"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."

This definition was adopted by the IDA Board of Dyslexia, November 2002. This definition is also used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Students with dyslexia may have difficulty with reading, writing, spelling or expressive language in varying degrees. They may have difficulty expressing themselves in writing, but not when speaking. Some common symptoms include:

• Confuses letters or sounds, as in p for q, b for d and saw for was, off for of.
• Difficulty knowing the sounds that letters make and sequencing and blending those sounds.
  /b/ /a/ /t/
• Difficulty hearing the syllables in words and the individual sounds in those syllables.
  (I lick ise crème, speshully chalcklit.)
• Difficulty visualizing the correct spelling.
• Doesn’t seem to understand sentence structure or spelling rules.
• Sometimes confuses words, especially time and directional words.
  (Tomorrow I went to the movies,…no I mean yesterday…)
• Difficulty writing the alphabet in sequence.
• Errors in naming letters

The following characteristics MAY be associated with dyslexia:

• Delay in spoken language
• Late establishment of preferred hand for writing
• Late learning of directionality- right and left and other directionality
• Problems sequencing or learning concept of time
• Family history of similar problems

Some common trends or typical behaviors:
(May or may not be present- varies among individuals)

• Inconsistent grades from day to day
• Confusion with math symbols, but not computation
• Memorized spelling better than spontaneous spelling
• Homework is better quality that classwork
• Deteriorating organization and study habits
• Poor self esteem
• Chooses oral performance over written assignments
• Compensates by using pictures or instructor’s cues
• Uneven pencil pressure and awkward grip
• Short attention span
• Poor motivation from lack of success
• Anxiety over schoolwork
• Frustration level high
• Overcompensation through pseudo-confidence

The difficulty with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes with oral language is unexpected in relation to their intelligence and educational experiences. These students are often very bright and capable in many areas. They may be viewed as lazy or unmotivated, but they do not seem to be able to learn to read, write and spell using traditional teaching methods. For many dyslexic people, not being able to learn to read decreases their feelings of self worth and they often feel disabled. This is unfortunate and clearly untrue!

It is important to note that dyslexia doesn’t inhibit individuals with educational and emotional support. There are many success stories of some determined individuals. See Talents of Dyslexia page and famous people with dyslexia below.

Famous People with dyslexia:

• Athletes - Muhammad Ali, Bruce Jenner, Magic Johnson, Nolan Ryan
• Politicians - Nelson Rockefeller, Thomas Jefferson, Winston Churchill, George Washington, General George Patton
• Actors and entertainers - Cher, Whoopie Goldberg, Jay Leno, John Lennon, Harrison Ford, Henry Winkler, Fred Astaire, Harry Belafonte.
• Artists - Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo
• Business Leaders and inventors - Henry Ford, Charles Schwab, F.W. Woolworth, Bill Hewlett, Thomas Edison
• Writers - Stephan Cannell, John Grisham, John Irving, Wendy Wasserstein, Erin Brokovich

What is Dysgraphia?

Dysgraphia can exist by itself but is more typically seen with other learning problems related to language such as dyslexia.

Dysgraphia is difficulty with writing letters and numbers. It is neurologically based and exists in varying degrees from mild to severe. Writing requires inordinate amounts of energy, stamina and time for these individuals. They often have inconsistent letter formations and resort to a mixture of lowercase and upper case letters, mixing cursive and manuscript styles.

Dysgraphia can interfere with a student’s ability to express ideas. This affects their classroom work, homework and eventually manifests itself in lowered self-esteem. The emotional factors arising from dysgraphia compound the problem and add to the frustration of the student, the parents and the teachers. This is especially true of the bright linguistically gifted child who hits a wall when dealing with written expression. Since these students have difficulty translating their thoughts and ideas on paper, teachers are often unaware of what the student does know.

Teachers and parents may be aware that something is different by observing the child’s handwriting. It is unfortunate that in too many instances the child is labeled lazy, unmotivated or careless. It is important to realize that while there may be some truth to these allocations, the underlying problem is dysgraphia and is not in the student’s control. Some symptoms to keep in mind are:

• Inappropriate pencil grip
• Inappropriate body, arm and paper positions
• Many erasures
• Irregular sized letters and slant
• Mixing upper and lowercase letters
• Unfinished letters
• Overall illegibility
• Slower speed of writing
• Slower speed in copying
• Fatigue after writing
• Poor organization on a page

Dysgraphia can be diagnosed and it can be worked with and remediated if strict programs of strategies are practiced on a daily basis. Training the muscles and overlearning are critical in remediation. It is work, but it is worth it!

• Understand the problem and the inconsistencies
• Allow the student to print or use cursive, whatever is most comfortable
• Allow extra time on written work or exams
• Encourage the use of a computer or word processor- there are new programs available.
  (See assistive technologies under links)
• Encourage the use of proofreading and spell check
• In some cases, shorten writing assignments
• Be patient and encourage the student to be patient with him or herself.
• Reinforce the positive!

You can read more about dyslexia, characteristics of dyslexia, and how to remediate dyslexia in our user friendly 20 page booklet, entitled, “Ten in Every Hundred.” Go to Shop SWIDA page and order a few copies. You will want more than one copy Comment from an Academic Language Therapist: “I grabbed the booklet on my way to an IEP meeting at a middle school. It was invaluable in helping the staff at the school understand dyslexia. I simply read from the booklet and cited examples. Comment from a parent of a dyslexic student: "Wow, this is good. Can I get a couple copies to give to my school? They don’t know this."