Frequently Asked Questions

 What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability.  Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading.  Students with dyslexia may experience difficulties in other language skills such as spelling, writing, and speaking.  Dyslexia is a life-long status; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life.  It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment. 

What causes dyslexia?
The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a dyslexic person develops and functions.  Moreover, people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with discriminating sounds within a word, a key factor in their reading difficulties.  Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or a desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods dyslexics can learn successfully. 

How widespread is dyslexia?
Current studies suggest that 15-20% of the population has a reading disability. Of those, 85% have dyslexia.  Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels.  In addition, dyslexia runs in families; dyslexic parents are very likely to have children who are dyslexic.  Some people are identified as dyslexic early in their lives, but for others their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older.  People who are very bright can be dyslexic.  They are often gifted in areas that do not require strong language skills such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, mathematics, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports. 

What are the effects of dyslexia?
The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the approaches of the remediation.  The most common effects are problems with reading, spelling, and writing.  Some dyslexics do not have much difficulty with early reading and spelling tasks but do experience great problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays. People with dyslexia can also have problems with spoken language.  They may find it frustrating to express themselves clearly, or to fully comprehend what others mean when they speak.  Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major problems in school, in the workplace, and in relating o other people.  The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom. Dyslexia can also affect a person’s self-image.  Students with dyslexia often end up feeling “dumb” and less capable than they actually are.  After experiencing a great deal of stress due to academic problems, a student may become discouraged about continuing in school.

How is dyslexia diagnosed?
A formal evaluation is needed to discover if a person is dyslexic.  The evaluation assesses intellectual ability, information processing, psycho-linguistic processing, and academic skills.  It is used to determine whether or not a student is reading at the expected level, and takes into account the individual’s family background and overall school performance.  The testing can be conducted by trained school specialists or outside consultants.

What are the signs of dyslexia?
The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using language – reading and writing letters in the wrong order is just one manifestation of dyslexia and does not occur in all cases.  Other problems experienced by dyslexics include:

• Learning to speak
• Organizing written and spoken language
• Learning letters and their sounds
• Memorizing number facts
• Spelling
• Reading
• Learning a foreign language
• Correctly doing math operations

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills are dyslexic.  Formal testing is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia.

How is dyslexia treated?
Dyslexia is a life-long condition.  With proper assistance, people with dyslexia can learn to read and/or write well.  Early identification and treatment is the key to helping dyslexics achieve in school and in life.  Most people with dyslexia need help from a teacher, tutor, or therapist specially trained in using a multisensory, structured language approach.  It is important for these individuals to be taught by a method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time.  Many individuals with dyslexia need one-on-one help so that they can move forward at their own pace.  For students with dyslexia, it is helpful if their outside academic therapists work closely with classroom teachers.
            Schools can implement academic modifications to help dyslexic students succeed.  For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete tasks, or help with taking notes, and/or appropriate work assignments.  Teachers can give taped tests or allow dyslexic students to use alternative means of assessment.  Students can benefit from listening to books-on-tape and from writing on computers. Students may also need help with emotional issues that sometimes arise as a consequence of difficulties in school.  Mental help specialists can help students cope with their struggles.

What are the rights of a dyslexic person?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) define the rights of students with dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities.  These individuals are legally entitled to special services to help them overcome and accommodate their learning problems.  Such services include education programs designed to meet the needs of these students.  The Acts also protect people with dyslexia against unfair and illegal discrimination. 

What do I do if I think my child has dyslexia?
Discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher.  Each campus has a Student Intervention Team (SIT) which is a group of educators (campus administrators, teachers, and the counselor) who can evaluate your child’s strengths and weaknesses and make a plan for their academic success.  The committee may suggest specific interventions which may include a referral for dyslexia testing. 

What is the assessment process?
Your child will be given a series of assessments which would determine the most appropriate instructional program for him/her.  The assessments are designed to determine how well your child can decode words, understand what he/she hears, and how well she/he communicates thoughts in writing.  The instruments also determine:  phonemic awareness, reading accuracy, rate and fluency.  The assessment is conducted at your child’s campus by an academic language therapist or dyslexia specialist.  Samples of your child’s class work, classroom performance data, and parental concerns are included in the assessment. 

Who ultimately identifies and makes placement decisions for students exhibiting characteristics of dyslexia? 
Members of the Temple ISD dyslexia team comprised of language therapists review all collected data and ultimately decide if the student meets the criteria, established by the State of Texas, for being identified as a child with dyslexia.  Additional information provided by classroom teachers, administrators, and/or parents is used to help determine the most appropriate services and placement.

How will I find out the results of the testing?
Parents will be invited to a SIT (Student Intervention Team) meeting where the results of the testing will be discussed. Student Intervention Team members include the campus administrator, teachers, and usually the counselor.  This is a time to learn about your child’s strengths and weaknesses and to help in the planning of the intervention.  If you child is dyslexic and therapy is recommended, you will be asked to sign a permission sheet to enter him/her into dyslexia therapy intervention.  If classroom accommodations are necessary, they will be discussed at this time.  At this meeting, you will receive a written copy of the assessment with a parent handbook. 
 
Once my child is identified as dyslexic, what intervention is appropriate?
Once identified, it is recommended that your child received remedial training to strengthen his/her phonological awareness, alphabet, reading, writing and spelling skills.  This training, by Temple ISD certified academic language therapists or dyslexia specialists, is in the form of a structured, multisensory phonics approach to reading that is based on Orton-Gillingham techniques.  This method features systematic, explicit instruction in phonological awareness and phonetic decoding skills.    The curriculum is “Take Flight” which is a research-based curriculum developed by Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.  The Language Science Class is composed of a small grouping of dyslexic students who meet four days per week and receive sequential dyslexia therapy. 

Will my child be able to pass the TAKS tests?
The State of Texas has put into place a number of accommodations for dyslexic students to assist in taking the TAKS tests.  Not all dyslexic students will need these.  Results of benchmarks assessments, taken throughout the year, are used to help teachers determine a student’s need.  Some of these accommodations include:

• Oral reading of the math and science tests
• Bundled accommodations for reading test
• Test is divided into 2 days
• All proper nouns are read to students
• All question options are read to students

Where can I find information about the State of Texas Dyslexia Policies?
The Dyslexia Handbook:  Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders, commonly referred to as The Blue Book, is a document intended to provide guidelines for developing written procedures and has been a consistent resource in the development of Temple ISD’s dyslexia intervention.

A copy of The Dyslexia Handbook:  Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders can be obtained by writing to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in Austin, Texas or downloading it at the TEA website.  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/