WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?
Dyslexia affects 1 in 10 individuals, many of whom remain undiagnosed and receive little or no intervention services. (Fran Levin Bowman, Ed.D. & Vincent Culotta, Ph.D., Copyright, 2010, All Rights Reserved)
Dyslexia is a specific reading disorder and does not reflect low intelligence.
According to the International Dyslexia Association, “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 and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
WHAT SUPPORT DOES THE STATE PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE DYSLEXIA?
Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-1-229 (The “Say Dyslexia” Bill) Overview Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-1-229, which took effect in 2016, sets forth requirements for LEAs regarding the identification and service of students with characteristics of dyslexia through dyslexia-specific interventions and details out processes for screening students with survey-level, drill-down assessments who flag for risk on the universal reading screener.
Screening for characteristics of dyslexia is to take place as part of the universal screening process through existing RTI2 procedures or other available means. Every LEA must screen for dyslexia and dyslexia screening procedures should include phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge, sound symbol recognition, decoding skills, rapid automatized naming, and encoding skills.
If a dyslexia screener indicates that a child has characteristics of dyslexia, then the LEA must:
- Notify the student’s parent or legal guardian;
- Provide the student’s parent or legal guardian with information and resource material regarding dyslexia;
- Provide the student with appropriate tiered dyslexia-specific intervention through its RTI2 framework;
- Monitor the student’s progress using a tool designed to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.
DO I HAVE DYSLEXIA?
Take the assessment below. If you answer yes to seven (7) or more of these questions, consider seeking consultation from a specialist or a formal diagnostic assessment from a qualified examiner.
Click here for additional self-assessment tools specific to preschoolers, school-age children, and adults.
QUIZ FOR ADULTS: Dyslexia Self-Assessment for Adults
- Do you read slowly?
- Did you have trouble learning how to read when you were in school?
- Do you often have to read something two or three times before it makes sense?
- Are you uncomfortable reading out loud?
- Do you omit, transpose, or add letters when you are reading or writing?
- Do you find you still have spelling mistakes in your writing even after Spell Check?
- Do you find it difficult to pronounce uncommon multi-syllable words when you are reading?
- Do you choose to read magazines or short articles rather than longer books and novels?
- When you were in school, did you find it extremely difficult to learn a foreign language?
- Do you avoid work projects or courses that require extensive reading?
If you answer yes to seven (7) or more of these questions, consider seeking consultation from a specialist or a formal diagnostic assessment from a qualified examiner.
We know that some readers will have trouble learning to read. If you need more information about dyslexia or need to support with a situation involving dyslexia, please contact [email protected].
Click the links below to view/download additional resources:
International Dyslexia Association
TDOE: Tennessee Dyslexia Resource Guide
MTSU: Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia: Characteristics of Dyslexia
TDOE: Characteristics of Dyslexia and Dyslexia Differences & Implications
Individualized Learning Plan For Dyslexia - Parent Information
