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What Is Dyslexia?
Official Definitions
Defined:
If it looks like a duck, walks like a
duck, it's probably a duck.
Or is testing for dyslexia really necessary?
(from To Teach a Dyslexic,
chapter 24)
Official Definition #1. According
to the World Federation of Neurology, dyslexia is "a
disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to
read despite conventional instruction, adequate
intelligence and sociocultural opportunity." (sic)
Translated into plain
English, this means that if a
student isn't dumb and he isn't surrounded by people
who hate schools and
if he goes to school and
if he
gets the "conventional instruction" (Look-see or
whole language) and if
he still has problems reading, it must be that he is
a dyslexic.
Official Definition #2. According to the
International Dyslexia Association's Committee of
Members in November, 1994, "Dyslexia is a
neurologically-based, often familial, disorder which
interferes with the acquisition and processing of
language. Varying in degrees of severity, it
is manifested by difficulties in receptive and
expressive language, including phonological
processing, in reading, writing, spelling,
handwriting, and sometimes in arithmetic.
Dyslexia is not a result of lack of motivation,
sensory impairment, inadequate instructional or
environmental opportunities, or other limiting
conditions, but may occur together with these
conditions. Although dyslexia is life-long,
individuals with dyslexia frequently respond
successfully to timely and appropriate
intervention."
Translated into plain
English, this means that dyslexia
has to do with how the brain organizes what the eyes
see and the ears hear. The condition is such
that traditional methods of teaching reading will
not work with a person with dyslexia.
However, dyslexics may be taught to read and write
with proper instruction. This usually
involves multi-sensory approaches as used by AVKO,
Orton-Gillingham, Slingerland, Spalding
tutors, etc.
Official Definition #3. According to the
International Dyslexia Association's Research
Committee in November 1994, "Dyslexia is one of
several distinct learning disabilities. It is
a specific language-based disorder of constitutional
origin characterized by difficulties in single word
decoding, usually reflecting insufficient
phonological processing abilities. These
difficulties in single word decoding are often
unexpected in relation to age and other cognitive
and academic abilities; they are not the result of
generalized developmental disability or sensory
impairment. Dyslexia is manifested by variable
difficulty with different forms of language, often
including, in addition to problems reading, a
conspicuous problem with acquiring proficiency in
writing and spelling."
Translated into plain
English, this means that if someone
has normal intelligence but has severe problems
learning to read and write despite "conventional"
instruction, that person is dyslexic.
Official Definition #4. According to the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
"Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning
disability characterized by difficulty in learning
to read. Some dyslexics also may have
difficulty learning to write, to spell, and,
sometimes, to speak or to work with numbers.
We do not know for sure what causes dyslexia, but we
do know that it affects children who are physically
and emotionally healthy, academically capable, and
who come from good home environments. In fact,
many dyslexics have the advantages of excellent
schools, high mental ability, and parents who are
well-educated and value learning.
Translated into plain
English, this means that when you
can't find a reason for a child not being able to
read, it must be he is dyslexic.
Official Definition #5. Dyslexia is a
term that has been loosely applied to reading
disabilities. Specific definitions for dyslexia vary
with disciplines. Those in medicine define dyslexia
as a condition resulting from neurological,
maturational, and genetic causes, while those in
psychology relate dyslexia on the basis of the
specific reading problems evidenced and give no
reference to causation. All disciplines would
probably agree that dyslexia is evidenced by persons
of otherwise normal intellectual capacity
who have not learned to read
despite exposure to adequate instruction.
Translated into plain English, this
means that when you can't find a reason for a child
not being able to read, it must be he is dyslexic.
How
Is Dyslexia Diagnosed? Are there tests for
dyslexia?
The diagnosis of dyslexia usually begins with an
awareness by parents or teachers that a problem in
reading exists. A physician is often the first
diagnostician to explore the nature of the
difficulty. The medical practitioner should
investigate the cause of the reading problem by
conducting a complete physical examination and
obtaining a comprehensive health history. If
indicated, the child should be referred for a
neurological examination. If dyslexia is suspected,
the physician should refer the child for further
evaluation and treatment by a specialist in
psycho-educational diagnosis. The major purpose of
the diagnostic process is to isolate the specific
difficulties associated with dyslexia and to suggest
appropriate educational intervention. Usually the
diagnostician will employ a battery of assessment
instruments that explore the relationship of
specific reading problems to the intellectual,
achievement, perceptual, motoric, linguistic, and
adaptive capabilities of the individual. Based on
the results, an intervention plan can be implemented
by a special educator or remedial reading teacher
trained in specialized reading techniques. (sic)
Translated into plain English, this
means that you must get an "expert" to test your
child to rule out all other possible explanations
for his learning disability so he can then
tell you what you already
know--that your child has problems
learning to read with conventional methods, in other
words your child is dyslexic.
Editors note: Why waste your money testing for
dyslexia when you already know what you need to know
and that is, your child needs help in learning to
read and learning to spell.
Standard explanation of what works for dyslexics:
No one remedial reading method works for
all reading disabled students. Therefore it is
important that the teacher have mastery of many
different techniques.
Translated into plain English, this
means that the experts don't really know how to
teach dyslexics but they hope a teacher will use
many different approaches until one that works is
found. AVKO's methods (note the plural) have
been successful with all the dyslexics who have come
to our clinic for help.
What
Are Some Of The Characteristics Of Dyslexia?
An individual is identified as dyslexic when a
significant discrepancy exists between intellectual
ability and reading performance without an apparent
physical, emotional, or cultural cause.
Translated into plain English, this
means a person may be called a dyslexic when we know
that he is smart enough to be able to learn to read
but we "can't"
figure out why
he doesn't read.
Common characteristics
include, but are not limited to:
(1) family history of reading problems;
(2) a predominant occurrence in males (males to
females 8:1);
(3) an average or above average IQ and, not
uncommonly, a proficiency in math:
(4) no enjoyment of reading as a leisure activity;
(5) problems of letter and word reversal;
(6) developmental history of problems in
coordination and left/right dominance;
(7) poor visual memory for language symbols;
(8) auditory language difficulties in word finding,
fluency, meaning, or sequence;
(9) difficulty transferring information from what is
heard to what is seen and vice versa. Specific
reading problems associated with dyslexia include
difficulty in pronouncing new words, difficulty
distinguishing similarities and differences in words
(no for on), and difficulty discriminating
differences in letter sound (pin, pen). Other
problems may include reversal of words and letters,
disorganization of word order, poor reading
comprehension, and difficulty applying what has been
read to social or learning situations.
What
Factors Contribute To Dyslexia?
Ocular Problems
Several reliable studies (Helveston 1969; Blika
1982; Keys 1982; Hiatt 1984) have found that
dyslexic individuals have no greater incidence of
eye problems than do individuals with normal reading
ability. Such parameters as visual acuity, stereo
acuity, ocular alignment and motility, fusion status
(break point amplitude), and refractive error have
not been shown to be significantly different in poor
versus normal readers. Individuals with reading
problems should, however, have a careful eye
examination as part of an overall medical
examination. There is no scientific evidence that
visual training (including eye muscle exercises,
ocular tracking or pursuit exercises, or glasses
with bifocals or prisms) leads to significant
improvement in the performance of dyslexic
individuals.
Translated into plain English, this
means a dyslexic should have his eyes checked, but
improved vision doesn't help that much in learning
to read.
Language Problems
According to Mattis (1978), the primary contributing
factor to dyslexia is an auditory language deficit.
Approximately 86% of the individuals identified as
dyslexic evidence an auditory language disorder that
prevents the individual from linking the spoken form
of a word with its written equivalent. In light of
this, any individual with reading problems should
have a careful evaluation of his or her language
capabilities and where indicated, appropriate speech
and language intervention should be provided.
Translated into plain
English, this means hearing and
speaking are related to reading.
Visuo-Spatial-Motor Problems
In contrast to language problems,
visuo-spatial-motor factors of dyslexia appear less
frequently (Robinson and Schwartz 1973).
Approximately 5% of the individuals identified as
dyslexic have a visuo-spatial-motor problem that
interferes with sequential organization, scanning,
and the perception of temporal and spatial cues.
Although visuo-spatial-motor confusion is common in
young children who are just learning to read, these
problems do not tend to account for severe and
persistent reading difficulties unless the child has
missed so much basic reading instruction that he
cannot get caught up. Assessment of visual, spatial,
and motor capacities should be included in the
diagnosis of any coordination or orientation
disorder; however, there is no scientific evidence
that interventions such as neurological and sensory
organizational training, laterality training,
dominance training, balance beam, or reflex
inhibition will significantly accelerate reading
performance.
Translated into plain English, this
means that some dyslexics have problems visualizing
things, problems with hand-eye coordination, muscle
control, sense of time and space. This
should be assessed but treatment of any of these
problems won't be of much help.
Other
Factors
The importance of general intelligence in learning
to read has been examined and shown to be a critical
factor in both reading and language abilities.
Investigations of the role of dominance in
handedness, eyedness, and mixed laterality have
produced no consistent conclusions. Studies
investigating low birth weight, EEG abnormalities,
temperamental attributes, attention deficit
disorders, birth order, food additives, and chemical
allergies have yielded mixed results. What is clear
is that a wide range of factors can be associated
with reading difficulties but that these factors
work differently in different children.
Translated into plain
English, this means that the experts
don't really know or agree about what causes
dyslexia or how to treat it.
There is no
simple formula for diagnosing and treating a
dyslexic child. Each one requires his or her own
individual program.
If you would like to find out
how Don McCabe, a dyslexic himself, was enabled to
read and what it was that enabled him to discover
how to teach other dyslexics to read and write, see
To Teach a Dyslexic.
A Standard Recommended
Method of Testing for Dyslexia
(AVKO considers this expensive and
really non-productive but we have this here so that
you can see what it entails)
A rather
extensive testing battery is completed. The
cognitive portion is usually done by a psychologist.
It is necessary to establish the approximate IQ to
rule out mental retardation among other things.
Two common tests that are used are the
Benet
and
WISC
to determine IQ. Then some type of
achievement test is completed. The
Woodcock-Johnson
Achievement Battery is often used.
This permits comparison of standard scores.
The usual criteria are a standard deviation (15
points) between IQ and achievement or sometimes
irregularities in subscores.
If evidence warrants, language processing tests,
figure ground discrimination type testing, and
visual-motor type testing. In addition, for
public school placement in a L.D. program, the place
where dyslexic students are served in public
schools, a social history, a medical history, a
psychological eval, and
an educational eval are
required.
The
psychological and educational evaluations are
basically covered in the above testing that may be
completed within the school system or by outside
sources. A psychologist usually does the
cognitive testing. The educational testing may
be done by an educational specialist or guidance
counselor. There also has to be a classroom
observation and a review of all other educational
data. A school social worker should do the
social history. A medical doctor should do the
medical examination. Then all the results are
reviewed by a team that includes the parents, the
school administration, the evaluators, the classroom
teacher, the social
worker, and a medical representative.
The goal is to prove
that the problem is not emotional, mental, social,
or medical before educational placement can be
completed.
A word of
caution: Dyslexia is more complex than reading
numbers backwards or reversing letters in words.
We now believe that it is caused by an underlying
language problem that extends throughout the area of
language arts. For some, it extends into
mathematics. Orton-Gillingham
type reading programs are usually the most
successful in working with reading problems for
dyslexics.
Hope that
this is helpful.
The above
was a posting by Julia Reynolds on the International
Reading Association's Listserv:
rteacher@bookmark.reading.org
Note:
"The goal is
to prove that the problem is not emotional, mental,
social, or medical before educational placement can
be completed"
AVKO's concern:
Supposing a person spends the thousands of dollars
on all these tests and gets the "proof" that the
dyslexia is not emotional, mental, social, or
medical, what next? Will the "educational
placement" help? We suggest that BEFORE a
child is subjected to hours of testing torture and
before the parents' bank account is depleted, that
the parents demand to know the percentage of
students put into the targeted public school
educational placement who are brought to grade level
and who graduate from high school reading at grade
level. If their success rate is
truthfully admitted to, it probably will be zero.
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