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Frequently Asked Questions
According to IDA, the problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in aquiring and using written language. Students often have trouble remembering letter sysbols for sounds and forming memories for words. Other problems by people with dyslexia include the following: learning letters and sounds, organizing written nand spoken language, memorizing number facts, reading quickly enough to comprehend, presisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments, spelling, and other language skills. Formal testing of reading and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia. Please refer to article titled "Is my child dyslexic" for a great article from ALTA and also to the Dyslexia Screener. Both found in the Resource Room
Previous popular reading appoaches such as Guided Reading or Balanced Literacy do not help dyslexic readers because they do not focus on the decoding skills that dyslexic readers need. Instead, Structured Literacy prepares these students to decode words in an explicit and systematic manner. In fact, there is researched evidence that this approach can benefit ALL readers. There are several elements to Structured Literacy instruction which include phonology, sound-symbol association, syllable instruction, morpology, syntax, and semantics. How it is taught is equally important and must be systematic, cumulative, and explicit. Structured Literacy is also diagnostic and individualized.
The impact dyslexia has is different for each person based on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of thier instruction. Many dyslexics may have difficulty expressing themselves or fully comprehend what others mean. It also can effect their self-image as they often feel less intelligent and not as capable than they actually are. This can lead to stress and discouragement.
YES! If a child receives effective phonological awareness and phonics training early they will have far less problems learning to read than if not identified until later in their eduation. They need Structured Literacy Instruction techniques and can learn to read, process and express information efficiently.