Dyslexia

Dysgraphia

Dyscalculia

ADHD

brain

Click for Fact #5

Dyslexia

Affects reading and related language-based processing skills.

The severity of this specific learning disability can differ in each individual but can affect reading fluency, decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as a Language-Based Learning Disability.

Signs and Symptoms

Reads slowly and painfully
Experiences decoding errors, especially with the order of letters
Shows wide disparity between listening comprehension and reading comprehension of some text
Has trouble with spelling
May have difficulty with handwriting
Exhibits difficulty recalling known words
Has difficulty with written language
May experience difficulty with math computations
Decoding real words is better than nonsense words
Substitutes one small sight word for another: a, I, he, the, there, was

Strategies

Provide a quiet area for activities like reading, answering comprehension questions
Use books on tape
Use books with large print and big spaces between lines
Provide a copy of lecture notes
Don’t count spelling on history, science or other similar tests
Allow alternative forms for book reports
Allow the use of a laptop or other computer for in-class essays
Use multi-sensory teaching methods
Teach students to use logic rather than rote memory
Present material in small units

Excerpted from the LDA of California and UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute “Q.U.I.L.T.S.” Calendar 2001-2002

Trident Academy admits students of any race, color, gender, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and financial assistance programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

Fact #6

“ADHD is a disorder that includes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, controlling behavior and hyperactivity. A disorder that includes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity. Although ADHD is not considered a learning disability, research indicates that from 30-50 percent of children with ADHD also have a specific learning disability, and that the two conditions can interact to make learning extremely challenging. – Learning Disability Association of America”

Fact #5

“Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts. Individuals with this type of Learning Disability may also have poor comprehension of math symbols, may struggle with memorizing and organizing numbers, have difficulty telling time, or have trouble with counting. – Learning Disability Association of America”

Fact #4

“Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine motor skills. A person with this specific learning disability may have problems including illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing, poor spatial planning on paper, poor spelling, and difficulty composing writing as well as thinking and writing at the same time. – Learning Disability Association of America”

Fact #3

“Individuals with dyslexia are those who, despite traditional classroom teaching, have failed to master the basic elements of the language system of their culture. Since language is the necessary tool upon which subsequent academic learning is based, such persons often encounter difficulty in all educational endeavors. – from the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practicioners and Educators”

Fact #2

“The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek, dys, difficulty with, and lex (from legein, to speak), having to do with words. Words in their many forms are encountered in listening, speaking, reading, spelling, writing, in mathematics, and in organizing, understanding, and expressing thought. Based on information from neuroscientific and linguistic research, the definition can be summarized as difficulty in the use and processing of arbitrary linguistic/symbolic codes. This is an aspect of a language continuum which includes spoken language, written language, and language comprehension. – Definition from the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practicioners and Educators”

Fact #1

“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. – from the International Dyslexia Association”