Dyslexia comes from the Greek
Dys = difficulty with, &
Lex = (from Legein) to do with words/ language.
Dyslexia was first identified in 1896. It is a learning disablilty that affects the understanding or use of written language (alphabetical, numerical and musical notation). What is meant by this is people with dyslexia usually need more time to process written material. It can also affect some oral language as well.
Many dyslexics have difficulty learning new symbols and in memorising lists of words, particularly if they need to be in a specific order. Many cannote recite arithmetic tables.
However dyslexics usually have excellent creativity skills, and are gifted in the fields of art, modelling, engineering and computer programming. Many of them have high reasoning powers, and some show a sensitive appreciation of art and literature.
A number of literacy task such as spell checks and grammer checks can now be carried out by computer. Some software such as ScreenReader will read the text to the user, this is also ideal for the visually impaired.
Dyslexia is believed to be genetic, and affects approximately 10% of the population (4% severely).
Other disabilities include:-
Dyscalculia - a difficulty in solving arithmetic problems and grasping mathematical concepts.
Dysgraphia - a writing disability where the person finds it hard to form letter or write within a defined space.
Dyspraxia - Affects a persons coordination, and organisation. People with dyspraxia sometimes appear clumsy.
Strephosymbolia - this is a specific form of dyslexia whereby the person see's words or letters back to front.
Auditory Processing Disorder - a difficulty understanding language, but have normal hearing.
Visual Processing Disorder - a difficulty understanding written language, but have normal vision.
Samuel Torrey Orton (1879-1948), a neurophsychiatrist and pathologist, and Anna Gillingham (1878-1963), an educator and psychologist carried out some extensive research into why some children showed signs of brain damage, but had no obvious signs of brain injury.
Their research at the Neurological Centre, in New York state, led to a discovery that it was to do to the wiring of the brain. In the brain of a non-dyslexic there is usually a dominant frontal lobe. In a dyslexic person there is a perfect symmetry between the two sides.
Orton and Gillingham also pioneered a set of teaching principles that are still used to this day.
In 1981 there were approximately 500 students in British Universities, by 1995 that figure rose to approx 5000. The SENDA Act, which came into effect in September 2002 will ensure that this figure will continue to rise.
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Bucky
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