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I work with students, either in small groups or individually, who have difficulty reading. Every once in a while, a pupil comes to me who just doesn't get it. Usually, accommodating the varied learning styles of each student, results in success. When that doesn't work, I start questioning my ability as a reading teacher. The first time it happened I felt that I had let my student down. My next step was to consult the special education experts and the school psychologist. They suggested the possibility that my pupil may have dyslexia. I was surprised to find out how many young people suffer from dyslexia. Dyslexia is difficult to determine until a young person is in their teens.

We all agreed, including the parents, to test the student. Sure enough, he has dyslexia, which got in the way of his ability to process language. I changed my approach to reading instruction, which resulted in some small successes. This high school student is now reading, with minimal difficulty, on a fifth grade level. One year ago he was reading on a second grade level.

Use your team of experts, which includes parents, to be ever vigilant for signs. Because we caught this when we did, this particular student has a fighting chance to go on to bigger and better things.

Common Signs of Dyslexia: High School and College Students

The difficulties noted below are often associated with dyslexia if they are unexpected for the individual's age, educational level, or cognitive abilities. A qualified diagnostician can test a person to determine if s/he is truly dyslexic.

• May read very slowly with many inaccuracies.
• Continues to spell incorrectly, frequently spells the same word differently in a single piece of writing.
• May avoid reading and writing tasks.
• May have trouble summarizing and outlining
• May have trouble answering open-ended questions on tests.
• May have difficulty learning a foreign language.
• May have poor memory skills.
• May work slowly.
• May pay too little attention to details or focus too much on them.
• May misread information.
• May have an inadequate vocabulary.
• May have an inadequate store of knowledge from previous reading.
• May have difficulty with planning, organizing and managing time, materials and tasks.

If you suspect your student/child has dyslexia, I strongly suggest testing as soon as possible. It will save years of frustration and can only help him/her. For more information you can check out the sources below.

Sources:

Basic Facts about Dyslexia: What Every Layperson Ought to Know - Copyright 1993, 2nd 3d. 1998. The International Dyslexia Association, Baltimore, MD.

Learning Disabilities: Information, Strategies, Resources - Copyright 2000. Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities, a collaboration of leading US non-profit learning disabilities, organizations.

Article Keywords: Special Education

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