- Be familiar and understand your rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
- Know how one qualifies for services under IDEA
- Learn a systematic approach to spelling
- Understand the complexities of the writing process and how best to approach it
A reading deficit affects learning in all subjects
Considering our history as a species, dyslexia is a relatively new phenomenon. If we lived in the days before the printing press, this website would not be needed.
Before the printing press the majority of people did not need to read, and therefore dyslexia didn’t exist. But, that is no longer the case. With today’s society becoming increasingly literate and with the increased reliance on technology, reading and writing have become all the more important to your development as human beings.
Throughout this website we use the term dyslexia to describe the population who is not learning to read and spell despite competencies in other areas. Educational settings may use different terms such as a specific learning disability or a deficit in reading comprehension, written word decoding, or written expression. Some people may simply say "reading problems." We are talking about the same thing. Given that school is where you go to learn to read and write, many times dyslexia is not identified until you begin formal schooling.
In today's society, reading underlies nearly all school-based learning. A reading deficit can impact learning in subjects such as math, social studies, and science. Once you get behind your peers it may be very difficult to catch up. You miss out on learning fundamentals and important information that serve as background knowledge for learning new information. Furthermore, a reading disability affects your ability to demonstrate what you have learned in all areas of school, particularly when given a written test.
Accommodations are key to the success for you in school. Although frequently misunderstood as "crutches," in reality accommodations level the playing field.
Every day we are gaining new understandings about ways in which to teach students with dyslexia. We are fortunate to have so many resources at our disposal. By using the information on this website, you can build your knowledge and skills.
Success starts here!