SCEC: Dyslexia Awareness

October Is Dyslexia Awareness Month!

Annually, October is recognized as Dyslexia Awareness Month. This is a time to increase understanding of the strengths and challenges associated with dyslexia, to share resources and success stories. Positive dyslexia awareness is key to inspire, educate and support at-risk students and their families.

This year, students were screened for dyslexia characteristics in September and October. This screening involved students in grades K-2, those who received dyslexia interventions the previous year, and students referred by their teachers in grades 3-12.

Screener results help guide instruction and intervention specific to patterns of individual strengths and challenges providing students opportunities for academic achievement (IDA, 2020). Encourage our students to read each day.

Let's Support Dyslexia Awareness Month!

What Is Dyslexia?

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological 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...."

-IDA, 2002


Benefits of Screening and Early Detection Universal Screening: K-2 Reading Fewer struggling readers by 4th and 9th grade Early intervention to strengthen neural pathways for automaticity Screening identifies students at-risk for reading difficulties Quickly identify students who require intervention Provide interventions to develop literacy skills and reading achievement https://dyslexiaida.org/universal-screening-k-2-reading-2/ IDA, 2021	What Can Dyslexics Become When They Grow Up? Inventors and Astronauts Writers, Nurses and Doctors Sports Stars and Engineers Realtors, Musicians and Movie Stars Lawyers, Essential Workers and Positive Influencers Leaders and Teachers .....Anything!	Ways to Accommodate Students With Dyslexia? Suggestions to implement in K-12 classrooms: Extra Time- allow extra time or shorten assignments Accommodations-allow students to show their learning in various ways Assistive technology- text-to-speech apps, keyboards, audiobooks, allow alphabet strips, number lines, record and share class lectures Highlight Strengths-protect student's self-esteem, praise effort Encourage paired learning-strategy can break down barriers, increase knowledge and improve learning Patins link-https://www.patinsproject.org/drm/resources/dyslexia/dyslexia-resources/262-get-smart-about-specific-learning-disabilities-sld/file Accommodations http://dyslexia.yale.edu/advocacy/national-advocacy/the-truth-about-accommodations/

Benefits of Screening and Early Detection

Universal Screening: K-2 Reading

Fewer struggling readers by 4th and 9th grade
Early intervention to strengthen neural pathways for automaticity
Screening identifies students at-risk for reading difficulties
Quickly identify students who require intervention
Provide interventions to develop literacy skills and reading achievement https://dyslexiaida.org/universal-screening-k-2-reading-2/ IDA, 2021

What Can Dyslexics Become When They Grow Up?

Inventors and Astronauts
Writers, Nurses and Doctors
Sports Stars and Engineers
Realtors, Musicians and Movie Stars
Lawyers, Essential Workers and Positive Influencers
Leaders and Teachers
.....Anything!

Ways to Accommodate Students With Dyslexia?

Suggestions to implement in K-12 classrooms:

Extra Time- allow extra time or shorten assignments
Accommodations-allow students to show their learning in various ways
Assistive technology- text-to-speech apps, keyboards, audiobooks, allow alphabet strips, number lines, record and share class lectures
Highlight Strengths-protect student's self-esteem, praise effort
Encourage paired learning-strategy can break down barriers, increase knowledge and improve learning
Patins link-https://www.patinsproject.org/drm/resources/dyslexia/dyslexia-resources/262-get-smart-about-specific-learning-disabilities-sld/file
Accommodations http://dyslexia.yale.edu/advocacy/national-advocacy/the-truth-about-accommodations/