Some information on dyslexia.

People often ask me about the symptoms of dyslexia. Until we started this process, we didn't know a whole lot about it ourselves. In fact, even NOW, we only have a very basic understanding of the one kind of dyslexia that seems to run in the family. In my searching, I found many resources, so I thought I would try to put a compilation together here. If you think that your child might have dyslexia, these resources are a place to start.

A. The International Dyslexia Association

1. offers an "adult self-assessment tool" to help you determine if you might be dyslexic
2. provides dyslexia fact sheets that can answer many of the questions that you might have.  

B. Of course, The Gow School offers a nice list of FAQs about Dyslexia, as well as many other helpful resource links. I found the following Q/Q on the FAQs to be interesting and wanted to add an editorial comment:

Q: How long does it take before results can be seen?
A: This varies from student to student and depends both on the method of remediation chosen, the intensity of the program,  and the motivation of the student. With most students, significant progress can be observed after one or two years. With some it may take longer.

Editorial Comment: "Results" come in many forms. This question, most likely, refers to a student overcoming the academic issues presented by dyslexia. However, there is a bigger picture of "results" not addressed in the official Answer. A student who has struggled with dyslexia, in a traditional education environment, has probably found feelings of, at best, frustration and, at worst, total failure. The RIGHT program for a student with dyslexia should eliminate that feeling of failure, helping them understand the learning disability itself and then proceed to, systematically, help the student compensate for and/or overcome the obstacles that the disability places in their educational path. For Zack, The Gow School provided him with an environment in which EVERYONE was battling dyslexia of some kind, so the stigma of taking longer to read something, or total confusion at what was on the page, was gone. All of his classmates have been, or are, where he has. We saw "results" within a week of starting school, simply because Zack was able to focus on content, rather than struggling to decode every little detail on the page.

C.  Orton-Gillingham: the pioneering technique that has helped MANY dyslexics, the world over!

D. The Scottish-Rite offers support for dyslexics at their Children's Dyslexia Centers. They also offer Orton-Gillingham training  for educators and parents.

E. PBS has a great website full of resources!

OK, I will leave it at that for now. At a later date, I will add to the list- stay tuned!