ARI Region 3: April 2016

What are the strengths and difficulties experienced by students with dyslexia?

Strengths	Students with dyslexia may have difficulty with.....
Average to above average intelligence	Delayed language development
Creative and strong verbal skills	Learning letters and their sounds (blending and segmenting)
Logical thinker	Organizing written and spoken language
Can easily grasp new concepts when presented orally	Difficulty memorizing and recalling facts
Excellent oral comprehension	Reading quickly enough to comprehend
Artistic or musical	Reading with fluency and automaticity
Solves puzzles and work in 3D	Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments
Technological	Spelling
Athletic	Copying words with accuracy
Inclination to think outside of the box	Correctly solving math operations
Understands abstract ideas	Weak decoding skills; slowness in figuring out multi-syllabic words

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia. A f-MRI (functional MRI) is the only way to definitively diagnose dyslexia. However, dyslexia screeners in reading, language, and writing skills can highlight specific characteristics of dyslexia a student might be experiencing.

What type of reading instruction best serves students with dyslexia?

As students with dyslexia have difficulty with phonological processing and word recognition, effective reading instruction should include

explicit, systematic, cumulative and multi-sensory instruction in:

· Phonology

· Sound/Symbol Association

· Syllable Instruction

· Morphology

· Semantics

· Syntax

Students often also need explicit instruction in vocabulary and comprehension.

For more information: http://eida.org/effective-reading-instruction/

What are some classroom accommodations and supports that can be provided to students with dyslexia? (as recommended by the Alabama State Dept. of Education)

Accommodations Involving Interactive Instruction

use explicit teaching procedures
repeat directions and clarify written instructions
establish and maintain daily routines
provide copies of lecture notes
provide students with graphic organizers
use step by step instructions
identify key points or words
use mnemonic instruction
emphasize daily reveiw
make instruction as multi-sensory as possible (involving at least 3 senses)

Accommodations Involving Student Performance

encourage use of graphic organizers
place student close to teacher and away from distractions, when possible
reduce student hand-copying of information
uses cues to denote important items
display models of expected student work for projects
use flexible work times and adjusted assignments, as needed
encourage note-sharing
provide additional practice
arrange handout information from easiest to hardest, when possible

Accommodations Involving Materials

use technology, such as Chromebooks, particularly its text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities
present a small amount of work at a time
highlight essential informaiton
help student locate place in consumable material
provide additional practice activities
provide a glossary in content areas
develop reading guides that emphasize key details and help students determine important information
allow use of instructional aids (spell checker and Google Calendar, for example)
some students read better with a light blue, yellow, or green colored background on their Chromebook. Th3 color may help to stabilize the images (words) being processed by the brain.

Talking to Your Child about Dyslexia--A Q&A

What does dyslexia mean?

Dyslexia is a scientific word that means, "trouble with words." It means your brain is wired in a way that makes it harder to connect sounds and letters for reading and spelling.

Can you cure dyslexia?

No, dyslexia is not a disease, and you can't cure it. You have it your whole life, but you can learn ways to overcome it.

Does dyslexia mean I am dumb?

No, people with dyslexia are just as smart as everyone else, and many successful people have dyslexia.

Is it ever too late to get help for dyslexia?

No, dyslexic readers can be taught strategies that can be applied throughout their lifetime. Programs involving multi-sensory strutured language techniques have been shown to help adults as well as children. Early intervention is better,m but intervention at any time can be effective.