1. A Guide For Teachers Christine H. Lopez, Ed.D.
Dyslexia
Christine H. Lopez, Ed.D.

2. Dyslexia - a Definition
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. That is, it is based upon the brain and its functioning. 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. It appears that dyslexia runs in families. Secondary consequences may include problem in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge International Dyslexia Association

3. Language-Based Learning Disability
Special learning disability that is neurobiological in nature
Characterized by difficulties with language, especially reading
Problems with accurate and fluent word recognition
Poor decoding and spelling
Difficulty with pronouncing words
Challenges with math
Deficit in the phonological component of language
Lifelong impact - often results in much lower reading/spelling in relation to other academic areas.
Benefits from multisensory, structured literacy instruction

4. Language-Based Learning Disability
›Dyslexia is a specific learning disability
›. . . that is neurobiological in nature.
›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.

5. Common Characteristics Not ALL may be present
Dyslexia
Not ALL may be present

6. Common Characteristics of Dyslexia
Present specific characters that persist over time and interfere with learning Individual diagnosed with dyslexia using has several of the following:
Oral Language
Reading
Written Language
Other Common Symptoms

7. Characteristic: Oral Language Difficulties
pronouncing words
acquiring vocabulary or using age appropriate grammar
following directions
learning the alphabet, nursery rhymes, or songs
understanding concepts and relationships
with word retrieval or naming problems
Late learning to talk
Confusion with before/after, right/left, etc.

8. Characteristic: Reading
Difficulties:
learning to read
identifying or generating rhyming words
counting syllables (phonemic awareness)
hearing and manipulating sounds (phonological processing)
learning the sounds of letters (phonics)
remembering names and shapes of letters
naming letters rapidly

9. Characteristic: Reading (cont.)
Transposing
the order of letters in reading
transposing the order of letter in spelling
Misreading or omitting common short words
“Stumbles” through longer words
Oral reading
slow and laborious (fluency)
poor reading comprehension during oral or silent reading, often because words are not accurately read

10. Characteristic: Written Language
Difficulties
putting ideas on paper
Proofreading
Many spelling mistakes
Many do well on weekly spelling tests, but may have spelling mistakes in daily work

11. Characteristic: Other Common Symptoms
RAN: Rapid Automatized Naming
Difficulty naming colors, objects, and letters rapidly, in a sequence
Weak memory for lists, directions, or facts
Needs to see or hear concepts many times to learn them
Distracted by visual or auditory stimuli
Downward trend in achievement in test scores or school performance
Inconsistent school work
Teacher says, “If only she would try harder,” or “He’s lazy.”
Relatives may have similar problems

12. Related Learning Disabilities
Dysgraphia (handwriting)
poor fine motor skill
Cannot remember kinesthetic movements to form letters correctly
Dyscalculia (math)
Counting and calculation errors
Cannot retain math vocabulary or memorizing math facts
ADHD - In/variable attention, distractibility, impulsivity, hyperactivity
Dyspraxia (motor skills)
Difficulty planning and coordinating body movement
Difficulty coordinating facial muscles to produce sounds
Executive Function/Organization - loses, forgets, overwhelmed, slow pace

13. Causes and Challenges Not ALL may be present
Dyslexia
Not ALL may be present

14. Causes

15. Causes Differences in brain development
Difficulty identifying speech sounds and learning how letters represent sounds
Universal - NOT due to lack or intelligence or desire to learn
Present in all languages (as we know) - reading is a learned behavior
Occurs in all backgrounds and intellectual levels
Runs in families
Difficulties with spoken language challenges
Expressing themselves clearly
Fully comprehending what others mean when they speak

16. Social and Emotional Aspects
Stress and Anxiety
Can feel have no control of a situation
Need to understand their learning disability
Years of self-doubt = less tolerate of school and life challenges
Self-image - feel “dumb”
May be discouraged about continuing in school
Success = luck; failure = blame themselves
Depression
Negative self-image
Difficulty visualizing a positive future

17. Misconceptions Do NOT “read backwards”
Spelling is jumbled because have trouble remember letter symbols for sounds and letter patterns in words
NOT a disease = no cure
Need proper diagnosis
Appropropriate and timely instruction
Diligence and support
Do NOT have a lower level of intelligence - often very bright

18. Impact in School Not ALL may be present
Dyslexia
Not ALL may be present

19. Picture of a Young Dyslexic Student
Difficulties with
Rhyming, blending sounds, learning the alphabet, linking letters with sounds
Learning spelling rules - use letter name for sounds (lafunt = elephant)
Remembering sight or “red” words - the, of, said
Listening comprehension is usually better than reading comprehension - understand a story when read to him but struggles independently

20. Picture of a Secondary Dyslexic Student
Reluctant readers
Poor fluency - great difficulty with words not in their listening vocabulary (words in lists, vocabulary words, nonsense words)
Very poor spellers
misspell sounds, omit sounds, add/omit letters or syllables
Non-fluent writers - slow, poor quality and quantity of essays
When speaking, mispronounce common words (floormat for format)
Difficulty using/comprehending complex grammatical structures
Listening comprehension superior to performance on timed reading tests
Weak vocabulary knowledge and use

21. Common Signs and Symptoms in School
Problems with
Spelling and Organizing written and spoken language
Memorizing number facts and completing math operations
Reading quickly enough to comprehend, especially with longer reading assignments
Learning another language
Remembering simples sequences (counting 1-20, days of the week, alphabet, etc.)
Understanding onset rhyme
Pronunciation
Clapping hands to the rhythm of a sound
Word retrieval
Remembering names of places and people
Spoken directions

22. Plan of Action
Diagnosis - Only a medical doctor can give a formal diagnosis.
rules out other common causes of reading difficulties
determines if the student profile fits definition of dyslexia.
Intervention Planning - develops a focused remedial program with a specialized approach to reading instruction.
Documentation -
Evaluation documents history of a student’s learning disability
Family history has a heavy impact here.
Formative assessment in the classroom is a key component.

23. Evaluation for Dyslexia
Background information - remember family history!
Intelligence - difference IQ and reading skill
Oral language skills - speech
Word recognition
Decoding
Spelling
Phonological processing = “sound system” of English
Must be able to think about, remember, and correctly sequence the sounds in words in order to learn to link letter to sounds for reading and spelling.
Reading comprehension
Vocabulary knowledge

24. Assessments for Dyslexia
Comprehensive CST Evaluation
Comprehensive Reading Evaluation
Teacher use Evaluation
Gallistel Ellis Test of Decoding Skills
WADE - Wilson Assessment of Decoding and Encoding
Wilson Fundations Placement
Woodcock Reading Mastery
Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)
Informal Reading Inventory (IRI)

25. Recommended Instruction Not ALL may be present
Dyslexia
Not ALL may be present

26. Teaching Dyslexia Students
“Dyslexic students need a different approach to learning language from that employed in most classrooms. They need to be taught, slowly and thoroughly, the basic elements of their language—the sounds and the letters which represent them—and how to put these together and take them apart. They have to have lots of practice in having their writing hands, eyes, ears, and voices working together for conscious organization and retention of their learning.”
Margaret Byrd Rawson, a former President of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA)

27. Multisensory Structured Language Teaching
Effective instruction for students with dyslexia is explicit, direct, cumulative, intensive, and focused on the structure of language. This is the idea of structured language instruction.
Multisensory learning involves the use of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously to enhance memory and learning of written language. Links are consistently made between the visual (language we see), auditory (language we hear), and kinesthetic-tactile (language symbols we feel) pathways in learning to read and spell. .

28. Multisensory Structured Teaching
Systematic and Cumulative
Systematic - follows the logical order of the language
sequence - begin with the easiest and most basic concepts, progressing to more difficult concepts
Cumulative - each step must be based on concepts previously learned
Explicit Instruction - deliberate teaching of all concepts with continuous student-teacher interaction.
Diagnostic Teaching -individualized and based on careful and continuous formal and informal assessment,
Automaticity -comprehension and expression.

29. Structured Multisensory Reading Instruction
The integration of listening, speaking, reading, and writing makes this instruction multisensory. This instruction also enhances the reading and academic achievement of all students.
Phonology - “word attack” ability to understand/apply letter/sound systems Orthography - the writing of language
Syntax - the structure of sentences
Morphology - word meaning: roots, prefixes and suffixes
Semantic - the organization of spoken and written discourse.
Phonology = “word attack” - Sound-symbol association - OG = SOS
Syllable instruction - identify and segment

30. Classroom Strategies: Tips and Tools
Teaching students with dyslexia across content areas is challenging! Schools can implement academic accommodations and modifications to help students with dyslexia succeed:
Give extra time to complete tasks
Help with taking notes, and modified work assignments
Taped tests
Allow students with dyslexia to use alternative means of assessment
Listen to books on tape
Using text reading and word processing computer programs

31. Orton Gillingham Approach Not ALL may be present
Dyslexia
Not ALL may be present

32. The Orton Gillingham Approach
The “Orton-Gillingham approach” = structured, sequential, multisensory techniques established by Orton (1920) Gillingham (1936) , and their colleagues.
Orton - kinesthetic-tactile reinforcement of visual and auditory associations. For example, students who confuse b and d are taught to use consistent, different strokes in forming each letter.
Gillingham and Stillman (1936) “alphabetic method” combined multisensory techniques with teaching the structure of written English, including the sounds (phonemes), meaning units (morphemes such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots) and common spelling rules.

33. The Orton Gillingham Approach
Direct Instruction
Simultaneous, Multisensory (VAKT):uses all learning pathways in the brain (i.e., visual, auditory, kinesthetic tactile) simultaneously or sequentially in order to enhance memory and learning.
Systematic and Cumulative: Follows the logical order of the language.
Beginswith the easiest and most basic concepts and progress to more difficult material.
Each concept must also be based on those already learned.
Concepts taught must be systematically reviewed to strengthen memory.

34. The Orton Gillingham Approach
Diagnostic Teaching: Flexible and individualized teaching.
Based on careful and continuous assessment of the individual’s needs.
The content presented must be mastered step by step for the student to progress.
Synthetic and Analytic Instruction:
Synthetic instruction presents the parts of the language and then teaches how the parts work together to form a whole.
Analytic instruction presents the whole and teaches how this can be broken down into its component parts.

35. The Orton Gillingham Approach
Comprehensive and Inclusive: All levels of language are addressed
sounds (phonemes)
symbols (graphemes)
meaningful word parts (morphemes)
word and phrase meanings (semantics)
sentences (syntax)
longer passages (discourse)
social uses of language (pragmatics).
Matrix of MLS Programs

36. Classroom Accommodations Not ALL may be present
Dyslexia
Not ALL may be present

37. Accommodations Involving Materials
Clarify or simplify written directions
Present a small amount of work
Black out extraneous stimuli
Highlight essential information
Use a placeholder
Provide additional practice activities and opportunities
Develop reading guides
Consider graphic novels
Use an audio recording device
Use of assistive technology - iPads, audiobooks, text to speech

38. Accommodations Involving Interactive Instruction
USE EXPLICIT TEACHING PROCEDURES
Present an advanced organizer, demonstrate the skill, provide guided practice, offer corrective feedback, set up independent practice, monitor practice, review
Repeat directions - several steps, add visual, read and understand
Maintain daily routines - written, oral, kinesthetic
Provide copy of lesson notes
Provide graphic organizer
Integrate technology

39. Accommodations Involving Interactive Instruction (2)
Use step-by-step instruction
Sequential
Scaffolding
Write key points or words on chalkboard/whiteboard (before lesson)
Have student get into the habit of writing reminders for themselves
Use balanced presentations and activities - oral, visual, kinesthetic
Use mnemonic instruction - rhymes/phrases
Emphasize daily review
Simultaneously combine verbal and visual information (Kinesthetic)

40. Unsung Hero