Understanding Dyslexia: Strategies for Supporting Students in the Classroom

Dyslexia, formally known as Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Reading, is a common learning difference that affects individuals' ability to read, write, and spell accurately. As an educator, you may come across a learner who has dyslexia in your classroom. Therefore, it is wise to have a comprehensive understanding of dyslexia, its characteristics, and strategies to support students who have dyslexia. This blog post aims to provide you with some information which may be enable you to help you better serve your students with dyslexia. In the resources section of the website, you will see there is a downloadable resource with some information and support tips regarding dyslexia.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects reading and language processing skills. It is estimated to affect around 10% of the population, regardless of gender, cultural background, or intelligence level. Individuals with dyslexia typically have normal intelligence. Individuals with dyslexia may have a different way of perceiving and processing words compared to those without dyslexia. Here are some ways in which individuals with dyslexia may view words:

o Difficulty with decoding: Dyslexic individuals may struggle with phonological processing, which means they have difficulty connecting letters to their corresponding sounds. They may have difficulty sounding out words and recognizing familiar words.

o Word reversals: Some individuals with dyslexia may experience visual processing difficulties, causing them to perceive letters and words in a reversed or mirrored manner. For example, they may see "b" as "d" or "s" as "z." This can affect reading and writing accuracy. This would be over and above the normal rate of reversal of letters which you sometimes see in children who are starting to write words specifically in grade 1.

o Letter and word jumbling: Dyslexic individuals may have difficulty processing the order of letters within words. This can result in jumbled or transposed letters, making it challenging to read and spell accurately. For instance, they may write "the" as "teh" or "was" as "saw."

o Visual stress: Some individuals with dyslexia may experience visual stress or distortions when looking at text. This can make it harder to focus on the words and may lead to eye strain or fatigue while reading.

o Difficulty with sight words: Dyslexic individuals may struggle with memorizing and recalling sight words (high-frequency words that are not easily decoded). This can make reading fluently and comprehending text more challenging.

It is important to remember that dyslexia affects individuals differently, and not all individuals with dyslexia will experience all of these difficulties. Understanding and acknowledging these challenges can help teachers implement effective strategies and accommodations to support students with dyslexia in the classroom.

The formal term used to describe dyslexia is "Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Reading." This diagnostic label highlights the specific nature of the learning difficulty and its impact on reading skills. It is important to note that dyslexia can vary in severity, ranging from mild to severe.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DYSLEXIA:

Difficulty with phonological processing: Phonological processing refers to the ability to manipulate sounds in language. Individuals with dyslexia may struggle to identify and manipulate individual sounds, blend sounds together, or break words into individual sounds (phonemes). This is extremely important for when children start to learn how to read and spell words.

o Reading challenges: Dyslexic individuals may have difficulty decoding words, which can lead to slow, inaccurate, and laboured reading. They may also struggle with word recognition, fluency, and comprehension, affecting their overall reading ability.

o Spelling difficulties: Dyslexia often manifests in challenges with spelling. Individuals may have trouble remembering the correct sequence of letters in words or struggle with phonetic spelling. This is why you will get a learner with dyslexia struggling to spell words that their age group can spell relativity easily.

o Writing challenges: Dyslexia can impact writing skills, making it difficult for students to organize their thoughts, construct coherent sentences, and employ proper grammar and punctuation.

SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA:

Early identification: Timely identification of dyslexia is crucial for implementing appropriate interventions. Familiarize yourself with the common signs and symptoms to identify struggling students early on.

o Multisensory instruction: Utilize teaching methods that engage multiple senses, such as visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic aids. This approach helps dyslexic students reinforce learning through various modalities.

o Structured literacy programs: Implement structured literacy programs that explicitly teach the relationship between sounds and letters, phonemic awareness, decoding, and spelling skills. A fantastic programme we have in South Africa is the Time to read programme. International programmes which are also good programmes include the LetterLand and Thrass programmes.

o Assistive technology: Explore assistive technology tools such as text-to-speech software, speech recognition programs, and dyslexia-friendly fonts to support students with reading and writing tasks. This can especially be helpful to students when they are writing exams this is an accommodation which can be helpful. Students can apply for these accommodations through the various school boards.

o Individualized support: Tailor instruction to meet the unique needs of each student with dyslexia. Provide additional support, accommodations, and modifications, as necessary, to help them succeed.

o Encourage self-advocacy: Empower students with dyslexia to advocate for themselves. Teach them strategies to overcome challenges and foster a positive self-image.

In conclusion, Dyslexia also known as Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Reading, is a learning difference that affects individuals' reading, writing, and spelling abilities. Encourage learners and their parents to have an assessment done by an educational psychologist so that they can get assistance to apply for formal accommodations with the GDE, IEB or Cambridge education boards.

As educators, it is essential to recognize the characteristics of dyslexia and provide appropriate support and accommodations to help students with dyslexia thrive academically. By employing evidence-based strategies and fostering a supportive learning environment, you can make a significant impact on the educational journey of students with dyslexia.

References:

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

2. Fletcher, J. M., Lyon, G. R., Fuchs, L. S., & Barnes, M. A. (2007). Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention. Guilford Press.

3. Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. (2011). Evidence-based interventions for reading and language difficulties: Creating a virtuous circle. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81(1), 1-23.

4. Shaywitz, S. E., & Shaywitz, B. A. (2005). Dyslexia (specific reading disability). Biological Psychiatry, 57(11), 1301-1309.

5. Landerl, K., & Wimmer, H. (2008). Development of word reading fluency and spelling in a consistent orthography: An 8-year follow-up. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(1), 150-161.

6. Berninger, V. W., & Richards, T. L. (2002). Brain literacy for educators and psychologists. Academic Press.

7. Lyon, G. R., Shaywitz, S. E., & Shaywitz, B. A. (2003). A definition of dyslexia. Annals of Dyslexia, 53(1), 1-14.

8. Wanzek, J., Vaughn, S., Scammacca, N. K., Metz, K., Murray, C. S., Roberts, G., ... & Danielson, L. (2013). Extensive reading interventions for students with reading difficulties after grade 3. Review of Educational Research, 83(2), 163-195.

9. Moats, L. C., & Dakin, K. E. (2010). Basic facts about dyslexia and other reading problems. Baltimore, MD: International Dyslexia Association.

10. Heikkilä, R., & Aro, M. (2014). Assistive technology in schools: Reading and spelling support for children with dyslexia. Dyslexia, 20(4), 319-337.

11. National Center on Intensive Intervention. (2019). Intensive intervention: Individualized intervention for students with persistent and severe learning and/or behavioral needs. Retrieved from https://intensiveintervention.org/.

12. Reid, G., Kirk, J., & Kemp, N. (2017). Dyslexia in context: Research, policy and practice. Bloomsbury Publishing.