Dyslexia Fact Sheet

The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek word "dys"( meaning poor or inadequate) plus "lexis" ( words or language); implying only an inadequacy in language tasks.

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. Individuals with this medical condition have difficulty in the areas of language processing.

Dyslexia is a unique mindset of a person that is often gifted and productive but learns differently from other people.

Dyslexics rely more heavily on the right brain; the side that excels at seeing the big picture rather than the details. Right brain =one area to process language. Non-dyslexics use left brain= three areas to process language.

Dyslexics do not "see" words backward. The b-d letter reversals are mainly caused by deficits in interpreting left to right.

People with dyslexia are usually more creative and have a higher level of intelligence. They have exceptional auditory and verbal skills and can think strategically.

Metaphorically speaking, dyslexics are MACs in a world of PCs.

In the land of dyslexia students often work harder than many of their mainstream peers. They are great listeners and public speakers. They are not good spellers and do not typically have good handwriting. Most are lefties!

Dyslexia does not equal broken! Being dyslexic does not have to mean an automatic SPED diagnosis.

Dyslexia is not a disease so there is no cure. It's a learning disability that includes difficulty in the use/process of linguistic and symbolic codes, and alphabetic letters that represent sounds or numbers, or quantities.

Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe. Around 40% of people with dyslexia have ADHD. And those with dyslexia use about 5 times more energy to complete mental tasks.

Dyslexia carries a passport to Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia and ADHD.

No one would ever define a blind person as lazy, instead, they are provided with texts in Braille, which allows reading fingertips. If you're dyslexic, using conventional text will never be easy. Dyslexics read with ears. It's easier to be dyslexic in today's world due to technology---text to speech. Allow technology to be a dyslexic's best friend, listen as much as possible.

No matter how hard a teacher tries. they can't change a student's brain, They can embrace the identity and give tools to help students be successful.

Trying harder is not an intervention. You have to build up a child's confidence and work through specific reading interventions and strategies. Pathways is a great start! The goal is not to fix a child. They are not broken. The goal is to play to the child's strengths and give him or her tools to be successful. Pathways is an explicit systematic phonics instruction/intervention that can actually help "rewire" the brain and help dyslexic students learn to read.

Dyslexia is not about intellect. Dyslexia is a physiological characteristic with a specific issue in interpreting text. That is not synonymous with a lack of intelligence.

Children do not outgrow dyslexia.

Dyslexics score significantly higher on tests when they are given additional time or given the test orally.

Dyslexics do best when directions are two steps or fewer. They often get confused and frustrated with a long list of directions.

The more that important, consistent, frequent, multi-sensory and emotionally reinforcing information is presented, the easier and more enduring language learning becomes for dyslexics.

Dyslexics often enjoy and excel at solving problems. They have an excellent comprehension of stories read or told to them.

Some brilliant minds of our time have been known to have dyslexia: Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Mozart, Winston Churchhill, Cher and Tom Cruise.