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Definition of Dyslexia

Dyslexia is neurobiological in origin. It is a genetic condition characterized by differences in the brain neurology that accounts for language processing. The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia in this way:

“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 impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” (IDA, 2002)
Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002.

Many state education codes, including New Jersey, Ohio and Utah, have adopted this definition. Learn more about how consensus was reached on this definition: Definition Consensus Project.

To quote Dr. Sally Shaywitz, a noted expert in the field of dyslexia:

Dyslexic children and adults struggle to read fluently, spell words correctly and learn a second language, among other challenges. But these difficulties have no connection to their overall intelligence. In fact, dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty in reading in an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader. While people with dyslexia are slow readers, they often, paradoxically, are very fast and creative thinkers with strong reasoning abilities.
(Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 13-24)

What is Dyslexia NOT?

Simply put, a dyslexia diagnosis indicates difficulty in reading, spelling, and/or comprehension in otherwise intelligent children and adults. The diagnosis is not the result of vision difficulties, lower IQ, lack of appropriate education, or cultural factors. While there’s no “cure” for dyslexia, its difficulties can be remediated as children and adults develop strategies and compensation mechanisms to deal with their challenges. In fact, many dyslexics are highly creative and successful in their chosen fields.

Dyslexia Diagnosis

The signs of dyslexia are often present in early childhood, however, the signs might not be recognized until students are already behind their peers in reading and spelling. The term ‘stealth dyslexia’ refers to those identified in high school, college, or adulthood. These older adults have flown under the radar of traditional diagnosis and gotten by based upon high reading comprehension and other coping mechanisms. Many school districts are hesitant to intervene with young children, citing a normal bell-curve distribution of reading age and ability level.

Dyslexia Statistics

The prevalence of dyslexia in the research literature ranges from 5-10% of the population, to the more recently accepted numbers of 1 in 5, or 20% of the population. According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity, founded by Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz, dyslexia is the most common learning disability, accounting for 80-90% of cases.

Dyslexia Assets and Advantages

A key finding of recent research is that dyslexia need not be a limiting factor in college and careers. The Dyslexic Advantage, by Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, gives considerable hope and encouragement to students and parents alike. As my former Headmaster, Earl Oremus at Marburn Academy, once said, “They’ve found the cure for dyslexia…graduation.”

References:

Eide, B. L. & Eide, F. F. (2011). The dyslexic advantage: Unlocking the hidden potential of the dyslexic brain. New York: Hudson Street Press.

International Dyslexia Association. (2002). Definition of Dyslexia. Retrieved from https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/

Shaywitz, S. E. (2005). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York: Vintage Books.

Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. (2019). What is dyslexia? Retrieved from http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/

Ripple Effect of Teachers on Society — Copyright 2020 by The Ripple Effect of a Teacher. www.ditchthetextbook.com

STEM Pioneer to STEM Educator

I love engineering. So why leave engineering for education?

It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot harder to make a difference.
Tom Brokaw

Long before STEM and STEAM were acronyms, few young girls were pursuing engineering as careers. Influential teachers in my life gave me the confidence to earn two degrees in engineering. Jerry Martin, my 6th grade math teacher at Ridgeview Junior High School first showed me that I had a talent and interest in mathematics. Thirty years later, he inspired me to use that experience to share my love of math and science with the next generation of future engineers.

In the 20 years since changing careers, I have been influential in the lives of countless children. I have an MEd in mathematics and science education with a reading endorsement and gifted education minor.

Before attending graduate school, I assisted in two classrooms where the teachers were using random spelling lists and grouping students by level. Children begged to move out of the lowest spelling group because of the stigma. I wish I had known about Orton Gillingham’s diagnostic, prescriptive, systematic approach back then. Not only would it have helped these students with spelling, but with their self-esteem as well.

After graduation I joined the staff at Marburn Academy, in Columbus, Ohio. Marburn Academy is a private school for students with dyslexia and dyscalculia. All teachers utilized the Orton-Gillingham methodology for individual tutoring and whole-class instruction. The Consortium of Literacy Educators (COLE), an Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE) accredited trainer, provided my training and supervised practicum.

My Dyslexia Story

Let me share a bit about “John”, who arrived at Marburn Academy as a defiant sixth-grader. Expecting to play football in the public school, he was angry with his parents for sending him to a private school without sports (at that time). However, he knew that middle school was full of hard knocks and bullying for an intelligent, popular athlete unable to demonstrate his true intelligence and creativity.

John soon realized that we had literacy remediation tools that work, and the competition was on. Through our writing fluency program, he made astounding progress at getting his thoughts into writing. As his typing and writing abilities soared, he badgered me to print him new graphs to plot his progress. He left us in 8th grade to attend a top high school where he excelled in academics and football. Now a proud mechanical engineer, his creativity, inventiveness, and superior math/science skills helped him to design aircraft engines upon college graduation.

Not all students with dyslexia will be able to attend private school for intensive instruction and achieve this type of academic success. It is my goal is to share resources on dyslexia with teachers, students, and their families. Many adults, now realizing that they are dyslexic, will find the information useful as well. My students make me laugh and break my heart at times, but I am grateful daily for the opportunity to help make their lives a bit easier.

Many former students still keep in touch, and seeing where they are today inspires me to continue research into learning challenges and the pursuit of solutions.

My Roles in Education

I have been a classroom teacher, a private tutor and dyslexia advocate, and a university professor. I am now an instructional designer showing teachers how to Design for Dyslexia. These roles allow me to serve individual students and their families, but also to educate and provide resources for teachers worldwide.

I teach Physical Science in the STEM Integrated PreK-6 Classroom in the STEM Instructional Leader Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Education (JHU). This course allows me to combine my experience as an Engineer, a chemistry and physics classroom teacher, and as a special education teacher. JHU has an institutional focus on meeting the individual needs of ALL students, throughout their lives. STEM equity is a major focus in my course and we consider how students’ individual needs are influenced by learning challenges and gaps, cultural differences, educational inequities, and technology access and literacy, among other influences.

Getting educational research into the hands of front-line educators is an ongoing challenge. My goals are to empower educators to design inclusive instruction and help all learners understand and advocate for their own needs.

What is Dyslexia?