DYSLEXIA

HOW COMMON IS DYSLEXIA?

• 60% of students with reading struggles have dyslexia.
• 20% of a class has dyslexia.

HOW DO I KNOW IF A STUDENT IS DYSLEXIC?

• If they have trouble reading nonsense words.
• If they have trouble reading sight words in isolation.
• If their listening comprehension is high, but they have trouble reading the words.
• If they can't spell well - encoding!
• If you really wonder, have the student do a manipulation task. Dyslexic students have trouble manipulating the sounds in words.

CAN I TALK TO PARENTS ABOUT DYSLEXIA?

• Yes!!
• According to a new May 2014 law, dyslexia is an educational issue, not a medical diagnosis. It should be handled with educational responses.
• The teacher can use the term dyslexia and can even refer parents to someone who can do a screening. However, the most important thing is the instructional response!

SO, HOW SHOULD MY INSTRUCTION LOOK?

• Use a multi sensory approach- hear it, say it, touch it, write it!
• Always have the students write the words, not just say and read.
• Teach the common spelling rules. Example- y says the long e sound at the end of a 2 syllable word and says the long i sound at the end of a one syllable word.

"If you've told a child a thousand times and he still does not understand, then it is not the child who is the slow learner."
-Walter Barbee