About Dyslexia
What is dyslexia? How do we become dyslexic? Is it curable? Is it treatable? Do people with dyslexia have low intelligence? There are so many questions swirling around regarding this topic; so much so, that even beginning to explore the answers can be quite daunting. Let’s hit a few basics and then, rather than recreating something that has been done well already, I will refer you to some excellent resources.
Basic Answers: Dyslexia is not a disease. It is a neurological condition caused by the brain being wired differently. Dyslexia is often genetic; in other words, you probably have family members who struggle (sometimes silently) with the same things you struggle with. There is no cure or treatment to make dyslexia go away; however, with a good support system, encouragement and appropriate teaching models, people with dyslexia learn a variety of compensatory skills and tricks to be successful. Studies with brain imaging reflect that the brain changes when people receive intervention (Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz, M.D., 2003, pages 82-86.); therefore, intervention can be part of the “treatment” plan to overcome dyslexia.
Teaching Differently is Key: It is vitally important to understand that people with dyslexia learn differently as a result of their brains being wired differently. Low intelligence is not characteristic of this population. As a matter of fact, people with dyslexia are often extremely intelligent and extraordinarily gifted (see The Good News about Dyslexia on this website). Some specialists refer to people with dyslexia as being right-brain learners rather than left brain learners. If mainstream classrooms teach mostly to left-brain learners, it is no wonder that those who learn and think differently (as right-brain dominant people do) struggle or fail at school. Given the right environment and opportunity to think and learn, the person with dyslexia will flourish and make large contributions to society.
Here are some websites and other resources available to teachers, parents, and caregivers to help them sort through just what kind of news it is when someone is diagnosed with dyslexia.
Websites:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3079378/
https://bcs.mit.edu/news-events/news/distinctive-brain-pattern-may-underlie-dyslexia
https://www.apsva.us/english-language-arts/dyslexia/#
http://www.pearsonclinical.com/education/qualifications.html
Other Resources:
Moats, L. C. & Dakin, K. E. (2008). Basic facts about dyslexia and other reading problems. Baltimore: The International Dyslexia Association.
Shaywitz, S. (2003). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York: Knopf.