What is dyslexia? Dyslexia causes difficulties in learning to read, write and spell. Short-term memory, mathematics, concentration, personal organization and sequencing may also be affected.
Dyslexia usually arises from a weakness in the processing of language-based information. Biological in origin, it tends to run in families, but environmental factors also contribute.
Dyslexia can occur at any level of intellectual ability. It is not the result of poor motivation, emotional disturbance, sensory impairment or lack of opportunities, but it may occur alongside any of these.
The effects of dyslexia can be largely overcome by skilled specialist teaching and the use of compensatory strategies. Back to Top
Are there other learning disabilities besides dyslexia? Dyslexia is one type of learning disability. Others include: 1) Dyscalculia - a mathematical disability in which a person has unusual difficulty solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts. 2) Dysgraphia - a neurological-based writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space. Back to Top
How common is dyslexia? Fifteen percent of the U.S. population, or one in seven Americans, has some type of learning disability, and one in five Americans have dyslexia, according to the National Institutes of Health. Government statistics also show that 25 million Americans are functionally illiterate, primarily caused by dyslexia or one of its many variations, such as dyscalculia or dysgraphia. About 4% are severely dyslexic, including some 375,000 schoolchildren. Back to Top
To whom does dyslexia affect? It is estimated that between 4% and 7% of the worlds population are dyslexic. Dyslexia affects males and females and people from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds nearly equally. Dyslexia affects all kinds of people regardless of intelligence, race or social class. It is found in all socio-economic groups and in every country in the world. If no help is given, it often results in low self-esteem. Back to Top
Does dyslexia run in the family? Yes, Dyslexia often runs in families. The causes for dyslexia are neurobiological and genetic. Individuals inherit the genetic links for dyslexia. Chances are that one of the child's parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles is dyslexic. Back to Top
How does dyslexia affect reading? Difficulty with basic reading and language skills are the most common learning disabilities. As many as 80% of students with dyslexia have reading problems. Back to Top
Can individuals who are dyslexic learn to read? Yes, if children who are dyslexic get effective phonological training in Kindergarten and 1st grade, they will have significantly fewer problems in learning to read at grade level than do children who are not identified or helped until 3rd grade. 74% of the children who are poor readers in 3rd grade remain poor readers in the 9th grade. Often they can't read well as adults either. It is never too late for individuals with dyslexia to learn to read, process and express information more efficiently. Research shows that programs utilizing multisensory structured language techniques can help children and adults learn to read. Back to Top
Is there a cure for dyslexia? No, dyslexia is not a disease. There is no cure.
With proper diagnosis, appropriate instruction, hard work and support from family, teachers, friends, and others, individuals who are dyslexic can succeed in school and later as working adults. Back to Top
Do bad grades mean my child is not smart? Though their grades don't always reflect it, people with dyslexia are very smart, and they are often very artistic. They are of average to above average intelligence. Back to Top
Does dyslexia affect a child's self-esteem? As literacy skills are so strongly emphasized during the schooling process, dyslexic children experience a great deal of failure which can easily lower their self-esteem and make them feel that they must be stupid.
This is why it is important for dyslexic children to receive as much praise, credits, certificates, gold stars, etc. as the other children. To complete a piece of written work in class is twice as hard as for a non-dyslexic child.
It is also important for a dyslexic child to have art, crafts, physical education and sports during their week in school, as these are the only areas in which they may excel and experience a feeling of satisfaction in learning.
Having to learn a foreign language - like French - is a virtual impossibility for a dyslexic child, and a sure route to failure: schools need to be flexible and take account of this. Back to Top
What do I do if my child is assessed and diagnosed as dyslexic? The aim now is to support dyslexic children as early as possible in their school careers and to do this within the normal classroom. There are different levels of support at the school based stages. It is unlikely that an Educational Psychologist will have conducted a psychometric assessment. A school-based assessment at this stage is likely to have been undertaken by a teacher. So, if your child has been diagnosed as dyslexic then the 'Statement' procedure is almost certainly underway. However, this route will only be followed for those children with the most severe and complex difficulties. Parents often know little about dyslexia so as a parent it is important that you learn as much about your childs needs. You should ensure that your child is given appropriate specialist teaching to enable him/her to cope in the normal classroom. Students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities are entitled to special rights in school, such as un-timed tests and tutoring. It is likely that s/he will need to be withdrawn for individual specialist teaching for between one to three hours per week depending on the degree of difficulty. This type of teaching has been found to be the most effective in enabling a dyslexic child to flourish in the normal classroom and you should push hard for it. Schools can 'buy in' specialist expertise if they do not have it on their staff. Look for teachers who have the proper education and knowledge to meet your child's educational needs. You can contact a dyslexia institute if you should decide to bring your child in for specialist teaching or you can ask your school whether they can arrange for a specialist teacher to come in. Back to Top
How can I help my dyslexic child? The most important thing you can do is to build up the damaged confidence and self-esteem of your child. Make sure s/he knows she is loved for her/himself, and that this love is not dependent on how well s/he does at school. Make sure to reassure him/her that his/her difficulties are not his/her fault. Be very encouraging and find things s/he is good at. Praise him/her for effort - remember how hard s/he has to try to achieve success in reading and writing. Give support in homework from school or from any special needs lessons (but don't write his/her essays or do his math for him/her). Help him/her to be organized (this will probably benefit other children in the family too!). Encourage hobbies, interests and out of school activities, such as Cubs, sports, and the arts. Maintain a sense of humor! But most importantly - make sure that s/he receives the specialist teaching that can make such a difference to his/her ability to cope and flourish. Back to Top
Are there specific professions people with dyslexia should pursue? No, individuals can succeed in varied fields despite their dyslexia. Examples include:
Ann Bancroft - First woman in history to cross the ice to both the North and South Poles.
David Boies - Trial lawyer whose high-profile clients have included former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Napster, and the U.S. Justice Dept. in its antitrust suit against Microsoft.
Erin Brokovich - Real-life heroine who exposed a cover-up by a major California utility that was contaminating the local water supply. Their actions had severe, even deadly consequences to the members of the community. With her help, the townspeople were awarded a $333 million settlement, the largest ever in a U.S. direct-action lawsuit. (Julia Roberts played her in the movie with the same name.)
Stephen J. Cannell - Author and Emmy Award-winning TV producer and writer, who has created or co-created more than 38 shows, of which he has scripted more than 350 episodes and produced or executive produced more than 1,500 episodes. His hits include "The Rockford Files," "A-Team," "21 Jump Street," "Wiseguy," "Renegade" and "Silk Stalkings."
Whoopi Goldberg - Actor and comedian, winner of an Academy Award for her supporting role in "Ghost," also an Academy Award nomination for her role in "The Color Purple."
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Why is dyslexia a gift? Dyslexic people are visual, multi-dimensional thinkers. They are intuitive and highly creative, and excel at hands-on learning. Because they think in pictures, it is sometimes hard for them to understand letters, numbers, symbols, and written words. They can learn to read, write and study efficiently when we use methods geared to their unique learning style. With their visual ability being so powerful it helps mold them into superior artists, architects, photographers, poets, athletes, engineers and entrepreneurs, who use divergent thinking, heightened perception and creative problem-solving to achieve success. They also share the Gift of Dyslexia with Leonardo da Vinci, George Washington, Ernest Hemingway, Walt Disney, John Lennon, Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Cher, Joern Utzon (Danish Architect, who designed the Sydney Opera House), Whoopi Goldberg, and Albert Einstein to name a few. Back to Top
Note: All the information above is gathered research from the International Dyslexia Association, the Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the British Dyslexia Association, and the Dyslexia Awareness and ResourceCenter.
THE GIFT OF DYSLEXIA 1010 West 12th St. Yankton, SD 57078 Phone: 605.660.2878 Email: epajl@thegiftofdyslexia.com
