Transcript Dyslexia - Kyra Stenslie's Blog | Just another WordPress

By: Kyra Stenslie
2009
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Developmental dyslexia is a disorder
manifested by difficulty learning to
read despite conventional instruction,
adequate intelligence, and adequate
socio-cultural opportunity.
The World Federation of Neurology. Wikipedia, 2009.
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Dyslexia was identified in 1881 by Oswald Berkhan, and the term “dyslexia” was later named by
German ophthalmologist Rudolf Berlin in 1887. He used the term to refer to the case of a young
boy who had a severe impairment in learning to read and write in spite of showing typical
intellectual and physical abilities in all other respects.
1900-1950: Similar cases were noted where children appeared to have normal brain functioning
but had trouble learning to read, lacking visual memory for words and letters.
Neurologist Samuel Orton, who worked with stroke victims, met a boy who exhibited similar
symptoms and could not read. Orton defined this as a syndrome called “strephosymbolia” which
means “twisted signs,” explaining the difficulty with associating visual forms of words to their
spoken forms.
1950-2000: Research in reading was conducted, discovering that some were able to read with
equal speed in both directions, explaining the ability to “mirror read.”
Developmental dyslexia is defined as two subtypes - surface and phonological. Surface Dyslexia
is characterized by subjects who can read known words but who have trouble reading words that
are irregular. Phonological Dyslexia is characterized by subjects who can read aloud both regular
and irregular words but have difficulties with non-words and with connecting sounds to symbols,
or with sounding out words.
2000-present: Researchers are searching for a link between the neurological and genetic
findings, and the reading disorder. A current theory is that dyslexia is a matter of reduced
phonological awareness (the ability to connect units of spoken and written languages).
The World Federation of Neurology. Wikipedia, 2009.
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Dyslexia is estimated to range from 5-17 % of
school-aged children, with as many as 40% of the
entire population reading below grade level.
Dyslexia is the most common and most studied of
the learning disabilities, affecting 80% of all
individuals identified as learning disabled.
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, 2005.
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Symptoms of dyslexia can vary slightly from person
to person. Age may also influence symptoms.
Pre-school age children
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Learn new words slowly
Have difficulty rhyming words
Late in establishing a dominant hand
Early elementary school-age children
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Difficulty learning the alphabet
Difficulty with associating sounds with the letters that represent them (sound-symbol
correspondence)
Difficulty identifying or generating rhyming words, or counting syllables in words
Difficulty segmenting words into individual sounds, or blending sounds to make words
Difficulty learning to decode words
Difficulty distinguishing between similar sounds in words; mixing up sounds in multisyllable words
Older elementary school children
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Poor spelling
Slow or inaccurate reading
Difficulty associating individual words with their correct meanings
Difficulty with the concept of time
Difficulty with organization skills
Difficulty comprehending rapid instructions, following more than
one command at a time or remembering the sequence of things
Reversals of letters (b for d) and a reversal of words (saw for was)
are typical among children who have dyslexia.
Children with dyslexia may fail to see (and occasionally to hear)
similarities and differences in letters and words, may not
recognize the spacing that organizes letters into separate words,
and may be unable to sound out the pronunciation of an
unfamiliar word.
The World Federation of Neurology. Wikipedia, 2009.
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The exact causes of dyslexia are unknown. However some studies state
that it may be influenced by inheritance and/or hearing problems at an
early age.
Inherited factors: Dyslexia is often found in families. Research has been
done on the brains of dyslexic people, and brain scans have shown that
cells lie beneath the surface of the brain in dyslexic individuals, whereas
the cells lie on the surface of the brain in non-dyslexic people. These
cell clusters are often found at the left and front of the brain, which are
areas important for reading and writing. Brains of dyslexic children have
shown differences in right and left brain activity. Non-dyslexic children
use the left side of the brain for language work, whereas dyslexic
children have to use both the right and left sides.
Hearing problems: Small children with frequent ear or throat infections
may be more prone to dyslexia, as the developing brain may not link the
sounds it hears when the ears are congested. This lack of hearing may
also delay a child’s phonemic awareness.
www.dyslexia-parent.com
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Article 1: “Cerebellar Function, Dyslexia and
Articulation Speed”
Article 2: “Low-Level Defective Processing of NonVerbal Sounds in Dyslexic Children”
Article 3: “Motor Learning and Chunking in
Dyslexia”
Article 4: “Intensifying Instruction”
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Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess children’s performance
in cerebellar and cognitive tasks and to investigate whether there is a
differentiation in articulation speed in children with dyslexia.
How research was conducted: Three sets of tests (including five
cerebellar tests, five cognitive tests, and an articulation speed test) were
administered to three age- and sex-matched groups of dyslexics,
children with ADHD and normal readers aged 8–12 years in Greece.
Findings: The dyslexic individuals participated in the sets of tests
showed impairment in one cerebellar test compared with the control
group, and impairment in two cognitive tests compared with both the
control and the ADHD group. The dyslexic children also performed
lower than the control group during the articulation speed test. This
study provides clues to support the hypothesis that cerebellar deficit
exists, and the possible relationship between reading impairment and
speed of articulation.
Kasselimis, D.S., Margarity, M., & Vlachos, F. (2008). Cerebellar Function, Dyslexia and Articulation
Speed. Child Neuropsychology, 14: 303–313.
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Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare processing of
non-verbal auditory stimuli by dyslexic and non-dyslexic children
using electrophysiological methods.
How research was conducted: The study included 39 children (17
with dyslexia plus 22 controls) and they were assessed using
frontal, central, parietal, and temporal electrodes.
Findings: Dyslexic children differed significantly from controls in
processing of sounds. Results revealed impairment in processing
non-verbal sounds in the individuals with dyslexia. The authors of
the study claim the results also suggest that dyslexia is a general
auditory deficit instead of a speech-specific deficit.
Ucle´s, P., Mendez, M., & Garay J. (2008). Low-Level Defective Processing of Non- Verbal
Sounds in Dyslexic Children. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Dyslexia 15: 72–85
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Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate whether
participants with dyslexia had problems executing keying sequences and
switching between chunks in those sequences. (Chunking is a process of
segmenting words or information that result in a reduced number of
units called chunks. )
How research was conducted: The study consisted of participants with
dyslexia and participants in the control group. Participants were 40
college students, including 19 participants with dyslexia (12 men, 7
women) and 21 participants without dyslexia (11 men, 10 women). All
participants were right-handed and between 18 and 28 years old. They
executed two 6-key sequences each, with one sequence consisting of
two successive instances of one 3-key segment, and the other not
involving such a repetition.
Findings: The study found a significant difference between the groups .
The participants with dyslexia scored significantly worse on the tests of
picture naming, letter naming, reading, spelling, phonemic awareness,
and writing, whereas there were no significant differences between the
groups on the verbal working memory test.
De Kleine, E. & Verwey, W.B. (2009). Motor Learning and Chunking in Dyslexia. Journal of Motor Behavior. Vol. 41, No. 4, 331–
337.
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Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if
implementing intensive interventions early in school (in the
case of this study - first grade), would accelerate student
learning.
How research was conducted: At risk first grade students
were selected for the study, to assess their skills in
phonological awareness and alphabetic understanding, and
to examine the effects of instructional time. Students were
given various sub-tests and interventions.
Findings: The study found that students in the more
intense intervention outperformed students in the less
intense intervention on all outcome measures except
passage comprehension.
Harn, B., Lianan-Thompson, S., & Roberts, G. (2008). Intensifying Instruction. Journal of Learning
Disabilities. Vol.41 Num.2,
115-125.
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Children with dyslexia need more time to articulate single words or
word strings than normal readers. (Kasselimis, D.S., Margarity, M., &
Vlachos, F. 2008.) Teachers should take into consideration strategies for
incorporating phonics and word study into reading instruction.
Identifying students in need of special instruction should be done in
early elementary, in order to provide the fastest intervention and
support. (Harn, B., Lianan-Thompson, S., & Roberts, G. 2008.)
Students with the most intensive needs may benefit from small group
instruction, so that their needs may be targeted more specifically. (Harn,
B., Lianan-Thompson, S., & Roberts, G. 2008.)
Students may show improvement when provided comprehensive
reading interventions in small groups, using explicit instructional
delivery principles, and provided to them in addition to the instructional
time devoted to reading in the general classroom. (Harn, B., LiananThompson, S., & Roberts, G. 2008.)
Pros of Inclusion:
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Full-inclusion and participation in the general education classroom helps the
student with dyslexia maintain good self-esteem and avoid any possible
negativity associated with having a learning disability or being in special
education.
The general education classroom provides multiple opportunities to read in
different contexts, and apply to real-life settings (i.e. reading is incorporated
into other subject areas and contexts that may not be as prevalent in the
special education setting).
Students with dyslexia benefit from social interaction with peers in the general
education classroom.
Cons of Inclusion:
 Being pulled out of the general education classroom for
reading or one-on-one instruction may benefit students
with dyslexia. They have more closely monitored help
and may try strategies that would otherwise not be
used with the general education students.
 Dyslexic students with fear of reading in front of peers
will feel more comfortable in a smaller group setting
with students close to their ability level.
 Teachers in the general education classroom often do
not have time needed to devote to helping dyslexic
students with reading, writing, and spelling in both
teaching and planning lessons. Dyslexic students would
often have to read at the average level of the class
rather than something more appropriate to their level.
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Make sure to teach phonics so that the reader understands how letters are linked to
sounds, or phonemes, to make words.
Expose children to written sight words as frequently as possible. This may help familiarize
them with print.
Make learning to read as enjoyable as possible.
Incorporate words into everyday life.
Spend time practicing trouble words with the use of a whiteboard or sidewalk chalk, so
that children can easily erase, wash off, or change the letters while learning, and don’t feel
as though the paper keeps them from correcting mistakes.
Practice reading in a comfortable and unintimidating environment (such as aloud to a pet
or stuffed animal). That way they can practice reading aloud and moving their lips to form
the words, but without the pressures of being critiqued.
Incorporate play and game time into learning. (For example, play a sight word game by
hiding letters around the room, finding them, and practicing reading them.)
Read aloud to a child, and choose a commonly used word that is “their word” for the book.
They can sit back and listen to the story, but participate through repetition by reading their
assigned word.
Use hand motions when teaching. The children can learn to associate letters spelled in the
correct way (for example with confusing letters such as “b” and “d.”)
Teach students about famous people that have dyslexia, and how they have overcome this
to be successful.
www.dyslexia-parent.com
Altieri, J. (2008). Fictional characters with dyslexia: What are we seeing in books? Teaching Exceptional
Children. 41 (1), 48-54.
Crisp, V., Johnson, M. & Novakoviæ, N. (2007). Dyslexia and examinations: Questioning the
Questions. Literacy Today., 17.
De Kleine, E. & Verwey, W.B. (2009). Motor Learning and Chunking in Dyslexia.
Journal of Motor Behavior. 41 (4), 331–337.
Dyslexia Treatment: Your Hints and Tips. Retrieved from
<http://www.dyslexia-parent.com/mag24.html>
Elliott, J., & Gibbs, S. (2008). Does dyslexia exist? Journal of Philosophy of Education. 42 (3-4), 475-491.
Harn, B., Lianan-Thompson, S., & Roberts, G. (2008). Intensifying Instruction. Journal of Learning
Disabilities. 41 (2),
115-125.
Harrison, A.; Edwards, M., & Parker, K. (2008). Identifying student feigning dyslexia: Preliminary findings and
strategies for detection. Dyslexia. 14: 228–246.
Kasselimis, D.S., Margarity, M., & Vlachos, F. (2008). Cerebellar Function, Dyslexia and
Articulation Speed. Child Neuropsychology, 14: 303–313.
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. (2005). Retrieved from
<http://www.ncsall.net >
The Solution to Dyslexia. (2002). Reading from Scratch. Retrieved from
<http://www.dyslexia.org/index.shtml>
The World Federation of Neurology. Wikipedia. (2009).
Ucle´s, P., Mendez, M., & Garay J. (2008). Low-Level Defective Processing of Non- Verbal
Sounds in Dyslexic Children. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Dyslexia 15: 72–85.