![Redefining Dyslexia [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Redefining-Dyslexia-Premium-e1699767152962-400x250.jpg)
In the past year, there have been some remarkable papers published in the field of dyslexia. By and large, the changes seem to be good news and more inclusive of the diverse ways that dyslexia presents - including gifted individuals with dyslexia. But change is likely...
![What’s the Point of the Dyslexic Mind? with Dr Brock Eide [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screen-Shot-2023-05-21-at-7.50.20-AM-400x250.png)
This webinar was rescheduled from a planned presentation at Cambridge University. Although dyslexia has traditionally been defined in negative and narrow terms, these definitions are poorly matched to the breadth of research on dyslexic children and adults. Here the Eides present their case that dyslexia should not be defined solely as a defect or deficiency, but rather as a cognitive specialization – that prioritizes episodic cognition.
![Schools Missing the Boat on Dyslexia and Math [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SCHOOLS-MISSING-THE-BOAT-ON-DYSLEXIA-AND-MATH-400x250.png)
Forty-four percent of dyslexic students also meet diagnostic criteria for math disability, according to researchers, but math rarely receives specific designations on students’ individualized education plans. What is the result? Dyslexic students with math disabilities underperform, fail, get held back, and find themselves excluded from certain academic tracks and majors (like science, technology, and engineering). What they really need though are informed teachers and school programs that understand their specific needs and teach them based on their strengths. CHALLENGES AND STRENGTHS IN MATH In a review of 50 consecutive dyslexic students seen in our clinic, the following patterns were seen in their WISCIV IQ and WIAT-III achievement scores. Our practice was unusual because we had many gifted referrals from the Silicon Valley and many students […]
After all the hard work increasing dyslexia awareness and passing laws to improve teacher training (some of the efforts just beginning), one small paper has attracted some attention in the media, attempting to push back against the benefits of...
![Sky’s the Limit: Finding Self-Efficacy [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Skys-Limit.png)
“If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning…” — Mahatma Gandhi More people may have heard about self-esteem than self-efficacy, but self-efficacy may be a more important quality that will predict how a person may make personal life goals and meet challenges in the future. Self-esteem relates to how one values oneself. Self-efficacy, on the other hand, is a belief in how you can be successful or achieve something in the future. MAJOR INFLUENCES ON SELF-EFFICACY Dr. Albert Bandura, a pioneer in the study of self-efficacy, states that the major influences on self efficacy are: — mastery experiences (starting out as a beginner […]
![Understanding Dyslexia as an Exploratory Advantage [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-02-at-8.43.03-PM.png)
“Approaches to explaining developmental dyslexia must account for both the difficulties and the enhanced abilities that are typical of people with developmental dyslexia. All the proposed strengths… relate in some way to seeking out the unknown, often at the expense of exploiting known information. A useful framework for tying together these observations is cognitive search, which involves a trade-off between exploration–exploitation.” — Helen Taylor and Martin David Vestergaard In an extraordinary article in Frontiers in Psychology, two Cambridge University scholars have put forth a paradigm-shifting concept of dyslexia that integrates over a century of research from diverse perspectives. It is a tour-de-force that might help society put dyslexia in its proper context. From the paper (the simple term “dyslexia” is substituted for developmental dyslexia […]
Dyslexia is not a neurological disorder or even an impairment, but rather a concession for having cognitive strengths in exploration, big-picture thinking, creativity, and problem-solving that have contributed to human survival amid changing environments. This insight...
![Processing Speed and Dyslexia [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/envato-test-taking.png)
Why isn’t there a “diagnosis” of processing speed impairment? For practical reasons, a label or diagnosis can help justify the need for extended time accommodations, reduce the quantity of homework, or similar requests. Without a formal diagnostic code, medical or educational professionals may also be more likely to overlook the need for accommodations… something that can have negative effects on grades and standardized test scores. Processing speed is also a curious phenomenon in the setting of dyslexia because speed is not typically slow for everything but rather certain types of activities that place especially heavy demands on reading, writing, and rote memory. If students are only partially remediated, they will be a great deal slower, needing extra time to decode text as well as integrate information. […]
"This study identified that emotional trauma took place in all participants, and this resulted in many having Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder manifestations as a result of returning to school for their own children. Participants still noted anger and resentment as...
![Poor Outcomes for Reading Recovery [Premium]](https://www.dyslexicadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/debbie-tea-XQD-eLInH6s-unsplash-400x250.jpg)
“Initial gains from first-grade intervention didn’t last and kids performed worse in third and fourth grade…” Over 2 million students in the US have been taught reading with based Reading Recovery, a short term intervention program that uses pull-out one-to-one tutoring to first grade students. It was one of the few programs supported by the What Works Clearing House to improve general achievement (see report here – link goes to a public google drive which contains the report). However, new data suggests that at long-term following, students who received Reading Recovery performed worse than their peers by the 3rd and 4th grades: The researchers at the University of Delaware gave possible reasons for negative results: Of note, Reading Recovery had received $55 […]
"The learning experiences of dyslexic medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological study. This study has explored the learning experiences of dyslexic medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic... Generally, it fostered a culture of...
" ...our current education and work environments are often not designed to make the most of dyslexia associated thinking, we hope this research provides a starting point for further exploration of the economic, cultural and social benefits the whole of society can...
