Dyslexia: Myth vs Science

The topic of Dyslexia is more familiar these days with schools and the challenges children face with this diagnosis, however, there remains considerable amount of outdated methodology and theories on how to best support this demographic of children.  This is also a topic that is close to my heart having two children with Dyslexia.

With all the advances in understanding the process of learning to read, the misconception still lingers that reading more will “fix” or solve children’s inability to read. In fact, it is infuriating being told that as a parent and an advocate. Children with dyslexia are not lazy either. It is more than just letter reversal.   These children are not zoning out, they are trying.  Sometimes the child doesn’t even understand why school is so difficult when they do everything the teacher has asked of them.  Dyslexia is a PERMANENT neurobiological condition that interferes with all areas of language such as the ability to read words, write, spell, comprehend, communicate to even do math. Children can have difficulties with types of print. Dyslexia is also not confined to just school either.  Dyslexia can present itself in many ways depending on the child and their difficulties. When a child has Dyslexia, it requires SPECIFIC instruction that is systematic, explicit, and multi sensory…AKA scientifically supported, shown to work. Dyslexia can also be identified before a child begins their academic career.

Effective interventions can make a difference for these children providing that it begins early, and the child is not given the “wait to fail first” approach. This is the attitude that many school districts take and is why so many children with Dyslexia spend their academic career behind, never able to perform all academic skills on grade level and end up in private tutoring.

If you are a parent of a child with Dyslexia, one of the best questions to ask your school district is do they have reading programs to support how your child will learn. Look for programs like Wilson or Orton-Gillingham as well as tutors who have had specific training in the world of Dyslexia. Understand your child CAN be successful! You will just have to find the programing that supports their beautiful brains along the way.

 

Comments

Anonymous said…
Great information.
May 2, 2023 at 11:11 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The importance of Documentaion

There are so many moments when parents struggle to plead their case against a system that claims to have their child’s best interest at heart but is completely the opposite.   If there is one thing that I can stress to families is the importance of documentation.   This is the difference between having the facts and it being hearsay. So, what am I referring to? Emailed correspondence? Phone calls? Testing? YES, to all the above. Anytime there is a question, issue or just a simple inquiry, you want a paper trail via email. If you have a phone call with a teacher or administrator, you must always recap the conversation with that individual in an email.   The more information you capture regarding your child’s case, the stronger your chances are of not getting push back in your meetings. That’s not to say it will not happen, however, the more documentation the more you can hold those individuals accountable. Learning how to document is essential for every IEP family. Knowi...
Read more

The Strong Voice of Parents

  Parents are the voices of their children. They know them better than anyone else who is in their lives. Parents understand their child’s feelings, their struggles, and their successes.   Parents are the first ones to make their child feel better when they are hurt, sad and even mad. They understand the volcanic eruption of emotions from children who keep it together all day while they attend school to finally feel safe enough to express their hearts, not always a pretty scene to watch.   But most importantly, parents are the voices for their child’s education when the tables are stacked against them from LEAs whose priorities are backwards in the realm of education.   Parents are the ones who call out the inconsistencies, the lack of accountability, the failures of these schools whose job it is to educate your child.   It is no wonder most parents, especially those with children in special education, are exhausted. Their children are in a world with those th...
Read more

Getting prepared for that BIG meeting

  If you are like most parents, when the annual IEP meeting rolls around you feel an increase of emotions. The anxiety, the defensiveness, the frustrations. Feelings that only an IEP parent can truly understand as what can be a grueling and adversarial process  sometimes. The key to staying calm and successful is being overly organized and knowing how to present your concerns and requests. I know, easier said than done when it comes to our children.   A great tool to bring to an IEP meeting is your Pre-Meeting Worksheet. A Pre-Meeting Worksheet is an organized way to help stick to the facts of the meeting and leave the emotions at the door. Within this document you will write things such as ·         Purpose of the meeting ·         Who will be attending? ·         What do you want for your child? ·         What are they p...
Read more