The International Dyslexia Association states that “About 13–14% of the school population nationwide has a handicapping condition that qualifies them for special education. Current studies indicate that one half of all the students who qualify for special education are classified as having a learning disability (LD) (6–7%). About 85% of those students have a primary learning disability in reading and language processing. Nevertheless, many more people— perhaps as many as 15–20% of the population as a whole—have some of the symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words. Not all of these will qualify for special education, but they are likely to struggle with many aspects of academic learning and are likely to benefit from systematic, explicit, instruction in reading, writing, and language.”
I have heard many parents say that their child is struggling but the school will not evaluated until 2nd grade or 3rd grade. Or that their child’s school does not have a Dyslexia program. Parents should not have to fight for evaluations or interventions for their children. Research shows that early identification and intervention is crucial for children with learning disabilities. If schools would implement programs and provide struggling students with needed interventions in the early school years, students would have a better outcome. It seems to be short-sighted to say that you have to wait until a specific grade or wait a extended period of time before evaluation a student and then school staff struggles to help that student catch up after years of struggling. Wouldn’t it make more sense to evaluate early in a student’s life to ensure success in school?
Here are some common myths about Dyslexia (double click graphic to enlarge):
For more information on Dyslexia visit: https://dyslexiaida.org/