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Official Definitions
Defined:
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, it's probably a duck.
- According to the Word Federation of Neurology, dyslexia
is: "a disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite
conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and sociocultural opportunity."
Translated into plain English,
this
means that if a student isn't dumb and he isn't surrounded by people who hate school and if
he goes to school and if he gets the "conventional instruction
(Look-see or whole language) and if he still has problems reading, it must be that he is a
dyslexic.
- According to the International Dyslexia Association's
Committee of Members in November, 1994, "Dyslexia is a neurologically-based, often
familial, disorder which interferes with the acquisition and processing of language.
Varying in degrees of severity, it is manifested by difficulties in receptive and
expressive language, including phonological processing, in reading, writing, spelling,
handwriting, and sometimes in arithmetic. Dyslexia is not a result of lack of
motivation, sensory impairment, inadequate instructional or environmental opportunities,
or other limiting conditions, but may occur together with these conditions. Although
dyslexia is life-long, individuals with dyslexia frequently respond successfully to timely
and appropriate intervention."
Translated into plain English, this
means that dyslexia has to do with how the brain organizes what the eyes see and the ears
hear. The condition is such that traditional methods of teaching reading will not
work with a person with dyslexia. However, dyslexics may be taught to read and
write with proper instruction. This usually involves multi-sensory approaches as
used by AVKO, Orton-Gillingham, Slingerland, Spalding tutors, etc.
- According to the International Dyslexia Association's Research
Committee in November 1994, "Dyslexia is one of several distinct learning
disabilities. It is a specific language-based disorder of constitutional origin
characterized by difficulties in single word decoding, usually reflecting insufficient
phonological processing abilities. These difficulties in single word decoding are
often unexpected in relation to age and other cognitive and academic abilities; they are
not the result of generalized developmental disability or sensory impairment.
Dyslexia is manifested by variable difficulty with different forms of language, often
including, in addition to problems reading, a conspicuous problem with acquiring
proficiency in writing and spelling."
Translated into plain English, this
means that if someone has normal intelligence but has severe problems learning to read and
write despite "conventional" instruction, that person is dyslexic.
- According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
"Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulty
in learning to read. Some dyslexics also may have difficulty learning to write, to
spell, and, sometimes, to speak or to work with numbers. We do not know for sure
what causes dyslexia, but we do know that it affects children who are physically and
emotionally healthy, academically capable, and who come from good home environments.
In fact, many dyslexics have the advantages of excellent schools, high mental ability, and
parents who are well-educated and value learning.
Translated into plain English, this
means that when you can't find a reason for a child not being able to read, it must be he
is dyslexic.
- Dyslexia is a term that has been loosely applied to reading
disabilities. Specific definitions for dyslexia vary with disciplines. Those in medicine
define dyslexia as a condition resulting from neurological, maturational, and genetic
causes, while those in psychology relate dyslexia on the basis of the specific reading
problems evidenced and give no reference to causation. All disciplines would probably
agree that dyslexia is evidenced by persons of otherwise normal intellectual capacity who
have not learned to read despite exposure to adequate instruction.
Translated into plain English,
this means that when you can't find a reason for a child not being able to read, it
must be he is dyslexic.
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