Dyslexia Misunderstood
Part One:

Dyslexia does not mean reading words backwards. Dyslexia is the way a person processes language within their brain. Understand most dyslexic people have high IQ's but score low in the areas of reading and language.

As a retired school teacher, I know each child is unique and a separate individual. Each learns differently, whether they are visual, auditory, sensory, etc. learners. When it comes to a dyslexic child, that child is not considered dyslexic in most states but is placed in a learning disability category.

Most states teach with the same reading/writing techniques and do not have the funds, manpower, or state laws to mandate teaching multisensory teaching techniques to children with dyslexia. Unless a parent is aware and understands the Individual Education Plan for their child, they cannot ask that these teaching techniques be added to the plan. With that said, the parent still may have an uphill battle as to the system not acknowledging / implementing the multisensory approaches for the child.

My niece, mother, and myself are dyslexic. My child has dyslexia but shh!, our state doesn't believe in the term dyslexia because they feel the word is a general term. She qualified for resources as her IQ was above average but tested below average in her learning ability with problems in receptive and expressive language. I was placed in a position of teacher/parent and felt frustrated with the fight I undertook to have my child tested, to have other techniques placed in my child's IEP, and to make sure the IEP was followed with my daughter. My thoughts were, "What about the parents that do not know the laws for disabilities or listen to what the school/teacher can not do rather than what by law has to be done?" Do many parents know that most state laws state, the parent can stipulate which teacher a child has for the following year or write a letter stipulating their child not take the national test given every year in the school? They can also stipulate how the tests are taken and in which room if written in the IEP. Parent can identify unmet educational objectives and can identify successful and unsuccessful strategies, accommodations, and interventions (or lack of these) designated to achieve program goals. Parents can offer insight on why the methods or programs were unsuccessful, and insist on trying your recommendations.

Another frustrating factor is a majority of schools qualify students as having a general learning disability. This is misleading, because it implies they are unable to learn, when in fact, they are capable of learning but with nontraditional methods. Helen Keller was learning disabled until she became learning enabled through sign language and Braille.

A few states have written legislation to require schools to address the instructional needs of students with dyslexia not just "learning disabled." The most recognized and one other states should follow is Texas, states could live by their example, they need to look at the state of Texas. Schools must test students early in their schooling if they feel there is a case of dyslexia. Students with dyslexia are placed in a classroom where the majority/all of the students have dyslexia. In this way the teacher can use the multisensory approach. Students self esteem aren't hindered and their commonalities amongst the students are more equal.

A 2000 research effort at the University of Washington concluded dyslexic reading problems were more related to the way children took in the sounds of the words they were trying to understand. The researchers used brain scans to measure how much energy was used in parts of the brain that processed sound.

Texas law states:
(1) "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.

(2) "Related disorders" includes disorders similar to or related to dyslexia, such as developmental auditory imperceptions, dysgraphia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability.

*****Federal Law states: (why do states not recognize the term dyslexia)******

Both IDEA and Federal Code (300.7) currently define specific learning disability as: "...a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, write, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia."

The only way our States/ Federal Government will mandate these laws is for parents to voice their concerns to their state representatives. This could be a start.

1. Gather information: Educate yourself about your child's disability and special-education laws.

2. Learn the rules of the game: Know how decisions within a school district are made and by whom.

3. Plan and prepare: Get ready for meetings, create agendas, write out objectives.

4. Keep written records: Take down what was said and by whom, make requests in writing.

5. Ask questions, listen to answers: Know how to use "who, what, where, why, when and how" and request explanations.

6. Identify problems: Learn to define and describe problems; be a problem solver instead of blaming.

7. Propose solutions: Offer your own win-win proposals.

8. Plan for the future: Have a vision of what your child's long-term future looks like.

9. Answer questions: Know the answer to "What do you (as the advocate) want?"

10. Develop a master plan: Create a broad strategy for reaching your and your child's goals.

--Taken from Wrightslaw.com