DyslexiaBy Renee Clauson & Jennifer Bohannon

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is defined by the International Dyslexia Association and The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as “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.” (Moats & Dakin 2008)

I know the definition, now what?

Just knowing the definition of dyslexia often doesn’t help clear up the misconceptions associated with dyslexia.

● Dyslexic students do not have a vision problem. ○ They are not seeing letters backwards or reversed

● Dyslexia can happen in people of all intelligent levels.● Lack of interest or motivation in reading can not cause dyslexia.

○ This lack of interest is usually a product of reading difficulties.

● Dyslexia is not more common in families that do not read frequently together.● Both boys and girls can be affected by dyslexia.

○ Boys tend to have higher numbers but not significantly. (Moats & Dakin 2008)

Dyslexic Brain vs. Non-dyslexic Brain

Dyslexia can be viewed as a “wiring glitch that is present from the start of reading and does not represent the end result of years of poor reading.” (Shaywitz 2003 loc.1369) The disruption in the brain can be seen in adults as well as children, so dyslexia can not just go away. (Shaywitz 2003)

The brain activity of a good reader is in the back and left side of the brain. In comparison, the dyslexic brain shows limited activation in these areas and activates the Broca region in the front of the brain. (Shaywitz 2003)

Other Brain DifferencesYour working memory is where phonological data is kept. Covello states, “Your phonological processing systems form a phonological loop that repeats the words in your working memory over and over while your brain processes the words to understand them.” (Covello 2017) The dyslexic brain has a deficiency in phonological processing. Because of this deficiency, the dyslexic students could need:

● More time to process information. The dyslexic student may not be able to

process all information necessary before the phonological loop fades.

● Help with organization, planning, and completing assignments.

● Not be able to maintain concentration. (Covello 2017)

Dyslexia Notes

The term “wortblindheit” (word-blindness) was coined by Adolf Kussmaul in 1877, although there are earlier accounts of physicians recording dyslexic conditions in patients. (Shaywitz 2003)

It is important to note that dyslexia is a learning disability not an intellectual deficit.

Dyslexic students are using “neural systems that permit accurate but not fluent reading.” (Shaywitz 2003)

Dyslexic students brains are working harder but not efficiently.

Early Clues for Dyslexia

Shaywitz uses the “sea of strengths model” to help recognize the signs of dyslexia. The dyslexic has an isolated weakness in getting to the sounds of words. (loc. 1485 2003)

FIRST CLUE: LISTEN TO THE CHILD SPEAK

● Delay in speaking● Ask parent when the child started talking

○ First words are usually spoken at about 12 months old○ Phrases spoken by 18-24 months

■ The dyslexic child may not say their first words until 15 months■ Phrases should be spoken by 24 months

(Shaywitz 2003)

Pre-School

● Baby talk may continue past the normal time

● Most children can say most words by 5-6 years old○ Dyslexic children may say pisgetti instead of spaghetti or ephant for elephant○ They may leave off initial sounds○ They may be unable to recite nursery rhyme (Shaywitz 2003)

● Preschool children who do not like read alouds or looking at books

may be a sign of dyslexia○ Confuses letters as numbers or numbers as letters○ May be disinterested or impatient with reading○ May be confused about the meaning of words and answer questions incorrectly (Moats & Dakin 2008).

Kindergarten to First Grade

Difficulty in:

● Recognizing and creating rhyming words

● Remembering and quick recall of letters

● Remembering letter sounds

● Memorizing common words (Moats & Dakin 2008)

Second to Third Grade

● Student may mix up words○ Might be given a picture of a volcano but say the word tornado

● Student may “talk around a word because they have trouble retrieving a word.” (Shaywitz 2003)

● Hesitating while sounding out letters○ Saying the wrong sound for a letter

● Poor spelling (Moats & Dakin 2008)○ However, they can usually pick out the correct spelling if given choices(Shaywitz 2003)

● Reading may be labored and without expression○ Riddled with errors

● Avoiding writing (Moats & Dakin 2008)

Fourth Grade and Beyond

● When students enter fourth grade, the material read changes from fiction to non-fiction. This can add to the dyslexic students’ reading difficulties.

● Difficulty in reading words from a list○ Even more pronounced when trying to read nonsense words (Moats & Dakin 2008)○ Student will try to use context to figure out words

● Continued spelling issues

● Trouble with reading comprehension test if they read the material but not if they do not have to read (Moats & Dakin 2008)

Dyslexia in Education

● Reading is essential ability within the classroom and for academic success

● State mandate math tests use majority word problems

● Severe consequences that cross from early childhood into adulthood

● Accommodations and 504 plans

REAL LIFE

Student: George *, University of Colorado

Struggle: Worried about exam grades that do not reflect the amount of hours spent studying nor do they access the wealth of knowledge and high level intelligence he possesses

*Name changed (Shaywitz 2003)

Dyslexia Impact

Intellectual

● Non-mastery of skills○ Reading comprehension○ Written language comprehension○ Decoding & fluency

● Unable to keep up with peers

● Social problems and miscommunication

Emotional

● Uncomfortable, feeling “dumb”

● Frustration or anger

● Anxiety and fearful of school

● Shame in disappointing adults

(Moats & Dakin 2008)

Assessing DyslexiaSkills Assessed

● Phonological Awareness● Reading Comprehension & Fluency● Word Identification● Decoding and Rapid Naming● Writing

Test Types● CTTOP-2 ● CLEF-5 ● CASL-2● PPVT-4● TACL-3

(Kilpatrick 2015)

Overcoming Dyslexia

EARLY INTERVENTION

● Proven that early intervention is key to addressing issues

● Can diagnose, plan, and document the progress

● Public schools wait until 3rd grade or higher to test

● Brain plasticity in younger children● More likely for student to regain

ground and catch up with non-dyslexic students

(Shaywitz 2003)

“Once children are receiving reading instruction, their progress should be monitored frequently. A child’s response to instruction is a critical indicator of the nature and severity of his or her reading difficulty.” (Moats & Dakin 2008)

Overcoming Dyslexia

Orton-Gillingham Approach

● Highly structured literacy program● Multisensory

○ Auditory○ Visual○ Kinesthetic

● Assess student strengths and weaknesses● Skills taught in natural order of progression● Mastery is met before moving on

(Rosen 2018)

Overcoming Dyslexia

JOLLY PHONICS

● Fun, highly effective program for young beginning readers starting school

● Teaches: letter shapes/sounds, blended sounds, identifying sounds in written words, & sight words

● Uses clever mnemonic devices and hand movements○ “When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking.”○ Letter A associated with word ant, students move fingers up arm

● Phonics vs Whole Language

(Shaywitz 2003)

REFERENCES

Cortiella, C. (2013, November 07). No Child Left Behind: Determining Appropriate Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/no-child-left-behind-determining-appropriate-assessment-accommodations-students-disabilities

Covello, A. (2017, May 12). Into the Dyslexic brain - 4 illustrated differences to guide you through how the brain learns. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@alessiacovello/into-the-dyslexic-brain-4-illustrated- differences-to-guide-you-through-how-the-brain-learns-edc4d887b64

DiChiara, L. (2017, April 26). Dyslexia and the Brain. Retrieved from http://mrsdichiarasatblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/dyslexia-and-brain.html

Jolly Phonics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.jollylearning.co.uk/jolly-phonics/

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming readingdifficulties. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Moats, L. C., & Dakin, K. E. (2008). Basic facts about dyslexia & other reading problems. Baltimore, MD: International Dyslexia Association.

Rosen, P. (2018, July 26). Orton–Gillingham: What You Need to Know. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/orton-gillingham-what-you-need-know

Shaywitz, S. E. (2012). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York: A.A. Knopf.