We've learned so much about what dyslexia is and isn't. We know it's a brain-based condition that impacts reading, spelling, and writing, but it's not a problem with vision. Dyslexia is a problem with understanding and working with language.
Dyslexia is a lifelong issue that tends to run in families, so there's often a parent or a sibling who also has it. And brain imaging studies have shown us that there are differences in how the brain is structured and how it functions. functions in people who have dyslexia. But it's important to know that dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence. Children with dyslexia are just as smart as other children.
We can see signs of dyslexia even before children learn to read. Reading is a complicated process that starts with being able to recognize individual sounds in words. Take the word elephant. Most children at a young age can recognize three parts in that word. Elephant.
But the child with dyslexia might not hear that fnt is actually made up of four different sounds. F, I, N, T. They may only hear one or two. Reading and spelling are hard for kids with dyslexia.
Because first they have to hear those individual sounds. And then they have to understand that each of those sounds is represented by one or more letters. Children with dyslexia usually have difficulty with dyslexia. basic language skill which is called phonemic awareness. So you might see your child having trouble with rhyming or isolating the sounds in words.
That makes it difficult for your child to match letters to their sounds, like knowing that S sounds like sss or that SH sounds like shh. This skill is called decoding and children use it to sound out words. We know a lot about what can help children with these skills. The most important thing is specialization.
reading instruction. A well-known approach is called Orton-Gillingham. It helps children to learn to break words down into their component sounds, match the sounds to letters, and then blend those sounds together.
Reading programs based on Orton-Gillingham use multi-sensory techniques. So children might trace letters in sand while saying that letter in its sound, or clap out syllables in words. These methods are proof.
to be effective. There are also tools like audiobooks, text-to-speech software, and reading apps that can help children with dyslexia. You can help your child at home by reading aloud together every day.
Choosing books that tap into your child's can help develop an interest in reading. Playing rhyming games, reading nursery rhymes, and singing songs can also be a fun way to help younger children build early reading skills. It's important to know that even though children don't outgrow dyslexia, they can become skilled readers and strong learners. With the right support, they can succeed in school and in life.