpensive ways to provide struggling readers with access to printed materials by providing text digitally, see An Educator's Guide to Making Textbooks Accessible and Usable for Students with Learning Disabilities. Once you have digital text, you have many options.

Many publishers now offer their textbooks on CD and teachers can easily scan print materials into their computer to create digital versions of texts. One of the easiest (and least expensive) ways to provide students with recorded text is use text-to-speech features built into your computer's operating system to read digitized text. These simple programs can read text files aloud for students and are freely available with all Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Although they lack more sophisticated control options and choices for speaking voices, they may be an appropriate solution for helping students read short pieces of text.

Another free option for helping students access text is to download books from a website such as Project Gutenberg or LibriVox. The books available from these sites are in the public domain, so you will not be able to find newer books here. However, they are freely available to all and may be a good solution for providing electronic versions of popular classics (Pride and Prejudice, A Christmas Carol, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, etc.). Files are usually available in HTML, PDF or Text format, which can then be read aloud using any text-to-speech program. The Adobe Reader has a built in Read Out Loud feature which allows the user to have any part of a PDF file read aloud. You could also use this feature with any hard copy text that you scan and save as a PDF.

A third option is to obtain audio books from Learning Ally. Membership is required in order to access audio books and a special player or software is necessary to play the books. Another site, Bookshare, provides digital talking books for students of any age with disabilities. Students with qualifying print disabilities can now access the entire Bookshare collection free of charge. Additionally, audio books can be ordered from websites such as Amazon, Audible, or Barnes & Noble. However, this option will likely be more expensive than the cost of a Learning Ally membership.

The most flexible option (and also the most expensive) would be to purchase software capable of converting text files into audio files. A quick internet search will reveal several downloadable programs for running text to audio conversions. However, for a school purchase, it might make sense to investigate programs that can be used for a variety of reading and writing tasks such as Kurzweil 3000, Proloquo, TextAloud and WYNN. With these tools, you can convert any text file to a sound file; students can then listen to text using an MP3 player, their computer or CD player. Using a scanner, you can easily scan any print material and create recorded text for your students for any book, textbook, handout, or article you use in your teaching.

Question:

My son is going into 11th grade. He has a learning disability with a very "hands on" learning style. However, he cannot write to save his life, take notes, etc. What computer programs do you recommend? What laptops would you recommend?

Answer:

An expanding array of technological devices provides new options for minimizing the writing difficulties experienced by students with learning disabilities. Programs and devices, such as talking word processors, word prediction programs, child-friendly voice recognition, and portable note-taking devices may assist your son with his writing.

Tech Tools for Students with Learning Disabilities: Infusion into Inclusive Classrooms will provide you with detailed information on each of these options.

Using Assistive Technology to Support Writing is another valuable resource that can assist you in selecting the best technologies to meet the needs of your son and may be worth sharing with his teachers to ensure that he has the support he needs in the classroom.

In October, check out the Tech Matrix, which will launch a new free online resource on writing products, reviewed for accessibility and instructional features. Related research on the use of technology for students with special needs will also be included with this tool to inform your decision on the best programs to provide support to meet your son's needs.

Question:

I work in a public library and want to be sure that our resources are accessible to all our patrons, including those with disabilities. What resources should we make available and where can we find additional information about making libraries accessible

Answer:

Many public libraries have grappled with the same issues, so looking at how other librarians have worked to make their libraries accessible is a good start. Many libraries provide their patrons with online resource lists (on accessible websites), in addition to offering a wide variety of accessibility options within the library building. It may be helpful to get in touch with other librarians, either online or in person to ask how they met their patrons' accessibility needs. The American Library Association has a number of excellent resources available to assist librarians in thinking about and respecting the needs of their patrons with disabilities. The ALA also has several options for connecting with other librarians, from online forums to an island in Second Life.

Some accessibility options for your patrons may include providing helpful links on your library website, pointing users to both local and national disability groups. Within the library, it is important to make sure that media is accessible - books on tape, audio books, captioned videos, descriptive videos, magnifiers and large print books can all help ensure that a variety of media is accessible to many of your patrons. Many librarians also provide patrons with assistive software and hardware where needed. This may include reading and writing software, software capable of reading text aloud (text-to-speech), software that can enlarge text on the screen or Braille embossers for blind patrons. Check out the Montgomery County Public Library website for a good example of the types of tools you might offer. For further ideas, check out the ALA's disability-specific Tip Sheets on Learning Disabilities, Children with Disabilities, Autism & Spectrum Disorders, and many others.

Question:

My son is going into high school. He has a learning disability with a very "hands on" learning style. However, he cannot write to save his life, take notes, etc. What computer programs do you recommend? What laptops would you recommend?

Answer:

An expanding array of technological devices provides new options for minimizing the writing difficulties experienced by students with learning disabilities. Programs and devices, such as talking word processors, word prediction programs, child-friendly voice recognition, and portable note-taking devices may assist your son with his writing.

Tech Tools for Students with Learning Disabilities: Infusion into Inclusive Classrooms will provide you with detailed information on each of these options.

Using Assistive Technology to Support Writing is another valuable resource that can assist you in selecting the best technologies to meet the needs of your son and may be worth sharing with his teachers to ensure that he has the support he needs in the classroom.

Check out the Tech Matrix, which will launch a free online resource on writing products, reviewed for accessibility and instructional features. Related research on the use of technology for students with special needs will also be included with this tool to inform your decision on the best programs to provide support to meet your son's needs.

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What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is a language-based disability derived from differences in brain structure and brain function. Common areas of difficulty include reading, writing, and spelling, information processing, short-term memory, planning, and organization. Although dyslexia presents itself somewhat differently in each person, some salient characteristics can be determined through evaluation.

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This website provides a wealth of information about reading and spelling difficulties and strategies for instructional support. There is a section dedicated to dyslexia that helps parents with signs and resources for diagnosis. There is also a mailing list parents can sigh up for to receive up-to-date information.

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This program is working great. We are using it for our 6 year old and he is enjoying it. He wants to "do my typing" each day. Our 4 year old daughter watches with keen interest. The way it is designed really does include reading and spelling and not just typing.
See more testimonials

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" This program is working great. We are using it for our 6 year old and he is enjoying it. He wants to "do my typing" each day. Our 4 year old daughter watches with keen interest. The way it is designed really does include reading and spelling and not just typing.

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This website may focus on homeschooling a child with dyslexia, but all parents can benefit with strategies to support classroom instruction. The website provides books, resources, and outside resources for support. Parents can even sign up to be part of an online community.

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"Kids who learn differently need to be taught differently.
Our goal is to help you learn the best, research-based methods of teaching
as well as practical strategies gained through years of experience."

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"Kids who learn differently need to be taught differently. Our goal is to help you learn the best, research-based methods of teaching as well as practical strategies gained through years of experience."

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This website contains strategies for instruction, accommodations, and interventions for struggling readers and students with Dyslexia. There are links dedicated to fluency and comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and writing.

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Sparking new ideas for your classroom
Malcolm Alexander, the acclaimed dyslexic sculptor, tells a story about one of his teachers who made a difference. According to Malcolm, that teacher said, "When I teach, when I look at a student's work, I always try to find something nice in it. And then go into the rest of it."
This is a gift you can give all students, but particularly those who are dyslexic: find something positive, something they have done well, and acknowledge it. They will remember that comment - and you.

As a teacher, you most likely already have a print-rich environment in your classroom. We know that all teachers, whether they are new to the profession or seasoned veterans, continue to look for suggestions and tweak their skills so they are better able to help their students.

The following suggestions may spark a new idea for your classroom. The good news about honing one's teaching for individuals with dyslexia is that many of the strategies will be helpful to the typical learner as well. And, of importance, the strategies will be particularly helpful to any struggling readers and writers in your classroom.

In addition to general recommendations, there are suggestions to promote phonological awareness skills, reading comprehension and fluency, vocabulary development, oral reading, comprehension of written directions, spelling, and writing. As always, choose the strategies and activities that best fit your students, your classroom, and you.

Some general recommendations for teachers of beginning readers and writers

1. Make personalized books and stories with the student's name and photos. Alternatively, have him or her dictate a story and draw pictures, which an adult can then transcribe and bind with a cover.

2. Increase print awareness by asking your student to look for everything he/she can find with writing (i.e. McDonald's sign, labels, and packages).

3. Provide multisensory experiences for students related to each book that they read, such as using stories and coloring pages (available with a story teller guide).

4. Choose rhyming books with high repetition of words and phrases.

5. Dramatically pause to allow students to fill in the refrain as you are reading.

6. Play sound matching games. For example, say, "Let's think of as many things as we can that start with Mmmm." Your student might say "Mouse, moo, milk." If your student has difficulty, give him or her clues. Say: "We drink mmmmm." Wait two seconds and then provide the answer ("milk").

7. Increase the repertoire of shapes your student draws to include circles, triangles, squares, and various facial features, such as eyes and a mouth.

8. Increase the repertoire of letters your student writes to include all the letters in the alphabet and numbers up to 10.

9. Guide your student's drawing and writing by placing your hand on top of his or her hand. Gradually fade the level of assistance.

General recommendations

1. During times when other students are independently working on class work, the student should have the option to work in a study carrel with headphones to eliminate distractions.

2. Allow extra time to complete tests.

3. Provide a regular study buddy whom the student sits next to in class.

4. Give "THINK TIME" before answering a question. This can be done by presenting a question and then pausing or by coming back to the student after a little while and repeating the question. Alternatively, have multiple students answer the same question. In this way, several models are provided.

5. Provide opportunities for writing and spelling every day, in a variety of formats, such as writing in a journal, sending an email, writing or copying a list of homework activities, writing on a large wall calendar, writing thank you letters, or archiving items in a collection.

6. Explicitly teach organization and planning skills for completing and tracking homework. Instruct students how to break down large projects into smaller tasks.

7. Improve word retrieval for naming through participation in one or more of these games: Scattegories, Taboo, Guesstures, Password, Scrabble, logic puzzles, rebus puzzles, Catch-Phrase, UpWords, Tribond, Plexers, crosswords and other word puzzles.

8. Give manipulatives (things to touch and move around) whenever possible to work on math related to time, money, or fractions.

9. Explicitly and systematically teach math to students with dyslexia (including models of proficient problem solving, verbalization of thought processes, guided practice, corrective feedback, and frequent cumulative review). Dyslexia and Mathematics Second Edition edited by T. R. Miles and Elaine Miles, 1992, and The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Guide for Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools provide more information.

Recommendations to support reading comprehension and fluency for classroom materials

Before reading

1. Preview the title, pictures, chapter names, and bold-faced words in order to make a prediction.

2. Connect new information to previously learned information by talking about a personal experience related to the theme.

3. Verbalize or write questions prior to reading the text.

4. Discuss reading schemas for different types of textbooks (i.e. compare math and history). Highlight salient information that each genre addresses. Visual webs are useful for the student to preview and complete as they encounter key information.

5. Pre-teach key vocabulary for a particular unit or chapter before introducing the text.

6. Pre-teach themes or background information (i.e. historical context) for reading fiction.

7. Explicitly teach "how to use" the table of contents, glossary, index, headings, sidebars, charts, captions, and review questions in a text book.

During reading

1. Provide a set of textbooks for the student to take home and to highlight.

2. Assign class readings a week ahead of time for students to preview. This will improve attention and comprehension.

3. Provide audio recordings for the student to use while reading the text.

Books on tape and audio equipment may be obtained, free of charge, through the National Library Service.

A large range of books are already scanned and available for free through Bookshare.

4. Give the student a choice of what to read within selected genres, topics, and themes. High interest reading facilitates comprehension and reading for pleasure. In addition to classroom learning, the "curriculum" should cultivate the students' interests and strengths (both in and outside of the classroom). The Time on My Hands and Affinities checklists at All Kinds of Minds may be helpful in guiding the student to high-interest reading materials.

5. Make texts at a variety of reading levels available so that students can read fluently but also be slightly challenged (the appropriate instructional level).

6. Allow the student to use text-to-speech software for information on the computer.

This may be established by setting preferences on a Macintosh computer.

Text-to-speech software is available through a free trial over at CNET.

A scanner with OCR (optical character recognition) may be used to scan textbooks onto the computer.

7. Model self-monitoring skills with the following questions: "Does what I'm reading make sense?" "What do I think will happen next?" "Are there any words that I don't know?" "Can I figure out what the words mean from the sentences around them?"

8. Encourage sub-vocalization of the text and self-monitoring questions.

9. Model active engagement with the text through visualization of the scene (i.e. trying to make a "photograph" of the word in his/her mind's eye while enhancing visual features), highlighting, note taking, or jotting down a question.

10. Train students to silently read at various rates depending on the purpose; for example, skimming to find a particular term or to get the main idea or gist vs. reading more carefully for directions or comprehension of key concept.

11. Encourage multiple readings of a text.

12. Provide templates for students to jot down notes and key concepts as they read (i.e. a story line, visual web, or list of WH-questions).
If a student is reading a chapter book or novel, one template should be completed for each scene or chapter.

13. Bolster comprehension of idioms and more abstract language through reading the scripts of everyday conversations on Randall's Listening Lab. Students can listen to the conversation as they read. Key vocabulary is highlighted and defined.

Supporting vocabulary while reading

1. Log unfamiliar words in a personal dictionary that includes the sentence that contains the word, page number, a guess about the meaning, the pronunciation, a dictionary definition, and a new sentence using the word.

2. Improve vocabulary for written and verbal expression by forming associations between words, paraphrasing, and elaborating on an idea.

3. Teach prefixes, suffixes, and root words to students to improve spelling, decoding, and comprehension.

4. Give ample opportunities to practice writing target words. The student might be asked to say them, or use them in sentences or a story.

5. Look up unfamiliar words with an electronic speller that has speech output (such as the Franklin Speller) or a web-based dictionary. For example, Dictionary.com provides the pronunciation and definition of a word.

After reading

1. Verbalize or write the answers to the pre-reading questions and share the answers with a friend or family member.

2. Compose an alternative ending for the story or write a sequel.

3. Act out key scenes from a text or give "How To" demonstrations for kinesthetic learners.

4. Challenge students to draw inferences from the text (i.e. "How do you think the main character feels?" "Do you think it will be harder to stop a heavier or lighter object traveling at the same velocity?").

Oral reading

1. Increase reading fluency through a "reading apprenticeship" incorporating the following elements:

1. Models of fluent reading.

2. Repetition of the same passage, until reading is fluent.

3. Dramatic readings (i.e. skits, poetry, and speeches).

4. Regular tracking and graphing of reading rate and fluency.

2. See Read Naturally for a systematic program that incorporates choral reading (reading at the same time as a fluent reader), repetitions, and tracking of reading fluency.

3. For more information on reading apprenticeships, see The Fluent Reader: Oral Reading Strategies for Building Word Recognition, Fluency, and Comprehension, by Timothy Rasinski.

Supporting comprehension of written directions

1. Present less written material per page with no more than two directions in a sentence. Double spacing and bullets or numbers are also helpful.

2. Provide additional time to take tests.

3. Assist the student in breaking apart the written directions into smaller steps.

4. Check for comprehension of the directions.

5. Both auditory and written instructions should be provided.

6. Sub-rehearse (quietly or silently repeating) the directions to keep them in working memory long enough to complete them.

Recommendations to support writing in school

1. Increase phonetic spelling of unfamiliar words by counting the number of sounds in a word, and then correlating the sounds with letters.

2. Explicitly teach phonics rules and review them multiple times.

3. Provide a disproportionate amount of positive feedback for writing (relative to correction). Students should be praised for words that are spelled phonetically and accurately.

4. Institute delays that require the student to wait 5 minutes before starting a writing task. The student should be instructed to spend those 5 minutes planning.

5. Explicitly teach the elements of writing narratives or essays.

6. Brainstorm key vocabulary prior to writing.

7. Provide a focused spelling program such as Spellography to work on learning specific morphological, semantic and mental orthographic spelling rules.

8. Group words into word families with multiple exemplars of each phonetic pattern.

9. Provide models of "good essays" for struggling writers to use as a template.

10. Dictate stories with an audio recording or dictation software.

11. Emphasize the need to write in "stages" rather than completing a long narrative in one sitting. The stages should include: planning, writing, and revision.

12. Teach mnemonic devices for editing such as: SCOPE (spelling, organization, order of words, punctuation, and expresses a complete thought)

13. Instruct students to create an alternate ending for a familiar story, make a modern day story historic, or create a comic strip of two of the characters having a conversation.

14. Use word prediction software such as Co:Writer for improving spelling and complex sentence structure.

15. Text-to-speech software and word processing should be available for editing written work.

16. Encourage students to keep a journal. To increase motivation, visual images should be added to each page (i.e. "things found" throughout the day: maps, photos, or clippings from a magazine or the internet).

17. Improve penmanship with a larger pen or pencil grip and raised-line paper.

18. Practice handwriting using the following low-tech strategies: pencil grips, paper with raised lines and a slant board.

Recommendations for students with visual deficits

1. Encourage students to use a line guide as he/she is reading, to avoid skipping lines.

2. Use cut-out window for completing math worksheets.

3. Give visual pictures for commonly reversed or flipped letters: (i.e. "Which way does the "b"/ "d" go in "bed?").

4. Utilize a highlighter for key words, concepts, and/or directions when presented with written material.

5. Give visual images to associate with problematic sounds such as "short a" and "e" (i.e. Does the "e" in "bed" sound like a "short e" in "elephant" or a "long e" in "eagle?" "Does the "a" in "angel" sound like the "short a" in "alligator" or the "long a" in "ape?").

6. Encourage students to keep a copy of a "letter shaping card" in his/her school supplies and homework supplies for an easy reference.

For additional information, download our document below, which summarizes teaching tips from Tutor House. Also download MindShift's PDF, Teachers' Guide to Using Videos.

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Upon completion of this section, you will Acquire general recommendations for the classroom that enrich learning for beginning readers and writers Identify tips for the different parts of the reading process that enrich comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary Have idea

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This website is dedicated to accommodations that educators can provide to support the needs of students with Dyslexia.

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Accommodating Students with Dyslexia in All Classroom Settings

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The International Dyslexia Association prepared this fact sheet describing reasonable accommodations involving materials, interactive instruction, and student performance to help children with learning problems in general education and special education classrooms.

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Dyslexia in the Classroom What Every Teacher Needs to Know

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Dyslexia in the Classroom What Every Teacher Needs to Know

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Dyslexia in the Classroom What Every Teacher Needs to Know is an informative an thorough overview about Dyslexia, what it looks like in the class, symptoms of Dyslexic students, interventions, next steps and instructional strategies. This is an essential read for all teachers, regardless of grade level. It offers key points and next steps and should be considered mandatory reading for any educator.

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Learning Disabilities Association of America 

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Learning Disabilities Association of America 

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This website includes valuable  information about various learning disabilities, including Dyslexia. There are links dedicated to advocacy, legislation, instructional resources, and articles that focus on support for all students.

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Since almost five percent of all students in our nation's public schools are classified as having specific learning disabilities (SLD), every teacher can expect to find students with learning disabilities in the classroom. Success for these students requires a focus on individual achievement, individual progress, and individual learning. Despite obstacles, recent research tells us that we can teach these students how to learn. We can put them into a position to compete!

Specific strategies apply to specific learning disabilities and many are outlined here. You will also find tips for working with children who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

If you suspect a student in your classroom has a learning disability it is important to know how to accommodate their needs and differentiate instruction. It can be a daunting and complicated task. But don't despair. LDA is here to help you understand learning disabilities and lead you and your student to the right support systems.
Learn more about LD

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Since almost five percent of all students in our nation's public schools are classified as having specific learning disabilities (SLD), every teacher can expect to find students with learning disabilities in the classroom. Success for these students requires a focus on individual achievement, individual progress, and individual learning.

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This website provides training to educators who wish to expand their expertise in Dyslexia and the ability to obtain certifications. There is also links to simulations, webinars, and a bookstore.

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At the Dyslexia Training Institute our mission is to provide education about dyslexia, interventions for dyslexia (Orton-Gillingham and Structured Word Inquiry) as well as how to navigate the educational system by understanding Special Education Law. Our courses were created for parents, teachers, educational professionals and anyone interested in the topic. We believe information about dyslexia should not be limited by geography and we have created an online space where everyone has access to this information. Our instruction is provided by highly-qualified and very experienced instructors in an interactive online environment.

Trouble playing? Visit
our BlogTalkRadio page to listen.

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At the Dyslexia Training Institute our mission is to provide education about dyslexia, interventions for dyslexia (Orton-Gillingham and Structured Word Inquiry) as well as how to navigate the educational system by understanding Special Education Law. Our courses were created for parents, teachers, e…

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This website focuses on classroom accommodations and instructional practices for teachers in the classroom to support the needs of all students. This website helps provide educational equity in all classrooms.

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For kids with dyslexia, reading can be challenging. Spelling and writing can be challenging too. What classroom accommodations help level the playing field for students with dyslexia? Here's a look at some of the supports teachers can use to help students who struggle with reading, spelling, and writing.

Classroom materials and routines

Post visual schedules and also read them out loud.

Provide colored strips or bookmarks to help focus on a line of text when reading.

Hand out letter and number strips so the student can see how to write correctly.

Use large-print text for worksheets.

Use audiobooks like those available through services like Bookshare, a free online library for students with disabilities.

Allow the student to use a text reader like a Reading Pen or text-to-speech software.

Use speech-to-text software to help with writing.

Have on hand "hi-lo" books (books with high-interest topics for students reading below grade level).

Provide extra time for reading and writing.

Give the student multiple opportunities to read the same text.

Use reading buddies during worktime (as appropriate).

Partner up for studying - one student writes while the other speaks, or they share the writing.

Pre-teach new concepts and vocabulary.

Provide the student with typed notes or an outline of the lesson to help with taking notes.

Provide advance organizers to help the student follow along during a lesson.

Provide a glossary of content-related terms.

Use visual or audio support to help the student understand written materials in the lecture.

Give step-by-step directions and read written instructions out loud.

Simplify directions using key words for the most important ideas.

Highlight key words and ideas on worksheets for the student to read first.

Check in frequently to make sure the student understands and can repeat the directions.

Show examples of correct and completed work to serve as a model.

Provide a rubric that describes the elements of a successful assignment.

Help the student break assignments into smaller steps.

Give self-monitoring checklists and guiding questions for reading comprehension.

Arrange worksheet problems from easiest to hardest.

Completing tests and assignments

Grade the student on the content that needs to be mastered, not on things like spelling or reading fluency.

Allow understanding to be demonstrated in different ways, like oral reports, posters, and video presentations.

Provide different ways to respond to test questions, like saying the answers or circling an answer instead of filling in the blank.

Provide sentence starters that show how to begin a written response.

Provide extended time for taking tests.

Provide a quiet room for taking tests, if needed.

Do you have a student with dyslexia? Read a one-page fact sheet to learn more about this common learning difference.

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

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Accommodations for Students With Dyslexia | Help in the Classroom

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For kids with dyslexia, reading can be challenging. Spelling and writing can be challenging too. What classroom accommodations help level the playing field for students with dyslexia? Here's a look at some of the supports teachers can use to help students who struggle with reading, spelling, and writing.

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Ten Things to Help Your Struggling Reader

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Ten Things to Help Your Struggling Reader

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This article discusses the importance of identifying student strengths, especially in those with Dyslexia, and celebrating them.  Helpful hints are included for celebrating your child, setting realistic goals and supporting your child.  Dyslexia is difficult for students and parents, and it is important to be equipped with knowledge, advice, and distractions. Ten helpful hints are included in this article to help you navigate through life with Dyslexia, or the parent of a Dyslexic child.

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As a special education teacher who teaches struggling readers with different disabilities, I'm often crafting mental lists of things I wish parents knew about their dyslexic children. Most important, I am eager for the parents of my students to understand that their children can and will learn to read, but it will take time. In the process, it is important to recognize their many strengths and accomplishments in spite of their weaknesses in decoding, spelling or handwriting. I want parents to know that preparing their children to deal with their disability can inspire confidence and enable them to look forward to a proud future in which they understand their disability as well as their strengths, self-advocating for their unique learning style.

Your child has many abilities and strengths. Maybe he can draw beautifully or has an amazing vocabulary. Maybe she has great listening skills or is an incredible athlete and team player. Be sure to notice those talents and tell them you see them excelling at something.

Often, I feel like my students' parents are so consumed by their kids' deficits in reading that they forget the things their children can do well. (Teachers are guilty of this, too.) If your child is artistic, use that talent at home as a way for your child to show understanding of a story you read aloud; draw a picture of the problem in the story or draw the main character. Just because your child has a word decoding weakness or messy handwriting or poor spelling doesn't mean you can't push him or her to achieve their best through a variety of venues. Allowing, and encouraging, your children to use their strengths will boost their confidence.

Celebrate every success with a good job or a high five. Every single one. Don't rely on report card grades to be the judge of your student's progress. Celebrate his or her reading a singular word correctly. Meet your child on his/her reading level and celebrate the successes at that level. If your child is a beginning or practically a non-reader, celebrate decoding the word "at" or using a picture to solve an unknown word. If your child is beginning to read more fluently, celebrate when they self-correct an error. In my daily small group reading class, I find myself giving praise constantly; it's because I want them to know that I notice their progress and the things they do well. If what we're reading is challenging, a smile and a "good job" can turn the whole lesson around. When I hear parents of my kids fussing at them about grades, I immediately find myself telling the parent about a small, but wonderful, success his/her child had reading or writing that school day. Harassing the students over report card grades isn't going to boost their confidence. Struggling readers need to know what they're doing right, not just their mistakes.

Be Honest with Yourself: Set Realistic Goals

A child who is struggling with reading will not get on grade level overnight. You need to be honest with yourself and your child about his or her progress while setting realistic goals.

An easy way to deal with the very, very long road (did I mention it's long?) to on-level reading is to set some very short-term concrete goals. As a teacher who uses a reading-assessment system and leveled books, my goal for students often is to move up a single reading level. At home, you might set a goal even to just practice reading every day. For example, you might suggest that your child read a certain number of leveled, independent books in a month (leveled books are books that your child can read independently or with only a little help), or you might set a goal of reading an interesting chapter book with your child. Make a countdown and cross out each book or chapter, respectively, until you reach your goal.

Remember: you're setting a goal that is achievable for you and your student that will positively affect his/her reading. What the goal really does is allow them to see that they're capable of reaching a goal, that they can be successful. You're giving them a chance to develop another strength.

Don't Let Poor Spelling Stop Your Child

If your child has a learning disability, there is a real possibility that he may really struggle with spelling and remembering even very basic word patterns. Here's the secret: That's okay. Teach your child to cope. Even if your children can't spell, they still have thoughts and creativity that they need to express. Don't let poor spelling make your child mute. Be sure to acknowledge their good ideas. Encourage them to use a dictionary, spell-check or text-prediction software. Have your children start their very own personal word dictionary as a tool to use when they write. Talk to your student's teacher. Look into what technology or other strategies there might be to help your child become more successful. There's a lot out there, but you won't find much if you're too busy pointing out that your kid can't spell.

Share Your Own Difficulties with Your Kids

Show your child that you still work at things that are hard for you, too. Admitting that you also have things you wrestle with can provide support and help your struggling reader understand that people have different strengths and weaknesses. An anecdote I often share with my frustrated readers is how I have always had terrible hand-to-eye coordination. And as an adult, I even maintain a joke with the people I interact regularly: "Do not throw anything to me or expect me to throw something to you." That's right; I am terrible at nearly every sport. However, I'll always give it a shot, and I try. When I'm on family vacation and it's time for some beach volleyball, you'll find me flailing beside the net or nose-diving into the sand. The moral: kids (and adults) should try things they're not great at, and it is helpful to see role models working on things that don't come easily to them.

When it comes to reading, bear in mind that when something is difficult and doesn't come easy, you generally just flat out don't want to do it! What makes struggling readers even more anxious about reading is the pressure they're getting both at school and at home to learn to read. (This is yet another reason why setting goals and celebrating every small success are so important.) So when they know that you are working on things that are hard for you, it helps take the pressure off them and makes their struggle less lonely.

Read Aloud to Your Child. It's Fun and Helpful

Your dyslexic reader can do more . . . if you help. Read to your child every single day. Hearing someone else read has the amazing possibility of sparking creativity and interest and also offers a chance to work on comprehension without the battle of decoding the text. A struggling reader may only be able to read short, short books with scant interest or depth, which offer little motivation to continue to work on reading. When you read aloud or have a program such as an iPad app that reads books aloud (call it old-fashioned, but a real human reading to children is better), your child has the opportunity to focus on the meaning of the words and content. They develop background knowledge and it allows them to use their imagination. Reading books to your child (or listening to audio books) allows him or her to get into books that his peers are reading and holds interest because they are age-appropriate. The additional bonus to reading with your child? You can offer explanations and further detail when needed.

Kids Feel Supported When They See Parents and Teachers Working Together to Help Them

Your child's education is not a private matter that excludes your child. It's the child's education! He or she needs to know what's going on; otherwise, it's a lost opportunity for learning self-advocacy. She's not going to learn anything when you tell her to go somewhere else while you and the teacher tell each other secrets about her. Do your kids a favor and tell them where they stand academically, what their talents are, what they need help with and the plan for helping them learn. Remember: you, the parents, will have a plan and a goal in mind! Also remember that your child's teacher will have a plan as well. Kids feel supported when they see parents and teachers working together to help them instead of being shuffled off into a corner. Read more in Education Editor Kyle Redford's piece, The Privacy Dilemma.

Small Steps Can Bring Big Improvements

The list of enrichment activities for boosting language and reading skills could go on and on, but there is one more important thing to remember: It doesn't need to be complicated. If your child is just beginning to read or is a very slow reader, go over the alphabet and letter sounds. Break apart short CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words (sit, hat, log and so on), and blend these sounds together (/j/ /o/ /b/; job). For more ideas, see Good Practices: Developing a Foundation for Reading.

If your child is a little more independent, sit with her, help her with hard words as she reads, maybe read aloud a chapter of a fun book to her every night before bed. Talk about what happened in the story, the characters and the setting; what's the problem in the story? Read a nonfiction book and talk about what you all learned from the text.

If your struggling child is older, let her be the teacher and read her books to siblings. Or, in our tech-obsessed culture, teach your child to grab a camera or recorder and record videos or audio notes of herself reading, then follow along with them to check for errors. For more ideas to share with your child, see Tips from Dyslexic Students for Dyslexic Students.

Most dyslexics will be slow readers for life, and that's okay. They have many more talents to offer, and their reading will improve in other ways with proper interventions. If your child is reading below a mid-second grade level, don't worry about fluency or speed. Focus on accuracy, or reading the words correctly, and don't pressure him to read faster. Instead, give him strategies to help him remember what he read, such as writing a sentence or two or drawing a picture of what happened on each page (or in each chapter). Your child is going to live with a learning disability as an adult. Teach him how to deal with it now, so he'll be better able to navigate the world later. And for inspiration for both parent and child, see our success stories.

If your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, he or she will not outgrow it, but that doesn't mean your child won't learn how to read or be successful. If you teach your child how to cope and deal with his/her disability now, you're doing your child an incredible favor. Teach your children to advocate for themselves. Teach them how to ask for help. Teach them how to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Teach them about available resources and how to ensure they receive the accommodations they need for success. If you teach your children to do this at school, they're going to go into the world feeling confident and expecting success; they'll know how they fit in and what they need to do to keep up. And that's worth more than being able to read 180 words per minute.
Joshua Jenkins is a Literacy Specialist in Newton, Massachusetts. A Teach for America alum, Jenkins spent five years as a special education teacher in New Orleans.

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Ten Things to Help Your Struggling Reader - Yale Dyslexia

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The article Perspectives on Dyslexia offers a scientific and informational perspective on Dyslexia in various facets including an operational definition of Dyslexia and research based practices for the best ways to help struggling students. It includes early indicators of Dyslexia in students. The article also dispels the misconception that boys are more likely to suffer from Dyslexia than girls, and noted that behavioral issues often refer boys  for academic testing in higher percentages accounting for this difference.

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Language: English | French

Abstract

Dyslexia, or a reading disability, occurs when an individual has significant difficulty with speed and accuracy of word decoding. Comprehension of text and spelling are also affected. The diagnosis of dyslexia involves the use of reading tests, but the continuum of reading performance means that any cutoff point is arbitrary. The IQ score does not play a role in the diagnosis of dyslexia. The cognitive difficulties of dyslexics include problems with speech perception, recognizing and manipulating the basic sounds in a language, language memory, and learning the sounds of letters. Dyslexia is a neurological condition with a genetic basis. There are abnormalities in the brains of dyslexic individuals. There are also differences in the electrophysiological and structural characteristics of the brains of dyslexics. Physicians play a particularly important role in recognizing children who are at risk for dyslexia and helping their parents obtain the proper assessment.

Keywords: Dyslexia, Learning disabilities, Reading disability

Résumé

La dyslexie, une déficience de lecture, se produit lorsque l'individu éprouve d'énormes difficultés dans la vitesse et l'exactitude du décodage des mots. La compréhension de texte et l'épellation sont également touchées. Pour poser un diagnostic de dyslexie, il faut utiliser des tests de lecture, mais en raison de la séquence d'exécution de la lecture, toute limite d'inclusion est arbitraire. Le QI n'a rien à voir dans le diagnostic de dyslexie. Les troubles cognitifs des dyslexiques comprennent des troubles de perception du langage, de reconnaissance et de manipulation des sons fondamentaux d'une langue, de mémoire de la langue et d'apprentissage du son des lettres. La dyslexie est un trouble neurologique aux fondements génétiques. On remarque des anomalies dans le cerveau des dyslexiques, de même que des différences dans les caractéristiques électrophysiologiques et structurelles de leur cerveau. Les médecins jouent un rôle particulièrement important dans le dépistage des enfants vulnérables à la dyslexie et dans l'aide aux parents afin qu'ils obtiennent une évaluation convenable.

Dyslexia, also known as a reading disability, occurs when an individual has significant difficulty with speed and accuracy of word decoding. Comprehension of text is also affected. Dyslexia is usually accompanied by spelling difficulties. Dyslexia is stable, in that children identified as dyslexic are likely to continue to have reading difficulties throughout adolescence and adulthood ( 1, 2).

DEFINITIONAL ISSUES

There are many complex issues to consider in developing an appropriate definition of dyslexia. One of the major problems is that there is no specific blood test or brain imaging result that can provide a diagnosis. Fundamentally, the issue is that reading is measured on a continuum and there is no cutoff score on a reading test that clearly divides individuals into dyslexic and nondyslexic groups. The distinction between dyslexia and normal reading is arbitrary; where the cutoff point is drawn varies from study to study.

Ellis ( 3) invokes a medical analogy when discussing dyslexia: "First, reading backwardness seems to be a graded thing more like obesity than measles. We cannot in any simple way divide the population into those who are dyslexic and those who are not, so it would seem unlikely that there will exist any symptom or sign that will quantitatively distinguish dyslexics from nondyslexics".

In discussing the arbitrary nature of dyslexia, Shaywitz et al ( 4) noted: "Our findings indicate that dyslexia is not an all-or-nothing phenomenon, but like hypertension and obesity, occurs in varying degrees of severity. Although limitations on resources may necessitate the imposition of cutoff points for the provision of services, physicians must recognize that such cutoffs may have no biological validity".

Exactly where the line is between dyslexic and nondyslexic is subjective and controversial. This relative uncertainty does not dispute the reality of dyslexia, but instead indicates that there is some subjectivity in the diagnosis.

Operationalizing the definition of dyslexia has proved to be contentious and difficult. First, there is the question of which reading test to use. It is now considered important to use a test of single isolated word reading, such as the Woodcock-Johnson Word Identification subtest or the Wide Range Achievement Test. In both of these tests, the individual is required to read words that increase in difficulty (eg, from simple words to complex multisyllable words, such as 'cat', 'emphasis' and 'idiosyncrasy'). Test scores are compared with scores from other individuals of the same age level.

An important test for dyslexia is a test of pseudoword reading (eg, the Woodcock Word Attack test). This test involves the reading of pronounceable combinations of letters that do not represent English words but can be articulated using the pronunciation rules of English. Examples include items such as 'bab', 'shum', 'cigbet' and 'bafmotbem'. This is a test of basic decoding skills. Having these decoding skills is especially important when learning to read and to be able to ascertain the pronunciation of new words that have never been encountered before.

The discrepancy definition

Until recently, the typical definition of dyslexia involved a discrepancy between an IQ score and a reading score. If the IQ score was found to be significantly higher than the reading score, then this discrepancy was used as an index of dyslexia. This definition has been discredited for a variety of reasons. A detailed discussion on this topic can be found elsewhere ( 5). The IQ test measures vocabulary, verbal memory and specific knowledge, and these are skills that may be deficient in the dyslexic. Therefore, the IQ score may be an inadequate measure of the so-called intellectual potential of a dyslexic. In addition, a number of studies ( 6- 9) in different countries have found that there are no differences in children who have reading problems between those who have a discrepancy between IQ and reading scores and those who do not. These findings suggest that a discrepancy between IQ and reading scores is not necessary to indicate dyslexia, and that a low score on a reading test is, in fact, an indication of a reading problem. There is evidence to suggest that a child's IQ score does not predict his or her ability to benefit from remediation ( 10, 11).

Another issue is which cutoff score to use to diagnose dyslexia. Basically, reading scores are a continuous distribution. At some point in the reading, the delay becomes so severe (compared with other individuals of the same age and educational background) that we call it dyslexia.

Although reading comprehension is important and is the major purpose for reading, dyslexia is best recognized by difficulties at the word level. Decoding words is critical for developing comprehension skills. Reading comprehension is usually tested by having the individual read a passage and answer questions about the passage. Reading comprehension tests are usually timed. There are some individuals who, although they can read words, have difficulty with reading comprehension because they may lack the inferential skills to make sense of what they read, or because they may read slowly. They may not have sufficient background knowledge to understand the text or the questions. Lesaux et al ( 12) found that giving dyslexics extra time on a reading comprehension test improved their reading scores.

PREVALENCE

Estimates of prevalence depend on the particular definition of dyslexia used in the study ( 13, 14). Depending on the definition used, 5% to 10% of the population is considered to have dyslexia; however, because of the nature of the definitional issues (as described above), an estimate of prevalence is specific to a particular sample and to the definition used in a study.

HISTORY

Dyslexia was first described in the scientific literature by several physicians, who noted cases of individuals with apparently normal intelligence who could not learn to read ( 15). These cases were called word blindness. One of the pioneers in the field of dyslexia was Orton ( 16), who believed that the problem in dyslexia was one of visual perception and visual memory.

In the years that followed, various theories, including hypotheses about motor difficulties and perceptual problems as the basis of dyslexia, were advanced. The belief was that dyslexia was a perceptual problem, stemming from the idea of word blindness. It was also a common belief, and probably a belief held by many today, that the defining symptom for dyslexia was writing letters and words backwards. This conceptualization of dyslexia as a visual problem and as the primary symptom being the writing of letters and words backwards has been discredited by studies, including those by Liberman et al ( 17) and Vellutino ( 18).

TWO ROUTES TO READING

Scientists have used theories about reading to help understand dyslexia. One of the most widely accepted theories of reading is called the dual route theory ( 19). In this theory, there are two mechanisms that individuals use to read words: the direct (orthographic) route and the indirect (phonological) route. The direct route involves looking at a word and automatically knowing what it says. For frequently used words and words that have been seen before, this route is probably the one that is used. Skilled readers use this route for most of what they read, although they can use another route when they encounter words that are either new or relatively unfamiliar. The indirect route involves translating the letters into sounds and knowing the pronunciation of words from the combination of sounds. The use of this route involves what is called phonological processing. This route is commonly used at the beginning of the development of reading skills in which words are carefully sounded out and in more advanced readers when they encounter new words. Most dyslexics have a great deal of difficulty with this route because they lack phonological skills.

COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF DYSLEXIA

A breakthrough in the understanding of dyslexia occurred approximately 35 years ago, when a picture of the major cognitive difficulties in dyslexia began to emerge more clearly ( 20). Liberman and colleagues ( 20- 22) recognized the importance of speech and language as the basis for reading, and that children must map the written word on to the spoken word when learning to read. It was assumed in the past that visual difficulties or problems with hand-eye coordination served as the basis for dyslexia. It is now clear that the major problem with dyslexia involves difficulties with phonological processing, that is, being able to segment words into their component sounds, and associate letters with their sounds and phonological awareness (ie, the ability to segment speech into small parts, such as syllables, and the smallest units of sound, phonemes). As young children, dyslexics have difficulties with tasks such as discriminating the individual sounds in words (eg, what does 'pink' with out the 'p' say?), recognizing words that rhyme (eg, which of the following words rhymes with cat: sun, hat or star) or recognizing whether 'cat' and 'kite' start with the same sound ( 20, 23). Studies such as those by Lundberg et al ( 24) and Elbro and Petersen ( 25) have shown that children who receive training in these phonological awareness skills demonstrate improved reading abilities.

One aspect of this phonological deficit is that dyslexics show subtle difficulties in speech perception at the level of the phoneme. Studies such as those by Godfrey et al ( 26), Manis et al ( 27), Reed ( 28) and Werker and Tees ( 29) have shown that dyslexics perform poorer than nondyslexics on measures of speech perception. For example, Bertucci et al ( 30) found that the perception and production of vowels were particularly difficult for dyslexics. The speech processing difficulties for dyslexics include weak phonological coding for vowel sounds with similar phonetic characteristics.

Mody et al ( 31) found differences between some dyslexics and nondyslexics with respect to the discrimination of sounds such as 'ba' and 'da'. Only some dyslexics have this problem. As methods of speech and sound science advance, it may eventually be found that this speech perception problem is one of the fundamental difficulties of the dyslexic.

When dyslexics are learning to read, they have trouble learning the sounds of letters and the spelling of words. Later on, although they can read words, their reading may be slow, and many have difficulty remembering what they have read. Stanovich ( 32) provided evidence for what he called the 'Matthew effect' (based on the writings of Matthew in the Bible that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer). Stanovich ( 32) states that "individuals who have advantageous early educational experiences are able to utilize new educational experiences more efficiently". In contrast, children who have reading difficulties read less and do not acquire the vocabulary and concepts that they need and, thus, fall further behind in their reading and academic skills.

GENETIC AND NEUROLOGICAL BASIS

Dyslexia has a genetic basis, and it is clear that dyslexia tends to run in families (). Research has identified several chromosomes that appear to contain the gene or genes for dyslexia, although the exact genetic mechanisms and the inheritance patterns are not known. Familial studies ( 33- 39) and discoveries regarding the involvement of specific chromosomes ( 40- 42) clearly indicate the genetic basis of dyslexia. Chromosomes 6 and 15 have been implicated. Obviously, environmental factors play a role, but the role of genetics is quite strong ( 43). A study by Castles et al ( 43) found that phonological dyslexia (in which individuals have more trouble reading pseudowords) was more heritable than orthographic dyslexia (in which individuals have more trouble reading exception words), although both types showed a significant heritability.

TABLE 1

There is clearly a neurological basis for dyslexia. A number of postmortem studies have indicated abnormalities in the brains of dyslexic individuals ( 44, 45). The universal finding is an absence of the usual asymmetry in the planum temporale. There may also be structural differences between dyslexics and nondyslexics in the corpus callosum, which controls the communication between the two hemispheres of the brain ( 46, 47).

A number of electrophysiological studies have shown differences between dyslexics and nondyslexics. Event-related potentials may be used to measure the timing and the brain areas used during the cognitive processing of print and language. For example, a number of studies ( 48- 50) have found that the event-related potentials of dyslexics, in contrast with nondyslexics, failed to show what is called mismatched negativity, which is a negative deflection in the wave in response to a change in the stimulus.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging has shown that there are structural differences in the brains of dyslexics and nondyslexics. The exact nature of these differences varies from study to study. In general, differences in the planum temporale have been found such that asymmetries are great in the nondyslexic, and the direction may even be reversed in the dyslexic ( 51, 52). Casanova et al ( 53) found abnormalities in the left hemisphere of dyslexic individuals; specifically, the following structures were involved: extrapyramidal and limbic systems, amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, putamen and globus pallidus.

SEX

Although it is a common belief that men are significantly more likely to be dyslexic than women, this assumed sex imbalance is not substantiated by recent research ( 54, 55). There may be slightly more men than women who have dyslexia, but the difference is not significant. This notion is illustrated by a study ( 56) of an epidemiological sample of children in grades 2 and 3 in which reading and IQ tests were used to provide a psychometric definition of dyslexia. The investigators found that 8.7% of the boys and 6.9% of the girls were dyslexic in grade 2, and that 9.0% of the boys and 6.0% of the girls were dyslexic in grade 3. However, when they examined the sex differences in referral rates in the dyslexics identified by the teachers, they found that 13.6% of the boys and 3.2% of the girls were identified as dyslexic in the second grade, and that 10.0% of the boys and 4.2% girls were identified as dyslexic in the third grade, indicating a significant referral bias in favour of boys. Although the actual incidence of dyslexia was similar in boys and girls, boys were much more likely to be referred for possible assessment. In general, Shaywitz et al ( 56) found that the boys were identified because of behavioural difficulties in the classroom, which drew the teacher's attention to them. The girls were much less likely to have behaviour problems and, thus, were not identified as having reading difficulties, although they were almost as likely as boys to have a disability.

ASSESSMENT OF DYSLEXIA

Any individual (child or adult) in whom a reading problem is suspected should receive an assessment. This assessment is available in schools and in institutions of higher education. The assessment should involve a thorough measurement of reading, spelling and arithmetic skills. An intelligence test or IQ score is not necessary, as demonstrated by the latest research in the area; however, despite the literature, some jurisdictions still require an IQ test. This state of affairs is unfortunate because there is either a long wait time for testing - sometimes as long as one to two years in many school districts - or parents or individuals must go to a private psychologist to receive the testing, which is quite expensive and out of the financial reach of many individuals. However, third party insurers may cover the cost in some instances.

CROSS-LINGUISTIC STUDIES

Dyslexia has the same manifestation in all alphabetic languages that have been studied and in languages that are nonalphabetical, such as Chinese and Japanese. The primary deficit is phonological (even in Chinese), although problems with visual memory, short-term verbal memory and syntax exist in dyslexia in all languages ( 57).

EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS

There are a number of educational interventions that can be useful in helping the dyslexic individual. Some of these are direct treatments, while others involve providing accommodations to the learning environment.

Accommodations

Educational accommodations include the use of computers, tape recorders, screen readers and speech recognition devices. Many dyslexics have illegible handwriting. The computer can be especially useful, particularly if touch typing skills are learned. Computers also have spell checking programs, which are particularly useful because dyslexics have poor spelling. Tape recorders can be useful for the child to record his or her ideas, which can then be transcribed later. Tape recorders can also be useful in classes and lectures because note taking skills can be a problem for dyslexic individuals. Screen readers are devices that read aloud what is on the computer screen and can be very helpful for dyslexics. Books on tape can also be helpful. Speech recognition devices and programs are especially useful; the individual can talk into a microphone and see his or her words appear on the screen.

Treatment

In some cases of dyslexia, the direct and systematic teaching of letters and their corresponding sounds (ie, phonological skills) is an important way to help dyslexics. Programs such as those described by Hatcher ( 58) and Nicolson et al ( 59) systematically teach individuals the sounds of the letters and have been found to be successful.

Vaughn et al ( 60) found that programs designed to enhance reading fluency or reading strategies resulted in improved reading for children with reading difficulties.

Lovett et al ( 61- 64) and Vellutino and Scanlon ( 65) used a detailed program that involved training in word recognition and decoding skills to improve the reading skills of dyslexic children.

Computerized programs have been helpful in some cases. In one study, Wise et al ( 66) used computers to help dyslexic children. Children read books on computers that were linked to speech synthesizers and then obtained feedback on words that were difficult for them. As a result of this system, the children's attitudes toward reading improved. Irausquin et al ( 67) showed that computerized exercises that train speed or automatization are helpful in improving the reading of dyslexic individuals. Lovett et al ( 68, 69) used a computer speech-based program to train reading skills in dyslexic children.

It is also important to discover the talents of dyslexics. Many dyslexics are gifted in sports, art, music or dance ( 70), while others have superior visuospatial skills. These skills can be useful in careers such as architecture or engineering.

COMORBIDITY

Dyslexia frequently occurs with other conditions, such as an arithmetic learning disability, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome ( 71). Reading and language disorders may be associated with behavioural difficulties, but it is likely in many cases that the behavioural difficulties are a consequence of the reading difficulty and not a cause of it ( 72). It is particularly important that physicians do not ignore the possibility of dyslexia when other developmental disorders are present.

IMMIGRANT CHILDREN AND DYSLEXIA

Canada is a multicultural, multiethnic nation. Especially in the larger cities, there are significant numbers of children who are being educated in school in a language other than their native tongue. There has been some research conducted on children learning English as a second language, but very little research on immigrant children learning French as a second language. In general, these studies found that if immigrant children enter school in the first few grades and receive good instruction, they can catch up to their nonimmigrant peers ( 73, 74). What is important to know is that children who are still having significant difficulties after a few months or a year of instruction in English may be dyslexic. Often, these children are ignored and the problem is assumed to be due to the fact that their first language is not English. In reality, children who struggle in school, even if their first language is not English, should be screened and assessed to determine whether they are dyslexic. Considering the significant dropout rate of children whose first language is not English, it is very important to investigate the possibility of dyslexia.

DYSLEXIA AND PREMATURITY

Very low birth weight children, that is, children whose birth weights are lower than 1500 g, are at significant risk for dyslexia and other learning disorders ( 8, 75, 76) (). Unfortunately, these children are less likely to be identified because their difficulties are less likely to be recognized.

SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA

Delayed language development may indicate that a child is at risk for dyslexia. Children who show delayed language development at three and four years of age are at risk for dyslexia, although many children who eventually become dyslexic have perfectly normal language development. Studies ( 77, 78) have shown that early language difficulties and a diagnosis of language impairment in childhood is predictive of reading disabilities in the later school years and during adolescence and adulthood. Although not all children who have language disorders in early childhood become dyslexic, it is a very important indicator of a possible problem; these children should be monitored very carefully.

Academic difficulties in school, especially difficulty with learning how to read, are a sign of dyslexia. Although children learn to read at different rates, if a child is having difficulty and performing significantly below his or her peers after a few months of reading instruction, this delay is a sign of a potential problem and should not be ignored.

School phobia and/or somatic complaints that appear on school days, especially on Monday, are a sign of a possible learning disability (). Prompt treatment and investigation of a possible reading problem or other learning difficulty is critical.

TABLE 2

PREVENTION

Children at risk for reading difficulties can be identified in kindergarten (five years of age) and intervention programs can be provided. In one study, Lesaux and Siegel ( 74) found that children identified as at-risk for reading difficulties in kindergarten, regardless of whether their first language was English, benefited from classroom-based intervention programs that emphasized phonological awareness, vocabulary and reading strategies.

CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN DYSLEXIA

Recently, an alternative to the labelling of individuals as dyslexic to make them eligible for special education services has been proposed. The model is called Response to Instruction and it involves the early identification of children with difficulties, providing a classroom based-intervention and then providing more individualized academic intervention for children who still continue to have difficulties. This model holds promise for the prevention, or at the very least the reduction, of serious reading problems. It is considerably less costly than a model that requires extensive testing and waiting until the child is failing before help is considered.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to recognize that behavioural difficulties in school may be a sign of dyslexia. Any sign of problems in learning to read, even very early in a child's school career, should be taken seriously and investigated. The common assumption that the child will grow out of the problem is not a valid one in most cases. We know that early identification and early intervention can prevent most serious reading difficulties, or at least reduce the severity of them. Any school difficulties or behavioural problems should be investigated immediately. School phobia and/or somatic complaints that appear on school days are a sign of a possible learning disability.

Physicians have an important role to play in the identification of children at risk for dyslexia. In addition to recognizing the signs of possible dyslexia, physicians or their office staff may be able to conduct some brief screening tests, including some standardized tests of reading, spelling and arithmetic ().

TABLE 3

There is evidence that significant numbers of dyslexics are represented in populations of runaway homeless street youths ( 79), adolescent suicide victims ( 80) and juvenile offenders ( 81). It is important that we recognize these difficulties early and make an attempt to eliminate them or reduce their severity.

Physicians have a particularly important role in recognizing a child who is at risk for dyslexia and helping the parents obtain the proper assessment.

REFERENCES

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Dyslexia, or a reading disability, occurs when an individual has significant difficulty with speed and accuracy of word decoding. Comprehension of text and spelling are also affected. The diagnosis of dyslexia involves the use of reading tests, but the ...

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The article discusses early signs and symptoms to look out for in struggling readers when determining if they have Dyslexia. It is a great holistic article that looks at the whole child and the role of a parent in helping children navigate life with Dyslexia. Understanding Dyslexia does a great job of breaking down early symptoms by age and grade level to give a specific outline of what to look for if you suspect your child suffers from Dyslexia, and how to help intervene.

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Children each learn and develop at their own pace, and reading is no different from other skill building. It's common for kids to find reading challenging at one point or another. But if learning to read becomes an ongoing struggle that leaves a child falling behind their peers, it's possible that they have a learning disorder known as dyslexia.

Dyslexia is most commonly associated with trouble learning to read. It affects a child's ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in language. Kids with dyslexia have a hard time decoding new words, or breaking them down into manageable chunks they can then sound out. This causes difficulty with reading, writing and spelling. They may compensate by memorizing words, but they'll have trouble recognizing new words and may be slow in retrieving even familiar ones.

Dyslexia is not a reflection of a child's intelligence - in fact it's defined as a gap between a student's ability and achievement. Some youngsters with dyslexia are able to keep up with their peers with extra effort at least for the first few grades. But by the third grade or so, when they need to be able to read quickly and fluently in order to keep up with their work, they run into trouble.

With help and strategies for compensating for their weakness in decoding, students with dyslexia can learn to read and thrive academically. But dyslexia is not something one grows out of.

How common is dyslexia?

It is estimated that as many as one in five kids has dyslexia, and that 80 to 90 percent of kids with learning disorders have it. Sally Shaywitz, MD, co-director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, notes that many children go undiagnosed as struggles in school are incorrectly attributed to intelligence, level of effort or environmental factors.

Although experts used to say that dyslexia occurred more often in boys than in girls, current research indicates that it affects boys and girls equally.

A young person with dyslexia may:

Struggle with learning even simple rhymes

Have a speech delay

Have trouble following directions

Repeat or omit short words such as and, the, but

Find it difficult to tell left from right

In school, children with dyslexia are likely to:

Have difficulty sounding out new words

Lack fluency compared to other children their age

Reverse letters and numbers when reading (read saw as was, for example)

Find it difficult to take notes and copy down words from the board

Struggle with rhyming, associating sounds with letters, and sequencing and ordering sounds

Stumble and have difficulty spelling even common words; frequently they will spell them phonetically (hrbr instead of harbor)

Avoid being called on to read out loud in front of classmates

Become tired or frustrated from reading

Dyslexia affects children outside of school as well. Kids with dyslexia may also:

Find it difficult to decode logos and signs

Struggle when trying to learn the rules to games

Have difficulty keeping track of multi-step directions

Struggle with getting the hang of telling time

Find it especially challenging to learn another language

Become incredibly frustrated, which can effect their mood and emotional stability

Social and emotional impacts of dyslexia

Dyslexia affects a lot more than reading - it can also impact a child socially. "A dyslexic person who has word-finding difficulties can have trouble with their expressive language," says Scott Bezsylko, the executive director of Winston Preparatory School, which specializes in teaching kids with learning disorders. "That has a social impact, in addition to your difficulties with reading and writing, that make you feel not so good about yourself."

Kids with dyslexia - particularly those who have yet to be diagnosed - often suffer from low self-esteem because they worry that there is something wrong with them, and are often accused of not trying hard enough to learn to read. "A lot of our work with dyslexic kids is to help them rediscover that they are smart and capable," notes Beszylko, "because they've stopped believing in themselves."

How is dyslexia diagnosed?

If your child isn't meeting expectations for reading, as parents you can ask the school district to perform an evaluation and share the results with you. The evaluation will test your child's intellectual capacity and reading skills, to see if there is an achievement gap. It should also rule out other potential causes like environmental factors or hearing impairment.

The school should then make recommendations on how they can support your child and maximize her learning.

If you are unhappy with the quality of the evaluation, you can also secure a private evaluation by a psychologist, a neuropsychologist, a reading specialist, a speech and language therapist, an educational evaluator or a school psychologist. This external evaluation can also be used to advocate for your child and get the accommodations and services she might need.

When should a child be evaluated?

Dyslexia can begin to reveal itself at a young age, and there are preschool evaluations that look at the child's awareness of the sounds that make up words, and ability at word retrieval. However, Matthew Cruger, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, suggests waiting until kids are at least six years old and have had some formal instruction in reading to seek out a formal evaluation.

But Dr. Shaywitz notes that as soon as a gap between intelligence and reading skills is apparent - and evidence shows it can be seen in first grade - it's a good idea to get help. Schools sometimes encourage parents to wait until the third grade to see if their child truly needs an intervention, but Dr. Shaywitz argues that the earlier intervention is important not only to help kids catch up but to boost their fragile self-image, which is damaged by continuing struggle in school and comparisons with peers.

How to help kids with dyslexia

A dyslexia diagnosis does not mean your child will never learn to read. Dr. Cruger says there are a number of programs that can help, which might include these features:

Multi-sensory instruction in decoding skills

Repetition and review of skills

Intensity of intervention - that is, more than being pulled out of class once a week for extra help

Small group or individual instruction

Teaching decoding skills

Drilling sight words

Teaching comprehension strategies, to help kids derive meaning from what they're reading

Reading programs that been shown to help kids with dyslexia include:

Dr. Cruger points out that traditional tutoring may actually be counter-productive for a child with dyslexia, particularly if it is not a positive experience. "If the child hates the experience of reading help, it's not helpful," Dr. Cruger notes. "And it's not treating the source of the problem, the decoding weakness."

Instead, Dr. Cruger emphasizes that one of the most important ways to help kids with dyslexia is to make them more comfortable reading. This can be done in part by celebrating even small victories and accomplishments, while focusing less on correcting their errors.

Accommodations for kids with dyslexia

Kids with demonstrated dyslexia are eligible for accommodations in school. "Dyslexia robs a person of time," Dr. Shaywitz explains, "and accommodations give the time back to her." Accommodations may include:

Extra time on tests

A quiet space to work

The option to record lectures

The option to give verbal, rather than written, answers (when appropriate)

Elimination of oral reading in class

Exemption from foreign language learning

Other ways to support a child with dyslexia

One of the best ways to support a child with dyslexia - or any child who is struggling - is to encourage those activities that they like and feel good at, whether it is music, joining a sports team or anything else that helps build her confidence.

To help reinforce that dyslexia is not a marker of intelligence, it can also be helpful to talk about successful people - like Whoopi Goldberg and Steven Spielberg - who have also been diagnosed with dyslexia.

Other things that may help your child with dyslexia include:

Listening to audio books as an alternative to reading

Typing on a computer or tablet instead of writing

Apps that can make learning fun by turning decoding into a game

Using a ruler to help kids read in a straight line, which can help keep them focused

Emotional support

Dyslexia can result in frustration, embarrassment, avoidance and low self-esteem as a result of difficulties performing tasks that seem to come naturally to others. Demystifying the learning disorder with your child can help him develop the tools - and resilience - necessary to manage it, both in school and in social circumstances. Some things you can do to help include:

Discuss the specific challenges that result from dyslexia: "You know how you have a hard time reading signs or copying notes from the board? That's dyslexia."

Acknowledge their effort and celebrate hard work, even if there are still mistakes: "I know how difficult that reading homework was. I am so proud of how hard you tried."

Help them recognize their strengths: "You showed such great sportsmanship and teamwork in the soccer game the other night, and that was a great goal you scored!"

Combat negative self-talk: If your child starts saying things like, "I'm just stupid," don't ignore it. Instead, check out these ideas for helping kids who are too hard on themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does dyslexia work?

How common is dyslexia?

What helps students with dyslexia?

What are the signs of dyslexia?

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Understanding Dyslexia - Child Mind Institute

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Find out how to recognize dyslexia, the most common learning disability. The Child Mind Institute on how to help kids who have trouble learning to read.

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7 Things I Wish People Knew About Parenting Kids With Dyslexia

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7 Things I Wish People Knew About Parenting Kids With Dyslexia

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This article focuses on the parent perspective and serves as a reality check for parents in the difficulties and understanding that is needed when supporting a child with Dyslexia. The author, a mother of children who have Dyslexia speaks as an advocate and informer, giving insight to parents as to what lies ahead, and offers common frustrations she and her children encounter. This article is a must read for parents who have Dyslexic children and for teachers and the general public in sympathizing and recognizing the daily struggle of Dyslexia.

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As a mom of two kids with dyslexia (and other learning issues)-and as a person with dyslexia myself-there's a lot I've learned over the years.

I've learned how to advocate for my kids. I now understand how to best work with their teachers. And I sometimes even have answers for those tricky questions about dyslexia that once stumped me. I'm truly no longer a newbie.

Despite what I now know, however, I still sometimes feel misunderstood as a parent. There are times when I don't want to have to explain what dyslexia is or what my kids need. But I still do explain, both to school staff and to other parents.

Here are seven things I wish people understood about what it's like to parent children with dyslexia.

1. My kids have to work twice as hard just to stay afloat in school.

For kids with dyslexia, reading is exhausting, writing is laborious, and spelling is downright torture.

Each of these skills is required in every subject my kids have at school. Homework can take two or three times longer to complete than it does for other kids. Yet they tackle it day in and day out! I wish people understood how hard my kids work every day just to keep up.

2. My kids have strengths that don't show up in school.

Our society has a very particular idea of what success is supposed to look like in the classroom. Kids are often graded by how fast they read, or by how many sight words they can spit out. Sadly, these are the areas where kids with dyslexia, like mine, struggle.

And while they may read slowly, they have other strengths. For example, my daughter has an awesome ability to see something, describe it, and break it down in her mind. But in school, there's often no measure of that skill. She doesn't get the same opportunity as other kids to shine and be recognized for her visual strengths.

3. They feel different from their peers every day.

Just having an IEP can make a child feel different. But it's the day-to-day struggles that really remind my kids how having dyslexia sets them apart.

Can you imagine watching an entire classroom finish an exam and realizing you're only halfway through? Or getting only a third of the way through a reading assignment before a group discussion begins in class? These constant reminders of their reading issues weigh on my kids daily.

4. It's frustrating when teachers have little knowledge about dyslexia.

Every year before school starts, I meet with my kids' teachers. We discuss their special education services and learning issues. Between my two children, I've had this meeting nearly a dozen times.

I'm thankful for the opportunity. But sometimes it's exasperating. There are teachers who have very little knowledge of learning issues like dyslexia. I wish educators had better training about how to teach children with dyslexia. And I wish they better understood how dyslexia affects kids in every aspect of their school day.

5. My biggest job is to be an advocate for my kids.

We all have roles in life. I like to tell people that "my kids are my job." If I seem overly focused on how they're doing and not paying attention to other things, well, that's my life's work.

I take my role as a member of the IEP team seriously. I'm an equal, contributing partner to my kids' educational plan, and I'm there to help make decisions about what's appropriate for them. I'm eager to share what I have learned and observed about my children with school staff. I don't just want them to meet their basic needs. I want to help them strive for their highest potential.

6. It was heartbreaking to watch my kids struggle at such a young age.

As parents, we all want the best for our children. We want to see them be successful. We want them to feel the happiness that comes with achievement.

I know life will eventually bring struggles to my kids, as it does for everyone. But I hadn't expected those life struggles to start in first grade with learning to read. There are days when my heart is sad as I watch my children labor over a life skill like reading that others seem to have mastered with ease.

7. My kids are the bravest people I know.

Even for adults, it's tough to speak up and draw attention to yourself when things are challenging. You have to know yourself very well and know how to put your strengths and needs into words others can understand.

That's tough for anyone. Now imagine how hard it is for kids. Self-advocating takes a lot of courage.

Nothing makes me prouder than hearing my children speak up for their needs. They understand the impact of dyslexia on their schoolwork and assignments. They want to level the playing field for themselves. They know that with their IEPs, that's their right.

They have the courage to change an environment that may work just fine for other kids, but that needs to be tweaked for them. That's real bravery.

Find out how to start a conversation with your child's teacher about dyslexia. Read how six days of dyslexia training made a big impact on a school district. And watch a video on dyslexia and the brain.
Any opinions, views, information and other content contained in blogs on Understood.org are the sole responsibility of the writer of the blog, and do not necessarily reflect the views, values, opinions or beliefs of, and are not endorsed by, Understood.

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7 Things I Wish People Knew About Parenting Kids With Dyslexia

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As a mom of two kids with dyslexia (and other learning issues)-and as a person with dyslexia myself-there's a lot I've learned over the years. I've learned how to advocate for my kids. I now understand how to best work with their teachers.

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Tips for Parents and Families of Children with Dyslexia

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Tips for Parents and Families of Children with Dyslexia

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The International Dyslexia Association published this article with a list of 32 overarching tips to help guide families when dealing with Dyslexia. Tips for Parents and Families of Children with Dyslexia also includes a discussion topic list for parents and  students to use with their teachers. This article includes practical, easily implemented and manageable tips that can lessen the burden of Dyslexia in a simple and practical format, that makes it an easy read.

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If Your Child Has Dyslexia: Tips for Parents

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If Your Child Has Dyslexia: Tips for Parents

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If Your Child Has Dyslexia: Tips for Parents offers more practical advice for helping children  learn and enjoy reading. Authored by WebMD the article offers help and advice for integrating fun into the monotony of reading for Dyslexic students. If Your Child Has Dyslexia: Tips for Parents suggests making up songs, and poems to help distract young readers, and encourages parents to embrace technology and the supports it can offer.

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When you find out your child has dyslexia, you naturally want to do everything you can to help them. But you might feel pulled in a million different directions.

One of the best ways to get started is to find out as much as you can about the learning disability. When you see just how much you can do for your child, it may ease some of your fears and guide you to make more informed choices. Make sure that these sources for learning are trusted, such as those provided by your psychologist.

Next, you'll want to work closely with your child's school to make sure all the right services and resources are in place. There should be a support team helping to create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child. This will provide classroom accommodations and extra support to facilitate learning. You could ask about the qualifications of the teachers to support your child's learning and you may want to research schools designed for dyslexic students. You could research summer or weekend reading programs. The earlier you start, the better it will be for your child.

And then there's the day-to-day stuff -- the many ways you can support not just learning and schoolwork, but also your child's confidence. It's tough to struggle at something that seems to come easily to other kids. This is the tricky line you have to walk. You need to be firm about schoolwork and routine, but make sure to show constant love, support, and patience.

And don't forget that you need to read on your own, too. You'll act as a role model and show that reading can be enjoyable. While your child reads quietly, you can do the same.

Make learning playful. It always helps when learning doesn't feel like work. A few ideas:

Make up songs, poems, and even dances to help remember things.

Play word games.

If your child is younger, use nursery rhymes and play silly rhyming games.

Schoolwork

Work closely with your child's school. You may need to push to get the services your child needs. Make sure to work with the school to set up an IEP that spells out your child's needs and helps you track progress.

Use technology. With tablets, smartphones, and computers, you'll have a lot of helpful tools as your child gets older. Online dictionaries, spell-check, and text-to-speech software can make a big difference in your child's progress, as long as the assignment allows for their use.

Keep schoolwork organized. Staying organized is hard when you have dyslexia. Help your child break big tasks into smaller chunks. Then, work together on a system to keep track of schoolwork. For example, you might use different-colored folders for class notes versus homework, or a giant calendar to keep track of due dates. For older kids, reminders and alarms on smartphones, tablets, and computers can play a role, too.

Emotional Support

As with many parenting challenges, it's helpful to be firm, patient, and positive. You also want to give your child time to do things besides schoolwork. If it's all work, all the time, it'll wear both of you down. Plus, you want your child to see that they're not defined by dyslexia, that they're skilled and smart in many ways.

You can also:

Celebrate successes. Take a day at the end of a project or after a big test to have fun together.

Don't expect perfection. A lot of times, close enough is a huge success.

Help your child understand what dyslexia is. They should know that it's not their fault and you'll work through it together.

Let your kid do activities they're good at and enjoys. This can balance the struggles with schoolwork.

Praise your child's strength and skills. Don't let learning struggles be the main focus

Remind your child that lots of wildly talented people have (or had) dyslexia, from Albert Einstein to Whoopi Goldberg.

Tell them "I love you" often.

Also, remember that you set the tone. Your child's dyslexia may be challenging for you, but your own positive attitude will catch on. You can show that you make mistakes and struggle, but you also push through.

Reading

Each kid is unique and learns in different ways, so use what you know about your child's strengths and weaknesses. There's no perfect recipe, but it usually involves a lot of practice, routine, love, and support. Remember to ask your psychologist about reading programs and strategies to reinforce at home.

Read. A lot. There are all kinds of ways to support your child's reading. Try some of these ideas:

Listen to audio books and have your child read along with them.

Make sure they spend some time reading alone, both quietly and aloud.

Re-read their favorite books. It may be a little boring for you, but it help them learn.

Take turns reading books aloud together.

Talk about the stories you read together and ask questions like, "What do you think happens next?"

Use schoolbooks, but you can also branch out into graphic novels and comic books, too. Reading things your child is interested in or excited about can be motivating.

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If Your Child Has Dyslexia: Tips for Parents

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When you find out your child has dyslexia, you naturally want to do everything you can to help them. But you might feel pulled in a million different directions. One of the best ways to get started is to find out as much as you can about the learning disability.

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Dyslexia and the Brain: What Does Current Research Tell Us?

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Dyslexia and the Brain: What Does Current Research Tell Us?

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Dyslexia and the Brain: What Does Current Research Tell Us focuses on answers to Dyslexia asked by teachers. It attempts to offer insights and demystify some beliefs about Dyslexia. It dedicates an entire section to common misunderstandings about students with reading disabilities. It also connects the brain science with an easy to follow diagram that offers additional understandings for teachers.

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By: Roxanne F. Hudson, Leslie High, and Stephanie Al Otaiba

Developmental dyslexia and how it relates to brain function are complicated topics that researchers have been studying since dyslexia was first described over a hundred years ago.

W. Pringle Morgan (cited in Shaywitz, 1996), a doctor in Sussex, England, described the puzzling case of a boy in the British Medical Journal: "Percy ... aged 14 ... has always been a bright and intelligent boy, quick at games, and in no way inferior to others of his age. His great difficulty has been - and is now - his inability to read" (p. 98).

Almost every teacher in the United States has at least one student who could fit the same description written so many years ago. This situation leads many school personnel to wonder why their articulate, clearly bright student has so many problems with what appears to be a simple task - reading a text that everyone else seems to easily comprehend.

Having information about the likely explanation for and potential cause of the student's difficulties often relieves teachers' fears and uncertainties about how to teach the student and how to think about providing instruction that is relevant and effective. Current research on dyslexia and the brain provide the most up-to-date information available about the problems faced by over 2.8 million school-aged children.

When talking with teachers about their students who struggle with reading, we have encountered similar types of questions from teachers. They often wonder, What is dyslexia? What does brain research tell us about reading problems and what does this information mean for classroom instruction?

The purpose of this article is to explain the answers to these questions and provide foundational knowledge that will lead to a firmer understanding of the underlying characteristics of students with dyslexia. A greater understanding of the current brain research and how it relates to students with dyslexia is important in education and will help teachers understand and evaluate possible instructional interventions to help their students succeed in the classroom.

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is an often-misunderstood, confusing term for reading problems. The word dyslexia is made up of two different parts: dys meaning not or difficult, and lexia meaning words, reading, or language. So quite literally, dyslexia means difficulty with words (Catts & Kamhi, 2005).

Despite the many confusions and misunderstandings, the term dyslexia is commonly used by medical personnel, researchers, and clinicians. One of the most common misunderstandings about this condition is that dyslexia is a problem of letter or word reversals ( b/ d, was/ saw) or of letters, words, or sentences "dancing around" on the page (Rayner, Foorman, Perfetti, Pesetsky, & Seidenberg, 2001).

In fact, writing and reading letters and words backwards are common in the early stages of learning to read and write among average and dyslexic children alike, and the presence of reversals may or may not indicate an underlying reading problem. See Table 1 for explanations of this and other common misunderstandings.

One of the most complete definitions of dyslexia comes from over 20 years of research:

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. (Lyon, Shaywitz, & Shaywitz, 2003, p. 2)

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability in reading that often affects spelling as well. In fact, reading disability is the most widely known and most carefully studied of the learning disabilities, affecting 80% of all those designated as learning disabled. Because of this, we will use the terms dyslexia and reading disabilities (RD) interchangeably in this article to describe the students of interest.

It is neurobiological in origin, meaning that the problem is located physically in the brain. Dyslexia is not caused by poverty, developmental delay, speech or hearing impairments, or learning a second language, although those conditions may put a child more at risk for developing a reading disability (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).

Children with dyslexia will often show two obvious difficulties when asked to read text at their grade level. First, they will not be able to read as many of the words in a text by sight as average readers. There will be many words on which they stumble, guess at, or attempt to "sound out." This is the problem with "fluent word recognition" identified in the previous definition.

Second, they will often show decoding difficulties, meaning that their attempts to identify words they do not know will produce many errors. They will not be very accurate in using letter-sound relationships in combination with context to identify unknown words.

These problems in word recognition are due to an underlying deficit in the sound component of language that makes it very difficult for readers to connect letters and sounds in order to decode. People with dyslexia often have trouble comprehending what they read because of the great difficulty they experience in accessing the printed words.

What areas of the brain relate to language and reading?

The human brain is a complex organ that has many different functions. It controls the body and receives, analyzes, and stores information.

The brain can be divided down the middle lengthwise into a right and a left hemisphere. Most of the areas responsible for speech, language processing, and reading are in the left hemisphere, and for this reason we will focus all of our descriptions and figures on the left side of the brain. Within each hemisphere, we find the following four brain lobes (see Figure 1).

The frontal lobe is the largest and responsible for controlling speech, reasoning, planning, regulating emotions, and consciousness.
In the 19th century, Paul Broca was exploring areas of the brain used for language and noticed a particular part of the brain that was impaired in a man whose speech became limited after a stroke. This area received more and more attention, and today we know that Broca's area, located here in the frontal lobe, is important for the organization, production, and manipulation of language and speech (Joseph, Noble, & Eden, 2001). Areas of the frontal lobe are also important for silent reading proficiency (Shaywitz et al., 2002).

The parietal lobe is located farther back in the brain and controls sensory perceptions as well as linking spoken and written language to memory to give it meaning so we can understand what we hear and read.

The occipital lobe, found at the back of the head, is where the primary visual cortex is located. Among other types of visual perception, the visual cortex is important in the identification of letters.

The temporal lobe is located in the lower part of the brain, parallel with the ears, and is involved in verbal memory.
Wernicke's area, long known to be important in understanding language (Joseph et al., 2001), is located here. This region, identified by Carl Wernicke at about the same time and using the same methods as Broca, is critical in language processing and reading.

In addition, converging evidence suggests that two other systems, which process language within and between lobes, are important for reading (see Figure 2).

The first is the left parietotemporal system (Area A in Figure 2) that appears to be involved in word analysis - the conscious, effortful decoding of words (Shaywitz et al., 2002). This region is critical in the process of mapping letters and written words onto their sound correspondences - letter sounds and spoken words (Heim & Keil, 2004). This area is also important for comprehending written and spoken language (Joseph et al., 2001).

The second system that is important for reading is the left occipitotemporal area (Area B in Figure 2). This system seems to be involved in automatic, rapid access to whole words and is a critical area for skilled, fluent reading (Shaywitz et al., 2002, 2004).

What does brain imaging research tell us about dyslexia?

Structural brain differences

Studies of structural differences in the brains of people of all ages show differences between people with and without reading disabilities.

The brain is chiefly made up of two types of material: gray matter and white matter. Gray matter is what we see when we look at a brain and is mostly composed of nerve cells. Its primary function is processing information.

White matter is found within the deeper parts of the brain, and is composed of connective fibers covered in myelin, the coating designed to facilitate communication between nerves. White matter is primarily responsible for information transfer around the brain.

Booth and Burman (2001) found that people with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left parietotemporal area (Area A in Figure 2) than nondyslexic individuals. Having less gray matter in this region of the brain could lead to problems processing the sound structure of language (phonological awareness).

Many people with dyslexia also have less white matter in this same area than average readers, which is important because more white matter is correlated with increased reading skill (Deutsch, Dougherty, Bammer, Siok, Gabrieli, & Wandell, 2005). Having less white matter could lessen the ability or efficiency of the regions of the brain to communicate with one another.

Other structural analyses of the brains of people with and without RD have found differences in hemispherical asymmetry. Specifically, most brains of right-handed, nondyslexic people are asymmetrical with the left hemisphere being larger than the same area on the right.

In contrast, Heim and Keil (2004) found that right-handed people with dyslexia show a pattern of symmetry (right equals left) or asymmetry in the other direction (right larger than left). The exact cause of these size differences is the subject of ongoing research, but they seem to be implicated in the reading and spelling problems of people with dyslexia.

Functional brain differences

We lack space here for a detailed explanation of imaging techniques. For excellent descriptions of several techniques, readers are directed to Papanicolaou, Pugh, Simos, and Mencl (2004) and Richards (2001).

One commonly used method for imaging brain function is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive, relatively new method that measures physiological signs of neural activation using a strong magnet to pinpoint blood flow. This technique is called "functional" because participants perform tasks while in (or under) the magnet, allowing measurement of the functioning brain rather than the activity of the brain at rest.

Several studies using functional imaging techniques that compared the brain activation patterns of readers with and without dyslexia show potentially important patterns of differences. We might expect that readers with RD would show underactivation in areas where they are weaker and overactivation in other areas in order to compensate, and that is exactly what many researchers have found (e.g., Shaywitz et al., 1998).

This type of functional imaging research has just begun to be used with children. This is in part because of the challenges involved in imaging children, including the absolute need for the participant's head to remain motionless during the scanning.

We will present the largest, best-specified study as an example of these new findings with children. Shaywitz et al. (2002) studied 144 righthanded children with and without RD on a variety of in- and out-of-magnet tasks. They compared brain activation between the two groups of children on tasks designed to tap several component processes of reading:

identifying the names or sounds of letters

sounding out nonsense words

sounding out and comparing meanings of real words

The nonimpaired readers had more activation in all of the areas known to be important for reading than the children with dyslexia.

Shaywitz et al. (2002) also found that the children who were good decoders had more activation in the areas important for reading in the left hemisphere and less in the right hemisphere than the children with RD.

They suggested that for children with RD, disruption in the rear reading systems in the left hemisphere that are critical for skilled, fluent reading (Area B in Figure 2) leads the children to try and compensate by using other, less efficient systems (Area A in Figure 2 and systems in the right hemisphere).

This finding could explain the common experience in school that even as children with dyslexia develop into accurate readers, their reading in grade-level text is often still slow and labored without any fluency (e.g., Torgesen, Rashotte, & Alexander, 2001).

In summary, the brain of a person with dyslexia has a different distribution of metabolic activation than the brain of a person without reading problems when accomplishing the same language task. There is a failure of the left hemisphere rear brain systems to function properly during reading.

Furthermore, many people with dyslexia often show greater activation in the lower frontal areas of the brain. This leads to the conclusion that neural systems in frontal regions may compensate for the disruption in the posterior area (Shaywitz et al., 2003). This information often leads educators to wonder whether brain imaging can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify children with reading disabilities in school.

Can we screen everyone who has reading difficulties?

Not yet. It is an appealing vision of putting a child we are concerned about in an fMRI machine to quickly and accurately identify his or her problem, but research has not taken us that far.

There are several reasons why a clinical or school-based use of imaging techniques to identify children with dyslexia is not currently feasible. One is the enormous cost of fMRI machines, the computers, and the software needed to run them. Another part of the cost is the staff that is needed to run and interpret the results.

Also, in order for this technology to be used for diagnosis, it needs to be accurate for individuals. Currently, results are reliable and reported for groups of participants, but not necessarily for individuals within each group (Richards, 2001; Shaywitz et al., 2002).

The number of children who would be identified as being average when they really have a problem (false negatives) or as having a problem when they are average (false positives) would need to be significantly lower for imaging techniques to be used for diagnosis of individual children.

Can dyslexia be cured?

In a word, no. Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that affects people into old age. However, that does not mean that instruction cannot remediate some of the difficulties people with dyslexia have with written language. A large body of evidence shows what types of instruction struggling readers need to be successful (e.g., National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000; Snow et al., 1998; Torgesen, 2000).

Now researchers can also "look" inside the brains of children before and after an intensive intervention and see for the first time the effects of the intervention on the brain activity of children with RD. The following are two such studies.

Aylward et al. (2003) imaged 10 children with dyslexia and 11 average readers before and after a 28-hour intervention that only the students with dyslexia received. They compared the two groups of students on out-of-magnet reading tests as well as the level of activation during tasks of identifying letter sounds.

They found that while the control children showed no differences between the two imagings, the students who received the treatment showed a significant increase in activation in the areas important for reading and language during the phonological task. Before the intervention, the children with RD showed significant underactivation in these areas as compared to the control children, and after the treatment their profiles were very similar.

These results must be viewed with caution because of several limitations. One limitation is the lack of specificity about the intervention that was provided, another is the small sample size, and the last is the lack of an experimental control group (i.e., a group of children with RD who did not receive the treatment). Without an experimental control group, we cannot be certain that the intervention caused the changes found in the brain activation because of so many other possible explanations.

Shaywitz et al. (2004) addressed these limitations in their investigation of brain activation changes before and after an intervention. They studied 78 second and third graders with reading disabilities who were randomly assigned to three groups:

the experimental intervention

school-based remedial programs

control

A summary of the instructional intervention is provided in Table 2 and a full and detailed description of the intervention and out-of-magnet reading assessments can be found in Blachman et al. (2004).

Before the intervention, all groups looked similar in their brain activity, but immediately after the intervention the experimental and control groups had increased activation in the left hemispheric regions important for reading.

One year after intervention, the experimental group showed increased activity in the occipito-temporal region important for automatic, fluent reading (Area B in Figure 2), while at both time points the level of compensatory activation in the right hemisphere decreased.

Shaywitz et al. (2002) concluded, "These findings indicate that ... the use of an evidence-based phonologic reading intervention facilitates the development of those fast-paced neural systems that underlie skilled reading" (p. 931).

Important considerations to keep in mind about the brain research

While research advances have allowed us to look more closely within the brain for the first time and revealed important information about how and where we think during reading, there are important considerations that must be remembered.

One is that with the exception of the research by B.E. Shaywitz, S. Shaywitz, and their colleagues, the sample sizes in each study are very small. The evidence from these small studies is converging into results that are reliable, but the results may change as more and more participants are included in the research base. This is especially true with children where both the number of studies and the sample sizes are quite small.

Second, we must consider the type of task being used in the magnet. Because of the requirement that the person's head not move during the imaging, researchers are not able to study people actually reading aloud. Instead, they give tasks that require the person to read silently and then make a decision that he or she indicates with a push button (e.g., Do the letters t and v rhyme? Do leat and jete rhyme?).

Because the researchers have worked carefully on these tasks and have specified the particular process that is being measured, we can trust their conclusions about what the activation levels mean; however, the tasks are quite removed from natural classroom reading and should not be interpreted as if they were the same. The area of brain research is developing rapidly; technological advances are being made that will address these issues as time goes on.

Recommendations for teachers

What does all of this information mean for school personnel and their students? Once teachers understand the underlying processes and causes of reading disabilities, they can use this information as they work with students and their families. The following are specific recommendations based on the neurological research:

Adequate assessment of language processing is important in determining why students struggle to learn to read.
Dyslexia, or reading disability, is a disorder of the language processing systems in the brain. Specific information about exactly what sorts of weaknesses are present is needed in order to determine the appropriate instruction to meet each student's needs.

Imaging research confirms that simple tasks can more reliably be interpreted as "red flags" suggesting that a young child may be at risk for dyslexia.
It is vital to begin using screening and progress monitoring procedures early on to measure children's understanding of sounds in speech, letter sounds in words, and fluent word recognition. Using such assessment in an ongoing way throughout a child's school career can help teachers know what skills to teach and whether a child is developing these skills.

Explicit, intense, systematic instruction in the sound structure of language (phonemic awareness) and in how sounds relate to letters (phonics) is needed for readers with dyslexia.
Imaging research confirmed that instruction in the alphabetic principle caused distinct differences in brain activation patterns in the students with RD (Shaywitz et al., 2004). Keep in mind that the intervention was explicit, intense, long term, and specifically focused on phonological processing, phonics, and fluency.

The roles of motivation and fear of failing are important when discussing reading problems.
Students do not struggle simply because they are not trying hard enough. They may have a brain difference that requires them to be taught in a more intense fashion than their peers. Without intense intervention, low motivation may develop as students try to avoid a difficult and painful task.

School personnel can use their knowledge of the neurological characteristics and basis of dyslexia to help their students understand their strengths and weaknesses around reading and language.
Understanding a possible reason why they find something difficult that no one else seems to struggle with may help relieve some of the mystery and negative feelings that many people with a disability feel. Sharing our knowledge of brain research may demystify dyslexia and help students and their parents realize that language processing is only one of many talents that they have and that they are not "stupid," they simply process language differently than their peers.

Recommendations for parents

The identification of a child with dyslexia is a difficult time for parents and teachers. We suggest that teachers can help parents learn more about their child's difficulty in the following ways:

Teachers can share information about the student's specific areas of weakness and strength and help parents realize the underlying causes of their child's difficulty.
This conversation can also include information about how to help their child use areas of strength to support areas of weakness.

It is critical to help parents get clear about what dyslexia is and is not.
Sharing the common misconceptions and the correct information found in Table 1 with parents may help clear up any confusion that may exist.

Early intervention with intense, explicit instruction is critical for helping students avoid the lifelong consequences of poor reading.
Engaging parents early in the process of identifying what programs and services are best for their child will ensure greater levels of success and cooperation between home and school.

There are many organizations devoted to supporting individuals with RD and their families.
Accessing the knowledge, support, and advocacy of these organizations is critical for many families. A list of several large organizations to share with parents can be found in Table 3.

Finally, teachers can often best help families by simply listening to the parents and their concerns for their children.
Understanding a disability label and what that means for the future of their child is a very emotional process for parents and many times teachers can help by providing a sympathetic ear as well as information.

Imaging research has demonstrated that the brains of people with dyslexia show different, less efficient, patterns of processing (including under and over activation) during tasks involving sounds in speech and letter sounds in words. Understanding this has the potential to increase the confidence teachers feel when designing and carrying out instruction for their students with dyslexia.
References
References

Click the "References" link above to hide these references.

Adams, M.J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

American Optometric Association. (2004). The use of tinted lenses and colored overlays for the treatment of dyslexia and other related reading and learning disorders. St. Louis, MO: Author. Retrieved on June 12, 2005, from www.aoa.org/documents/TintedLenses.pdf

Aylward, E.H., Richards, T.L., Berninger, V.W., Nagy, W.E., Field, K.M., Grimme, A.C., et al. (2003). Instructional treatment associated with changes in brain activation in children with dyslexia. Neurology, 61, 212-219.

Blachman, B.A., Schatschneider, C., Fletcher, J.M., Francis, D.J., Clonan, S.M., Shaywitz, et al. (2004). Effects of intensive reading remediation for second and third graders and a 1-year follow-up. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 444-461.

Booth, J.R., & Burman, D.D. (2001). Development and disorders of neurocognitive systems for oral language and reading. Learning Disability Quarterly, 24, 205-215.

Catts, H.W., & Kamhi, A.G. (2005). Language and reading disabilities (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Deutsch, G.K., Dougherty, R.F., Bammer, R., Siok, W.T., Gabrieli, J.D., & Wandell, B. (2005). Children's reading performance is correlated with white matter structure measured by diffusion tensor imaging. Cortex, 41, 354-363.

Francis, D.J., Shaywitz, S.E., Stuebing, K.K., Shaywitz, B.A., & Fletcher, J.M. (1996). Developmental lag versus deficit models of reading disability: A longitudinal, individual growth curves analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 3-17.

Heim, S., & Keil, A. (2004). Large-scale neural correlates of developmental dyslexia. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 13, 125-140.

Iovino, I., Fletcher, J.M., Breitmeyer, B.G., & Foorman, B.R. (1998). Colored overlays for visual perceptual deficits in children with reading disability and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Are they differentially effective? Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology, 20, 791-806.

Joseph, J., Noble, K., & Eden, G. (2001). The neurobiological basis of reading. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34, 566-579.

Lyon, G.R., Shaywitz, S.E., & Shaywitz, B.A. (2003). Defining dyslexia, comorbidity, teachers' knowledge of language and reading. Annals of Dyslexia, 53, 1-14.

Morris, R.D., Stuebing, K.K., Fletcher, J.M., Shaywitz, S.E., Shankweiler, D.P., Katz, L., et al. (1998). Subtypes of reading disability: Variability around a phonological core. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 347-373.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00- 4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Papanicolaou, A.C., Pugh, K.R., Simos, P.G., & Mencl, W.E. (2004) Functional brain imaging: An introduction to concepts and applications. In P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds.), The voice of evidence in reading research. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks.

Rayner, K., Foorman, B.R., Perfetti, C.A., Pesetsky, D., & Seidenberg, M.S. (2001). How psychological science in-forms the teaching of reading. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2(2), 31-74.

Richards, T.L. (2001). Functional magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic imaging of the brain: Application of the fMRI and fMRS to reading disabilities and education. Learning Disability Quarterly, 24, 189-203.

Shaywitz, B.A., Shaywitz, S.E., Pugh, K.R., Mencl, W.E., Fulbright, R.K., Skudlarksi, P., et al. (2002). Disruption of posterior brain systems for reading in children with developmental dyslexia. Biological Psychiatry, 52, 101-110.

Shaywitz, S.E. (1996). Dyslexia. Scientific American, 275(5), 98-104.

Shaywitz, S.E., Fletcher, J.M., Holahan, J.M., Shneider, A.E., Marchione, K.E., Stuebing, K.K., et al. (1999). Persistence of dyslexia: The Connecticut Longitudinal Study at adolescence. Pediatrics, 104, 1351-1359.

Shaywitz, B.A., Shaywitz, S.E., Blachman, B.A., Pugh, K.R., Fulbright, R.K., Skudlarski, P., et al. (2004). Development of left occipitotemporal systems for skilled reading in children after a phonologically-based intervention. Biological Psychiatry, 55, 926-933.

Shaywitz, S.E., Shaywitz, B.A., Fletcher, J.M., & Escobar, M.D. (1990). Prevalence of reading disability in boys and girls: Results of the Connecticut Longitudinal Study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 264, 998-1002.

Shaywitz, S.E., Shaywitz, B.A., Fulbright, R.K., Skudlarski, P., Mencl, W.E., Constable, R.T., et al. (2003). Neural systems for compensation and persistence: Young adult outcome of childhood reading disability. Biological Psychiatry, 54, 25-33.

Shaywitz, S.E., Shaywitz, B.A., Pugh, K.R., Fulbright, R.K., Constable, R.T., Mencl, W.E., et al. (1998). Functional disruption in the organization of the brain for reading in dyslexia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 95, 2636-2641.

Snow, C.E., Burns, M.S., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Torgesen, J.K. (2000). Individual differences in response to early interventions in reading: The lingering problem of treatment resisters. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 15, 55-64.

Torgesen, J.K. (2002). The prevention of reading difficulties. Journal of School Psychology, 40, 7-26.

Torgesen, J.K., Rashotte, C.A., & Alexander, A. (2001). Principles of fluency instruction in reading: Relationships with established empirical outcomes. In M. Wolf (Ed.), Dyslexia, fluency, and the brain. Timonium, MD: York.

Wagner, R.K., & Torgesen, J.K. (1987). The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 192-212.

Ziegler, J.C., & Goswami, U. (2005). Reading acquisition, developmental dyslexia, and skilled reading across languages: A psycholinguistic grain size theory. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 3-29.

References

Adams, M.J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

American Optometric Association. (2004). The use of tinted lenses and colored overlays for the treatment of dyslexia and other related reading and learning disorders. St. Louis, MO: Author. Retrieved on June 12, 2005, from www.aoa.org/documents/TintedLenses.pdf

Aylward, E.H., Richards, T.L., Berninger, V.W., Nagy, W.E., Field, K.M., Grimme, A.C., et al. (2003). Instructional treatment associated with changes in brain activation in children with dyslexia. Neurology, 61, 212-219.

Blachman, B.A., Schatschneider, C., Fletcher, J.M., Francis, D.J., Clonan, S.M., Shaywitz, et al. (2004). Effects of intensive reading remediation for second and third graders and a 1-year follow-up. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 444-461.

Booth, J.R., & Burman, D.D. (2001). Development and disorders of neurocognitive systems for oral language and reading. Learning Disability Quarterly, 24, 205-215.

Catts, H.W., & Kamhi, A.G. (2005). Language and reading disabilities (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Deutsch, G.K., Dougherty, R.F., Bammer, R., Siok, W.T., Gabrieli, J.D., & Wandell, B. (2005). Children's reading performance is correlated with white matter structure measured by diffusion tensor imaging. Cortex, 41, 354-363.

Francis, D.J., Shaywitz, S.E., Stuebing, K.K., Shaywitz, B.A., & Fletcher, J.M. (1996). Developmental lag versus deficit models of reading disability: A longitudinal, individual growth curves analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 3-17.

Heim, S., & Keil, A. (2004). Large-scale neural correlates of developmental dyslexia. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 13, 125-140.

Iovino, I., Fletcher, J.M., Breitmeyer, B.G., & Foorman, B.R. (1998). Colored overlays for visual perceptual deficits in children with reading disability and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Are they differentially effective? Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology, 20, 791-806.

Joseph, J., Noble, K., & Eden, G. (2001). The neurobiological basis of reading. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34, 566-579.

Lyon, G.R., Shaywitz, S.E., & Shaywitz, B.A. (2003). Defining dyslexia, comorbidity, teachers' knowledge of language and reading. Annals of Dyslexia, 53, 1-14.

Morris, R.D., Stuebing, K.K., Fletcher, J.M., Shaywitz, S.E., Shankweiler, D.P., Katz, L., et al. (1998). Subtypes of reading disability: Variability around a phonological core. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 347-373.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00- 4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Papanicolaou, A.C., Pugh, K.R., Simos, P.G., & Mencl, W.E. (2004) Functional brain imaging: An introduction to concepts and applications. In P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds.), The voice of evidence in reading research. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks.

Rayner, K., Foorman, B.R., Perfetti, C.A., Pesetsky, D., & Seidenberg, M.S. (2001). How psychological science in-forms the teaching of reading. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2(2), 31-74.

Richards, T.L. (2001). Functional magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic imaging of the brain: Application of the fMRI and fMRS to reading disabilities and education. Learning Disability Quarterly, 24, 189-203.

Shaywitz, B.A., Shaywitz, S.E., Pugh, K.R., Mencl, W.E., Fulbright, R.K., Skudlarksi, P., et al. (2002). Disruption of posterior brain systems for reading in children with developmental dyslexia. Biological Psychiatry, 52, 101-110.

Shaywitz, S.E. (1996). Dyslexia. Scientific American, 275(5), 98-104.

Shaywitz, S.E., Fletcher, J.M., Holahan, J.M., Shneider, A.E., Marchione, K.E., Stuebing, K.K., et al. (1999). Persistence of dyslexia: The Connecticut Longitudinal Study at adolescence. Pediatrics, 104, 1351-1359.

Shaywitz, B.A., Shaywitz, S.E., Blachman, B.A., Pugh, K.R., Fulbright, R.K., Skudlarski, P., et al. (2004). Development of left occipitotemporal systems for skilled reading in children after a phonologically-based intervention. Biological Psychiatry, 55, 926-933.

Shaywitz, S.E., Shaywitz, B.A., Fletcher, J.M., & Escobar, M.D. (1990). Prevalence of reading disability in boys and girls: Results of the Connecticut Longitudinal Study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 264, 998-1002.

Shaywitz, S.E., Shaywitz, B.A., Fulbright, R.K., Skudlarski, P., Mencl, W.E., Constable, R.T., et al. (2003). Neural systems for compensation and persistence: Young adult outcome of childhood reading disability. Biological Psychiatry, 54, 25-33.

Shaywitz, S.E., Shaywitz, B.A., Pugh, K.R., Fulbright, R.K., Constable, R.T., Mencl, W.E., et al. (1998). Functional disruption in the organization of the brain for reading in dyslexia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 95, 2636-2641.

Snow, C.E., Burns, M.S., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Torgesen, J.K. (2000). Individual differences in response to early interventions in reading: The lingering problem of treatment resisters. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 15, 55-64.

Torgesen, J.K. (2002). The prevention of reading difficulties. Journal of School Psychology, 40, 7-26.

Torgesen, J.K., Rashotte, C.A., & Alexander, A. (2001). Principles of fluency instruction in reading: Relationships with established empirical outcomes. In M. Wolf (Ed.), Dyslexia, fluency, and the brain. Timonium, MD: York.

Wagner, R.K., & Torgesen, J.K. (1987). The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 192-212.

Ziegler, J.C., & Goswami, U. (2005). Reading acquisition, developmental dyslexia, and skilled reading across languages: A psycholinguistic grain size theory. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 3-29.

Endnotes

Click the "Endnotes" link above to hide these endnotes.

Note: The authors thank the many teachers whose valuable comments on previous versions of this manuscript have greatly improved its quality. In particular, we appreciate the helpful comments of Sondra Stauffer, Jason Maas, Jenny Levy, Jennifer Beach, and Carol Connor and students in the Language and Literacy Assessment course at Florida State University.

Hudson teaches at the University of Washington (Box 353600, Seattle, WA 98195, USA). E-mail rhudson@u.washington.edu. High teaches in the Taylor County School District, Perry, Florida. Al Otaiba teaches at the Florida Center for Reading Research and Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Endnotes

Note: The authors thank the many teachers whose valuable comments on previous versions of this manuscript have greatly improved its quality. In particular, we appreciate the helpful comments of Sondra Stauffer, Jason Maas, Jenny Levy, Jennifer Beach, and Carol Connor and students in the Language and Literacy Assessment course at Florida State University.

Hudson teaches at the University of Washington (Box 353600, Seattle, WA 98195, USA). E-mail rhudson@u.washington.edu. High teaches in the Taylor County School District, Perry, Florida. Al Otaiba teaches at the Florida Center for Reading Research and Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Hudson, R.F., High, L. Al Otaiba, S. Dyslexia and the brain: What does current research tell us? The Reading Teacher, 60(6), 506-515.

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Dyslexia and the Brain: What Does Current Research Tell Us?

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By: Roxanne F. Hudson, Leslie High, and Stephanie Al Otaiba Developmental dyslexia and how it relates to brain function are complicated topics that researchers have been studying since dyslexia was first described over a hundred years ago. W.

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The mission of Dyslexia Advocacy Action is to "protect  every child's right to learn how to read."  They offer parent workshops and information on the science of reading and advocating for students and individuals with Dyslexia. This is a great resource to help navigate the public education system and getting what your child qualifies for. in the school environment. It offers transparent and sound advice.

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Dyslexia Advocacy Group (formerly: Dyslexia on Long Island, NY)

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Contact us to bring a presentation to your school district administrators. Presentation includes: What is dyslexia and how it affects students, symptoms and the emotional impact of illiteracy. ​ The cost of failure to teach reading. We aim to assist in th

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With a mission statement of 'Turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones for those With reading issues" this group is based in San Antonio and has a section dedicated to parent advocacy and, student rights.  This organization also offers workshops, training and tutoring. This is a great local resource for parents, teachers and support personnel.

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HOW AND WHERE TO BEGIN: Emphasize to your child that his or her reading problem has nothing to do with intelligence. Share the stories of dyslexics who are successful business leaders, artists, scientists, and entertainers.

For beginning readers, pick what are called "decodable, leveled books" for your beginning reader and you to read together. These books are called "leveled readers" because they start with basic patterns of reading and build level by level. A great site to visit to learn the basic beginning patterns- www.starfall.com

Try Reading A to Z as well for some great resources. ﻿

or try Spelling and Vocabulary City in your search box.

Learn to give multi-sensory support . Multi-sensory learning involves seeing-saying-touching- hearing- doing, one sound or rule at a time, slowly and repetitively. For example:

1) Bake letter cookies that your child can roll out and hand form as letters you both pronounce and use in edible word games: blend letters into words and segment them sound by sound or change them into other words. Color vowels pink or red with food color and leave consonants beige/tan.

2) Trace a letter as you say the sound and a memory trick: b-b-b- b... letter "b" has a belly in the front.... p-p-p letter "p" is on top of a pole.

Use motions- say "sh-sh-shimmy" and "sh-sh shake" as you both trace the letters "sh" in the air and do the shimmy shake dance

3) Provide preview activities- preview a paragraph for those "stumble" words first before you read. Have the child show you any new or difficult words on the page before you both read, and tell him or her how to say them. Then practice saying the word aloud and having the reader find it on the page, etc. before reading.

Study letter patterns and the word families they form: for example, the "oi" (vowel pair syllable) is found in the beginning or middle of words, but the "oy" (same sound) is found at the end.

Skywrite, say, and trace word families for these. Color code the "oi" differently than the rest of the word. Make a flip book of "oy" words ( the beginning letters flip and change.

Learn common suffixes and how to pronounce them: tion, cian /ous, cous, icious/ less, ness and others

Say and trace spelling words in a sandbox or in shaving cream. Say sounds as you spell or use magnetic letters. Break words into syllables before you spell them.

4) Practice- A simple chart called a "rapid recognition chart " can help your child build automatic recognition of letters sounds and word families, from the simple to the complex.

5) Readers also need to learn syllable rules for how to pronounce longer words and how to understand where to break up multi-syllable words.

6) Did you know that "backwards decoding" is a great way to teach your child to break words into smaller parts? Have the child look at the last letters of the word, then the middle and the first. Also ask him or her to break off a prefix or suffix, then think of similar letter patterns in words already familiar to him or her.

D.A.S.A. will be happy to help you find and use reading resources- Non-profits such as Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic ( now called Learning Ally) can help you by providing books on tape; some volunteer agencies or school clubs may also be willing to record books and resources for you. Many educational publishers have online and audio versions of their texts. Finally, most colleges have a student support services division that can work with a dyslexic student.
__________________________
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

DASA workshops and consultations are filled with simple-but-effective ideas ( in more detail)

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become your child's advcocate ...  start by knowing your rights and the legal parameters of 504 and dyslexia. you may want to start  by visiting  the region 10 dyslexia site

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or  the texas education agency website at    www.tea.state.tx.us  and   in the search box type:  dyslexia handbook once you understand the law you can work with your school in creating your student's  education plan- any school receiving federal funds is required to have an individual accommodations plan for students with documented reading disorders.  even private schools may want to help but not be sure how to start. become familiar with the section 504 laws and guidelines and be an active part informing others. some junior colleges in san antonio

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have oral test versions recorded and available in a computer lab for test time.   sat exams and dyslexia-   if you have documentation of your teen's dyslexia

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you can apply  for extended time or other appropriate accommodations  by working with  his or her school or  by applying for those accommodations  to college board yourself.  college life-students with documented dyslexia can apply for college accommodations as well.

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It It is frustrating, to be sure, to watch your child struggle with reading, but there are some simple things you can do to help, whether he or she is in elementary, middle or high school, or even in college.D.A.S.A can schedule a consultation for you to s

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The advocacy group "provides support, information, and education for families of children of all ages who have disabilities or chronic illness." This group specializes in connecting parents to one another in helping overcome their child's  disabilities.  Having a students with Dyslexia or any other disability learning or otherwise is challenging and support groups can make it a little easier in letting parents and families know they are not alone.

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We have made the decision to no longer provide a web based resource directory - it was difficult to keep up to date and most people do their own Google searches these days. However, there are some resource directories that we would like to suggest for your use:

Navigate Life Texas - This website was created by parents for parents, and Texas Parent to Parent oversees all the resources and edits all the pages that are on this website. You'll find a lot of great information on diagnosis, insurance, Medicaid Waivers, family support, education and transition on this site. Try out the Search box to find whatever you need. There is a search page (Find Services, Groups and Events) for you to find services, groups and events. These resources are reviewed every 6 months and edited as needed. Most of the groups are parent groups of various kinds and the services are mostly nonprofits with no fees or who have a sliding fee scale. There are no therapy groups or doctors on this list. There are also a lot of great articles by parents and videos in both English & Spanish on this site.

Parent Companion - This website is a guide for Texas parents and caregivers of children with diagnosed or suspected disabilities from birth through 5 years of age. Again, it was created by parents for parents of young children and Texas Parent to Parent was one of the partners on the project. Check out this diagram of " Finding Help in Texas - a guide to the agencies, programs and services included in the Parent Companion Website."

Texas Project FIRST - A project of the Texas Education Agency committed to providing accurate and consistent information on Special Education to parents and families of students with disabilities, created by parents, for parents. You start with the age of your child and go into a directory especially created for that age group, but you can always look ahead to be prepared for what's coming.

SPEDTex - The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) works collaboratively with stakeholders to provide resources and facilitate collaboration that supports the development and delivery of services to children with disabilities in our State. If you have questions on special education, you should be able to find the answers on this website.

211 Texas - 2-1-1 Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, is committed to helping Texas citizens connect with the services they need. Whether by phone or internet, our goal is to present accurate, well-organized and easy-to-find information from state and local health and human services programs. 2-1-1 Texas is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. No matter where you live in Texas, you can dial 2-1-1, or (877) 541-7905, and find information about resources in your local community. Whether you need help finding food or housing, child care, crisis counseling or substance abuse treatment, one number is all you need to know.

See our newsletters starting from 2002 to current.

TxP2P maintains a library of information to assist parents on their journey with a child with a special health care need. Current topics include information about parents' experiences, self-care, transition to adulthood, ECI, advocacy, special education, Medicaid waivers, and much more. See our list.

Resources by Geographic Area:

State & National Resource List (PDF)
Amarillo and Vicinity (PDF)
Austin and Vicinity (PDF)
Corpus Christi and Vicinity (PDF)
Dallas/Ft. Worth and Vicinity (PDF)
El Paso and Vicinity (PDF)
Houston and Vicinity (PDF)
NICU State & National Resources (PDF)
Rio Grande Valley and Vicinity (PDF)
San Antonio and Vicinity (PDF)
Tyler & Vicinity (PDF)
Waco, Temple & Vicinity (PDF)

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Resources for Families of Children with Disabilities & Professionals | Texas Parent to Parent

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We have made the decision to no longer provide a web based resource directory - it was difficult to keep up to date and most people do their own Google searches these days.

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This page offers advice for parents on the three kinds of Dyslexia support groups and networks they need to plug in including local, and online and tips for beginning their search. It also offers practical advice for how to support your child at home. Don't let the title fool you, its a great resources for teachers, parents and students.

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One of the things that helped me along the path of teaching, understanding, and nurturing my kids with dyslexia was finding a dyslexia support group. Have you ever felt alone or like no one else understood what you were experiencing? I know I have and it is a terribly lonely place to be.
If you prefer to listen to this post, click the player below.
Why You Need Support on Your Dyslexia Journey

Growing up, I never even knew that there was such a thing as dyslexia. I never struggled much in school and wasn't aware that about 20% of my classmates had trouble with reading, writing, and spelling despite being fun-loving and perfectly intelligent.

So when our first born (and 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th) struggled to learn to read I was at a complete loss as to what to do or how to help them. In fact, without realizing it, I believed most of the myths about dyslexia.

I'll never forget the day I met two other moms with kids my son's age whose families were also dealing with dyslexia. We learned so much from each other - things like how our kids were awesome despite their reading issues, what curricula were working and which weren't, and how to find a tester and tutor in our area.
Most importantly, I didn't feel alone anymore.
These ladies became trusted friends that I could call on when things got tough or if I had a question or concern. Let's look at how you can find the support of like-minded families on the same journey as you.

Types of Dyslexia Support Groups

There are essentially 3 kinds of support groups that I have been involved with:

Local Dyslexia Support Groups

Local dyslexia support groups: You can find local support groups on your local International Dyslexia Association website (not the main IDA website). You can find the local branch of the IDA closest to you here. These groups meet either monthly or quarterly and choose topics of interest to their attendees. The downside of these groups is that most, if not all, attendees are not homeschoolers and you may have to travel some distance to find a group near you.

Start Your Own Dyslexia Support Group

Start your own dyslexia support group. Our homeschool group has a meeting once a month with speakers and activities for families with kids with all kinds of learning challenges. I like this option because the members are truly local and can be a wealth of information on local services, tutors, and programs that work. These are the moms that you can call on the phone and meet for coffee or at the park when you need an ear.

Online Dyslexia Support Groups

Online support groups: Online support groups are a terrific way to get connected with other families with kids with dyslexia. They are missing the local aspect of the first two groups, but the benefit of these groups is that you have the experience of wide range of members with a variety of experiences. You can ask the most random of questions and someone will be able to relate. There are a few groups that I frequent.

Best Online Dyslexia Support Groups

Homeschooling With Dyslexia Facebook Page: This is my page so I am a bit biased. 😉 Everyday, this page shares articles on dyslexia research, teaching methods, inspiration and posts from the HomeschoolingWithDyslexia.com website. Reader questions are posted once or twice a day for feedback from the community. There are nearly 40,000 families connected here!

Homeschooling With Dyslexia Facebook Group: Oh Facebook! When I first started this website, Facebook Pages were the thing. But Pages don't allow the awesome level of communication that Groups allow. So, join the Homeschooling With Dyslexia Facebook Page for articles of interest but join our HWD Facebook group for better interaction.

Homeschooling Dyslexic Kids Facebook Page: This is a very responsive and active community. Readers' questions post directly to the wall and members are quick to respond. This is a very supportive and knowledgeable group.

Dyslexia Support for Parents of Dyslexic Kids Facebook Page: A large group with lots of activity and interactions. Not specifically for homeschooling, but full of lots of great information.

Not the Former Things Facebook Page: A super encouraging page with an emphasis on dyslexia, autism, sensory processing issues, chronic illness, complicated diagnoses, and the daily struggles and joys of homeschooling outside the box kids.

Beyond the Box Learning Community

Over the years, I have experimented with different ways to connect with more of you on a one-to-one basis. I started the HWD website to share what I have learned along my 20+ years of homeschooling. I have tried 1-on-1 consulting, group coaching, and group classes. They were all good but expensive.

Now I have combined my hearts desire to connect and educate you all without the cost. Welcome, Beyond the Box Learning membership. Each month, members receive one master class taught by an expert in the area of learning differences, one succes story taught by an individual with some kind of learning difference, and a live Q & A with me where you can ask anything at all that is on your mind.

A 1-hour consult costs $70 and a 1-month membership to Beyind the Box costs $15. For now. If you join now, you can be grandfathered in to our founding members price. As more content is added, the price will increase. Learn more and sign up here.

Please don't feel tha you need to travel this path alone. There ways to connect and find encouragement.

Where have you found support on your dyslexia journey? Please share in the comments below.

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3 Kinds of Dyslexia Support Groups and Why You Need Them | Homeschooling with Dyslexia

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One of the things that helped me along the path of teaching, understanding, and nurturing my kids with dyslexia was finding a dyslexia support group. Have you ever felt alone or like no one else understood what you were experiencing? I know I have and it is a terribly lonely place to be.

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This site offers a variety of free and paid resources for helping serve students, parents, families, and teachers. It has a comprehensive list of reputable sites to visit in assisting with finding resources. f you are looking for additional information including websites, and groups this is a valuable resources.

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The International Dyslexia Association: The mission of IDA is to create a future for all individuals who struggle with dyslexia and other related reading differences so that they may have richer, more robust lives and access to the tools and resources they need.

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Learning Disabilities Association of America

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Learning Disabilities Association of America

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Learning Disabilities Association of America serves parents, educators, adults and professionals by creating a safe, informative and reputable site  in every aspect  in advocating for individuals with disabilities, including Dyslexia.

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Learning Disabilities Association of America

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Question:

What is the best type of classroom for a student who is dyslexic? What tutoring programs work best with children who are dyslexic?

Answer:

Students with dyslexia should be placed in a classroom that is structured for multisensory, small group instruction. Most classrooms engage students through sight and/or sound. Information is presented in written and/or spoken form. Students in turn are asked to practice and share what they have learned using these two senses. Quite often students with learning difficulties are slow to process information using one sense. A multisensory instructional approach allows students to process information using a variety of senses: visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic; often times simultaneously. This will help the child's brain to develop memories to hang on to as the student learns and applies concepts. Dyslexic students need repetition and differentiation. Therefore, off-grade level instructional and practice materials should be available. Opportunities to practice what has been taught should be plentiful. Students should be given many opportunities to engage in word work, writing, reading, and listening to reading.

Dyslexic students should also be tutored using a multisensory language approach. In a classroom, students participate in a variety of instructional settings; whole group, small group based on ability, small group based on academic strength or weakness. The tutoring situation should be done one on one or in a small group setting of a maximum of 2-4 other students. Tutoring for dyslexic students often continues as long as 2-3 years. Foundational reading areas should be the focus of instruction: phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary with a focus on word parts. Repeated practice is necessary for mastery. It doesn't matter which program is used as long as the facilitator is certified to teach using that program.

Nancy F. English, M.Ed.

Nancy is an Instructional Coach for the Vestavia Hills City School System (Alabama). She is a National Board Certified Teacher and has a special certificate to teach students with dyslexia and students struggling with reading difficulties.

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What are the best classroom and tutoring environments for a child with dyslexia?

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Question:What is the best type of classroom for a student who is dyslexic? What tutoring programs work best with children who are dyslexic?Answer:Students with dyslexia should be placed in a classroom that is structured for multisensory, small group instruction. Most classrooms engage students through sight and/or sound.

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Reading Rockets is a valueable resource and educational tool. It provides helpful activities to strengthen readers skills, teacher information on instructional practices, and background information for parents. This website gives hands on practice, offers practical tips, and provides the latest updates on the best practices of reading instruction.  It can also offer helpful ideas for books of interest to parents or students.

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Region 20 works with teachers and school districts to provide professional development services on a variety of topics including servicing students with Dyslexia, and other special populations. Region 20 also offers training on reading instruction, assessment and screening. Learning series are offered for districts, teachers and parents. Check back often they offer both free and for pay learning opportunities.

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Education Service Center, Region 20 is one of 20 regional education service agencies, within Texas, which assist school districts in improving student performance and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of school operations. We are a non-regulatory agency; our relationship with school districts is collaborative and supportive. Our clients are our partners.

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Reading Horizons is a Reading Curriculum and Intervention program that focuses on the five pillars of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency, vocabulary,  and comprehension. This can be purchased at the district or parent level for intervention help at home or in school.

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Dyslexia interventions are the key to ensuring that effective reading approaches are provided to meet the needs of this population.

What the research says about reading instruction

For several decades, studies have been conducted and analyzed to determine the most effective methods of improving reading outcomes. The most exhaustive meta-analysis of this research was conducted by the National Reading Panel (NRP), a group of reading experts established by Congress in 1997 to assess the effectiveness of reading approaches.

The National Reading Panel reviewed over 100,000 studies and published their findings in 2000. The report of the NRP established five essential elements of effective reading instruction, which have come to be known as the "five pillars". These five components are:

These National Reading Panel recommendations are considered to be the basic components of reading instruction for all children in all classrooms. We now know, however, that reading instruction alone may not be enough for learners with dyslexia. It is important then to determine what additional support, or interventions, are necessary.

Effective Dyslexia Interventions

New research on dyslexia shows that the most effective dyslexia interventions are based on an approach that dates back to the 1920s. This approach, Orton-Gillingham, is named after a neuropsychiatrist and an educator who together created a process for systematic reading intervention. The Orton-Gillingham model incorporates the following components:

Personalized to meet the needs of individual students and to move at the student's pace. Intervention is most often done one-on-one or in small groups, but can be adapted for a classroom.

Multisensory and interactive to engage various parts of the brain. The approach encourages visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning.

Explicit direct instruction of phonics to create solid connections for sound/symbol relationships and the alphabetic principle.

Sequential and structured instruction that begins with simple concepts and moves to more complex. The order in which students are introduced to the patterns of English are based on logical steps that build on one another.

Continuous feedback and positive reinforcement that supports mastery of skills before moving on.

The Orton-Gillingham approach has proven to be the most successful type of intervention for children and adults with dyslexia and most effective reading intervention programs are based on this method of instruction.

Intervention for learners with severe dyslexia will often require consistent and targeted instruction for longer periods of time in order to strengthen neural pathways. ❞

Factors to be considered when implementing dyslexia interventions include the age of the person and the severity of the dyslexia. Young children may require extensive support for phonological processing but may not yet be ready for phonics, whereas adults who have had extensive experience with print may need more intense intervention with understanding the structure and patterns of English. Intervention for learners with severe dyslexia will often require consistent and targeted instruction for longer periods of time in order to strengthen neural pathways.

This is also true for those who are learning English. Determining a learner's previous access to education generally, and reading and writing specifically, is a consideration when implementing reading interventions. It may be very difficult to identify someone with dyslexia if they are not fluent readers in their own language or if valid assessments are not available.

Systematic, research-based instruction at the foundational level is critical for supporting ELL students and can also provide important information about potential reading disorders. Learners who have received solid instruction and are unable to make progress should receive the same types of interventions that would be provided to those with dyslexia.

Dyslexia interventions can and should be designed and modified to match the abilities of the learner. ❞

Additional factors to consider are coexisting conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder, dysgraphia, speech and hearing issues, or cognitive impairments. Dyslexia interventions can and should be designed and modified to match the abilities of the learner.

One final factor in determining appropriate dyslexia interventions should be whether there has been previous access to intervention. If a learner with dyslexia has received intervention in the past, it is important to know the type of intervention, how long it was provided, and the results. Continuing to intervene in ways that have not been successful is counterproductive and implementing more effective interventions with a skilled educator can make all the difference.

Helping children and adults with dyslexia to gain access to print is critical. Without effective instruction and intervention, as many as 20% of the population will be limited in their ability to receive an education and find meaningful employment. Identifying dyslexia and providing appropriate interventions in educational settings are worthwhile priorities.

Are you a teacher or administrator looking for free dyslexia resources?

Click Here

For Dyslexia Interventions
Teacher's Edition

Click Here

For Dyslexia Interventions
Administrator's Edition

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Dyslexia interventions are the key to ensuring that effective reading approaches are provided to meet the needs of this population.

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Really Great Reading is a tool for struggling readers, and the current choice of programs to serve students throughout SAISD who qualify as Dyslexic. The program employs lots of multistory teaching approaches, and offers a collection of manipulates to help teach beginning reading skills.

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Really Great Reading | Specialists in Reading Education

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Talking With Your Children About Dyslexia 

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Talking With Your Children About Dyslexia 

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Talking With Your Children About Dyslexia offers discussion tips for taking about Dyslexia with your child. It starts of with the advice of telling your child that they will learn to read, letting them know it is difficult, and challenging, but something they can accomplish. Talking With Your Children About Dyslexia also offers advice to help bolster the social emotional needs of children with dyslexia and how to  foster and celebrate their other strengths.

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"I got enormous support from my parents. I always had my parents just buffing me up. I thought I walked on water."

Every child with a reading difficulty is invariably going to endure ups and downs in his school experiences. So early on, each child needs to know that, no matter what, he can count on unconditional support from his parents. Renowned heart surgeon and Cleveland Clinic director Toby Cosgrove describes his parental support as such: "I got enormous support from my parents. I always had my parents just buffing me up. I thought I walked on water."

When you talk with your child, there are a number of specific steps you can take to build his or her self-image. First, let him know the nature of his reading difficulties. Children are often relieved to learn that there is a name to explain why they have such trouble reading. Second, give him or her the facts-including the benefits-about dyslexia, and be positive while speaking and working with your child.

As a mother of a six-year-old told her son and Bob-the-Builder fan put it, "You have an amazing brain and there are roads for math and the road for decoding, for learning to read has a few rocks in the way, and your tutors will help you clear the rocks. This mother wisely noted that, when talking to your children, you have to show them that it's an obstacle, not the end of the world; and HOW you talk about it is as important as what you say. Don't communicate despair."

"You have an amazing brain and there are roads for math and the road for decoding, for learning to read has a few rocks in the way, and your tutors will help you clear the rocks."

Be sure to tell your child that he will learn to read, and that there are tutors and teaching methods that will help him get there. A Connecticut mother explains, "My son is the youngest of four children and I had friends whose kids had serious behavior and emotional issues for which there seemed very little to do but simply hope. Yet, with dyslexia, there is a path that dyslexics can follow to learn to read; there are skilled tutors and technology to help young people and their parents, and dyslexia has been overcome by many, many people over many years. Children grow and change and have lots of helping hands, and this is the perspective I was able to keep in mind when talking to my son."

Keep the conversation going. "It's not as though you have one conversation with your child," says a mother in California. "It's an ongoing dialogue and, really, every kid has something different and difficult in their lives. It's important to remind them of the things they do well and support those things. Our daughter was a fabulous swimmer, though certain sports and dancing that required a lot of directional ability weren't for her, but improving her swim times in a slow and steady manner helped her realize she had many inner resources that she could draw forth when she needed them. We talked about this a lot over the years."

"It's important to remind them of the things they do well and support those things."

I had to laugh when I got the diagnosis about our daughter. I think there was a part of me that always wanted an exceptional child, and in a way she was. When the evaluator began to explain how different she was, how gifted verbally and how unique her answers to questions were, but how other areas were weaker, all I wanted at that moment was average, normal, but really I don't think I ever want average children. In talking to her about the diagnosis I was able to concretely show her areas where she was exceptional. Instead of having the test be something to simply point out weaknesses or failures, I tried to use them to show her strengths. She has recently graduated from a very prestigious college, and I happened to run into the woman who did her initial testing. She was very shocked. She spent a lot of her time focusing on what kids can't do or where their struggles will be; as parents we have to keep talking and encouraging what our kids' strengths are."

Early on, it is also critical to help your child identify an interest in a hobby-an area in which he can have positive experiences. It doesn't matter what it is; the importance is that it is an arena where he or she can feel victorious, develop confidence, and not feel as if she is the one always studying and struggling to catch up. In other words, let her strengths, and not her weaknesses, define her as a person.

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Talking with Your Child About Dyslexia - Yale Dyslexia

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"I got enormous support from my parents. I always had my parents just buffing me up. I thought I walked on water." Every child with a reading difficulty is invariably going to endure ups and downs in his school experiences.

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My Truth About Dyslexia―What I Wish for Other Kids With Dyslexia and Their Parents

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My Truth About Dyslexia―What I Wish for Other Kids With Dyslexia and Their Parents

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This article is written to kids from an 11 year old boy named, Douglas.  He  talks about his challenges in school and life because of Dyslexia.  Despite having a somber tone, Douglas ends on a high note sharing how he wrote to President Trump to advocate for students like him and smaller class sizes so they can be successful. In the article Douglas says he has "learned to unlock his brain" and offers a message of hope and encouragement for others.

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My name is Douglas Rawan II. I am 11-years-old, live in Massachusetts, and I have a story about dyslexia.

It starts back in fourth grade when I began to feel different than my friends in school. Making jokes was the way I would cover up having no confidence in school. No one knew that inside I felt stupid. I remember one day when my mom asked me to do some reading and writing, and I threw pencils on the floor and my book. I remember my mom looked really sad. Inside I knew it would be too hard, but I didn't know why. Since Kindergarten, my mom hired tutors to help with reading, but nothing changed at school. I also had a hard time focusing at school until one day I came home and told my mom that I asked the assistant principal for a standing desk. My parents didn't even know what that was.

One day, my fourth grade teacher called my mom and said she thought I was really smart but that my work did not show it. She encouraged my parents to get me tested. I did get tested, and after that I thought things would get better for me but they didn't. My parents finally told me the testing showed that I have ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder] and dyslexia and that I was two to three years behind in reading. I was so mad and asked them "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME BEFORE?"

My parents didn't know what to say to me and never even used the word dyslexia, as the school told them that they don't use that word. Once I learned about dyslexia and all the famous people who had it I told my dad one day, "Dad, I hope that I have dyslexia as Albert Einstein had it!"

I am dyslexic, which means I have a problem with reading. Having dyslexia doesn't mean you have low intelligence or are lazy, it just means that your brain works differently. When I read, I don't understand what I am reading, and I get easily frustrated. When I see a long word, I think "OH NO," because I think I can't read the word. Sometimes I break up the word or skip it. Also, when I read it usually comes out slow. I forget what happens when I read. A lot of words are hard for me to read. This makes me feel stupid.

Luckily, I go to a new school, which helps kids like me. When I came to my new school for fifth grade, I had a gap between my reading and grade level. In my first year, I made more progress in my reading than I ever had before. Today I'm still a little below my grade level, but with the right instruction, I expect to close the gap all the way. The teachers help me understand how my brain works, which helps me to read.

I am now in sixth grade in small classes and can get the tools I need, which is helping me to focus and "unlock my brain." The way they are teaching me actually builds new connections or neurons in my brain, which changes the way my brain works, helping me to communicate and read better. I don't have to struggle alone and think about how stupid I feel any more.

Knowing that I just needed the right tools makes me wonder what happens to other kids who are dyslexic. Are there other parents like mine that need the help for their kids? I wish that kids like me who still struggle with reading and paying attention in school can get the help they need.

This is why I decided to write a letter last year to President Donald J. Trump asking him what he could do as our president to make sure no child like me was ever left behind. After I sent the letter, my mom started getting other calls from moms who also see their kids struggling.

At the beginning of sixth grade, I met a new student who was visiting my school named Michael who was having troubles just like me. My mom told his mom that I wrote a letter to President Trump, and she sent it to Michael's mom. The day I first met Michael, he asked for my autograph. It made me feel like I just won the World Series. Michael had never met someone like me who had the same troubles as he did.

If I look back, I wish my mom didn't have to cry so much. I wish that my school had tested me back in elementary school so that I did not struggle alone. I wish the word dyslexia was used all the time so all kids could know that some of the most successful people like Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, Steven Jobs, Sir Richard Branson, Walt Disney and JFK Jr. all had dyslexia.

If kids like me knew that dyslexia doesn't have to do with intelligence but that we have a hard time understanding how sounds and letters go together, which makes it really, really hard to read. I wish kids knew that when a teacher read me a test I got a 107, but if I had to take a regular test and write the answers I would get a 67 or 57. When the teachers told my mom that I just had to study more, I wish the teacher knew that it wasn't the material I didn't know, it was the way that they were asking me to take the test.

I wish for so many things for the kids who struggle. I wish I could go back to my old school and talk to all the kids who feel stupid because of reading and tell them the truth about dyslexia. I wish for all of this and so much more for kids and for their moms and dads.

I hope that no kid spends another minute feeling stupid and sad.

Related Blog: OSERS Assistant Secretary Collett expressed his commitment to rethink special education in a blog post last month.

Blog articles provide insights on the activities of schools, programs, grantees, and other education stakeholders to promote continuing discussion of educational innovation and reform. Articles do not endorse any educational product, service, curriculum or pedagogy.

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My Truth About Dyslexia―What I Wish for Other Kids With Dyslexia and Their Parents

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My name is Douglas Rawan II. I am 11-years-old, live in Massachusetts, and I have a story about dyslexia. It starts back in fourth grade when I began to feel different than my friends in school. Making jokes was the way I would cover up having no confidence in school.

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Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: Evidence from functional MRI

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Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: Evidence from functional MRI

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This article talks about approaching Dyslexia from a brain and behavior based perspective.  Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: Evidence from functional MRI used brain neuro imagining to conduct a study on 20, 8-11 year olds and demonstrated the benefits of improving Dyslexia and  brain functioning with a combined behavioral approach.. This is a great read for parents and teachers looking for an alternative view and additional research and resources for twice exceptional learners.

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Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: Evidence from functional MRI

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Developmental dyslexia, characterized by unexplained difficulty in reading, is associated with behavioral deficits in phonological processing. Functional neuroimaging studies have shown a deficit in the neural mechanisms underlying phonological processing in children and adults with dyslexia. The present study examined whether behavioral remediation ameliorates these dysfunctional neural mechanisms in children with dyslexia.

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Dyslexia by Kids Health is an article written and recorded for kids and does a great job explaining what Dyslexia is in student friendly language. It breaks down how reading happens, what its like to have Dyslexia, and how kids with Dyslexia feel. Dyslexia by Kids Health also offers advice and tips for making reading easier.

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Peter works so hard at reading, but it just never gets easier. He knows he's smart, so why can't he read like the other kids? Peter has a problem called dyslexia.

Dyslexia (say: dis-LEK-see-uh) is a learning problem some kids have. Dyslexia makes it tough to read and spell. The problem is inside the brain, but it doesn't mean the person is dumb. Plenty of smart and talented people struggle with dyslexia.

But dyslexia doesn't have to keep a kid down. With some help and a lot of hard work, a kid who has dyslexia can learn to read and spell.

How Does Reading Happen?

To understand dyslexia, it helps to understand reading. Reading is a real workout for your brain. You need to do the following steps - and all at once:

1. Understand the way speech sounds make up words.

2. Focus on printed marks (letters and words).

3. Connect speech sounds to letters.

4. Blend letter sounds smoothly into words.

5. Control eye movements across the page.

6. Build images and ideas.

7. Compare new ideas with what is already known.

8. Store the ideas in memory.

Phew! Kids who have dyslexia struggle with the beginning steps, so that makes doing the rest of the steps even harder. It's no surprise, then, that trying to read and dealing with dyslexia makes a kid's brain really tired really fast.

How Kids Become Readers

Most kids start learning to read by learning how speech sounds make up words. Then they connect those sounds to alphabet letters. For example, they learn that the letter "b" makes a "buh" sound.

Then kids learn to blend those sounds into words. They learn that "b" and "at" makes "bat." Eventually, most kids don't have to sound words out and can instantly recognize words they've seen many times before.

But it's tougher for kids who have dyslexia. They may struggle to remember simple words they have seen many times and to sound out longer words. Why is it so hard?

Dyslexia means that a person's brain has trouble processing letters and sounds. That makes it tough to break words into separate speech sounds, like b-a-t for bat. When it's hard to do that, it's really hard to connect speech sounds to different letters, like "buh" for b, and blend them into new words.

So a kid who has dyslexia will read slowly and might make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes he or she will mix up letters in a word, such as reading the word "was" as "saw." Words may blend together wrong.

What's It Like to Have Dyslexia?

Even before kindergarten, a kid who has dyslexia usually has trouble with letters and sounds. Later, a teacher might say that the kid is smart, but doesn't seem to be getting the hang of reading. Other times, it's a parent who notices the kid is struggling. The best thing to do is to go to a specialist who can help figure out what's wrong.

A specialist in learning disabilities knows a lot about learning problems that kids have and what to do about them. During a visit with a specialist, a kid might take some tests. But the idea isn't to get a good grade; it's to spot problems. Discovering a learning disability is the first step toward getting help that will make it easier for the kid to learn.

Making Reading Easier

Most kids with dyslexia can learn to read with the right kind of teaching. They might learn new ways for remembering sounds. For example, "p" and "b" are called brother sounds because they're both "lip poppers." You have to press your lips together to make the sound.

Thinking about the way the mouth needs to move to make sounds can help kids read more easily. Learning specialists know lots of special activities like this to teach reading to kids who have dyslexia.

Kids with dyslexia also might use flash cards or tape classroom lessons and homework assignments instead of taking notes about them. They may need parents and tutors to help them stay caught up.

Extra time for tests is really important, so kids with dyslexia have enough time to finish and show their teacher how much they have learned. Computers help a lot, too. You can get programs that "read" books out loud from the computer or even download recorded books to an iPod!

How Do Kids With Dyslexia Feel?

Kids who have dyslexia might get frustrated, angry, or sad because reading and spelling are so hard. They may not like being in a different reading group than their friends or having to see a special reading tutor.

But getting this help is so important and will help them go on to do great things in life. Some of the most creative and successful people have dyslexia, but it didn't stop them from chasing their dreams!

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Peter works so hard at reading, but it just never gets easier. He knows he's smart, so why can't he read like the other kids? Peter has a problem called dyslexia. Dyslexia (say: dis-LEK-see-uh) is a learning problem some kids have. Dyslexia makes it tough to read and spell.

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This free resource allows you to upload material in various contents and will read it to students for free. This is a great resource for students, teachers and parents looking to offer audio supports to make reading more accessible to all students and less of a frustration to those with Dyslexia.

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#1 Text To Speech (TTS) Reader Online. Free & Unlimited

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Listen to great content

Most of the world's content is in textual form. Being able to listen to it - is huge! In that sense, TTSReader has a huge advantage over podcasts. You choose your content - out of an infinite variety - that includes humanity's entire knowledge and art richness. Listen to lectures, to PDF files. Paste or upload any text from anywhere, edit it if needed, and listen to it anywhere and anytime.

Proofreading

One of the best ways to catch errors in your writing is to listen to it being read aloud. By using TTSReader for proofreading, you can catch errors that you might have missed while reading silently, allowing you to improve the quality and accuracy of your written content. Errors can be in sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar, but also in your essay's structure, order and content.

Listen to web pages

TTSReader can be used to read out loud webpages in two different ways. 1. Using the regular player - paste the URL and click play. The website's content will be imported into the player. (2) Using our Chrome extension to listen to pages without leaving the page.
Listening to web pages with TTSReader can provide a more accessible, convenient, and efficient way of consuming online content.

Turn ebooks into audiobooks

Upload any ebook file of epub format - and TTSReader will read it out loud for you, effectively turning it into an audiobook alternative. You can find thousands of epub books for free, available for download on Project Gutenberg's site, which is an open library for free ebooks.

Read along for speed & comprehension

TTSReader enables read along by highlighting the sentence being read and automatically scrolling to keep it in view. This way you can follow with your own eyes - in parallel to listening to it. This can boost reading speed and improve comprehension.

Generate audio files from text

TTSReader enables exporting the synthesized speech with a single click. This is available currently only on Windows and requires TTSReader's premium. Adhering to the commercial terms some of the voices may be used commercially for publishing, such as narrating videos.

Accessibility, dyslexia, etc.

For individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties, listening to textual content, lectures, articles & web pages can be an essential tool for accessing & comprehending information.

Language learning

TTSReader can read out text in multiple languages, providing learners with listening as well as speaking practice. By listening to the text being read aloud, learners can improve their comprehension skills and pronunciation.

Kids - stories & learning

Kids love stories! And if you can read them stories - it's definitely the best! But, if you can't, let TTSReader read them stories for you. Set the right voice and speed, that is appropriate for their comprehension level. For kids who are at the age of learning to read - this can also be an effective tool to strengthen that skill, as it highlights every sentence being read.

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1 Text To Speech. Type or upload any text, file, website & book for listening online, proofreading, reading-along or generating professional mp3 voice-overs.