Dyslexia: What is it?

I am starting my blog off by discussing some things that new teachers - or even experienced teachers - may not have a lot of familiarity with: Dyslexia. I chose this disorder because my 10-yr-old twins were watching an episode of Disney Channel's "Shake it Up." YouTube Part 1 Part 2 (part 2 contains the part about Dyslexia.) While the laugh-track, characters, and dialogue are typical cheesy Disney inanity, this episode reveals that one of the main characters has Dyslexia and has hidden it from her best friend for years. The character goes on to explain that she doesn't see things the way other people do and that words and letters sometimes get "jumbled up inside her head." She also confesses that it affects her dancing and she fears she will never be as good as the other dancers. Her friend is very sympathetic and understanding.

Before we go any further, allow me to note that I am not a medical professional, I have no specialized training in the area of dyslexia, and all content you read is the result of research performed online or through written articles. Do not use this information to diagnose or remediate in the area of Dyslexia. If you feel that your student/child may have Dyslexia, consult a medical professional. 

One of my girls asked me what Dyslexia is. I have an uncle that has this disorder, so it runs in my family. The typical response is that, "people see letters and numbers backwards." That is not entirely accurate, though. Dyslexia is like many other disorders in that it varies from person to person, from mild to severe, and takes on many different faces.

So what is Dyslexia and how does it affect students? Dyslexia is a disorder in the language processing area of the brain (A.D.A.M., Inc, 2011,) It is not a sight disorder. The three main causes of this disorder are heredity, trauma, and hormonal development. Problems in the area of visual, auditory, and writing are sometimes associated with this disorder. There is no cure, but there are remedial ways of treating this disorder.

Dyslexia affects students in a variety of ways. Reading is the most commonly affected area. But because reading is such an essential part of communication, other areas in the classroom are affected. Even areas of math and physical education may subject the student to failure because of their disorder. Students sometimes become withdrawn, show behavioral problems, have low self-esteem, and have trouble with peers because they do not understand their disorder, do not know about it, or are not being addressed effectively. Problems can continue into adulthood if not addressed early in life.

Over the course of the next few posts we will break down this disorder and look into it and its application in the classroom. Please join me and share in the discussion. If you would like to take a 3-hour break and watch a great video about this disorder, you can find it at this site. (You may have to allow it through your pop-up blocker.)

References:

A.D.A.M., Inc.. (2011). Developmental Reading Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002379/