DYSLEXIA FCPS School Psychologists:

Jennifer Molepske
WHAT IT IS, WHAT IS ISN’T, AND WHAT Marcia Nowell

WE CAN DO ABOUT IT Sarah Stark

AGENDA
•Definition of dyslexia
•Systems/processes involved in reading
•Characteristics of proficient reader vs reader with dyslexia
•Evidence-based interventions and things to try at home
•Resources
WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?
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
impact growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-dyslexia-kelli-sandman-hurley
(Video about dyslexia)
NEUROBIOLOGICAL ORIGINS
•There is evidence that dyslexia is heritable (genetic factors)
•Environmental factors can play a role as well
•Proficient readers use different parts of the brain than do dyslexic readers
• Skilled readers activate the back of the brain
• Dyslexia readers overuse the left frontal and right frontal regions of their brains
• BUT this brain profile can normalize to some extent after intervention – meaning that
appropriate intervention actually helps a dyslexic reader’s brain to function more like a
proficient reader’s brain
COMMON AREAS OF
DIFFICULTY
•Phonological Processing – manipulating sounds of language, pronouncing words,
giving rhymes, segmenting and blending phonemes (sounds of words)
•Rapid Naming – fast, automatic retrieval process, remembering names and lists,
reading fluency
•Orthographic Processing – memory for letters in words, identifying words and
symbols, letter/word recognition

Research overwhelmingly shows that dyslexia is NOT a visual acuity problem, and
no benefit has been found from using vision training
(American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009)
PROCESSES AND SKILLS
INVOLVED IN READING
Reading integrates several Proficient reading involves the
different systems: skills of:
Visual Decoding – sounding-out words
Phonological
Working Memory Fluency – quick and accurate reading
Language
Comprehension – understanding the
meaning of text
CHARACTERISTICS OF
PROFICIENT READERS
Proficient reading requires:
• General awareness that words have parts
• Specific awareness that these parts are sounds
• Linkage of these sound parts to the printed word
• Understanding that the printed word and spoken word are related
 
CHARACTERISTICS OF
DYSLEXIC READERS
Dyslexic readers exhibit:
• Difficulty hearing, isolating, and manipulating the individual sounds that
make up our language (phonemes)
• Limited awareness that our spoken language is composed of these
phonemes, and that…
• These sounds correspond to the letters/symbols of our written language

In the classroom, these weaknesses may present as difficulty with word

recognition, spelling, or decoding words. Other issues may include poor
handwriting and comprehension.
IF MY CHILD HAS DIFFICULTY
READING, DOES THAT MEAN
HE/SHE HAS DYSLEXIA?
•Dyslexia is but one of several “internal” reasons for why a student
might not be learning how to read
•Not all students with reading difficulties or those identified with a
specific learning disability will be considered to have dyslexia
Example: Student has reading comprehension problems. The
mechanical side of reading is fine, but difficulty persists in deriving
meaning from print.
 IF MY CHILD HAS DYSLEXIA,
DOES THAT MEAN THAT
HE/SHE NEEDS SPECIAL
•EDUCATION?
Special Education is NOT the ONLY answer to the challenge of dyslexia.
•It is AN answer for a select group of students with more severe
manifestations.
•It is important to understand the student’s specific problem area and design
an intervention around that area.
•There is no “one size fits all” treatment for dyslexia.
•There are many intervention programs available that address specific areas of
dyslexia.
WHAT CAN WE DO FOR
DYSLEXIA?
Instructional Interventions:
•It’s important to match the intervention
strategy with a specific problem area for
the student (Decoding interventions vs.
fluency or comprehension interventions)
•Some of the evidence-based interventions
recommended through research include:
• Wilson program
• Language!
• Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing
• Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory approach
• Great Leaps for Reading
What can be done at home?
•Make it FUN!
•Try one of the many excellent literacy apps,
targeting skills such as:
• print awareness
• phonics
• comprehensions
•Lots of EXPOSURE to PRINT
•Reading to younger sibling, pet, stuffed animal
(easy books)
•When watching TV, put closed captioning on
•Listen to books on technology device
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Books:
•Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz
(2003)
•Dyslexia: A Complete Guide for Parents
and Those Who Help Them by Gavin
Reid (2011)
•The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the
Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain
by Brock and Fernette Eide (2012)
Websites:
•International Dyslexia Association
www.EIDA.org
•Learning Disabilities Online
www.ldonline.org
•Virginia Department of Education
www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/disabil
ities/learning_disabilities_guidelines.pdf
TAKE AWAY:
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT POINTS
•Dyslexia is a specific learning disability…that affects accurate and/or fluent word recognition
and decoding… that is the result of a problem with phonological and/or orthographic
processing.
•Reading involves the coordinated use of multiple skills, including decoding, fluency, and
comprehension.
•Not all students with reading difficulties or those identified with a specific learning
disability will be considered to have dyslexia, and not all those with dyslexia will require
special education services.
•There is no “one size fits all” treatment for dyslexia, although there are many effective
instructional interventions and strategies to help struggling readers become more proficient
readers.