[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Students with difficulties reading correctly, fluently, omissions, spelling mistakes, difficulties with graphemes and phonemes, absent-mindedness, not knowing the days of the week, not learning multiplication tables, etc. Teachers who don’t know how to identify indicators of dyslexia, unmotivated students with low self-esteem, and worried and disoriented parents.
Unfortunately, these situations are repeated daily in our classrooms. It is estimated that 10% of students have dyslexia. Even so, the number would rise dangerously if detected more accurately, as the vast majority of cases are mistaken for lazy, absent-minded, and unmotivated students.
What is Dyslexia?
Based on the definition from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA, 2002; Lyon, Shaywitz and Shaywitz, 2003), it is a Specific Learning Difficulty (SLD) of neurobiological origin, characterized by difficulties in the accuracy and fluency of word recognition (written) and by a deficit in decoding (reading) and spelling skills.
Symptoms of Dyslexia
As a consequence of dyslexia, these students present difficulties in reading comprehension, spelling mistakes, and poor reading fluency, leading to problems with written and oral language. However, they have age-appropriate development as other cognitive abilities develop normally, with an Intellectual Quotient consistent with their population and age. Regarding working memory, they do not present difficulties in long-term memory, but they do in short-term memory, which leads to difficulties in mathematics (calculation, learning multiplication tables, days of the week, etc.).
Dyslexia and School Failure
Unfortunately, many students with dyslexia do not receive the necessary psycho-pedagogical or speech therapy intervention to overcome their difficulties and continue progressing in their learning with motivation and good self-esteem. Many of them go unnoticed, so they are evaluated the same as their peers and do not receive intervention based on their educational needs. These students have low self-concept, think they are not good at studying, many drop out of school or finish basic education and stop studying.
At this point, it is vital to raise awareness and educate oneself about dyslexia. Psycho-pedagogues and speech therapists who work with students must know how to detect dyslexia, what standardized tests are used, and how to provide an educational intervention tailored to the students’ needs. Similarly, teachers must receive the necessary training to identify indicators of dyslexia and know when to refer to a psycho-pedagogue or speech therapist.
It is important to explain to the family what their child’s dyslexia is and to convey tranquility and hope, as a student with dyslexia is capable of following the same learning process as their peers, completing their studies with a good professional profile, and having good self-esteem and motivation. Of course, provided that their diversity is respected, the necessary educational guidelines are adapted, and they receive psycho-pedagogical, school, and family support.
Dyslexia is a disorder extensively covered in the Master’s in Language and Speech Pathologies offered by ISEP in Online mode. If you are interested, find out more![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]