Dyslexia Intervention

Dyslexia is a life-long condition.  With proper help people with dyslexia can learn to read and/or write well.  Early identification and treatment is the key to helping dyslexics achieve in school and in life.  Most people with dyslexia need help from a teacher, tutor, or therapist specially trained in using a multisensory, structured language approach.  It is important for these individuals to be taught by a method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time.  Many individuals with dyslexia need one-on-one help so that they can move forward at their own pace.  For students with dyslexia, it is helpful if their outside academic therapists work closely with classroom teachers.

Schools can implement academic modifications to help dyslexic students succeed.  For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete tasks, or help with taking notes, and/or appropriate work assignments.  Teachers can give taped tests or allow dyslexic students to use alternative means of assessment.  Students can benefit from listening to books-on-tape and from writing on computers.

Student may also need help with emotional issues that sometimes arise as a consequence of difficulties in school.  Mental health specialists can help students cope with their struggles.

Source:  International Dyslexia Association Fact Sheet #62-05/00

What kind of instruction does my child need?

Dyslexia and other related learning disorders cannot be cured.  Proper instruction promotes reading success and alleviates many difficulties associated with dyslexia.  Instruction for individuals with learning differences should be:

·        Explicit—directly teaches skills for reading, spelling, and writing

·        Systematic and Cumulative—has a definite, logical sequence of concept introduction

·        Structured—has step-by-step procedures for introducing, reviewing, and practicing concepts

·        Multisensory—engages the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic channels simultaneously or in rapid succession.

Source:  International Dyslexia Association Fact Sheet #63-01/03

MY COMMENTS

The program that I use is based on the Orton-Gillingham multisensory structured language program.  IT IS GREAT!!!

ORTON-GILLINGHAM-BASED AND/OR MULTISENSORY STRUCTURED LANGUAGE APPROACHES

The principles of instruction and content of a multisensory structured language program are essential for effective teaching approaches and related methodologies.  The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) actively promotes effective teaching approaches and related clinical educational intervention strategies for dyslexics.

CONTENT:  What Is Taught

·        Phonology and Phonological Awareness:  Phonology is the study of sounds and how they work within their environment.  A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a given language that can be recognized as being district from other sounds in the language.  Phonological awareness is the understanding of the internal linguistic structure of words.  An important aspect of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness or the ability to segment words into their component sounds.

·        Sound-Symbol Association:  This is the knowledge of the various sounds in the English language and their correspondence to the letters and combinations of letters which represent those sounds.  Sound-symbol association must be taught (and mastered) in two directions:  visual to auditory and auditory to visual.  Additionally, students must master the blending of sounds and letters into words as well as the segmenting of whole words into the individual sounds.

·      Syllable Instruction:  A syllable is a unit of oral or written language with one vowel sound.  Instruction must include teaching of the six basic syllable types in the English language:  closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, consonant-le, r controlled, and diphthong.  Syllable division rules must be directly taught in relation to word structure.

·        Morphology:  Morphology is the study of how morphemes are combined from words.  A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in the language.  The curriculum must include the study of base words, roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

·        Syntax:  Syntax is the set of principles that dictate the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey meaning.  This includes grammar, sentence variation, and the mechanics of language.

·        Semantics:  Semantics is that aspect of language concerned with meaning.  The curriculum (from the beginning) must include instruction in the comprehension of written language.

PRINCIPLES OF INSTRUCTION:  How It is Taught

·        Simultaneous, Multisensory (VAKT):  Teaching is done using all learning pathways in the brain (visual/auditory, kinesthetic-tactile) simultaneous in order to enhance memory and learning.

·        Systematic and Cumulative:  Multisensory language instruction requires that the organization of material follows the logical order of the language.  The sequence must begin with the easiest and most basic elements and progress methodically to more difficult material.  Each step must also be based on those already learned.  Concepts taught must be systematically reviewed to strengthen memory.

·        Direct Instruction:  The inferential learning of any concept cannot be taken for granted.  Multisensory language instruction requires the direct teaching of all concepts with continuous student-teacher interaction.

·        Diagnostic Teaching:  The teacher must be adept at prescriptive of individualized teaching.  The teaching plan is based on careful and continuous assessment of the individual’s needs.  The content presented must be mastered to the degree of automaticity.

·        Synthetic and Analytic Instruction:  Multisensory, structured language programs include both synthetic and analytic instruction.  Synthetic instruction presents the parts of the language and then teaches how the parts work together to form a whole.  Analytic instruction presents the whole and teaches how this can be broken down into its component parts.

Source:  Adapted by the International Dyslexia Association from “Clinical Studies of Multisensory Structured Language Education for Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders”.