DYSLEXIA Ivana Marova, Ph.D. DYSLEXIA DYSLEXIA - DEFINTION “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It 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.” DYSLEXIA - SYMPTOMS Vision, Reading, and Spelling oConfused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations. oReading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words. oComplains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying. oSeems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don’t reveal a problem. Hearing and Speech oHas extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds. oDifficulty putting thoughts into words; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking. DYSLEXIA – SYMPTOMS Writing and Motor Skills oClumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks o Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under. Math and Time Management oHas difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time. oComputing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper. oCan count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money. oCan do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math. DYSLEXIA - SYMPTOMS Memory and Cognition oExcellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces. oPoor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced. oThinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue). Behavior, Health, Development and Personality oExtremely disorderly or compulsively orderly. oCan be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet. oHad unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes). DYSLEXIA IN THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT Before school oLate talking oLearning new words slowly oProblems forming words correctly, such as reversing sounds in words or confusing words that sound alike oProblems remembering or naming letters, numbers and colors oDifficulty learning nursery rhymes or playing rhyming games EFFICIENT IN EDUCATION – CONNECTED WITH THE READING METHOD USED IN SCHOOL DYSLEXIA IN THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT School age oReading well below the expected level for age oProblems processing and understanding what he or she hears oDifficulty finding the right word or forming answers to questions oProblems remembering the sequence of things oDifficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words oInability to sound out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word oDifficulty spelling oSpending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing oAvoiding activities that involve reading DYSLEXIA IN THE DEVELOPMENT Teens and adults oDifficulty reading, including reading aloud oSlow and labor-intensive reading and writing oProblems spelling oAvoiding activities that involve reading oMispronouncing names or words, or problems retrieving words oTrouble understanding jokes or expressions that have a meaning not easily understood from the specific words (idioms), such as "piece of cake" meaning "easy" oSpending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing oDifficulty summarizing a story oTrouble learning a foreign language oDifficulty memorizing oDifficulty doing math problems SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL FRAN LEVIN BOWMAN, M.ED. & VINCENT CULOTTA, PH.D., 2010 • • Do you read slowly? • Did you have trouble learning how to read when you were in school? • Do you often have to read something two or three times before it makes sense? • Are you uncomfortable reading out loud? • Do you omit, transpose, or add letters when you are reading or writing? • Do you find you still have spelling mistakes in your writing even after Spell Check? • Do you find it difficult to pronounce uncommon multi-syllable words when you are reading? • Do you choose to read magazines or short articles rather than longer books and novels? • When you were in school, did you fin it extremely difficult to learn a foreign language? • Do you avoid work projects or courses that require extensive reading? If you checked seven or more of these questions, this may indicate dyslexia DYSLEXIA - VIDEOS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9SxijF8VRc What is it like to be dyslexic? What is dyslexia? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayoQNsZkCCo