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What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is an odd word. Many people use it without understanding what it means, including those who have been given the label 'dyslexic'.
What it means literally is 'a difficulty with words' but in eleven years of teaching dyslexic adults in Basic Skills and other classes, I have found many who are wonderful with words. That is to say, their heads are full of stories, opinions, comment and debate. Getting them down on paper is a different matter.
Dyslexia is a different way of thinking. Please forget the words dysfunction, difficulty and disability or you will be faced with dismay, disaffection and disappointment.
The dyslexic difference stems from the brain functioning in a more 'holistic' way than the average brain. i.e. the dyslexic learner may use more of his brain on each task and therefore, not travel the quickest route to the answer or even not 'see' the answer at all.
Dyslexic learners tend to be good conceptual thinkers and may be creative but are less adapted to tasks requiring analysis and logic.
Why do dyslexic learners often have problems with reading and writing?
Hmm, complicated ...
- Dyslexic learners seem to process written and spoken language differently.
- They are usually not aware of separate sounds in words (lack of phonological awareness) and may not perceive the symbols (letters) that make up words on a page as real or meaningful (visual processing difficulty).
- Even dyslexic learners who are good at reading may have difficulty with small confusable words.
- Dyslexic learners are often visual thinkers and need to link words to images to make them memorable.
- Dyslexic learners may have problems tracking print and reading black print off a white page.
In the classroom: Do I have to teach the dyslexic student differently?
Yes, if what you are doing isn't working - as with any student.
However, fortunately, the best way to teach dyslexic students is the best way to teach the whole class.
Multi-sensory teaching methods are the best...
(continued on next page)
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