Dyslexia Is Your Child Struggling with This?
When a parent or teacher recognizes that something isn’t clicking as a child is learning to read, it’s normal to search for answers on the road to a complete diagnosis and response plan. Reading issues can be difficult to diagnose, but dyslexia is sometimes the culprit. Did you know that dyslexic students can often develop at or above age-level expectations in most areas, and may even have advanced comprehension and reasoning skills? Those factors can complicate matters for parents – or even teachers in a standard classroom – as they try to accurately diagnose dyslexia.
Many parents come to us wondering whether their child might have dyslexia. Here are five common indicators that our Tampa Day School (TDS) staff looks for as they make an assessment.
Letter Naming
Does your child struggle with slow and inaccurate letter naming, despite repeated practice? This is often a clear and early predictor of reading difficulty, but it can be misunderstood by caring parents who assume that a child isn’t studying enough or simply lacks motivation.
Rhyming Issues
Kids who have difficulty recognizing rhyming patterns (hat, cat, sat), or learning basic nursery rhymes often have dyslexia.
It’s Hard!
A child who complains that reading is too hard, or who understands a story that is read to her but struggles to comprehend what she reads to herself may be struggling with dyslexia. These students often cannot read common, one-syllable words (cat, top, dog) or remember short words that can’t be sounded out (of, the, on).
Pronunciation Woes
Mispronouncing words or persistently using “baby talk” can be an indicator of dyslexia. That can extend to difficulty in associating letter symbols with the corresponding sound.
Following the Rules
Dyslexia may be the culprit if students have problems learning spelling rules, or if they persist in spelling words the way they sound.
Tampa Day School Can Help
A complete analysis and diagnosis involves many other factors, including an assessment of prenatal and birth history, understanding any family history of struggling readers, learning about a child’s speech delays, as well as evaluating other health issues, prior educational opportunities, and previous interventions attempted.
Dyslexic students are often bright and capable children, but without the right kind of intervention they can suffer academically, lose confidence, and experience low self-esteem. It’s estimated that 30 percent of students with dyslexia also have ADHD, and that’s another area that Tampa Day School can readily address!
Fortunately, our TDS educators know how to accurately recognize the learning struggles your child is facing. And just as importantly, they know how to develop a plan to successfully address y
our child’s unique educational needs. Tampa Day School is a private, 2nd – 8th grade school that blends a traditional curriculum with small class sizes, a personalized approach, and evidenced-based programs to address a wide range of learning differences.
If you’re a Tampa area parent of an elementary or middle school child with mild to moderate learning disabilities, download our prospective parent brochure to learn how we can help!
