What is dyslexia?
Many people believe that dyslexia is a visual problem, where you reverse letters. While it is true that letters may be reversed, it is not a visual problem, it is a language-based learning issue. Simply put, the brain works differently in people who have dyslexia. This does not affect intelligence and is not a problem with learning, it is simply a difference in learning. People with dyslexia have the same intelligence as their peers.
Dyslexia is a life-long condition. People will not outgrow dyslexia, but with interventions, they can learn strategies to overcome the difficulties associated with it. Some of these difficulties include:
Decoding
Reading comprehension
Spelling
Writing
Math
Many people with dyslexia have gone on to have very successful careers. Steven Speilberg, Richard Branson, and Cher are a small sample of names you may recognize.
Dyslexia Signs and Symptoms
The following information can be found at understand.org, which is a wonderful resource if you would like more information. For a quick overview of dyslexia, see their fact sheet. If you would like to experience what it may be like to have dyslexia, understand.org has a simulation you can take.
Dyslexia is best thought of as a spectrum. It affects people to varying degrees and one person can exhibit different symptoms than another with dyslexia. In general, difficulties with reading fluency and accuracy will present themselves. A key sign of dyslexia is when a person struggles with decoding words. Decoding words is the ability to match letters to sounds and then apply this to reading.
The main reason people with dyslexia have trouble with decoding is because they have trouble with a language skill called phonemic awareness. This is the ability to recognize individual sounds in words. The two components of phonemic awareness are:
Segmenting: breaking a word apart into individual sounds. For example, f-i-sh after hearing the word fish.
Blending: The opposite of segmenting. It is putting the word together after hearing the individual parts. For example, saying the word fish after hearing f-i-sh.
Dyslexia can also impact everyday skills. Interpreting nonverbal cues, managing stress, and navigating are some examples of other areas people with dyslexia may struggle.
Dyslexia is a lifelong difficulty, and as such signs can look different at different ages. While early intervention is key to minimizing struggles, it is never too late to start learning these strategies! Below are some of the key symptoms:
Kindergarten
Has trouble recognizing whether two words rhyme
Struggles with taking away the beginning sound from a word
Struggles with learning new words
Has trouble recognizing letters and matching them to sounds
grades 1-3
Has trouble taking away the middle sound from a word or blending several sounds to make a word
Often doesn’t recognize common sight words
Quickly forgets how to spell words after studying them
Gets tripped up by word problems in math
grades 4-8
Makes many spelling errors
Frequently has to re-read sentences and passages
Reads at a lower academic level than when speaking or in conversation
High School
Often skips over small words when reading aloud
Doesn’t read at the expected grade level
Strongly prefers multiple-choice questions over fill-in-the-blank or short answer
adults
Difficulty reading unfamiliar fonts.
Avoids reading out loud. May dislike public speaking.
Will commonly perceive that they “read better silently.”
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