1. * Denise Bray Reading Specialist Fort Bend I.S.D.
07/16/96
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504 Dyslexia
Denise Bray
Reading Specialist
Fort Bend I.S.D. *

2. Learning Intentions After this presentation you should be able to:
Give a working definition of dyslexia
Know characteristics of dyslexia for your grade level and where to find a list of characteristics.
Know who to contact if you suspect a student is struggling with dyslexia
Know where to find tips for working with students who struggle with dyslexia

3. Definition of Dyslexia*
07/16/96
Definition of Dyslexia
Texas Education Code, dyslexia definition:
Dyslexia means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity.
International Dyslexia Association:
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. *

4. This video explains it pretty well

5. The Characteristics of Dyslexia
The next slides will give you an overview of the characteristics of dyslexia according to grade levels. Students struggling with dyslexia may not have ALL of the characteristics.

6. Preschool Characteristics
Delay in learning to talk
Difficulty with rhyming
Difficulty pronouncing words (e.g., “pusgetti” for “spaghetti,” “mawn lower” for “lawnmower”)
Poor auditory memory for nursery rhymes and chants
More on next slide

7. Preschool Characteristics continued
Difficulty in adding new vocabulary words
Inability to recall the right word (word retrieval)
Trouble learning and naming letters and numbers and remembering the letters in his/her name
Aversion to print (e.g., doesn’t enjoy following along if book is read aloud)

8. Kindergarten/First Grade Characteristics
Difficulty breaking words into smaller parts (syllables) (e.g., “baseball” can be pulled apart into “base” “ ball” or “napkin” can be pulled apart into “nap” “kin”)
Difficulty identifying and manipulating sounds in syllables (e.g., “man” sounded out as m-a-n))
More on next slide

9. Kindergarten/First Grade Characteristics cont.
Difficulty remembering the names of letters and recalling their corresponding sounds x Difficulty decoding single words (reading single words in isolation)
Difficulty spelling words the way they sound (phonetically) or remembering letter sequences in very common words seen often in print ( e.g., “sed” for “said”)

10. Second and Third Grade Characteristics
Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following:
Difficulty recognizing common sight words (e.g., “to,” “said,” “been”)
Difficulty decoding single words
Difficulty recalling the correct sounds for letters and letter patterns in reading

11. Second and Third Grade Characteristics cont.
Difficulty connecting speech sounds with appropriate letter or letter combinations and omitting letters in words for spelling (e.g., “after” spelled “eftr”)
Difficulty reading fluently (e.g., slow, inaccurate, and/or without expression)
Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words in sentences using knowledge of phonics
Reliance on picture clues, story theme, or guessing at words
Difficulty with written expression

12. Fourth through Sixth Grade Characteristics
Many of the previously described behaviors remain problematic along with the following:
Difficulty reading aloud (e.g., fear of reading aloud in front of classmates)
Avoidance of reading (e.g., particularly for pleasure)
Acquisition of less vocabulary due to reduced independent reading

13. Fourth through Sixth Grade Characteristics
Use of less complicated words in writing that are easier to spell than more appropriate words (e.g., “big” instead of “enormous”)
Reliance on listening rather than reading for comprehension

14. Other Common Symptoms Weak memory recall for lists, directions, facts
Needs to see or hear concepts many times to learn them
Inconsistent school work
Poor sequencing of numbers
Difficulty reciting and writing the alphabet or months of the year
Choice of oral performance over written
Good listening comprehension (in general)
Difficulty following multi-step directions
Confusion about directions in space and time
Unable to copy accurately, especially from board

15. These characteristics lead to:*
07/16/96
These characteristics lead to:
Difficulty with word recognition in isolation or in context
Difficulty with decoding familiar and unfamiliar words
Difficulty with aspects of reading comprehension
Difficulty with aspects of written composition
Difficulty with aspects of word work and spelling
A limited amount of time spent in reading activities *

16. Procedures for Assessing Students for Dyslexia*
07/16/96
Procedures for Assessing Students for Dyslexia
Teacher observes reading, spelling, and/or writing difficulties and gathers additional data about the student
Teacher brings concerns and data to Kid Care meeting (and to me, please!)
Kid Care will give recommendations. When the team decides to test. I will take care of gathering the following:
Vision and Hearing screening- Nurse
Teacher reports of classroom concerns
Parent Information
PAPI data (Kinder, 1st, if applicable)
DRA Level (Grades K-1, if applicable)
Running Records, Written Compositions, Class Assignments
Previous school history of difficulties *

17. Identification of Students with Dyslexia*
07/16/96
Identification of Students with Dyslexia
After testing, the 504 Committee determines if the student has dyslexia after reviewing all accumulated data.
The committee asks the following questions:
Is the student’s lack of appropriate academic progress unexpected?
Does the student exhibit characteristics associated with dyslexia? This is based on testing and other gathered data.
Did the student receive conventional instruction
Is the student’s lack of progress due to sociocultural factors such as language, attendance or lack of experiential background? *

18. *
07/16/96
Eligibility for 504
Not all students with dyslexia are necessarily eligible for 504 services
Those students showing mild to moderate dyslexia and demonstrating an educational need could qualify for 504 services.
Students with additional factors that complicate their dyslexia may require additional support or referral to special education. *

19. Strategies for working with students with dyslexia:
HOW DOES THE DYSLEXIC
STUDENT LEARN?
The dyslexic student must be shown ....
the big picture and then how the details fit into it.
From parts to whole
From the easy to the more difficult
From the simple to the complex
From the concrete to the abstract
From the visual to the auditory
Always showing him how new information fits in with what he has learned
With much review and practice at every step of the way
THE DYSLEXIC STUDENT NEEDS…
a quiet, calm, structured, orderly, consistent and fair environment
one or two verbal instructions at a time short, simple instructions with few words.
a simultaneous multi-sensory structured approach to his language learning that uses all three pathways of learning: Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic-Tactile
to be given every opportunity to use his creativity in his learning
time to process what he has heard
time to respond
time to complete assignments

20. Strategies for working with students with dyslexia:
Encourage use of graphic organizers
Place close to the teacher
Encourage use of planner
Reduce the amount of copying
Use cues (or highlight)to emphasize important information
Provide additional practice/emphasize daily review
Balance lessons and activities: visual, auditory, hands-on
Use explicit teaching procedures

21. Strategies for working with students with dyslexia: Math
Encourage additional practice and daily review
Early on, act out positional words ( more, less, fewer, etc.)
Link quantities and sets of objects with specific words and numerals
Use large motor muscles to reinforce and develop consistent directionality and sequence in numeral formation.
Allow use of instructional aids (number strips, number lines, counters, etc.)
Arrange problems from easiest to hardest
Turn lined paper vertically for math to help students keep numbers in appropriate columns
As children begin formal mathematics instruction, patterns become very important.  Place value is one of the most important concepts and using manipulatives helps children understand the beauty and symmetry of the decimal place value system.
Asking a dyslexic child to retrieve every multiplication fact at random in response to flash cards can be extremely stressful and sometimes counter productive.  Instead, the parent or teacher can practice skip counting in rhythm, practice with patterns or focus on mastering four multiplication/division facts at a time to mastery as they illustrate the concepts with manipulative objects.

22. Questions and Concerns
If you have any questions or concerns with a specific student, please come to me for guidance and support.
Use the checklist in this PowerPoint or the handout kept in my room as a means of observing students that are struggling in your classroom.
Reference source:
International Dyslexia Association (website)
Houston Branch of the International Dyslexia Associate (resource booklet, 2014)
The Dyslexia Handbook, Revised 2014