According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, (LDA) learning disabilities affect more than three million people a year. Thirty-five percent of those 3 million people receive services for their specific learning disabilities. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability (SLD). About 5-10 percent of Americans have some types of symptoms of dyslexia (LDA,2019).
Dyslexia is often mistaken for just a reading problem. According to Hudson et al., dyslexia is actually more of an effect on a person’s spelling and decoding abilities (2007). Children with dyslexia often have two clear difficulties when reading. First, children cannot read as many words they see as average readers in their grade level (Hudson et al.,2007). Second, they will show decoding trouble. They will not be accurate in reading and identifying words (Hudson et al.,2007).
People with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left part of their brain. The left side of the brain is responsible for reading skills. According to Hudson et al., having less gray matter can lead to problems with processing the sound structure of language (2007). People with dyslexia also have less white area in the same part of the brain than average readers (Hudson et al.,2007). This can cause problems when the brain is trying to communicate to other parts.
Dyslexia is an ongoing learning disability in the current classroom. This paper will focus on the impact dyslexia has on learning, how teachers can apply their knowledge of dyslexia to the classroom, and different applications educators can use to support their students.
Impact on Learning
Dyslexia and the brain have an intricate relationship. MRI studies have found that the brains of people with dyslexia are structurally different than nondyslexic brains (Sousa, 2013). People with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left part of their brain (Hudson et al.,2007). The left side of the brain is responsible for reading skills. According to Hudson et al., having less gray matter can lead to problems with processing the sound structure of language (2007). People with dyslexia also have less white area in the same part of the brain than average readers (Hudson et al.,2007). This can cause problems when the brain is trying to communicate to other parts. The visual analysis and phonological decoding regions of a child’s brain with dyslexia can be inactive or dysfunctional (Sousa, 2017). For example, a student with dyslexia could have trouble recognizing/ differentiating individual letters such as P or B. They also have difficulty sounding out or blending words to read a sentence.
Another relationship between dyslexic readers and the brain can be the cerebellum. The cerebellum, which is below the occipital lobe, is responsible for coordinating learned motor skills (Sousa, 2017). This can affect and show problems with someone’s reading, writing, spelling.
It is important to remember that people with dyslexia are all different. They can have strengths and weaknesses in different learning areas. The International Dyslexia Association, emphasizes that dyslexia can impact people differently depending on the severity of the condition and the timeliness and effectiveness of intervention (2017). People with dyslexia can also have trouble with their spoken language. They might have a difficult time expressing themselves clearly and comprehending another person’s meaning when they speak (IDA, 2017). Educators must remember that all students with dyslexia might not fit into the same category.
One major impact dyslexia can have on student learning is fluency. Phonological awareness can eventually be trained by intervention and explicit instruction. Fluency is harder for students to keep up with when the reading gets more complex (D’Mello & Gabrieli, 2018). It is important for educators to be aware of this fact because it can help them understand why their students with dyslexia might struggle with their fluency.
Another important impact is the difference between genders when identifying and understanding dyslexia. A study done by Arnett et al. analyzed why males were diagnosed more than females. The results discovered that males can have a slower process speed when males are diagnosed with dyslexia (Arnett et al, 2017). This is an important result to analyze. Typically, males tend to “act up” in class more than females. This result causes more educators to focus testing and investigations on the male students. This can impact the other students (females) from being observed for dyslexia and other reading disabilities. It is important to remember to focus on the student’s ability to read and comprehend more than the behavior that is being shown in class.
Educators also need to realize the effect dyslexia might have on a student’s mental health. Studies shows that stress and anxiety are both linked to dyslexia in the classroom. According to the International Dyslexia Association, people with dyslexia create self-doubt and low self-esteem issues because they do not fully understand the nature of their learning disability (Schultz, 2013). It is important for teachers to create a safe place for students with dyslexia to learn. Students with dyslexia are already dealing with so many factors, educators can make their load easier by creating that safe space.
Application to the Classroom
Being aware about dyslexia is the first step in understanding how to support students with dyslexia. Many researchers find have stated that teachers without the knowledge of learning disabilities can create a harmful environment. Different methods and materials can help students with dyslexia. Researchers Siti Sahari and Aiza Johari, suggest using different materials such as clay/Play-Doh or color can help dyslexic students see and remember words (2012). Using different colors for letters or syllables can help the student distinguish letters and syllables (Sahari& Johari, 2012).
Another recommendation for teachers is to make sure the student has explicit, intense, systematic instruction in the sound structure of phonemic awareness and phonics (Hudson et al.,2007). Educators can also use multisensory strategies to support their dyslexic students. According to Jeremy Mills (2018), students with dyslexia cannot just learn solely on sight and sound. Students need to use multiple senses simultaneously to have an effective education. Mills explains, the two ways educators can support students multi senses which include, phonological relationship and visual representation strategies. Teachers can show students phonological relationships by hearing each letter and blending. This can help students with dyslexia learn how to pronounce a word and improve their spelling skills (Mills, 2018).
Using non-words can also support their understanding of sounds. Teaching them the non-words can teach students with dyslexia properly interpret blends in words and use them to apply spelling rules (Mills, 2018). Eventually this strategy can support students when they are learning multisyllabic words. Using kinesthetic approaches to learning words can also be effective for students with dyslexia. One option can be teaching students to finger spell. Students with dyslexia can spelling by touching each individual finger with their thumb for each sound they hear in the word (Wells, 2018).
Another way to support with dyslexia is using visual representation. This is an important application because it can support sight words that sometimes cannot be physically separated. Visual representation can help students with dyslexia use visual recall for abstract words. One suggestion educators can implement in their classroom of visual representation, is to have students with dyslexia write a word on a notecard and then draw a picture that coincides with the word (Mills, 2018). The student creates their own connection to the word. This can increase the memory recall with words that might not be easy for the student with dyslexia to make a connection. Frequent practice with the words can also help the students remember the words. When the student becomes confident with the word, the teacher can gradually “erase” the image from the notecard (Mills, 2019). Another visual technique that could be effective for students with dyslexia is using technology. The word can be displayed on a computer, tablet, or whiteboard for only seconds. The student then will remove the word and write it down immediately (Mills, 2019). This technique is repeated until the students with dyslexia can write the word only using their visual memory. These simple applications can support students with dyslexia and even students who are struggling.
The International Dyslexia Association provides small applications that every teacher can do to insure the best learning experiences for their students with dyslexia. The materials that students with dyslexia use can affect their ability to learn. One way to improve learning is simplifying written directions for students. Having too much text can overwhelm students with dyslexia (IDA, 2017). Having short directions or even underlining and highlighting important parts can be very effective. Another material that can be helpful to students with dyslexia is technology. Using technology such as iPads, readers, dictionaries, and audio books can be effective (IDA, 2017). These little adjustments in material can make a huge difference for students with dyslexia.
Interactive instruction can also support students with dyslexia. According to the IDA, having a daily routine can help students know what to expect (2017). Providing students samples, copy of notes, and graphic organizers will help students keep up with lessons. This can help students with dyslexia stay on task during lessons. Another quick way to help students is using different media during lessons (IDA, 2017). Switching from presentations, to activities, to small group can help students with dyslexia get the maximum support.
The most important factor that can help educators understand their students with dyslexia better, is communication with their parents. Hudson et al. suggests keeping open communication with parents and teaching them different ways to support their students with dyslexia (2007).
These methods can be applied to any classroom to benefit students with dyslexia. Educators need to constantly be adjusting and learning about their students. Researchers all agree that there is no quick fix when working with students with dyslexia. However, there are ways to help educators be more active and supportive of their students
Conclusion
The most pressed question trying to understand dyslexia is can it be cured? The short answer is, no. Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that affects people their whole lives. It is important to remember that a student’s dyslexia does not define them. They are “students with dyslexia” not a “dyslexic students”. Educators need to take it upon themselves to support students with dyslexia. Teachers must be able to learn and understand the effects it has on their students. Educators can help students with dyslexia by using early intervention techniques and skills. This will help students avoid struggling when they go to higher education. If more teachers see dyslexia as an opportunity to teach students to learn differently than a disability, more students will succeed in their academic journey.
Every teacher or educator should work hard to help all their students learn most effectively. Dyslexia Association recommends a structured literacy approach for teachers and educators when teaching children with dyslexia. Literacy approach ensure that all teaching is systematic and cumulative where dyslexic children can depends on the materials being presented in a logical orders. The teacher must continually interact and make sure all educational concepts are delivered clearly and attainably to meet the needs of every child.
Very helpful for teaching dyslexic children are multisensory lessons. On Visual Learners use pictures and multi-media material, use different colour on words, spell words anywhere in view, used different resources On Auditory Learners use software which has good auditory input, make sure that instructions are clear, talk about the book to be read or the information to be learned, use lined paper, use word bank.
On Kinesthetic learners they learn when letters are race in the air or sand or they hold the number or letters as object. Children needs to process information with adequate time and resources with their own pace. A lack of time for processing informations make consistently left work incomplete. The individual support allow a child to finish a task before moving on. Children with dyslexia can’t be forced to read aloud as this may be critical moment, as they may be self-conscious about their ability to successfully read in front of a class, it can cause unnecessary stress for dyslexic children, it is helpful to practice reading in pair.
Good organisation needs to be encouraged as they often jump to the answer. Instructions must be simple not many at once, break large tasks into smaller one to keep children on task. Children may feel anger or frustrated teacher need to look for cause of the behaviour and show the empathy and patience. Communication can be done verbal or non-verbal method for example with the cards, avoid using sarcasm. It is important to encourage the child with dyslexia to spend time what they enjoy and feel good about.
Most people who have dyslexia are the world’s great thinkers, celebrities also a billionaires. With right approach a dyslexic child can turn his/her challenge into blessing. Dyslexic people may have excellent puzzle solving skills, brilliant spatial reasoning, strong memory for stories, abstract thinkers, critical thinkers, artist, actors and many more.
Resources
British Dyslexia Association www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/
Teaching strategies for dyslexic children www.dyslexiasw.com
Dyslexia can lead to possible affect on social, emotional and behaviour problems. Person with dyslexia may have lack of confidence and low self-esteem. Children may become frustrated when they need to read loudly front of other children they feel they are unable perform the same level as their peers. This make for them an awkward social situation.
People with dyslexia may struggle to exposed themself with many words or quickly as others understands idioms or jokes. They have difficult to remember specific words or details. Children can have difficulty to read body language, facial expression and social cues. This lead to confusion about what others saying. The extremely common behaviour issue dyslexic children is avoidance. Children experience verbal and physical abuse from their peers, that make them to avoid situations in which they may be ridiculed. Often those children are afraid to take a risks and lose all beliefs in themselves and their abilities.
There are some other disorders that may appear with dyslexia:
Dyspraxia DCD – co-ordination disorder affect fine and/or gross motor skills in children or adult.
Dyscalculia – a presence of difficulties in mathematics, children are below expectation for individual’s opportunities.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD – symptoms appear in many cases, there are some share common traits. Behaviour problems inattentiveness, hyperactivity
Attention Deficit Disorder ADD – difficulties to focus on schoolwork, difficulty attending to instruction, following instructions, completing tasks and social interaction.
Auditory Processing Disorder APD – problem where the brain is unable to process sounds in the normal way.
Children who are left untreated from dyslexia may led to behaviour problems, anxiety and aggression.
The key difficulties with learning
Dyslexia is not a learning disability-it’s a learning difference (the brain works differently). The key difficulties can be spot in early childhood with delayed of speech and lack of phonological awareness.
In early years children with dyslexia can show the signs by difficulty learning nursery rhymes, paying attention sitting still or listening the stories. Children are not able to pronounce long words properly example such as ” hecilocopte” instead of helicopter or instead of teddy bear saying “beddy bear”. There may be problems processing and understanding what child hear or difficulty seeing similarities and differences in letters and words.
Children have difficulty to read aloud even in the teenage age or adult, they try to avoid activities where is involve reading. They spend unusual time to complete the tasks that involve reading and writing. Teacher might require to provide effective learning opportunities for young learners to avoid dyslexia as dis-ability. Children have difficult understanding a jokes or expression that have meaning. There is a fear of dyslexic person to say something wrong, boring the same story or completely misunderstanding what’s being said. Their find difficult to find a new friends, they are very quiet around new people or group of people.
Children can struggle with the memory and finding hard to express themselves, finding right words to deliver. A working memory leads to difficulty with spelling and writing, remember what they have just read or not able to adapt their learning to suit the tasks they are doing. Their physical skills can be affect too such as skipping, jumping, kicking or throwing the ball, they have difficulty to do shoelaces and buttons, or cut the paper with scissors like their peer group do. All children needs to be respected how their needs and how their seeing the world.
The coping strategies
There are numerous strategies for teaching dyslexic children. Every child is different so is very important know the child and his/her interests, let them know you as the educator that this is key to build the trust and confidence to support the child. Children with dyslexia can’t hold information as efficiently as non-dyslexics, their learning is slow, difficult and sometimes impossible process. With good strategies from caring educator dyslexic child can be capable of learning and become high-achiever.
Multi sensory teaching
Multi sensory method is very effective approach for teaching children with dyslexia by using touch, sight and hearing senses. Teachers can teach through game, using mobile, tablet or using every day situations cooking, baking. Explaining mathematical process clearly maybe more then ones, when they make mistakes show them how to correct them. Very helpful are multiplication squares to use for counting. Music is relaxing and soothing on reading time or could be use for spelling words or maths facts to sing.
Learning to read and write dyslexic children have to be under one systematic theme. Letting a child to choose books help them to enjoy the books. It is important to pay attention to the irregular spelling words, sounds or plural words. Children get distracted by any sounds when they doing their homework it is always important to thing what to avoid like not to sit near window, traffic noise, television or mobile phone.
All children with dyslexia are unique by observing a child/adult we can tell what their dominant side of learning:
Visual learners – they learn best by seeing pictures, looking at the pictures in books before they read, draw a maps, using different colours in words or using visual software program, play game in pair that improve memory.
Kinesthetic learners – children learn most when the letters are trace the air or sand or they handle the numbers or letters as objects or when they memorise facts while moving about.
Auditory learners – children learn best from listening it can be recorded so they can listen it again and again, they understand when you talk about the book to be read or information to be learned, very helpful is to use software with good auditory input.
Educator or teacher need to be direct and explicit when teaching a dyslexic child. Explicit means describing and providing examples clearly reasoning behind the skills until the child get the skills they need. Providing informations with clear instructions like example learning letter ‘B’ teacher demonstrate the sound and child need to repeat it back and you as a teacher giving the feedback throughout the process.
Repeating helps dyslexic children to remember. They may struggle with short term memory and it is challenging for them to remember long enough to write it down. Repeating and incorporate previous and new informations create connection between concepts to help children.
Individual Education Plan IEP identifies the special educational needs of the child where support need to be done providing specific recommendations strengths and weaknesses of a child, and defines specific curriculum adjustments.
According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, (LDA) learning disabilities affect more than three million people a year. Thirty-five percent of those 3 million people receive services for their specific learning disabilities. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability (SLD). About 5-10 percent of Americans have some types of symptoms of dyslexia (LDA,2019).
Dyslexia is often mistaken for just a reading problem. According to Hudson et al., dyslexia is actually more of an effect on a person’s spelling and decoding abilities (2007). Children with dyslexia often have two clear difficulties when reading. First, children cannot read as many words they see as average readers in their grade level (Hudson et al.,2007). Second, they will show decoding trouble. They will not be accurate in reading and identifying words (Hudson et al.,2007).
People with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left part of their brain. The left side of the brain is responsible for reading skills. According to Hudson et al., having less gray matter can lead to problems with processing the sound structure of language (2007). People with dyslexia also have less white area in the same part of the brain than average readers (Hudson et al.,2007). This can cause problems when the brain is trying to communicate to other parts.
Dyslexia is an ongoing learning disability in the current classroom. This paper will focus on the impact dyslexia has on learning, how teachers can apply their knowledge of dyslexia to the classroom, and different applications educators can use to support their students.
Impact on Learning
Dyslexia and the brain have an intricate relationship. MRI studies have found that the brains of people with dyslexia are structurally different than nondyslexic brains (Sousa, 2013). People with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left part of their brain (Hudson et al.,2007). The left side of the brain is responsible for reading skills. According to Hudson et al., having less gray matter can lead to problems with processing the sound structure of language (2007). People with dyslexia also have less white area in the same part of the brain than average readers (Hudson et al.,2007). This can cause problems when the brain is trying to communicate to other parts. The visual analysis and phonological decoding regions of a child’s brain with dyslexia can be inactive or dysfunctional (Sousa, 2017). For example, a student with dyslexia could have trouble recognizing/ differentiating individual letters such as P or B. They also have difficulty sounding out or blending words to read a sentence.
Another relationship between dyslexic readers and the brain can be the cerebellum. The cerebellum, which is below the occipital lobe, is responsible for coordinating learned motor skills (Sousa, 2017). This can affect and show problems with someone’s reading, writing, spelling.
It is important to remember that people with dyslexia are all different. They can have strengths and weaknesses in different learning areas. The International Dyslexia Association, emphasizes that dyslexia can impact people differently depending on the severity of the condition and the timeliness and effectiveness of intervention (2017). People with dyslexia can also have trouble with their spoken language. They might have a difficult time expressing themselves clearly and comprehending another person’s meaning when they speak (IDA, 2017). Educators must remember that all students with dyslexia might not fit into the same category.
One major impact dyslexia can have on student learning is fluency. Phonological awareness can eventually be trained by intervention and explicit instruction. Fluency is harder for students to keep up with when the reading gets more complex (D’Mello & Gabrieli, 2018). It is important for educators to be aware of this fact because it can help them understand why their students with dyslexia might struggle with their fluency.
Another important impact is the difference between genders when identifying and understanding dyslexia. A study done by Arnett et al. analyzed why males were diagnosed more than females. The results discovered that males can have a slower process speed when males are diagnosed with dyslexia (Arnett et al, 2017). This is an important result to analyze. Typically, males tend to “act up” in class more than females. This result causes more educators to focus testing and investigations on the male students. This can impact the other students (females) from being observed for dyslexia and other reading disabilities. It is important to remember to focus on the student’s ability to read and comprehend more than the behavior that is being shown in class.
Educators also need to realize the effect dyslexia might have on a student’s mental health. Studies shows that stress and anxiety are both linked to dyslexia in the classroom. According to the International Dyslexia Association, people with dyslexia create self-doubt and low self-esteem issues because they do not fully understand the nature of their learning disability (Schultz, 2013). It is important for teachers to create a safe place for students with dyslexia to learn. Students with dyslexia are already dealing with so many factors, educators can make their load easier by creating that safe space.
Application to the Classroom
Being aware about dyslexia is the first step in understanding how to support students with dyslexia. Many researchers find have stated that teachers without the knowledge of learning disabilities can create a harmful environment. Different methods and materials can help students with dyslexia. Researchers Siti Sahari and Aiza Johari, suggest using different materials such as clay/Play-Doh or color can help dyslexic students see and remember words (2012). Using different colors for letters or syllables can help the student distinguish letters and syllables (Sahari& Johari, 2012).
Another recommendation for teachers is to make sure the student has explicit, intense, systematic instruction in the sound structure of phonemic awareness and phonics (Hudson et al.,2007). Educators can also use multisensory strategies to support their dyslexic students. According to Jeremy Mills (2018), students with dyslexia cannot just learn solely on sight and sound. Students need to use multiple senses simultaneously to have an effective education. Mills explains, the two ways educators can support students multi senses which include, phonological relationship and visual representation strategies. Teachers can show students phonological relationships by hearing each letter and blending. This can help students with dyslexia learn how to pronounce a word and improve their spelling skills (Mills, 2018).
Using non-words can also support their understanding of sounds. Teaching them the non-words can teach students with dyslexia properly interpret blends in words and use them to apply spelling rules (Mills, 2018). Eventually this strategy can support students when they are learning multisyllabic words. Using kinesthetic approaches to learning words can also be effective for students with dyslexia. One option can be teaching students to finger spell. Students with dyslexia can spelling by touching each individual finger with their thumb for each sound they hear in the word (Wells, 2018).
Another way to support with dyslexia is using visual representation. This is an important application because it can support sight words that sometimes cannot be physically separated. Visual representation can help students with dyslexia use visual recall for abstract words. One suggestion educators can implement in their classroom of visual representation, is to have students with dyslexia write a word on a notecard and then draw a picture that coincides with the word (Mills, 2018). The student creates their own connection to the word. This can increase the memory recall with words that might not be easy for the student with dyslexia to make a connection. Frequent practice with the words can also help the students remember the words. When the student becomes confident with the word, the teacher can gradually “erase” the image from the notecard (Mills, 2019). Another visual technique that could be effective for students with dyslexia is using technology. The word can be displayed on a computer, tablet, or whiteboard for only seconds. The student then will remove the word and write it down immediately (Mills, 2019). This technique is repeated until the students with dyslexia can write the word only using their visual memory. These simple applications can support students with dyslexia and even students who are struggling.
The International Dyslexia Association provides small applications that every teacher can do to insure the best learning experiences for their students with dyslexia. The materials that students with dyslexia use can affect their ability to learn. One way to improve learning is simplifying written directions for students. Having too much text can overwhelm students with dyslexia (IDA, 2017). Having short directions or even underlining and highlighting important parts can be very effective. Another material that can be helpful to students with dyslexia is technology. Using technology such as iPads, readers, dictionaries, and audio books can be effective (IDA, 2017). These little adjustments in material can make a huge difference for students with dyslexia.
Interactive instruction can also support students with dyslexia. According to the IDA, having a daily routine can help students know what to expect (2017). Providing students samples, copy of notes, and graphic organizers will help students keep up with lessons. This can help students with dyslexia stay on task during lessons. Another quick way to help students is using different media during lessons (IDA, 2017). Switching from presentations, to activities, to small group can help students with dyslexia get the maximum support.
The most important factor that can help educators understand their students with dyslexia better, is communication with their parents. Hudson et al. suggests keeping open communication with parents and teaching them different ways to support their students with dyslexia (2007).
These methods can be applied to any classroom to benefit students with dyslexia. Educators need to constantly be adjusting and learning about their students. Researchers all agree that there is no quick fix when working with students with dyslexia. However, there are ways to help educators be more active and supportive of their students
Conclusion
The most pressed question trying to understand dyslexia is can it be cured? The short answer is, no. Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that affects people their whole lives. It is important to remember that a student’s dyslexia does not define them. They are “students with dyslexia” not a “dyslexic students”. Educators need to take it upon themselves to support students with dyslexia. Teachers must be able to learn and understand the effects it has on their students. Educators can help students with dyslexia by using early intervention techniques and skills. This will help students avoid struggling when they go to higher education. If more teachers see dyslexia as an opportunity to teach students to learn differently than a disability, more students will succeed in their academic journey.
The primary purpose of science is to study processes and objects for improving living conditions on earth. This work uses behavioral science, which applies to scientific principles for studying the behavior of organisms (Colman, 2015). However, since this part of science covers a wide range of issues, then psychology, precisely, such area as cognitive psychology, is applied for a detailed consideration of the case. Colman (2015) defines psychology as a “study of the nature, functions, and phenomena of behavior and mental experience” (617).
Cognitive psychology research “all forms of cognition, including attention, perception, learning, memory, thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and language” (Colman, 2015, 144). The goal of this area of psychology is to understand the processes of perception of information for the treatment of diseases and disorders associated with their impairment. Consequently, the principles of this branch of behavioral science are most appropriate for the analysis of dyslexia and dyscalculia and demonstrate that such a method of intervention as training can treat their symptoms.
The Reasons and Causes of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia
Dyslexia and dyscalculia are severe learning disorders that affect the lives of children and adults. Both diseases appear due to cognitive impairment in the processing of certain types of information; however, dyslexia is manifested in an isolated disorder of reading and spelling, and dyscalculia causes difficulties with arithmetic and calculations. These disabilities prevent people from performing routine activities available to others and also cause other psychological disorders, such as stress, depression, and low self-esteem, due to the inability to meet educational standards.
However, although dyslexia and dyscalculia belong to the same category of deviations, their causes are different processes of brain activity. According to Landerl (2009), disorders have distinct cognitive profiles, since the phonological deficit causes dyslexia, and the source of dyscalculia is the deficient modulus of the number. For this reason, a person may experience either one of these disabilities or two at the same time, as in the case of eight-year-old Jimmy.
Moreover, both deviations have their subspecies, since a child or an adult can have difficulties in different types of educational activities. For example, a person with dyslexia has problems with reading and spelling, which can be caused by the slow matching of letters and sounds, or their visual recognition. Dyscalculia can be caused by the inability to recognize or count the number of things, perform arithmetic operations, or operate symbols and signs (Kaufmann & Von Aster, 2012). These subspecies can be combined both in the manifestations of one disorder or several.
Furthermore, although both disabilities are in the same category of cognitive impairment, they have different reasons for appearance. Kaufmann and Von Aster (2012) identify among the possible cause of dyscalculia neurological diseases, genetic syndromes, stress, and traumas. For example, if a child at an early age was exposed to events that aroused his or her aversion to calculus, then this may cause problems in arithmetic in the future.
At the same time, there is no connection between stress or trauma and dyslexia. However, common causes for both disorders are heredity as well as the home environment. The possibility of learning disabilities in children of dyslexic parents is several times much higher since the disability can be transmitted by genetic means. However, Dilnot, Hamilton, Maughan, and Snowling (2016) note that the risk of dyslexia is also reflected in the interaction of genetic predisposition and the environment. Thus, studying and playing with the child at home reduces the possibility of developing problems with reading and counting.
Examination of the Case Study
The case study of eight-year-old Jimmy is a clear example of dyslexia and dyscalculia since all signs show the absence of other disorders. It is mentioned in the description that the parents noticed the boy’s difficulties in reading and mathematics; however, no other problems were not shown. Besides, interviews and tests demonstrated that learning problems are not related to physical impairments of vision or hearing, as well as delays in emotional or intellectual development. Consequently, these indicators can confirm the cerebellum theory, which suggests that disturbances in the functions of the cerebellum are the cause of dyslexia and dyscalculia.
Studies note that dyslexia and dyscalculia are not related to the intellectual and emotional development of a person, and IQ is usually at an average or high level for a certain age (Schulte-Körne, 2010; Kaufmann & Von Aste, 2012). However, the boy has difficulty reading and math, which indicates the presence of a problem. According to theory, the cerebellum plays a role in automating processes that provide learning, precisely, memorization, and reproducing information according to a given algorithm (Stoodley & Stein, 2011).
However, people with a restriction of this function have problems with recognizing and comparing sounds and letters, and other symbolic meanings, such as numbers. Since Jimmy has both difficulties with reading and mathematics, the inability cannot be explained only by a violation of auditory perception; hence, disruption of information processing occurs in other processes of brain activity. Therefore, the cerebellum theory explains the development of both dyslexia and dyscalculia, and the absence of emotional and intellectual delays in development and physical limitations confirms this assumption.
Scientific Research
The topic of diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia and dyscalculia is the subject of a large number of scientific papers that examine one or another side of the issue. Some of them are devoted to only one of the cognitive disorders, while others evaluate and compare both. However, it is difficult to find scientific literature that would not only study the features of dyslexia and dyscalculia together but also offer treatment for people suffering from both disorders.
In the process of researching scientific literature, some articles and books have been studied that deal with the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of dyslexia and dyscalculia. However, many of them were written in the twentieth century, and also consider only one side of the issue. Works written more than 10-20 years ago more often in general terms characterize cognitive disorders, investigate their cause, and offer treatment.
Therefore, the main findings are the classification of disabilities, their symptoms, and ways to overcome them, and for each kind separately. The sources used in this work are also useful for research in the aggregate, but they are not universal. For example, an article by Kumar and Raja (2009) offers general recommendations for treating both diseases at the same time and describes their features, This article has some useful findings, but it is not new and specific.
Newer works also do not cover all issues at once. For example, Toffalini, Giofrè, and Cornoldi (2017) consider the strengths and weaknesses of the intellectual profile of people suffering from both disorders individually and in combination but do not offer treatment. It should also be noted that the scientific works of the last five years are aimed at a more in-depth study of the specific features of the functioning of the brain or individual processes associated with cognitive impairment, so they were practically not used in this work. This feature can also be noted in articles by Toffalini et al. (2017) and Dilnot et al. (2016), as they both study the individual sources of the disorder.
Therefore, new findings refer to certain features of the functioning of the brain or the impact of disabilities on human life. They also have a wide variety, since scientists use different theories and approaches for creating hypotheses. This shift can be justified by the fact that in general, the topics of dyslexia and dyscalculia have been studied, and their treatment has been practiced for years. Consequently, modern scientists try to find new peculiarities that will help to qualitatively change the approach to the elimination of these cognitive disorders.
Relevant trends in Working With Dyslexia and Dyscalculic People
Cognitive disorders are diseases that are not obvious for most people, but they interfere with both routine functions, such as shopping or paying bills and more significant ones, such as performing work duties. However, dyslexia and dyscalculia can be treated and corrected with a timely intervention that helps to reduce external manifestations and develop a person’s skill. Training programs and regular practice are the most effective and affordable methods for treating dyslexia and dyscalculia if they are selected according to the type of disorder.
The most crucial aspect of working with people who have cognitive impairment is the selection of the right program aimed at developing specific abilities. For people who exhibit symptoms of dyslexia and dyscalculia, an integrated approach that can train reading and calculating skills in parallel, but without undue stress is a necessary measure. The approach to treatment should be individualized; however, there are some general practices relevant to different types of problems.
For example, according to Kaufmann and Von Aster (2012), repeated practice, segmentation of the subject, training tips, and the creation of small interactive groups show the most effective results in developing abilities. Classes also should be regular, but short, especially for young children, since this method helps to master information better. Therefore, the primary approach in the treatment of dyslexia and dyscalculia is a correctly selected training program aimed at eliminating the problems associated with learning.
Moreover, it is necessary to pay attention to the general psychological state of a person while working with dyslexic and dyscalculic. Many people with this type of dysfunction feel intellectually deprived and experience stress due to the inability to meet educational standards. Children can also be ridiculed by classmates because of their poor reading and math skills. Particularly important is working with adolescents as they are more sensitive to public opinion. For this reason, teachers and psychologists should explain to the child or adult the characteristics of his or her disabilities, and help to find other strengths, as well as raise his or her self-esteem.
Plan of Action
In the case of eight-year-old Jimmy, it is necessary to take several steps to establish an accurate diagnosis, and then choose the required program that will help eliminate his difficulty. The first step after creating a general diagnosis or during the initial testing is to distinguish the kinds of problems a child faces and their causes. Then therapists need to form a training program, including classes with professional educators and parents.
Besides, it is necessary to make sure that the child is aware of his problems and wants to overcome them, since, without his participation, the learning process will be stressful and ineffective. Parents also should be educated about all the necessary skills for training Jimmy, as well as his psychological support. Such an action plan will provide comprehensive treatment and improvement of the child’s abilities.
The first necessary step is to make an accurate diagnosis with the peculiarities of the boy’s thought process. The diagnostic usually includes assessing the specific abilities of the child compared with other children, and his general intellectual and emotional development. For example, the therapist can find out whether Jimmy has a problem in comparing sounds and symbols, or is it difficult for him to read words that are written and pronounced in different ways.
The next step is to choose a program that matches the problems and the age of the child. In the case of Jimmy, these will be simple mathematical puzzles and texts in which the child knows all the words. It is also necessary to create a training program with professional teachers for full lessons, as well as simple short games as homework that parents can practice. The combination of such techniques will help the child to repeat and memorize the material, developing his abilities constantly.
Conversations with Jimmy and his parents to make sure that the child wants to learn is also an essential step. It is crucial that the child understands the purpose of his studying and is interested in it. Parents should also be supported and prepared for the fact that possible failures can upset Jimmy and reduce his desire to learn, So, the parents, in this case, should help him keep this desire and not force him to study against his will. Thus, comprehensive support and a well-designed training program will allow Jimmy to catch up with his peers soon, and save him from possible problems in the future.
The main disadvantage of Jimmy’s treatment is the combination of his problems with reading and mathematics since they complicate the learning process. The boy needs tasks that do not require a deep understanding of the text since it is difficult for him to read and absorb information. The learning process should be both multilateral and gradual, since mastering the skills of counting and calculating, Jimmy also needs to learn how to read and write. However, as Kumar and Raja (2009) note, early detection of the problem and a special approach help dyslexics and dyscalculia can learn normally. Modern methods, as well as technical means, make this process possible and affordable for any problems associated with dyslexia and dyscalculia.
The advantage of Jimmy’s condition is that the effects of dyslexia and dyscalculia can be almost fully eliminated by training. The boy also does not have any concomitant diseases or a negative background that impedes his development. Parents are also interested in the success of their child, which means their support and constant learning and repetition of knowledge necessary for the development of skills. In addition, Jimmy does not need medical treatment, and the improvement of his abilities depends only on his hard work and a properly designed training program.
Rapport with the Client
Rapport is a document that displays the initial state of the patient and his changes. For this reason, Jimmy’s rapport must contain an accurate assessment of his reading, writing, and counting skills. Consequently, in the first part of the document, it is necessary to evaluate such parameters as general skills, reading and writing one word, speed of reading and writing, as well as an understanding of the context (Toffalini et al., 2017). The part of testing devoted to dyscalculia should contain data on the ability to count, or to estimate the number of objects, determine the sequence of a digital series, and perform simple arithmetic operations.
Explanation of the results is also a necessary part of the report as it directly indicates the diagnosis. It should be detailed and contain all the data about the current state of the patient, any features, and developmental abnormalities. Besides, the report has to reflect the family history, past illnesses, psychological and physical injuries, and other elements of the past and present child. These facts make it possible to understand the causes of the deviation and the possibility of overcoming it.
However, in the case of Jimmy, this item cannot bring any significant changes to the treatment. The general psychological state and the boy’s attitude to his problem also have to be noted in the document. In conclusion, the rapport should contain recommendations and a treatment plan appropriate to the diagnosis. Thus, the psychologist and teachers will be able to assess the progress of the child by comparing indicators of new and previous rapports.
Ethical considerations
The primary ethical concern, as in any medical case, is the confidentiality of information because children and adults who are first face the diagnosis may wish not to change their lifestyle. Privacy is a priority because the child with dyslexia and dyscalculia can continue to study in a regular school. Although his disability is usually noticeable to teachers and classmates, a clear indication of the diagnosis can impose stigma on him, which will be challenging to overcome. For this reason, parents may want to keep information about their son a secret, while improving his skills outside of school to avoid possible stress and misunderstanding from classmates.
Moreover, some questions about the child’s past can be inappropriate for parents if they offend their feelings. Judging by the description in the case study, no problems should arise; however, it is essential to select questions tactfully. Besides, some methods of teaching can be unacceptable for parents, although they do not go beyond common means. Ethical considerations can be associated with religious and other beliefs, such as reluctance to use technology, video tutorials, or particular books. Therefore, ethical considerations should be based on the general confidentiality of information, as well as some features of the worldview of parents and the child.
Conclusion
Therefore, dyslexia and dyscalculia are cognitive disorders that are manifested in the inability to read and count at a level typical for a person with average intellect. However, these incapacities are treatable, and their consequences can be eliminated both in childhood and in adulthood. Cognitive psychology studies the processes of brain activity and offers a solution to overcome learning disorders.
Today, such an applied intervention method as mental training provides an opportunity to gain writing, reading, and counting skills and is the most effective and simple way to treat dyslexia and dyscalculia. Although the disadvantage of this method is a lengthy treatment process and unstable results, its advantage is accessibility and ease of use, as well as a high probability of eliminating problems. Thus, dyslexia and dyscalculia are not a sentence, since modern methods of behavioral science intervention can treat their symptoms.
References
Colman, A. M. (2015). A dictionary of psychology (4th ed.). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Dilnot, J., Hamilton, L., Maughan, B., & Snowling, M. J. (2016). Child and environmental risk factors predicting readiness for learning in children at high risk of dyslexia. Development and Psychopathology, 29(1), 235–244.
Kaufmann, L., & Von Aster, M. (2012). The diagnosis and management of dyscalculia. Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, 109(45), 767–778.
Kumar, P. S., & Raja, W.-D. B. (2009). Treating dyslexic and dyscalculic Students. I-Manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, 3(1), 7–13.
Schulte-Körne, G. (2010). The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dyslexia. Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, 107(41), 718–727.
Stoodley, C. J., & Stein, J. F. (2011). The cerebellum and dyslexia. Cortex, 47(1), 101–116.
Toffalini, E., Giofrè, D., & Cornoldi, C. (2017). Strengths and weaknesses in the intellectual profile of different subtypes of specific learning disorder. Clinical Psychological Science, 5(2), 402–409.
Dyslexia was initially termed by W. Pringle Morgan as ‘congenital word blindness’ in a medical literature in 1886. The phrase was however coined by German ophthalmologist named R. Berlin where dys is a Greek word referring to ‘difficult’ and lexus referring to ‘word’. Berlin applied the name to refer to particular difficulty in reading rather than due to visual interference.
Later, James Hinshelwood implied dyslexia to be ‘congenital word blindness.’ He also detailed the condition in his 1917 monograph where he referred to the condition as “congenital deficiency of the visual memory of words” (Gilman, 2007 p.593). From his observation, the condition was more prevalent in males as compared to females although recent research has proven otherwise.
In the cases described, there were lesions that were characterized by similar traits and concluded that the condition was a result of faulty development, leading to a declined processes of left angular as well as supramarginal gyri. Today, this has been asserted by current research which implicates the condition to the temporoparietal region.
Additionally, the neurologist Samuel Orton examined children with difficulties to read, write or speak. He improved the idea of developmental reading disorder into “a graded series including all degrees of severity of the handicap” (Gilman, 2007 p.594).
Orton appreciated the presence of comorbid developmental disorders such as speech delay, dysgraphia, repetitive language, stuttering, as well as difficulties with motor coordination. Besides, he described strephosymbolia or syllable reversals like confusing the word saw and was or d and b. he attributed strephosymbolia to deficiency in unilateral left hemisphere cerebral control for language rather than the traditional visual perceptual disorder.
From current research, individuals with the condition apply extra bilateral cortex when reading as compared to normal ones (Richards, 1999).
Definition of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is defined as a “developmental disorder of the neurological system that results in a relatively selective impairment of an individual’s ability to learn to red. It is described as an unexpected difficulty in learning to red in an individual who otherwise possesses the intelligence, motivation and schooling considered necessary for accurate and fluent reading “ (Gilman p. 593).
It is a learning disability, which is marked by difficulties in reading since the brain is unable to effectively recognize as well as process particular symbols. An individual’s fluency and comprehensiveness is affected such that they have hardships while reading and spelling. Their reading standard is lower but varies with individuals.
It could result from brain injury in adulthood or what is referred to as dementia. Some of the individual with dyslexia have a genetic predisposition and the condition is linked to particular genes, which predispose them. Dyslexia is managed by identifying the learning problems and teaching methods and learning conditions are changed so as to improve the symptoms that are associated with dyslexia (Leaner & Kline, 2006).
It is also referred to as Developmental Reading Disorder (DRD) that occurs as a result of difficulties in interpretation of language. Students with such a condition have normal intelligence and are able to understand complex tasks.
Individuals with dyslexia could experience difficulties in phonology, pronunciation, and rhyming words which are essential in reading skills hence are unable to understand particular sentences.
Dyslexia could have an impact on various functions such as visual and auditory where in the former there are difficulties with numbers and letters that could be reversed as well as difficulties in writing symbols sequentially. The latter is marked by difficulties with sounds where they are perceived incorrectly (Leaner & Kline, 2006).
Prevalence of dyslexia in school aged children is approximately 5 to 17 percent with differences in the sample population studied as well as criteria applied to diagnose. Prevalence is thought to be same irrespective of gender. From longitudinal studies, the condition traits shows difficulties even with improvement of reading skills.
Compensatory physiological processes persist in adults who have had previous reading impairment. There are also environmental aspects like type and quantity of reading that has an effect on the results of individuals with dyslexia.
Specific language impairment (SLI) has been linked to dyslexia where in cohort of children 77 percent scored less on tests involving single word reading while 98 percent scored less on tests involving reading comprehension.
Children with dyslexia are implicated with SLD in math and written expression although the highly notable cormobid is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Significantly, 20 to 25 percent of children with dyslexia have ADHD while 10-50 percent of children with ADHD have dyslexia (Gilman, 2007).
Specific and systematic strategies could effectively manage the condition. Etiology and prevalence of the condition is implicated to people with particular genetic disorders like neurofibromatosis as well as klinefelter’s syndrome.
Besides, it is prevalent in children with previous medical histories like prematurity, in-utero exposure to drugs, hydrocephalus, congenital illnesses as well as early neurological disorders like neonatal stroke. All the same, people with dyslexia possess none of the risk factors. It is also supposed to be genetic and those with the history of the condition are supposedly a 23-65 percent likelihood of having a child with dyslexia.
However, 27 to 49 percent of children with dyslexia notably have a parent with the condition. Dyslexia prevalence in siblings of children with the condition is 40 percent having 84 to 100 percent concordance in monozygotic twins.
All the same, genetic processes of the heritability are indicated as heterogeneous and complicated. Currently, research has indicated occurrence of genes liked with chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 15 as well as 18. (Gilman, 2007)
Causes of Dyslexia
Dyslexia could be caused by brain trauma in the part that regulates reading as well as writing but the condition is rare and this type is called trauma dyslexia. Injuries to the nervous system, which is meant to facilitate communication within the brain, could cause dyslexia. An injury could have resulted due to fever and concussion such that the brain fails to receive signals appropriately.
Additionally, another type is primary dyslexia that emanates from dysfunction or harm on the cerebral cortex which never modify with age (Richards, 1999). Students with this form of dyslexia discontinues with schooling due to learning difficulties. This form of dyslexia is genetic and occurs more in males as compared to females. Finally, another form of dyslexia is termed as secondary dyslexia.
It is also referred as developmental dyslexia and emanates from abnormalities in hormonal growth in early fetal development. It however improves with age and occurs more in boys. Of importance, the Cerebella theory maintains that an impaired cerebellum could lead to dyslexia.
The cerebrum facilitates motor regulation in speech expression. The theory infers that expression difficulties could lead to phonological processing difficulties, which are implicated with dyslexia. Cerebellum also affects the automatisation of leant actions that involves learning and reading (Swarbrick & Marshall, 2004).
Another theory implicates dyslexia with problems in language processing referred to as phonological model. It asserts that the condition emanates from problems failure to break words into language units referred to phonemes e.g. ‘Cat’ has 3 phonemes named kuh, aah & tuh (Goldish, 2001).
Additionally, poor hearing could cause children with dyslexia to have difficulties in sounding words. This could be attributed to hearing impairment in childhood.
Characteristics of Dyslexia
There are other learning disabilities linked with dyslexia which are associated with neurological causes. To start with, dysgraphia is one such condition that depicts itself mainly through typing or writing. It also sometimes affects the coordination of eyes and hands orientation in undertaking tasks like tying knots or undertaking repetitive activities.
Dysgraphia in individuals with dyslexia is caused by a number of factors as a result of difficulties with writing letters with ease, finger-motor order impairment, organizational and intricate complexity as well as impaired visual word structure that impair visual picture retrieval needed in wording and spelling.
Additionally, Dyscalculia is another neurological impairment marked by having issues with fundamental sense of numerals and quantity hence problems in solving mathematics. However, they comprehend complex math although they experience problems in retrieval of fundamental facts that involves adding and subtracting. Attention Deficit Disorder is yet another condition notable in dyslexia.
This is however yet to be established scientifically. Finally, Cluttering is notable in individual with dyslexia. It is impairment of speech fluency that regulates speech pace and rhythms hence affecting speech clearness (Swarbrick & Marshall, 2004).
Teaching Strategies of Dyslexia
Phonemic awareness should be prioritized in managing symptoms of dyslexia. One word has to be taught while disintegrating it into its component phonemes. Phoneme or grapheme correspondence, follows where students with dyslexia are given letters and are shown the way to integrate them into one syllable word. The students are then shown how to use the six syllables, which are present in English language.
On becoming aware of every syllable they are presented with, they are able to recognize the sound associated with the vowel. Besides, on hearing a vowel sound, students are able to spell it in the correct way. The student is subsequently trained on probability and set of laws in accordance to the language taught.
Finally, the student is guided on roots, affixes and morphology, for them to enrich their vocabulary and comprehension in spelling strange words (Hall et al., 1998).
To teach these concepts, various strategies have to be employed. To start with, simultaneous multisensory directives are essential for individuals with dyslexia when they apply their entire senses in learning since they have enhanced potential in storage and retrieval of information. The student could see a letter, name, sound and write it.
In addition, strong directives followed by sufficient practice would help students with dyslexia to improve their learning skills. The instructions should be direct and explicit since students with dyslexia have difficulties with written information and must be taught explicitly about the rules on written language each at a time, up to the point they become conversant with them to read and spell in order to get into the next rule (Hall et al., 1998).
Another strategy should involve being systematic and cumulative since the students have difficulties with written language. Therefore, they have to be initiated with a solid base in teaching logic of language each at a time followed by practice, to fluently spell and read where they have to be reminded every time. This should be done logically from the beginning to the end.
Significantly, the teaching should be synthetic as well as analytic in recognizing each letter/sound and add them to give a word (synthesis). Besides, they should be analytic in the sense that they could split a long word into various parts.
Finally, diagnostic teaching is essential for teachers to assess the student’ potential to perceive as well as apply regulations without blindly memorizing a pattern and incase there are difficulties, they have to be re-taught (Hall et al., 1998).
Accommodations for students with dyslexia
Oral testing where tests have to be read to individuals with dyslexia while they respond orally. Besides, untimed tests help them to enhance their performance. When they are timed and pressured, they fail to do well. They also consume much time in reading questions and composing answers in order to write them down.
Teachers should therefore aim at minimizing spelling errors by carrying out spelling tests in tutoring class rather than that of the classroom. They should not oblige these students on loud oral reading in class. When it’s needed entirely, students should be given prior notice and the texts they are supposed to read for them to practice.
They should also have less homework since they take more time to complete it as compared to other students. They should be graded by content and not penalized on handwriting or spelling since it would be unfair for them.
Teachers should recognize dictated work and avoid the students with dyslexia from copying work. In addition, they could be given alternative assignments, which are not written e.g. video presentations and debates. Besides, essay tests have to be minimized and multiple choice questions could be included (Hall et al., 1998).
References
Gilman, S. (2007). Neurobiology of Disease. London: Academic Press.
Goldish, M. (2001). Everything You Need to Know about Dyslexia. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
Hall, S., Vail, P. and Lyon, R. (1998). Sharing the latest Research results with those who need to know. Bright Solutions for Dyslexia, Inc. Web.
Leaner, J. & Kline, F. (2006). Learning Disabilities and Related Disorders.10th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Richards, R. G. (1999). The Source for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. Moline, IL: Lingui Systems
Swarbrick, J. & Marshall, A. (2004). The Everything Parent’s Guide To Children With Dyslexia: All You Need To Ensure Your Child’s Success. Avon, MA: F + W Publications, Inc.
Dyslexia is a common mental condition that affects a significant number of school-going children. This study seeks to investigate how dyslexia defines the personality, quality of life, and behavioral characteristics of children. The researcher used data from secondary journal articles and books to inform the conclusion and recommendations. Data from a survey conducted also helped in verifying information obtained from secondary sources. The findings of the investigation revealed that dyslexia is a common mental problem that affects a significant number of school-going children. Although they cannot be completely preventable, the study suggests that it is possible to manage them effectively. If left untreated, dyslexia may have a major negative impact on the quality of life of a child. It can also affect a child’s personality and behavior as they develop. Close cooperation of parents and teachers can help in effectively managing the condition.
Introduction
Dyslexia sometimes referred to as a reading problem, is classified as a learning disorder characterized by difficulty in reading, a problem that experts believe is associated with their inability to identify speech sounds. Such individuals find it difficult to relate letters with words (Huang et al., 2020). The condition is more common than is often reported, and many scholars contend that some people do not even realize that they have the condition (Intriago et al., 2021). The severity of dyslexia varies, and in most cases, those with severe symptoms are the ones who are often diagnosed with the problem. Those with mild conditions rarely realize that they are suffering from the problem. They may think that they are normal, with a minor problem of being slow learners.
Dyslexia, among other mental problems, has a major effect on the quality of life of children. According to Theodoridou et al. (2021), many children with this condition suffer in silence because it is not diagnosed. As such, they struggle in academics, often believing they are less talented than their colleagues. As a defense mechanism, some of them would become introverts to avoid groups that may remind them of their mental challenge. Savari et al. (2021) argue that such children tend to be psychotic and neurotic. They develop self-doubt, negative feelings about themselves, anxiety, and depression. These factors tend to worsen their condition if effective measures are not taken. In this paper, the researcher sought to explore the impact of dyslexia on the personality traits, behavioral patterns, and life quality of children.
Purpose of the Research
Dyslexia is a common problem that affects a significantly high number of children. The fact that most of these cases are rarely reported means that some of these children do not even understand the problem that is affecting them. They end up classified as academic dwarfs who are not capable of mastering simple concepts. The fact that dyslexia affects a learner’s reading and writing capability means that their performance in other subjects will also be affected. They will constantly be struggling to catch up with their peers in class (Savari et al., 2021). If this condition is not correctly diagnosed and effectively addressed, it may have devastating consequences for a learner. The goal of this project is to investigate the prevalence of this problem and its effect on children and propose strategies that can be used to mitigate it effectively.
Literature Review
Mental health is an area of medicine that has attracted massive attention from scholars over the years. Theodoridou et al. (2021) explain that mental health issues vary and they affect people differently. In this project, the aim was to dyslexia and other mental health problems and how they affect the life quality of children. Dyslexia and other related complications have a major effect on the development of a child. In many cases, the affected children may not understand their unique conditions, but they will realize that they are different. They will notice that they are not able to learn as fast as their colleagues (Huang et al., 2020). When their condition is not properly diagnosed and solutions found, they may develop more serious developmental problems. This section of the report focuses on the problem based on what other scholars have found out in their investigation.
Defining Dyslexia
It is necessary to understand this condition so that it is not mistaken for other mental health problems. Huang et al. (2020) define dyslexia as “a learning disorder that stems from the lack of ability to properly decode words, and it is usually reflected in the ability to process sounds.” Those who suffer from the condition have the problem of reading and sometimes writing. Their condition is manifested by inaccurate recognition of words, which explains why they struggle to read. The author explains that the condition is unrelated to one’s intelligence, sensory abilities, general developmental disorders, and other cognitive abilities (Huang et al., 2020). It is common to find a person who suffers from this condition excelling in other subjects, especially in sciences and mathematics. It means that having this condition does not necessarily mean that one cannot register a good performance in their academics. Dyslexia remains one of the most prevalent mental developmental disorders among children, estimated to affect about 10% of school-age children (Leitão et al., 2017). The number could be higher because most of the cases are unreported, especially in developing countries. Studies have also shown that this condition is more prevalent in boys than it is in girls.
Causes of Dyslexia
Mental health experts have not been able to identify specific causes of dyslexia, a condition that manifests itself at an early stage when a child is learning to speak. However, they have identified risk factors that are often associated with the condition. One of the main risk factors is a family history (Matteucci et al., 2019). If one of the parents or a close relative had the same problem, the chances are high that the child may have dyslexia. Studies have also shown that low birth weight and premature births may be associated with the condition. Research has also shown that exposure to alcohol, drugs, or infections during pregnancy may affect the development of the fetus’s brain. Such a child is likely to develop one of the brain development challenges. In some cases, differences in parts of the brain responsible for enabling reading may be the cause of the problem (Theodoridou et al., 2021). These scientists admit that some other factors, yet to be fully explained scientifically, may be responsible for the problem.
It may be possible to eliminate some of the risk factors to lower the chances of a child having dyslexia. For instance, a pregnant mother can stop taking alcohol and drugs for the entire period of pregnancy. They can also avoid taking any food substances or medications that can potentially harm the brain development of the fetus. However, Sorrenti and Filippello (2021) admit that it may not be possible to eliminate all the factors that may cause the condition, most of which may not be influenced by the mother. As such, it is essential to find ways of addressing the problem effectively.
Complications Relating to Dyslexia among Children
Children who suffer from dyslexia, whether it is diagnosed or not, face various complications that directly affect the quality of life in school. Identifying these specific challenges makes it possible to find a way of addressing them. One of the common problems that these children face is difficulty in learning. In all subjects, students are expected to take notes that they have to read to grasp the concept taught. They are also required to conduct further reading of textbooks to enhance their knowledge in that specific subject. A learner with dyslexia, they find it difficult to read such texts (Intriago et al., 2021). It means that it will take them longer than their peers to read. This problem poses a challenge not only in languages but also in other subjects that require them to read. Such a learner may register below-average performance in almost all the other subjects if an effective solution is not developed.
Dyslexia may cause major social problems if it is not addressed as a child develops. One of the major social problems related to dyslexia is low self-esteem among the affected group (Matteucci et al. 2019). As they struggle with the problem, they realize that they cannot perform as effectively as their peers in class. Sometimes they are subjected to ridicule and criticism when they fail to pronounce words correctly in reading classes. They then degrade themselves, believing that there is nothing positive that can come out of them. They will be withdrawn, as a defense mechanism, avoiding people as a way of hiding their problem. Such a negative feeling towards self may affect their ability to learn beyond the actual effect of dyslexia. They will have a mental shutdown and, in many cases, develop a negative attitude toward school and learning in general. Given a chance, such a child would prefer to drop out of school to avoid the pain and humiliation that they face.
Anxiety sets in among these children whenever they feel their weakness is about to be put to the test. The condition may be worsened if such a child feels that the teacher is highly demanding. They will develop intense fear just before and during such classes (Livingston et al., 2018). It is easy for such a child to become verbally and physically aggressive. As a way of protecting themselves, they can attack those who they believe are mocking them. They believe it is the only way of defending themselves and passing a message to others who may want to ridicule them. Such children can easily develop behavior problems, always avoiding social settings.
The problem may become more complicated as a child develops if an effective solution is not managed. The learning problem may worsen, especially if the problem of low self-esteem, discussed above, is not addressed (Fabrazzo et al., 2021). When a child embraces the belief that they cannot make it in education, their performance will gradually deteriorate. With dropping grades and poor social skills, the life of such a child may be worse as an adult. They may require parental support even in the advanced stages of their life when they are expected to be socially and financially independent.
Other Common Mental Diagnosis among Children
The primary focus of this research was dyslexia and how it affects the life quality of children who are affected. However, the researcher considered it necessary to look at other mental help problems which also affect children. One of the common mental problems among children is anxiety disorder. It is a condition where a child is in perpetual fear (McCormick & Scherer, 2018). The fear may be caused by stressful events at school, at home, or their dyslexia, as was mentioned above. Such a child cannot effectively concentrate on their studies if their anxiety is not properly managed. Their ability to interact with their peers and engage in co-curriculum activities such as sports is also compromised significantly.
Attention-deficit disorder is another major problem that may affect a child. The condition is characterized by impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, or difficulty with attention (Livingston et al., 2018). Such a child may exhibit abnormal traits such as aggression for no apparent reason or being rude to those who are in authority. They constantly require the attention of their teachers, even at times when they are expected to work independently. The condition may become less severe as a child develops, but it needs some form of therapy. It also requires responsible adults, especially the teacher and parents who constantly interact with the child, to understand the condition and find a way of managing it.
Bipolar disorder is a condition that may affect the learning and development of a child. The disorder involves having major mood swings that cannot be explained, ranging from manic highs to depressive lows (Fabrazzo et al., 2021). The precise cause of this condition has not been scientifically determined. During the episode of manic high, the child will have high energy, restlessness, insomnia, and an inability to interpret reality (Fabrazzo et al., 2021). They can take major risks or tasks which are beyond their capability. During the depressive lows, they exhibit low energy, low interest in normal activities, and a lack of motivation. During such times, they can give up easily on tasks that they have the capacity to accomplish.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains a common problem that affects both adults and children. According to Sorrenti and Filippello (2021), a child suffering from the condition is often emotionally stressed and anxious, has sad memories and nightmares, and may exhibit disruptive behavior. These conditions are often directly attributed to abuse, injury, violence, or traumatizing experience. Such a child can be suicidal if the causative agent is not eliminated. They can also pose a major threat to fellow students, teachers, and their parents. Their academic and developmental life is often affected by a lack of attention and interest in life and important things. Instead of concentrating in class, they will be focusing on their problem and planning on how to overcome them. They may be intelligent children, but their lack of concentration may affect their learning.
Methodology
The previous chapter has provided a review of what other scholars have found out in this field of study. Further analysis was necessary to understand this problem and to provide evidence-based solutions. As noted in the previous chapter, many children struggle with the problem without any assistance because it is not diagnosed as a problem, or those who are responsible do not know how to deal with it. In this section, the researcher discusses the data used in the study, and how it was collected, analyzed, and presented. Validity and reliability and issues about ethical considerations are also addressed in the chapter.
Data Search and Sources
It is important to define the nature of data and how it was obtained in the study. Hennink et al. (2020) advise that a researcher should have data from credible sources to enhance the reliability of the study. Data used in this study was obtained from both secondary and primary sources. They majorly included scholarly journal articles published within the past five years. The articles had to meet other inclusion criteria beyond the date of publication. They had to be based on primary data conducted by the authors on children suffering from dyslexia with a sample size of at least 20 participants. They had to be publications of at least five pages and peer-reviewed. The materials were thoroughly screened before being used to determine their credibility in making specific claims. A few credible books were also included to support the information from other sources.
It was desirable to collect and analyze primary data from a small sample of respondents. Despite the limited time and constraints associated with COVID-19, the researcher made an effort to find a small sample of participants to help facilitate the collection of primary data. As such, it avoided a case where findings and conclusions are primarily based on data from secondary sources. The researcher conducted a study at three local schools that have been publicly championing the support of children with dyslexia and other mental disorders. Given the limited time, it was not possible to monitor the learning progress and challenges that these students faced. Such a study may take months or even years to collect comprehensive data. The alternative strategy was to interview teachers who have been handling these students. They have spent years with these learners and are in the best position to explain their unique challenges.
Sampling and Sample Size
The limited time available for the study meant that the researcher had to sample a reasonable number of teachers to take part in the investigation. Sampling is essential when dealing with a large population, and the resources available cannot facilitate collecting data from everyone (Crosby & Salazar, 2021). Voluntary response sampling (non-probability) sampling was considered most appropriate for the study. It meant that those who participated in the short interview were teachers who volunteered to do so on short notice. They had to be teachers who have handled children with dyslexia for at least 12 months to meet the inclusion criteria. A sample size of 20 participants met the data saturation criteria for this research.
Data Collection
When a sample has been identified, the next step is to collect data from them. The small sample size made it possible for the researcher to conduct an interview with the participants. A questionnaire was developed after developing the proposal. When approval was obtained from the administrators of the selected schools, the researcher approached the participants, and a sample was selected. Those who took part in the study selected the day they wanted the interview to be conducted. A face-to-face interview was conducted to facilitate the data collection process.
Data Analysis and Presentation
Once data is collected, it is essential to make sure that it is processed and presented in a way that makes sense to the reader and directly answers the research question or goal of the research. The focus of the project was to probe the effect of dyslexia on the personality traits, behavior, and life quality of children. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis was considered the most appropriate method of processing the data. The qualitative method makes it possible to explain the problem and how it affects the study group (Hennink et al., 2020). It allows respondents to provide a detailed explanation of their problem beyond specific limiting provisions, which are common in structured questions. The outcome of the analysis made it possible to present the findings in the form of themes. On the other hand, quantitative methods make it possible to assess the severity of the situation under analysis and the impact.
Validity and Reliability
The problem of dyslexia and its effects on children is a major issue that needs to be dealt with by different authorities. It is possible that this document may influence policies and regulations set by the government or other relevant agencies. As such, it is important to ensure that the information presented is evidence-based and reliable. The validity and reliability of this report were ensured in different ways. The researcher ensured that all the secondary sources used were reliable, as discussed in the section above. Primary data was collected from teachers who have experience handling children with dyslexia. Personal bias was avoided in the process of collecting and processing data.
Ethical Considerations
When collecting data from primary sources, it is necessary to take into consideration ethical requirements. One ethical consideration when collecting data from primary sources was contacting the management of the selected institutions and getting the relevant permission before reaching out to their employees. Administrators of these schools were contacted, and the goal of the study was explained to them. Upon getting permission, the researcher reached out to the teachers and informed them of the academic project and the role they were expected to play. Those who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study based on their willingness and availability. All their questions and concerns were addressed before they could take part in the investigation. Upon the request of the administrators of two of the schools involved in the study, their identity was protected.
The researcher did not ask why it was important for the administrators to hide the identity of their institutions in the study, but their request was respected. Consequently, all the participants had their identities concealed. Instead of using their actual names, they were given coded identities. As an academic requirement, this document avoided all forms of plagiarism. Information obtained from secondary sources was cited using APA referencing style, seventh edition, and a list of the sources provided. It was also completed and handed in at the right time.
Discussion of Findings
The review of the literature revealed that mental disorders affect the personality, behavior, and quality of life of learners. The previous section has explained how data was collected from primary sources and processed to help respond to the research question. In this section of the report, the focus is to present findings made through the investigation. The analysis involved the use of both qualitative and quantitative approaches to data analysis.
Life Quality Impact of Children with Dyslexia and Other Mental Diagnosis
The researcher was interested in identifying some of the most prevalent mental disorders in the local schools based on the experience of the teachers who took part in the collection of primary data. The review of the literature identified dyslexia as one of the most prevalent conditions. The question below was presented to the respondents, and their answers helped in ranking the most prevalent mental disorders, as shown in Table 1 below.
Which is the most common mental disorder you have encountered among your students?
Table 1: Common Mental Problems Among Learners
Condition
Prevalence
Dyslexia
5
PTSD
7
Anxiety disorders
4
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
1
Bipolar disorder
3
The information obtained from these participants was analyzed statistically and presented in the chart below. It is evident that post-traumatic stress disorder is the most common condition that these teachers reported. It was closely followed by dyslexia, which means that information from secondary sources was validated. Dyslexia is a common problem that affects a significant number of learners in the country. Anxiety disorder was also reported, with some teachers explaining that it was a common problem when students are approaching exams and when waiting for their results. Bipolar disorder and attention-deficit disorder are other mental health issues that should not be ignored.
Using open-ended questions, respondents provided further insight into the data above. One of the respondents explained that PTSD remains the most common condition among children coming from abusive families. The traumatizing experience they witness at home or sometimes go through, creates constant fear and anxiety. They spend a lot of time thinking about these stressful experiences instead of studying. It was also one of the easiest mental disorders to diagnose for the teacher. One of them explained that any teacher who is keen would notice a sudden change in focus of a student, which is a common characteristic among those affected. Dyslexia was another common problem to diagnose, especially by English language teachers. The information was statistically analyzed and presented in figure 1 above.
After identifying the most prevalent mental disorder, the next step was to determine their effect on the quality of life of the students. Having spent time with these learners, the teachers were in a position to determine the effect of the disorders on learners’ quality of life. The researcher asked them to state whether they agree with the statement that mental health problems have a major effect on the quality of life of a student. Figure 2 below shows the response obtained from the participants. There was a near-unanimous agreement among them that the condition has a major effect on the life of the learners. 45% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement, while another 50% agreed. It means that 95% of the respondents believe that dyslexia and other mental health conditions have a major negative impact on learners. Only one respondent stated that they were not sure about the actual impact. None of those who participated in the study disagreed with the statement.
The researcher was keen on determining how these conditions, especially dyslexia, specifically affected the quality of life of the affected students. According to Intriago et al. (2021), one of the first steps in solving a problem is by clearly defining its nature and how it affects the subject. In this case, it was necessary to determine the impact that dyslexia has on learners.
Impact on Personality of Children with Dyslexia
Dyslexia has been related to specific personality traits that are detrimental to learners’ success. Data collected from the participants showed that learners with dyslexia are more likely to be introverts (45%) than their colleagues who are normal (20%). This trait is specifically negative in a modern learning environment where students are expected to be active. The student-centered approach of teaching requires learners to take a leading role in the learning process, always engaging with their colleagues to discuss questions and find answers. However, these learners are more comfortable in an environment where they are alone. They will avoid peers who can help them overcome the challenge that they face.
Lack of interest in classwork is another major trait that is common among such learners. One of the respondents explained that it is common to find cases where such a learner is active in co-curriculum activities. They may be successful in sports, drama, music, or any other activity outside the classroom. However, when it is time to concentrate in class, their interest is lost. The condition can be so bad among some of these learners that they completely block the possibility of grasping any concept taught in class. In such cases, the trait worsens their already poor learning ability. They reinforce the belief that they are academically challenged and that any time spent in class is wasted. If the condition is not accurately diagnosed and addressed, such learners tend to register poor performance in most of the subjects in class.
Impact on Behavioral Characteristics
The data revealed how learners with dyslexia tend to relate with their peers and their environment. One of the teachers reported aggression as one of the common behavior among those who suffer from the condition. These students tend to struggle academically and are sometimes unable to read simple words. As such, they are always ridiculed by some of their colleagues. As a defense mechanism, they tend to be physically or verbally aggressive when responding to such an attack. The aggression is caused by the desire to defend themselves. In other cases, such learners become withdrawn and anxious when engaging with their peers, even on non-academic issues.
Students suffering from this condition often find reasons to avoid attending some classes, especially the languages where they are expected to speak. They can fake sickness because of their desire to avoid embarrassment. Such actions tend to worsen their performance even further, as McCormick and Scherer (2018) observe. When they are forced to attend these classes, they are rarely active. When asked questions, they fumble answers, more concerned about the reactions of colleagues than the correctness of their responses. They have conditioned themselves in a way that they believe that their answers will always be wrong. So their main concern is the manner in which they are likely to be ridiculed. They get frustrated with the constant struggle of gaining acceptance among peers.
Conclusions
The analysis of data from both secondary and primary sources identifies dyslexia and other mental health disorders as major impediments to the quality of life of learners. Dyslexia and PTSD have been determined to be the most prevalent mental health challenges that students face. The study shows that even though it is not possible to completely eliminate dyslexia, the condition can be managed. The problem is that sometimes it may not be easy to diagnose the condition, especially in large classes where teachers do not give personalized attention to each student. When the condition is not managed, a student may not only drop in their academic performance but their social lives may be affected as well. They become introverts who constantly avoid the presence of their peers. The following recommendations should be considered to help manage dyslexia and other mental health problems among learners:
Students with dyslexia need extra attention in class because they may be intelligent but are slow learners;
Teachers need to protect students with dyslexia from ridicule or criticism by explaining to the class the uniqueness of their condition and the need for support;
Teachers should work closely with parents to foster an environment for continuous learning for these students both at home and in school.
Future scholars who may be interested in conducting further investigations in this field should take into consideration the following:
To investigate ways in which the modern student-centered approach to learning affects the social and academic lives of these learners;
To determine ways in which a student-centered learning approach can be tailored to make it favorable to learners with dyslexia and other mental conditions.
References
Crosby, R. A., & Salazar, L. F. (2021). Essentials of public health research methods. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Hennink, M. M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Huang, Y., He, M., Li, A., Lin, Y., Zhang, X., & Wu, K. (2020). Personality, behavior characteristics, and life quality impact of children with dyslexia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1415), 1-14. doi:10.3390/ijerph17041415
Mental disorders are severe disorders of cognitive development, in which, first of all, the ability to social interaction and behavior suffers. Children with mental disorders have several specific features that manifest themselves in the lag of deadlines and the pace of development; inertia, passivity, noted in all spheres of the child’s life (Boyes et al., 2020). One of the main problems is that these children often do not see the point of learning and are often not interested in what they are doing (Huang et al., 2020). A number of scientific approaches were developed to address the issue of fully integrating these children in the society. Some of them claim that dyslexic student needs to know why he or she should act and do so, and not otherwise (Leitão et al., 2017). Others stress that the process of learning should be conducted in a game form.
While there are many studies that discuss how to improve these children’s quality of life, the issue of how mental diagnosis and dyslexia impact personality and behavior has not been widely covered. Apart from general claims about these children’s inability to cope with problems and to adapt, there is little information as to what cognitive processes are involved and through what mechanisms mental issues manifest themselves in children’s behavior. This research paper hypostases that bridges must be made between psychological and physiological processes of growing up, specific worldview of an individuum suffering from dyslexia or mental disorder and the child’s quality of life. Therefore, the following research questions will be addressed in the study:
Through what psychological and physiological mechanisms dyslexia and other mental diagnosis manifest itself in a child’s life? Can these processes be reversed by medication and training or are to become an integral part of a child’s life?
What personal characteristics can be determined by dyslexia and mental disorders and what can be the result of upbringing? Can these characteristics be changed as a child grows up?
How personality features and worldview are impacted by dyslexia and mental illnesses? What can be done to improve an individual quality of life?
The goal of this paper is to find whether there is any correlation between psychological and physiological processes, dyslexia and mental illnesses and the person’s behavior patterns and quality of life. The paper hypostases that establishing a clear connection between these three components will help psychologists and psychiatrists to work with these children more effectively, ultimately improving their quality of life.
To answer the research questions, it is necessary to collect information about the peculiarities of the life of children with mental problems and dyslexia. The paper aims to collect general information on a given topic, as it is important and can be used as suitable material in educational institutions. It will take some time to collect the information, since while the problem of mental diseases has been sufficiently investigated by many scientists and psychiatrists, the clear connection between mental deceases and behavior patterns has not been established. The scientific literature on this topic describes in detail the development of various mental diseases in childhood and analyzes the dependence of mental disorders on genetics and upbringing (Küçük & Alemdar, 2018; Abd Rauf et al., 2020). However, the connection between mental illnesses and personality features has not been properly studied.
The paper covering the above mentioned issues can be published in a number of medical journals. Each medical journal requires certain conditions for authors: it takes 11 weeks from submission to publication on average. The article should contain keywords, a structured beginning, introductory expressions, references to the authors, and a clear conclusion. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention and study the required conditions in each of the journals. There are also articles with open access, which are seen by all people visiting the magazine’s website and closed ones for a limited number of readers. The three most popular magazines on a given topic are listed below:
International journal of environmental research and public health;
Research in developmental disabilities;
Journal of personality disorders.
All these journals are peer-reviewed and maintain high quality standards.
It is widely known that reading and learning are complex processes involving various parts of the brain. Reading serves a crucial purpose for several individuals today, but many people of normal intelligence still cannot read well. Giraud & Ramus (2013, p. 37) mention that 3-7% of school children experience reading problems due to phonological disabilities commonly referred to as dyslexia. They argue that dyslexia is accompanied by difficulty in performing tasks involving speech. The authors have proposed several genes that contribute to poor reading, spelling, and short-term memory. Addressed in this article review are a summary and a critical analysis of a neurobiology paper. Similarly, it aims to investigate the relationship between neuronal microarchitecture of the auditory cortex and particular phonological processing abnormalities.
Summary and Arguments
The paper under review proposes that the defects associated with dyslexia come from genetic irregularities of cortical microarchitecture in the temporal lobe. After analyzing many sources and literature, Giraud & Ramus (2013) conclude that a particular series of genes are associated with dyslexia. Dyslexia is defined as an unexpected problem in reading for a person who has the intellect to be a much better reader owing to phonological processing issues (Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2020). A diverse range of genes contributes to cognitive disorders and brain dysfunctions (Giraud & Ramus, 2013). The importance of the genes can be analyzed by inactivating some of the genes in rodents. Evidence presented in the study shows that genes and phenotypic differences have a significant role in developmental dyslexia.
The paper proposes that developmental dyslexia is strongly associated with biological etiology supported by multifactorial genetic etiology. This could lead to minor problems in reading, recalling the name, and remembering pictures. The authors propose that general alteration of the human cortical neuroanatomy and the dyslexia relation genes contribute to difficulties experienced in reading by rather intelligent people. Other theories presented to explain this problem include dyslexia susceptibilities such as DYX1C1 and DCDC2 and auditory mismatch negativity variations.
Positions, Findings, and Critiques
The authors take a position to analyze the alterations of phonological processing of people sing molecular genetics and dyslexia candidate genes. In reviewing the literature, the researchers discovered no evidence of a direct causal link between genes in individuals and auditory processing. This was not the expected result because dyslexic auditory cortical responses are faulty in certain people, with new trials suggesting them as possible determinants (Giraud & Ramus, 2013). Despite its comprehensive analysis of recent literature, the study did not find a definite cause of auditory processing disorder. The paper does not have exclusive research on the topic, the sources used are not well identified and cited, and it is hard for an average reader to grasp.
Recommendations
The literature reviewed by the authors focused on dyslexia in humans who, for health reasons, cannot have their candidate genes altered for study purposes. Giraud and Ramus (2013) recommended that further study on the topic be done on animals. In this research, the two arguments should involve deactivating some of the genes that contribute to phonological processing in Animals. A non-human study would widen the scope of the study, with rodents being the best animals to use for this further research.
Conclusions
The study discovered no clear correlation between the auditory cortex’s neuronal microarchitecture changes and specific modifications in processing sound and written words. However, the literature showed that developmental dyslexia is strongly associated with biological etiology. These were unexpected results as the latest genetic and neurophysiological studies suggested that specific genetic markers of auditory oscillations could be established. This study makes compelling arguments on the role of genes in auditory problems while also analyzing current literature on neurogenetics and dyslexia. Although the paper addresses the topic well, it is hard to grasp as it provides a narrow scope of neurogenetics and auditory deficits.
References
Giraud, A. L., & Ramus, F. (2013). Neurogenetics and auditory processing in developmental dyslexia. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 23(1), 37-42. Web.
Shaywitz, B. A., & Shaywitz, S. E. (2020). The American experience: Towards a 21st-century definition of dyslexia. Oxford Review of Education, 46(4), 454-471. Web.
Dyslexia affects children with normal eyesight and intellect in different ways, such as an inability to read or acquire words. Coaching or a specialized educational intervention may help most children with Dyslexia to perform better in school. According to the article, Learning difficulties are one of the many consequences of Dyslexia. A youngster with Dyslexia will have difficulty keeping up with their classmates in most classrooms since reading is such a fundamental ability in so many areas. In the absence of treatment, Dyslexia may lead to poor self-esteem, behavioral issues such as anxiety or anger, as well as detachment from peers and teachers, and parents. When Dyslexia is not diagnosed and addressed throughout the childhood, it may lead to long-term issues in adulthood. The chances of children succeeding in life are reduced if they cannot learn to read and comprehend. The author explains that Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may make Dyslexia more difficult to cure by causing difficulties in maintaining focus, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Children with Dyslexia are more likely to experience learning challenges if their siblings and parents suffer from the same condition.
Furthermore, men are more likely than females to suffer from Dyslexia; however, the disorder affects people of all ages, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds. Children born with dyslexia struggle with reading, understanding, and spelling. The article expands my topic understanding in several ways. I learned that Dyslexic children are great empathizers; many people with Dyslexia have a real personality. The writing and reading difficulties might help children empathize with those struggling. The article’s strength is that it has discussed the causes and effects of Dyslexia with the right age bracket consideration, that is, from age 4 to 10. The article’s weakness is that it generalized the genders without being specific; again, it only mentioned that Dyslexia is more often experienced in male children compared to females without explaining the reasons. Concerning race, there is a sparse number of research papers regarding Dyslexia among black children and its consequences. Dyslexia mainly affects white children than black children, and thus the article addresses white children widely. I will use this article as part of my capstone project by generating public health education proposal on Dyslexia to prevent the public from viewing Dyslexia as a curse.
Reference
Shotola, K. (2019). The portrayal of dyslexia and children in children’s picture books. Linköping University. Web.
