What is Dyslexia?
Dys means difficulty with Lexia means language |
"Phonemic Awareness is more highly
|
Dyslexia is an inherited language-based disorder that makes it extremely difficult to read, write, and spell; despite being smart enough, motivated, and exposed to those elements all the time. It is a brain difference that causes one to process language differently, which affects reading. Difficulty with language means oral speech, auditory processing, reading, written expression, and spelling, can be affected. Anything that implies direction can be confusing and retrieving from long term memory can be difficult.
how do we diagnose dyslexia? |
Who and what is affected?One out of five people are affected. Reading is affected because dyslexia is a language based disorder that interferes with language processing, and that is what reading is, the ability to process language. Phonemic Awareness is an essential pre-reading skill. It is the basic building blocks for processing language. Phonemic Awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate sounds within a one-syllable word. If you don't have phonemic awareness, phonics won't work.
|
Early identification is crucial. Many adults with dyslexia have not been diagnosed. Most children who have trouble reading are identified in the first couple years of school. Most children with dyslexia, however, are not identified until later. Some children never get identified. Most schools test only for specific learning disabilities, not for dyslexia. Suspected dyslexia can only be diagnosed by an educated professional. It is never too late to improve reading, writing, and spelling with the appropriate intervention.