​​Definition of Dyslexia​​

Simple Definition: Difficulty with reading & spelling
​ despite average intelligence and appropriate instruction.
MORE DETAILED DEFINITION:
“Dyslexia 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.

Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002.

Strengths of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is also characterized by strengths in the right side of the brain, the visual-spatial area.  Persons with dyslexia excel in understanding the big picture and may be creative, visionary type thinkers.  They are often gifted in mechanical/engineering type thinking or music, the arts, or sports.  Many are also quite charismatic, possessing the "gift of gab," and excel in sales or communication fields.

Warning Signs

Preschool Children may struggle with:
Learning letter names, mixing up sounds, rhyming, writing their name, oral speech, memorizing their address and phone number.  

Difficulty with speech is especially concerning. Research has now shown what was long suspected: A child who has difficulty using the language areas of the brain for oral language is a child who will also have difficulty with written language.

Older students may struggle with:
Older students are likely to have a history of reading difficulty or remediation along with poor spelling skills.  They will avoid reading out loud because their reading is slow and choppy. Likewise, their silent reading will be quite slow in comparison to their peers. They must read their text over and over to comprehend and even then will struggle with comprehension and studying for tests. Their writing ability usually falls far below their grade-level peers.

Grade School Students may struggle with: 
Blending sounds for reading or separating sounds for spelling, reading little words accurately, reading a word on one page but not the next, vowel confusion. Terrible spelling in writing although they can memorize words for a test, fluency, comprehension, rote memory--especially of math facts, sequence, directionality (left-right), dysgraphia, and more.     

Adults may struggle with:
Adults may dislike reading and avoid it whenever possible.  They continue to be poor spellers and often poor writers as well.  They often suffer from left-right confusion and may get lost often when driving.  Depending on the severity of dyslexia, an adult may have stopped formal schooling after high school or may have been able to struggle through a 2-year or 4-year degree.  Often they continue to be embarrassed and hide their areas of difficulty.
Each person in life is unique.  
Each person in life with dyslexia is unique.
The strengths, weaknesses, school experience
and severity of learning and memory is unique.

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