WABIDA
Serving Washington, Idaho & Western Montana
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that occurs in an area of the brain that processes language. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulty decoding sounds into words and is most often seen in issues with reading, writing and spelling. By definition individuals with dyslexia have average or above average intelligence and normal vision.
What might I notice if someone has dyslexia?
Dyslexia can present in different ways and the degree of dyslexia may vary between individuals In school age children the most common things you may notice:
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Reading well below the expected level for age
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Problems processing and understanding what is heard
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Difficulty word-finding or forming an answer to a question
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Problems with memory and sequencing of things
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Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words
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Difficulty sounding out or with the pronunciation of a new word
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Difficulty spelling
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Spending an unusually long time completing tasks that involve reading or writing
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Avoiding activities that involve reading
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability occurs when someone’s brain is wired differently and they have trouble reading, writing, spelling,recalling, and organizing information.
Is a child with a learning disability able to learn how to read and write
What is not a learning disability.
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Learning disabilities should not be confused with other disabilities such as autism, intellectual disability, deafness, blindness, and behavioral disorders. None of these conditions are learning disabilities. In addition, they should not be confused with lack of educational opportunities like frequent changes of schools or attendance problems. Also, children who are learning English do not necessarily have a learning disability.
What types of learning disabilities are there?
Dyslexia – a language-based disability in which a person has trouble understanding written words. It may also be referred to as reading disability or reading disorder.
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Dyscalculia – a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.
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Dysgraphia – a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space.
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Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders – sensory disabilities in which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.
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Nonverbal Learning Disabilities – a neurological disorder which originates in the right hemisphere of the brain, causing problems with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative and holistic processing functions