What is Dyslexia?
Contrary to what many think, dyslexia is not about reversing letters. Dyslexia is a neurological “glitch” and has nothing to do with a person’s IQ. In fact, many dyslexics display insightful, impressive talents for “thinking outside of the box.”
What is Dyslexia?
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.
Dyslexia Defined
The International Dyslexia Association Research Committee and the National Institutes of Health adopted the following description of dyslexia as a working definition in April 2002. All statements within the definition have an empirical basis. The criteria specified in this definition are dynamic and subject to modification as new data become available. Dyslexia is one of several distinct learning disabilities. It is a specific language-based disorder of constitutional origin characterized by difficulty in single word decoding, usually reflecting insufficient phonological processing abilities. These difficulties in single word decoding are often unexpected in relation to age and other cognitive and academic abilities; they are not the result of generalized developmental disability or sensory impairment. Dyslexia is manifested by variable difficulty with different forms of language, often including, in addition to problems reading, a conspicuous problem with acquiring proficiency in writing and spelling.
Dyslexics never outgrow dyslexia – reading and writing remain difficult throughout their life – but with specialized tutoring by a professional trained to work with dyslexics, they can manage print more effectively.
