Reading Services
What are the characteristics of dyslexia?
The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek terms “dys” meaning “difficulty” and “lexis” meaning “words”. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability, it is not due to a visual scanning or tracking problem. Symptoms such as skipping sounds and words when reading and/or reversing the order of sounds in words are due to an underlying difficulty with the sound (phonological) component of language and difficulty acquiring automatic sound-letter associations and word recognition skills. Dyslexia is defined by the International Dyslexic Association as “A specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate 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….” Recent research has found that reading disabilities affect approximately 15-20% of the general population, with dyslexia being the most common. Dyslexia can vary in severity but research has proven that the earlier children receive intensive intervention, the better the long term outcome.
Early signs of dyslexia are typically manifested by a delay in acquiring spoken language. Toddlers may not begin to speak until two to three years of age due to underlying psycholinguistic processing difficulties. Common factors that increase a young child’s risk for a later diagnosis of a language-based learning disability such as dyslexia include the following:
- Having a relative with dyslexia or other learning disabilities
- Delay in speaking
- Delayed articulation development
- Difficulty with auditory discrimination and auditory perception
- Difficulty sequencing sounds in words, phrases or sentences e.g. saying “aminal” for “animal”
- Difficulty learning names of colors and shapes
- Difficulty learning letters of the alphabet
- Difficulty remembering nursery rhymes and finger plays
- Difficulty remembering multi-step directions
- Difficulty understanding or remembering the meanings of words denoting time, space or direction
- Word retrieval difficulties (difficulty using specific words to describe and making frequent related word errors e.g. tornado/volcano)
Sometimes these difficulties are very subtle however the difficulty may become more pronounced by kindergarten or first grade when a child has difficulty remembering and spelling common sight words despite extensive practice opportunities. They may have difficulty isolating sounds in words for spelling or blending sounds to read unfamiliar words. They may have difficulty using rules of phonics (sound-letter associations) to decode, or they may not achieve automaticity in phonics as quickly as other children. As they approach second and third grade, they may begin to demonstrate difficulty with reading comprehension. Letter reversals in written language are typical of all emergent readers however the reversals persist beyond developmental norms (second grade) in students with dyslexia.
Intervention
Students with dyslexia benefit from an evidenced-based, systematic, explicit and multisensory approach to reading instruction. Research using functional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) have proven that this type of instruction, when used with appropriate intensity, can improve the way the brain is able to process information during reading. Instruction must be administered with integrity and appropriate intensity to have optimal effect.
International Dyslexia Association Position Statement
Controversial Therapies
To date, no laboratory studies or clinical study has documented the value of therapies such as neurophysiological retraining (patterning or brain training), optometric vision therapies, chiropractic, listening therapies or sensory-motor integration training to treat dyslexia. Dyslexia is a specific language-based reading disability. Any treatment program that is used to treat a wide variety of other symptoms or disorders in addition to dyslexia should be regarded with caution. In addition to the financial investment, non evidenced-based therapies often delay effective intervention which can further increase the gap between a child and their peers.
American Academy of Pediatrics Position Statement
Controversial Therapies by International Dyslexia Association Publication “Perspectives” Winter 2011 Edition
At Lowry Speech Therapy we realize the critical link between early language learning and literacy development. We make an effort to identify and support pre-readers and at risk readers in their intervention program and educate parents on how to support literacy development on a daily basis at home. Children with dyslexia often benefit from an alternative teaching method than what is traditionally used in schools. At Lowry Speech Therapy, we utilize Orton Gillingham-based instruction to support reading and spelling development.
Preschool/Kindergarten
Early Literacy Assessment: includes the assessment of the foundational skills that have been demonstrated by research to be critical for becoming a successful reader. These skills include:
• Phonological and Phonemic awareness
• Automaticity/Fluency Skills
• Phonological (sound) memory
• Letter/number recognition and identification
• Vocabulary Development
Evaluation Time: 1 -2 hours
School-aged Children
Assessments are tailored to meet the needs of each individual child. Classroom performance, academic records, previous testing, family history and developmental history are important components of the assessment process. As identified by the International Dyslexia Association, the following areas are assessed:
• Oral Language Skills
• Listening Comprehension
• Word Recognition
• Decoding
• Spelling
• Phonological Processing
• Automaticity/Fluency Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Vocabulary Knowledge
Evaluation Time: 2 – 4 hours depending on prior testing/records available at the time of testing
Standardized measures that may be included in your child’s assessment include:
• Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF)
• The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP)
• Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT)
• Gray Oral Reading Tests (GORT-4)
• The Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)
• Test of Written Spelling (TWS)
• Receptive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test (ROWPVT)
• The Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement and Cognitive Abilities (WJIII)
Additional measures include evaluation of written language samples, observations of attention/behavior and fine motor skills.
