▶️ The current understanding of dyslexia in the present age according to recent studies.
– The current understanding of dyslexia in the present age is based on recent studies that have explored the neurobiological, genetic, and cognitive aspects of this learning disorder. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects how people read, write, spell, and pronounce words. It is not a sign of low intelligence or poor vision, but rather a difference in how the brain processes language.
– Some of the main findings of the current research on dyslexia are:
• Dyslexia is associated with differences in the structure and function of the brain, especially in the areas that are involved in language processing, such as the left temporal and parietal lobes. People with dyslexia have less activity and connectivity in these regions when reading, compared to people without dyslexia. People with dyslexia may also have differences in brain structure, such as a smaller or asymmetrical planum temporale, which is a part of the temporal lobe that is involved in auditory processing.
• Dyslexia is influenced by genetic factors, as it tends to run in families and has been linked to several genes that may affect the development of dyslexia. However, dyslexia is not caused by a single gene, but by a complex interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors.
• Dyslexia may also be associated with certain conditions that affect brain development, such as premature birth, low birth weight, fetal alcohol exposure, or infections during pregnancy.
• Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with phonological processing, which is the ability to identify and manipulate the sounds of speech. People with dyslexia have trouble connecting the sounds of speech to the letters that represent them, and using this knowledge to decode and comprehend words. Dyslexia affects the ability to read words accurately and fluently, and to understand what is read.
• Dyslexia can also affect other aspects of language and literacy, such as spelling, writing, speaking, and listening.
• Dyslexia can be diagnosed by a comprehensive evaluation that involves various sources of information, such as the person's medical, developmental, and family history, the person's academic performance and progress, the person's strengths and weaknesses in language and literacy skills, the person's cognitive abilities and learning style, and the person's emotional and behavioral functioning.
• The evaluation may include a combination of tests and observations, such as vision, hearing, and neurological tests, psychological tests, educational tests, phonological tests, language tests, and dyslexia-specific tests. The evaluation may be conducted by a team of professionals, such as a pediatrician, a psychologist, a speech-language pathologist, an educational specialist, or a dyslexia expert.
• Dyslexia can be treated by effective interventions that can help people with dyslexia improve their language and literacy skills, and achieve their academic and personal goals. The treatment of dyslexia is individualized, based on the person's needs, strengths, and preferences. The treatment may involve a combination of methods and strategies, such as structured, systematic, and multisensory instruction, phonics-based and phonological awareness programs, reading comprehension and vocabulary programs, spelling and writing programs, assistive technology, accommodations and modifications, tutoring and mentoring, counseling and coaching. The treatment of dyslexia is most effective when it starts early, is intensive and consistent, and involves collaboration and communication among the person, their family, their teachers, and their therapists.
MYTHS ABOUT DYSLEXIA
– Some myths about dyslexia are:
1). Dyslexia is a sort of mental retardation: This is false, as dyslexia is a difficulty in learning to read, write, and spell, despite having average intelligence and adequate opportunity to learn. Dyslexia is caused by differences in how the brain processes language, not by low IQ or poor education.
2). Dyslexia is a vision problem that makes people see letters backwards: This is also false, as dyslexia is not related to vision problems, and people with dyslexia are no more likely to reverse letters than other people. Dyslexia affects the ability to connect sounds and letters, and to decode and comprehend words. Reversing letters is a common mistake that many young children make when learning to read and write, and it usually goes away with instruction and feedback.
3). Dyslexia only happens in the English language: This is another false claim, as dyslexia exists in all languages and cultures, and affects people who speak different writing systems. However, the severity and manifestation of dyslexia may vary depending on the characteristics of the language, such as the complexity, consistency, and transparency of the orthography. For example, dyslexia may be more prevalent and noticeable in languages that have irregular spelling patterns, such as English and French, than in languages that have more consistent spelling rules, such as Italian and Spanish.
