Dyslexia Screening and Intervention

As a society we are coming to understand that as many as 20% of all people are affected by symptoms of Dyslexia, the most common of all neuro-cognitive disorders. Washington passed a law in 2018 that requires schools to screen children in kindergarten through second grade for signs of dyslexia and to provide reading support for those who need it. The law took full effect this school year.  K-2 grade Pearl parents conducted a short dyslexia screener with their younger students in October and will do so again with each assessment cycle.  A growing number of Pearl families are asking for additional resources or support for students exhibiting a puzzling mix of distinctive strengths and talents as well as clusters of difficulties that may be indicative of dyslexia. 

Learners with dyslexia can be exceptionally creative and produce excellent ideas. Difficulties vary in degree from person to person and a lack of understanding and appropriate support sometimes leads to low self esteem and depression.  While dyslexia is a medical diagnosis and is not able to be diagnosed by school staff, symptoms are pretty easy to recognize.  

According to Ronald Davis at dyslexia.com, most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of 37 traits and behaviors. You can see the list of 37 here. Within the school structure we are able to test for general reading or processing disorders. If you are concerned about characteristics of dyslexia or another neuro-processing disorder in your child, talk to your Pearl teacher for intervention strategies.

It is important to keep in mind that children receiving specialized reading instruction, need to continue with grade level content as well.  For example, a 3rd grade child who reads at a 1st grade level may not be able to read 3rd grade content independently, she will likely, however, be able to…

• understand 3rd grade level material when it’s read aloud or accessed through text to speech technology,

• learn about the elements of literature through grade level content,

• understand, process, analyze, and retain grade level knowledge across content areas, and

• learn and practice grade level grammar and writing skills - perhaps with a scribe or without spelling concern.

Here are some of Pearl’s Top Structured Literacy Dyslexia Resource Picks of 2021.  Please let us know if you have others you’ve found to be successful!  These are all able to be purchased to support a Pearl learning plan.

• All About Reading and All About Spelling - This is a main curriculum for reading and spelling.

• The Barton System of Reading and Spelling - This is a supplemental intensive intervention that can be provided by a parent at home. It does require some training on the parent’s part but is proven to be highly effective.

• Nessy Reading and Spelling - This is a supplemental resource that a child can access online almost independently after an initial screener is completed with parent support.

• The Gift of Dyslexia: Why Some of the Smartest People Can't Read...and How They Can Learn, Revised and Expanded Edition - A good read for parents and older children.

• Dyslexia Resources from the International Dyslexia Association; IDA Florida