What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia means difficulty in language. People who have difficulty with reading, understanding the language they hear and or expressing themselves clearly in speaking or writing. There is always gap existing between their ability to learn and their real achievements at school unexpected.These children have above average or average intelligence. Nothing to panic on this as many noted scientists and mathematicians such as Albert Einstein were dyslexic.
Characteristics or Symptoms of Dyslexia
Directional confusion is the commonly noticeable symptom. As the dyslexic confuses concepts such as leftside and rightside,up and down,compass directions, inability to copy the teacher’s movement or instructions when he/she is facing the child.
Troubles with sequencing of the letters such as telling expect as except ,eventually affecting the child’s ability to spell and read properly.
Difficulties with reading the little words, misreading, omitting or adding words not appearing in textbook. They feel difficulty in learning rhyming words. They have a poor grasp of abstract concepts.
Difficulties with handwriting which is generally illegible, have letter inconsistencies, mixing up of upper and lower case letters with irregular letter shapes and sizes. They always feel hard to use writing as a communication tool and write letters in an unfinished manner.
Difficulties with numbers and calculations using additions, subtractions and time tables, transpose numbers , have difficulty with mental arithmetic and also difficulty in telling the time.
Other common symptoms are they make up stories based on illustrations which has no relation to the text given in the book, reads very slowly,loses orientation on a line or page while reading,misses out lines, reads aloud hesitantly, spells words as they sound for example rite for the word right , very poor at copying from the board, remembers very little of what they read etc.
They have abnormal spoken fluency but are unable to read or write normally. They are often called as slow readers and lazy writers by the teachers.
Causes of Dyslexia
The common cause for dyslexia is the gene that the child inherits from one or both of their parents.
The least possible reason would be head injuries that caused brain damage.
The brain function does not work properly, leading to struggles in reading and writing spellings.
Teaching Strategies for Dyslexic
Praise them wherever possible.
Find and encourage them in something they are good at.
Mark on oral responses wherever possible.
Give them less homework as they feel tired soon and get disorganised.
Give them ample time to copy the instructions but make sure they understand and memorise the instructions.
Seat them at front of the class closer to the teacher and avoid sarcasm.
Never compare these children with others.
Always have expectations of success.