Yes, I know this is not a video, but I may post actual text on here from time to time. I have pasted in an article below, on Dyslexia, where I am quoted by the journalist. In reality, I spent an hour on the phone with the intern for the publication, and we talked about so many things. It is a bit disappointing to have so little of what we talked about in the article, but of course, the whole point is raising awareness and educating the public. At some point, I'd like to post what my answers were to her questions were; of course I prepared my answers ahead of time because anyone who knows me, understands I am anything but short-winded when it comes to talking about dyslexia and reading instruction in general. In fact, I purposely do NOT wear a shirt I own that says, "Ask me about dyslexia" because that is asking for a sermon with 20 tangents. At any rate, here is the article, short, and a bit disappointing, but at least NPR is making a true effort to get information out there.
Dyslexia, the most common learning disability in the U.S., is a word that often bears the heavy burden of uncertainty.
LA Johnson/NPR
Happy Sunday,
A few weeks ago, we asked some of you to fill out a survey to get a better sense of what you’d like to see more reporting on. One of many things we found was that a lot of you want to see more information on dyslexia — and how so many people are still trying to understand what it is.
Dyslexia, the most common learning disability in the U.S., is a word that often bears the heavy burden of uncertainty.
One reader who responded to our survey, Jane Gramenz who lives in Arizona, told us the story of how she became a certified dyslexia interventionist. A few years ago, when Gramenz was an elementary school teacher, she began training to become a dyslexia screener. She would bring her training materials home and practice the formal assessments on her children. In doing so, Gramenz realized that her middle child, Kate, a third grader at the time, was achieving scores that raised some concerns.
“It wasn’t because she struggled with reading. She’s actually been identified as gifted, but it shows up in her spelling,” Gramenz said. But not everyone’s dyslexialooks like this. Kate’s dyslexia is a manifestation that is unique to her and to her personal experiences, Gramenz told us.
Laurie Moloney, of the International Dyslexia Association, says it is important to remember that “[Children] have different personalities. They have different comorbidities; different degrees of severity. One has to become attuned to working at the pace of a child and not the pace of a program or the school calendar.”
So, what exactly is Dyslexia?
The most commonly used description is the International Dyslexia Association (IDA)’s current definition:
“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.”
But that definition may soon change. Earlier this year, Susan Brady, professor emeritus of the University of Rhode Island’s School of Psychology, published an article calling for a change of this definition. Brady served as one of the IDA members and researchers who reviewed and modified this first definition in 1995. She was recently asked by the IDA to assess the adequacy of the current one.
In her article, she writes that she wants to see dyslexia move away from a simple definition to a set of characteristics — becoming a disability that exists on a spectrum.
Looking for more resources?
In our series, Unlocking Dyslexia, we offer some tips for parents — on planning, intervention and coping. We also explore “The Learning Disability That Must Not Be Named,” and dive into “How Science Is Rewiring The Dyslexic Brain.” You can find more of our reporting by clicking the button below.
Unlocking Dyslexia
Dyslexia, the most common learning disability in the U.S., is a word that often bears the heavy burden of uncertainty.
LA Johnson/NPR
Happy Sunday,
A few weeks ago, we asked some of you to fill out a survey to get a better sense of what you’d like to see more reporting on. One of many things we found was that a lot of you want to see more information on dyslexia — and how so many people are still trying to understand what it is.
Dyslexia, the most common learning disability in the U.S., is a word that often bears the heavy burden of uncertainty.
One reader who responded to our survey, Jane Gramenz who lives in Arizona, told us the story of how she became a certified dyslexia interventionist. A few years ago, when Gramenz was an elementary school teacher, she began training to become a dyslexia screener. She would bring her training materials home and practice the formal assessments on her children. In doing so, Gramenz realized that her middle child, Kate, a third grader at the time, was achieving scores that raised some concerns.
“It wasn’t because she struggled with reading. She’s actually been identified as gifted, but it shows up in her spelling,” Gramenz said. But not everyone’s dyslexialooks like this. Kate’s dyslexia is a manifestation that is unique to her and to her personal experiences, Gramenz told us.
Laurie Moloney, of the International Dyslexia Association, says it is important to remember that “[Children] have different personalities. They have different comorbidities; different degrees of severity. One has to become attuned to working at the pace of a child and not the pace of a program or the school calendar.”
So, what exactly is Dyslexia?
The most commonly used description is the International Dyslexia Association (IDA)’s current definition:
“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.”
But that definition may soon change. Earlier this year, Susan Brady, professor emeritus of the University of Rhode Island’s School of Psychology, published an article calling for a change of this definition. Brady served as one of the IDA members and researchers who reviewed and modified this first definition in 1995. She was recently asked by the IDA to assess the adequacy of the current one.
In her article, she writes that she wants to see dyslexia move away from a simple definition to a set of characteristics — becoming a disability that exists on a spectrum.
Looking for more resources?
In our series, Unlocking Dyslexia, we offer some tips for parents — on planning, intervention and coping. We also explore “The Learning Disability That Must Not Be Named,” and dive into “How Science Is Rewiring The Dyslexic Brain.” You can find more of our reporting by clicking the button below.
Unlocking Dyslexia
RSS Feed