ResponsiveEd Dyslexia Information
For Parents and Educators
Dyslexia Defined
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) 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.
Adopted by the International Dyslexia Association Board of Directors, November 12, 2002
The Texas Dyslexia Handbook provides the following definition:
“Dyslexia” means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity.
Risk Factors and Characteristics of Dyslexia
Family history of dyslexia or reading difficulty
Early language difficulties such as delayed speech or trouble pronouncing words
Difficulty identifying and manipulating individual sounds within words
Challenges learning letter names
Difficulty recalling the names of letters, numbers, and familiar objects
Avoidance of reading and writing tasks
Inaccurate or slow reading
Difficulty with note taking and producing written work
Over use of pictures and/or context clues to guess at words
Primary characteristics include difficulties:
Learning the sounds letters make
Reading words in isolation or reading unknown words
Reading smoothly with enough speed and accuracy (fluency) to comprehend
Spelling
Secondary characteristics may include difficulty:
Expressing ideas or concepts in writing
Reading Comprehension
What is Dyslexia by Sandman Hurley
Dysgraphia Defined
The International Dyslexia Association definition:
Dysgraphia is a Greek word. The base word graph refers both to the hand’s function in writing and to the letters formed by the hand. The prefix dys indicates that there is impairment. Graph refers to producing letter forms by hand. The suffix ia refers to having a condition. Thus, dysgraphia is the condition of impaired letter writing by hand, that is, disabled handwriting. Impaired handwriting can interfere with learning to spell words in writing and speed of writing text. Children with dysgraphia may have only impaired handwriting, only impaired spelling (without reading problems), or both impaired handwriting and impaired spelling.
The Texas Dyslexia Handbook provides the following definition:
A review of recent evidence indicates that dysgraphia is best defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder manifested by illegible and/or inefficient handwriting due to difficulty with letter formation. This difficulty is the result of deficits in graphomotor function (hand movements used for writing) and/or storing and retrieving orthographic codes (letter forms) (Berninger, 2015). Secondary consequences may include problems with spelling and written expression. The difficulty is not solely due to lack of instruction and is not associated with other developmental or neurological conditions that involve motor impairment.
Risk Factors and Characteristics of Dysgraphia
The Texas Dyslexia Handbook provides the following characteristics for dysgraphia:
- Variably shaped and poorly formed letters
- Excessive erasures and cross-outs
- Poor spacing between letters and words
- Letter and number reversals beyond early stages of writing
- Awkward, inconsistent pencil grip
- Heavy pressure and hand fatigue
- Slow writing and copying with legible or illegible handwriting (Andrews and Lomardino, 2014)
Additional consequences may include
- Difficulty with unedited written spelling
- Low volume of written output as well as problems with other aspects of written expression
Resources for Understanding Dyslexia and Related Disorders
Dyslexia is a brain-based learning disability that makes learning to read, write, and/or spell difficult despite adequate instruction and intelligence. Students with dysgraphia, a related learning disorder, demonstrate academic challenges in handwriting, spelling, and written expression. For more information review:
Dyslexia and Related Disorders: Information for Parents
Early Screening for Dyslexia
Per Texas Education Code (TEC), §38.003, all kindergarten and first-grade students are screened for dyslexia and related disorders. Kindergarten students are screened at the end of the school year and first-grade students are screened before January 31st. ResponsiveEd uses Amplify mClass to meet the requirements of (TEC), §38.003, K/1 Dyslexia Screening. Screening results are shared with families. At this time, there is not an instrument available for the purposes of screening for dysgraphia, nor is formal screening required.
"Dyslexia screening is a tool for identifying children who are at risk for this learningdisability, particularly in preschool, kindergarten, or first grade. This means that thescreening does not “diagnose” dyslexia. Rather, it identifies “predictor variables” that raisered flags, so parents and teachers can intervene early and effectively."
—Richard Selznick, Dyslexia Screening: Essential Concepts for Schools and Parents, 2015
Kinder and First Grade Screener
Campuses screen students in Kindergarten (end of school year) and First Grade (middle of the school year) for dyslexia per state law. The screening is conducted using the Dibels mClass/Amplify Early Literacy Assessment digital platform in English or Spanish.
Kinder thru Second Early Reading Indicators
K-2 Early Reading Indicator: Campuses implement a K-2 reading diagnostic at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to identify students at risk for reading difficulties, including dyslexia. The diagnostic is conducted using the Dibels mClass/Amplify Early Literacy Assessment digital platform in English or Spanish.
Evaluation
To meet federal and state requirements, ResponsiveEd provides timely evaluation and identification of students with dyslexia. Professionals conducting the assessment (e.g school psychologists or educational diagnosticians) for the identification of dyslexia and related disorders look beyond scores on standardized assessments alone and examine the student’s classroom reading performance, educational history, and early language experiences as part of a comprehensive evaluation.
Anytime your child’s school suspects a student has dyslexia or related disorder and needs services, the school must ask for parent consent to conduct a Full Individual Initial Evaluation (FIIE) through special education. Evaluations through the special education process ensures that students who are eligible for special education services are identified and provided the support they need (Child Find). Students are not evaluated without parent consent.
IDEA Overview of Special Education for Parents
An overview of Special Education for parents.
Intervention and Services
ResponsiveEd provides critical evidence-based dyslexia intervention that is delivered with the research-based practices that are simultaneous, mulitsensory, systematic, cumulative and explicit instruction.
Teacher Training
Teachers, such as reading specialists, master reading teachers, general education teachers, or special education teachers, who provide dyslexia intervention for students are not required to hold a specific license or certification. However, these educators must at a minimum have additional documented dyslexia training aligned to TEC, § 29.0032 and must deliver the instruction with fidelity. This includes training in critical, evidence-based components of dyslexia instruction such as phonological awareness, sound-symbol association, syllabication, orthography, morphology, syntax, reading comprehension, and reading fluency. In addition, they must deliver multisensory instruction that is systematic and cumulative, is explicitly taught, uses diagnostic teaching to automaticity, and includes both analytic and synthetic approaches.
Critical, Evidence-Based Components of Dyslexia Instruction
- Phonological Awareness- the ability to manipulate the sounds within words
- Sound-Symbol Association- the ability to recognize the letters and apply their corresponding sounds
- Syllabication- the ability to break a word into its smaller pieces
- Orthography- the ability to spell the spoken word
- Morphology- the study of the meaning of words
- Syntax- understanding how sentences are formed
- Reading Comprehension- the ability to understand written text
- Reading Fluency- the ability to read with proficiency- rate, accuracy and prosody
Potential Accommodations
The committee determines appropriate accommodations individualized to each student need.
Examples:
Audio Books (examples: Learning Ally, Talking Book Library)
Text To Speech
Speech to Text
No penalty for spelling errors on handwritten assignments
Additional time for assignment completion
Use of spell check
Access to laptop to take notes and complete assignments
Copy of class notes
Audio-book Libraries
Resources for Families
Contact Information
Nokoni Carter- Assistant Director of Special Education- Dyslexia
ncarter@responsiveedtx.com