MAYNARD SCHOOL DISTRICT

What is dyslexia?

     Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological 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.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

    A delay in speaking

    Difficulties in pronunciation (past the age of 5 or 6; pisgetti for spaghetti, lephant for elephant, etc.)

    Difficulty rhyming or detecting rhyme

    Difficulty retrieving or accessing phonemes or words (may call a volcano a tornado; avoids using specific names - calls items "stuff or things")

    Difficulty learning the names and sounds of individual letters of the alphabet

    Family history of dyslexia

    Slow, choppy oral reading with words omitted, substituted or misspoken (third grade and up)

    Spelling difficulties (third grade and up)

Myths and Misunderstandings about dyslexia:

  One of the most enduring misconceptions is that dyslexic children see letters and words backward and that reversals (writing letters or words backward) are an invariable sign of dyslexia.

Backward  writing and reversal of letters and words are common in the early stages of writing development among dyslexic and non-dyslexic children.