What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is the capacity to process information differently, enabling innovative
thought and perception. It is characterised by a visual and experiential learning
style and cognitive diversity. Teaching methods that utilise this learning style
allow people with dyslexia to realise their potential.
What is Reading?
Reading is an active and interactive process of constructing meaning. The process
is both complex and dynamic and includes:
- the integration of the three language cueing systems (graphophonic,
semantic and syntactic)
- knowledge of the linguistic system
- the application of skills and strategies
- understanding the situational context and constraints of the reading event.
Current research
indicates:
Just over half (54%) of Australians aged 15 to 74
years were assessed as having the prose literacy skills
needed to meet the complex demands of everyday life and
work. Results were similar for document literacy with
53% and numeracy with 47% achieving this level.
Approximately 17% (2.5 million) of people were
assessed at the lowest prose literacy while 18% (2.7
million) were assessed at the lowest document literacy
level.
Australian Bureau of Statistics: Media Release
Australia's literacy and life skills: ABS
It is unknown how many of these people are dyslexic.
30% of the population
strongly uses visual
(picture) thinking, 25%
think verbally (words)
and 45% uses both visual
and verbal.
http://www.visualspatial.org/vsi.php
Dyslexics tend to be
visual thinkers, however
a few will be
visual/verbal which
means their visual
learning style is
resistant to phonics
based reading
strategies.
The Dyslexia
Association states: A
dyslexic individual can
be successful BECAUSE of
their abilities not "in
spite" of. A dyslexic may
struggle to succeed
BECAUSE of their
negative experiences in
the learning environment
not because of dyslexia.
Dyslexic individuals
have different talents
or strengths – no one is
the same.
Alternate Labels
There are many other
labels that are used in
place of Dyslexia.
Because the symptoms can
overlap a particular
symptom may be labeled
(indentified) instead of
the actual cause - Dyslexia.
Some of these are:
- Auditory
Processing Disorder
- Central Auditory
Processing Disorder
- Language Based
Disorders
- Non-specific
Learning disability
- Specific
Learning Disability
- Poor Short Term
Memory
- Poor Working
Memory
- Reading
Disability
- Visual Motor
Deficient
-
Visual/Perceptual
Processing Disorder
- Irlen or
Scotopic Syndrome
- Dysphonetia (Dysphonetic)
- Dyseidesia (Dyseidesic)
Identifying or
Testing for Dyslexia
Identifying Dyslexia
can be tricky. The
Dyslexia Association
believes that an
accurate measuring tool
has not been created to
identify Dyslexia.
This
leaves many people mislabeled which
may misdirects the
individual to
inappropriate help.
Dyslexia symptoms can be
mild to severe and no
individual will
experience the same symptoms. The most
consistent thing about
dyslexia is the
inconsistency – one day
the symptom(s) is
present the next it is
not.
There is no cure for
dyslexia since it is a
thinking or learning
style not a disease;
however Dyslexics can
correct their reading
problem when given the
correct reading method.
Options Available
for Dyslexia Testing or
Assessment
On-line or
pre-screening/profiling
These types of
assessments are not
intended to be a
conclusive diagnosis of
dyslexia but may guide a
parent to resources,
specialist help or a
full educational
assessment.
The Dyslexia Association
provides this services
for free - there is no
need to pay membership
fees to access this
service.
Click here for free
on-line assessment
Sometimes an on-line
assessment is the only
way a parent can start
to find answers.
Dyslexia Screening
Test or Assessment
This is not a
diagnostic tool but
rather a profile that
indicates if dyslexia
could be present or an
"at risk" assessment.
A professional, such as
an Educational
Consultant, must have a
background in education
(teacher) with
experience in the field
of special education and
have their
qualifications approved
by an independent
authority (not an
Association) before they
can have access to the
Dyslexia Screening Test.
Contact the Dyslexia
Association for a
referral to an
Educational Consultant
that has been qualified
by an independent
authority with specific
knowledge in their area
of expertise - Dyslexia.
Click here to
book.
School Counsellor
If you ask your school
to test your child for
dyslexia, they may tell
you that dyslexia is a
medical issue, and that
only a doctor can test
for it. The school
counsellor can do an IQ
test and a reading test,
but they cannot diagnose
dyslexia. Testing done
by the school system is
free, but as you know,
most schools do not test
children for dyslexia.
That means a parent will
have to hire a
professional to do the
testing.
Doctor
Doctors do not test
children for reading,
writing, and spelling
issues because those are
not considered medical
issues. They are
educational issues. So a
doctor will probably
refer you back to the
school or to an
educational
psychologist.
By the way, since
dyslexia is not
considered a medical
issue, testing for it is
not covered by medical
insurance. Nor will the
school pay for it
because schools are not
required by law to test
children for dyslexia.
A parent should be
prepared to pay for the
testing themselves.
Educational
Psychologist
An Educational
Psychologist can provide
a full education
assessment on request.
This sort of assessment
generally will give an
indication of a person's
weaknesses and
strengths.
Depending on the
psychologist, the state
you live in and the type
of assessment, you may
find that there is a
preference to use other
labels to describe the
symptoms of dyslexia.
Some specialists break
down and label the
symptoms, rather than
gather the symptoms
under one label - dyslexia.
We recommend an
Educational Psychologist
should your child
require special
accommodations for year
11 and 12, or if you are
concerned about possible
workplace
discrimination.
Please
note: The above is offered as a
guide. It is not
intended to be
definitive. An
Association can not
"certify" or determine
an individual to be
qualified in assessing
or testing for dyslexia.
An Association can set
criteria to meet for
their acceptance into
their Association. The
Dyslexia Association
criteria requires an
Educational Consultant
or psychologist to meet
the standards set by the
independent authority in
their area of expertise.
Privacy/Disclaimer
Statement |
