Parents and teachers can identify dyslexia by taking note of spelling mistakes, oral abilities, writing abilities, frequent errors when reading aloud, and phonological awareness skills.
Dyslexia is a learning difference that causes difficulties in spelling, reading, and math and it affects both adults and children. Teachers and parents should understand that dyslexia rarely affects intellect, but the brain processes language in a different way. People who suffer from this condition have challenges splitting words into their component sounds. Children who are learning how to read and write may become frustrated and perform poorly in literacy skills activities. As a result, they will fall behind their peers and will lose confidence. Here are a few tips to help both teachers and parents to identify dyslexia.
Take note of spelling mistakes
All children will spell with errors as they continue learning new words in school. However, some spelling mistakes can be an indication that the child has learning problems like dyslexia. Such students will have extreme challenges with spelling and will consistently make mistakes like spelling one word in different ways. They may have the correct letters but placed in the wrong place because they have trouble identifying the beginning, middle, and the end of words.
Differences in written and oral abilities
Students with dyslexia may have challenges organizing their thoughts in writing. However, they tend to excel when explaining their thoughts orally. If a teacher or parent notices that a child has difficulties putting their thoughts in writing, you can ask them to express their thoughts orally to determine whether the oral process is more effective. If you recognize any discrepancy between written and oral abilities, then you can find the underlying cause of the learning difference.
Frequent errors or discomfort when reading aloud
Dyslexia presents distinct challenges for very student. However, it is common for children to avoid situations where they are expected to read aloud. Research shows that dyslexic individuals utilize different neural pathways when reading compared to the non-dyslexic students and this is what causes the less efficient reading process. Parents may notice that the reading behavior of dyslexic students is slow, laborious, and choppy.
Phonological awareness skills
Dyslexia students must master phonemic and phonological awareness skills. Phonological awareness is simply the ability to recognize and break down different language units while phonemic awareness is a skill related to recognizing and manipulating phonemes and sounds making up the word. Dyslexic children may have challenges competing activities involving phonemic awareness and parents and teachers should recognize this problem and address it accordingly.
Every parent and teacher looks out for the best interest of their children or students. And with the prevalence of reading challenges like dyslexia, parents and teachers play a crucial role in detecting the early signs of this condition. When adults know what to look for both inside and outside the classroom, they can ensure that dyslexic students get the interventions they require to read successfully. These tips will be helpful in assisting parents and teachers to identify dyslexia.