D y s l e x i a a n d o t h e r l e a r n i n g d i s a b i l i t i e s By Arion Long,

What is Dyslexia? Dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulty reading. Also called specific reading disability, dyslexia is a common learning disability in children. Dyslexia occurs in children with normal vision and intelligence. Sometimes, dyslexia goes undiagnosed for years and isn't recognized until adulthood. Contrary to popular belief, dyslexia doesn’t involve reading backwards.

Decoding Dyslexia

Causes of Dyslexia Recent research indicates that the cause of dyslexia lies in the brain. The brains of children with dyslexia simply have a harder time learning and remembering the code to how sounds and letters go together. Despite this difficulty, children with dyslexia have strong listening vocabularies and understand text when it is read aloud to them. They are bright, are good thinkers, and are often very creative. With special instruction, children with dyslexia learn to read, but most continue to be somewhat slow readers and many struggle with spelling into adulthood.

Demographics Most people are very careful to avoid preferential treatment for students based on gender, but new research suggests boys may need special attention to cope with a higher prevalence of reading disabilities. Researchers found that boys were two to three times more likely to suffer from dyslexia than girls. There are over 20 million children in the United States between the ages of 5 and 9 and as many as 1 to 2.4 million of them could have dyslexia,”

Areas that Dyslexia Affects

Famous people affected by Dyslexia

Recognizable Symptoms

Symptoms by Age A child in kindergarten through fourth grade may: Have difficulty reading single words that are not surrounded by other words. Be slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds. Confuse small words such as "at" and "to," or "does" and "goes.” A child in fifth through eighth grade may: Read at a lower level than expected. Reverse letter sequence such as "soiled" for "solid," "left" for "felt." Be slow to recognize and learn prefixes, suffixes, root words, and other reading and spelling strategies. Students in high school and college may: Read very slowly with many inaccuracies. Continue to spell incorrectly or frequently spell the same word differently in a single piece of writing. Avoid tests that require reading and writing, and procrastinate on reading and writing tasks.

Children With dyslexia A dyslexic child who finds the acquisition of these literacy skills difficult can also suffer a lot of anguish and trauma when they may feel mentally abused by their peers within the school environment, because they have a learning difficulty. Much can be done to alleviate this by integrating the child into the class environment -where he/she can feel comfortable and develop confidence and self esteem.

Implications for Instruction In the class: Of value to all children in the class is an outline of what is going to be taught in the lesson, ending the lesson with a resume of what has been taught. In this way information is more likely to go from short term memory to long term memory. When homework is set, it is important to check that the child correctly writes down exactly what is required. Try to ensure that the appropriate worksheets and books are with the child to take home. Make a daily check list for the pupil to refer to each evening. Encourage a daily routine to help develop the child's own self-reliance and responsibilities. Encourage good organizational skills by the use of folders and dividers to keep work easily accessible and in an orderly fashion. Break tasks down into small easily remembered pieces of information.

The gift of Dyslexia Dyslexic people are highly creative, intuitive, and excel at three-dimensional problem solving and hands-on learning. Our visual and holistic learning style means that we learn best through the creative process, with methods that focus on mastery of the meanings of words and symbols.

Types of Learning Disabilities DDyslexia A language and reading disability DDyscalculia Problems with arithmetic and math concepts DDysgraphia A writing disorder resulting in illegibility DDyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder) Problems with motor coordination  Central Auditory Processing Disorder Difficulty processing and remembering language-related tasks Central Auditory Processing Disorder  Non-Verbal Learning Disorders Trouble with nonverbal cues, e.g., body language; poor coordination, clumsy Non-Verbal Learning Disorders  Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit Reverses letters; cannot copy accurately; Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit  Language Disorders (Aphasia/Dysphasia) Trouble understanding spoken language; poor reading comprehension Language Disorders (Aphasia/Dysphasia)

How will I know if my student has a LD?  Most students exhibit uneven areas of ability  Student is physically “normal”  Average or above average intelligence  Commonly found in gen ed classes: dyslexia and ADD/ADHD  Many LDs need to be medically diagnosed Characteristics of Learning Disabilities

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