Dyslexia affects reading and related language-based processing skills. The severity of this specific learning disability can differ in each individual but can affect reading fluency, decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as a Language-Based Learning Disability.
Signs and Symptoms
- Reads slowly and painfully
- Experiences decoding errors, especially with the order of letters
- Shows wide disparity between listening comprehension and reading comprehension of some text
- Has trouble with spelling
- May have difficulty with handwriting
- Exhibits difficulty recalling known words
- Has difficulty with written language
- May experience difficulty with math computations
- Decoding real words is better than nonsense words
- Substitutes one small sight word for another: a, I, he, the, there, was
When dealing with children who have learning disabilities, it’s important to use methods that work best with their unique needs. If you are struggling to help a child with dyslexia as a teacher, parent or caregiver, here are some methods that may be worth checking out:
- Provide a quiet area for activities like reading, answering comprehension questions
- Use books on tape
- Use books with large print and big spaces between lines
- Provide a copy of lecture notes
- Don’t count spelling on history, science or other similar tests
- Allow alternative forms for book reports
- Allow the use of a laptop or other computer for in-class essays
- Use multi-sensory teaching methods
- Teach students to use logic rather than rote memory
- Present material in small units