It's back to school time, which means it's time for students who struggle with Dyslexia and their families to talk with this year's new teachers about Dyslexia and its impact on the classroom. For some families, this is a difficult task. For other families, it is a blessing.

As a parent of a student with a disability in Dyslexia, I have mixed emotions when sending my daughter off to a new teacher or multiple teachers because she is shy and reserved. She may never raise her hand to answer questions, but if she does, the teacher/s must be patient. She knows the answer but needs time to think and organize her words. It will take her twice as long as her peers to write anything. That writing will not reflect her intelligence. She learns best when her senses are engaged or utilizing her assistive technology through her accommodation plan. But my greatest fear as a parent is her not being allowed to participate in things she thrives at, such as art, recess, music, and socializing, because her academics are not like her peers.

Always remember that your students are not the disability but kids with strengths and weaknesses trying to be successful at skills that are very hard for them.

Registration for the Build: A K-1 Reading Intervention Teacher Training presented by Scottish Rite for Children closes on August 24, 2022.

Register HERE!

Participants MUST PURCHASE the BUILD: A K-1 EARLY READING INTERVENTION from Texas Scottish Rite Center for Dyslexia. You will receive an email for ordering instructions after registration.

The Texas Dyslexia Handbook, 2021 defines Diagnostic teaching to automaticity —“The teacher must be adept at prescriptive or individualized teaching. The teaching plan is based on a careful and [continual] assessment of the individual’s needs. The content presented must be mastered to the degree of automaticity” (Birsh, 2018, p. 27). “This teacher knowledge is essential for guiding the content and emphasis of instruction for the individual student”(Moats & Dakin, 2008, p. 58). “When a reading skill becomes automatic (direct access without conscious awareness), it is performed quickly in an efficient manner” (Berninger & Wolf, 2009, p. 70).

The Goal Of Diagnostic Teaching

It is important to keep in mind the goal of this process–diagnosis. What’s wrong? What’s the hang-up? What’s getting in the way of learning or students proving what they know?

The teacher must be adept at flexible or individualized instruction. The teaching plan is based on a careful and continuous assessment of the individual’s needs. The content presented must be mastered to the degree of automaticity. Automaticity is critical to freeing all the student’s attention and cognitive resources for comprehension and expression.

Conclusion

The big idea behind Diagnostic Teaching is to illuminate and remove barriers to student understanding so that mastery is accomplished. When students have problems, you need to be able to identify and fix them systematically, shifting the focus from teaching to the group to systematic, guided diagnoses of academic performance barriers for mastery.

Check out this resource when aiming toward mastery in diagnostic teaching: Checking for Mastery or What is Mastery.

Check out all the great professional development opportunities available.

FALL 2022 SESSION AVAILABLE NOW-Click HERE to search for sessions!

Check out Free resources from IMSE to add to your therapy program.

• The Dallas Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) serves our community, particularly those with dyslexia, primarily through conferences, by providing speakers, and through a special scholarship fund: Learn more HERE.

• The Academic Language Therapist Association (ALTA): Find out more HERE.

• understood.org for tools, support and community for the 1 in 5 people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences who often get left out or left behind.

• Partners Resource Network can help you understand your child's disability: https://prntexas.org/

Thank you for sharing in this journey with your child. Region 10 is a resource for parents, teachers and districts. Please contact us for support or services.

Email: amie.davenport@region10.org
Website: Region10.org
Location: 904 Abrams Rd, Richardson, TX, USA
Phone: 972-348-1538