Dyslexia-Nuts and BoltsDyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized 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. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. CHARACTERISTICS OF DYSLEXIA • Difficulty acquiring and using oral and written language • Difficulty in phonological awareness • Difficulty mastering the alphabetic principle and basic decoding skills (mapping sounds to letters) • Slow, inaccurate, or labored oral reading (lack of reading fluency) • Difficulty acquiring age appropriate sight word recognition skills • Difficulty learning to spell accurately • Oral language skills often stronger than written language skills • Difficulty learning and retaining multi-syllabic vocabulary required for mastery of academic content •Dyslexia appears in all cultures and languages in the world with written language. PREVALENCE OF DYSLEXIA
CAUSE OF DYSLEXIA
ACADEMIC IMPACT OF LEARNING DISABILITIES
and at least half of the identified cases of dyslexia have a genetic predisposition for this disorder of learning. (Pennington, Shaywitz, Olsen) • Research supports the essential role of early identification and appropriate instruction in preventing and alleviating the symptoms of dyslexia. (Torgesen, Foorman, Wise) • Unremediated dyslexia is associated with documented functional brain differences visible in imaging studies. These differences may be “normalized” if instruction is effective. (IDA, NIH) • Children with a family history and/or early history of speech and language delays are at high risk. What instruction is appropriate for dyslexia? • Individuals with dyslexia require direct, explicit and systematic instruction in both oral and written language • Explicit instruction in the code of written language (the letter-sound system) is critical • Structured, multi-sensory delivery of language content is characteristic of effective programs • Individuals with dyslexia will likely require instruction of greater intensity and duration than typically developing readers and writers • Individuals with dyslexia require research-based instruction in all five components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) as well as writing and spelling • Because instruction is a complex undertaking, teachers who provide instruction and remediation should be trained and supervised in the use of the program or approach selected. • Reading disabilities (dyslexia) affect at least 10 million children, or approximately 1 child in 5. (Source: Important Discoveries in Dyslexia, Research supported by the NIH. G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D.) Longitudinal studies show that of the children who are reading disabled in the third grade, 74% remain disabled in the ninth grade. (Source: Important Discoveries in Dyslexia, Research supported by the NIH. G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D.) • It is estimated that the cost of illiteracy to business and the taxpayer is $20 billion per year. (Source: United Way,“Illiteracy: A National Crisis”) • Approximately 50% of the nation’s unemployed youth age 16-21 are functionally illiterate, with virtually no prospects of obtaining good jobs. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) Learned helplessness (Butkowsky & Willows 1980, Maier & Seligman 1976) refers to an unconsciously mediated mental state characterised by reduced confidence, lowered motivation, diminished expectation and passivity. In the educational context it is frequently engendered by maladaptive attribution (the attribution of an effect – such as poor literacy - to a cause which is debilitating – such as low ability, or in this instance to an innate, neurological defect). Learned helplessness is disempowerment. STATISTICS • Reading disabilities (dyslexia) affect at least 10 million children, or approximately 1 child in 5. (Source: Important Discoveries in Dyslexia, Research supported by the NIH. G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D.) • While schools identify approximately four times as many boys as girls as reading disabled, longitudinal and epidemiological studies show that as many girls are affected as boys. (Source: Important Discoveries in Dyslexia, Research supported by the NIH. G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D.) • Longitudinal studies show that of the children who are reading disabled in the third grade, 74% remain disabled in the ninth grade. (Source: Important Discoveries in Dyslexia, Research supported by the NIH. G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D.) • The majority of all individuals with learning disabilities have difficulties in the area of reading. (Source: President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education, 2002) • Two-thirds of secondary students with learning disabilities are reading three or more grades levels behind. Twenty percent are reading fi ve or more grade levels behind. (Source: The Achievements of Youth with Disabilities During Secondary School, National Longitudinal TransitionStudy-2, 2003) • More than 38.7% of children with learning disabilities drop out of high school, compared to 11% of the general student population. (Source: 25th Annual Report to Congress, U.S. Dept. of Education |
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