What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is one of the most common types of learning disabilities.

“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.” (International Dyslexia Association)

Commonly, people think dyslexia means only that a child is reversing letters and numbers. This is not the case. While reversal of letters and numbers may be a symptom of dyslexia, dyslexia is associated with brain-based phonological impairments, not visual problems.

Students with dyslexia may have

problems with the following processes:

• Phonological awareness

• Orthographic processing

• Rapid automatized naming

• Memory

• Processing speed

• Receptive language

• Expressive language

• Visual-spatial abilities

• Visual-motor integration

• Executive functioning

Learning to Read is Possible

The Centre for Literacy uses the University of Florida Literacy Institute’s Foundations (UFLI), an explicit and systematic program that teaches students the foundational skills necessary for proficient reading.

Students with dyslexia can learn to read.

Teachers at the Centre for Literacy work with students with dyslexia one-on-one to build necessary pathways in the brain to help students become accurate and fluent readers.

They personalize the UFLI program to bring it to life for each individual student, and follow a proven evidence-based sequence, filling in gaps and moving students toward success.

Dyslexia Myths & Facts

MYTH

FACT

Dyslexia is writing or seeing letters backwards.

Dyslexia is not a vision problem. It is a brain-based disorder, rooted in linguistic deficiencies.

Individuals with dyslexia cannot learn to read.

Learning to read is possible and will require evidence-based explicit instruction, more time, and more effort.

Dyslexia is something you will outgrow.

Dyslexia is a neurological brain-based disorder. While there is no ‘cure’, effective remediation can have a very positive impact.