Dyslexia

According to the International Dyslexia Association, “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological 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 the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Let’s break down the definition to understand what it actually means:

1. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin

This means that Dyslexia is an issue with the brain.

2. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities

Although difficulties with reading words is the most pronounced symptom of dyslexia, learning struggles can flow into the remainder of the curriculum including spelling, writing, and content areas such as math and science.

3. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language

The English language, like all Romantic Languages, is sound-based. In other words, our alphabet contains 26 letters, which can stand alone or combine to create 44 distinct sounds. Individuals who cannot distinguish and manipulate the sounds in words lack essential skills for proficient reading and writing.

4. That is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction

Dyslexia is unrelated to intelligence. Therefore the struggle to read is unexpected because a dyslexic individual usually has average to above-average intelligence.