Sir Jim Rose has reported his findings on dyslexia. What he says makes great sense.
He makes 19 recommendations, but his two main points are first that dyslexia is related to reading difficulty and should not be expanded into other areas. Here is his definition:
“Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.
Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.
Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.
It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points.
Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia.
A good indication of the severity and persistence of dyslexic difficulties can be gained by examining how the individual responds or has responded to well founded intervention.”
This is a much cleaner and more relevant definition than many that you see and I agree with it entirely.
The other key point of his report is that we need proper expertise within the schools:
“First: There should be up to date, accessible information about literacy difficulties available for all teachers so they can adjust their teaching for children with dyslexia
It seems amazing that it has taken 30 years for this to be recognised.
The only way to help children who struggle to read is to understand why that individual is struggling and then treat the underlying cause. Anything else is likely to fail the child. And the cost of that is huge for both the child and the rest of us.
Easyread is designed to deal with the underlying causes of reading difficulty and dyslexia.
To read more on Sir Jim’s report, go to this link