Dyslexia Information

What is Dyslexia?

Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction uses the following definition of Dyslexia:
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge."

What are some assumptions about dyslexia?

Topic	Myth	Reality
Reversals	Myth: People with dyslexia see and write letters and words backward. Writing letters and words backwards means that a child has dyslexia.	Many young children reverse letters when learning to read and write. Reversing letters is not necessarily an indicator of the presence or absence of dyslexia in beginning readers (Elliot and Grigorenko 2014; Hasbrouck 2020; Kilpatrick 2016), although its persistence may indicate dyslexia.
Visual Issues	Myth: Dyslexia is a vision problem. It can be corrected or mitigated by using colored overlays, tinted lenses, or vision therapy.	Dyslexia is not a vision problem. It is a language-based problem. Therefore, treating dyslexia with therapies to improve visual function or tinted lenses/filters is not indicated (AAP 2009).
Special Education Eligibility	Myth: If a student has dyslexia or displays characteristics of dyslexia, he or she will automatically receive special education supports through an Individual Education Program (IEP). An IEP is the only way to get the appropriate instruction and accommodations needed.	All reading difficulties, including dyslexia and related conditions, present in various ways from mild to severe. Some children with characteristics of dyslexia meet the eligibility requirements for special education in the specific learning disability (SLD) category. Some do not. All students receive appropriate high-quality universal, differentiated, responsive instruction. If reading challenges are identified, students may receive additional interventions within the regular education class. Students who do not respond to these interventions may be eligible to receive interventions through the state’s defined special education eligibility process.
Intelligence & School Success	Myth: If you perform well in school, you must not have dyslexia or related conditions.	The ability to learn to read does not directly correlate with a person’s intelligence (Elliot and Grigorenko 2014; Vellutino et al. 2000). Some students with dyslexia or related conditions perform well in school while others may not. Some higher performing students with dyslexia or related conditions have received appropriate instruction, accommodations, and/or supports, and/or have developed their own coping skills and strategies.
Reading Ability	Myth: Individuals with dyslexia cannot learn to read.	Students with dyslexia can learn to read with comprehensive, responsive, and targeted instruction (Vellutino et al. 1996; Kilpatrick 2020). However, they often do so with greater effort.
Comprehension	Myth: All students who have dyslexia have poor reading comprehension skills.	Individuals with dyslexia can have good comprehension skills, but their comprehension may be impacted by the amount of mental effort required to decode. In addition to decoding skills, reading comprehension depends upon many factors like vocabulary, background knowledge, text complexity, working memory, purpose for reading, engagement, and interest (Fletcher et al 2019).
Reading Difficulties	Myth: All reading difficulties can be attributed to dyslexia.	Dyslexia is not the only reading difficulty. There are other profiles and conditions that may impact learning to read (Valencia and Buly 2004; Spear Swerling 2015) See Appendix D for more information.
Effort	Myth: If students with dyslexia just tried harder, they would learn to read.	When students with dyslexia appear capable and successful in other domains of learning, people may think that if they just tried harder during instruction and intervention, they would learn to read. Many individuals with dyslexia suffer from low self-esteem, anger, anxiety, hopelessness, and shame, especially when they are working as hard as they can without improvement (Hasbrouck 2021; Shaywitz and Shaywitz 2020).
Lifelong Reading Difficulties	Myth: Students with dyslexia will never become proficient and/or functional readers.	Early identification of students with characteristics of dyslexia followed by “powerful and age-appropriate instruction” (Hasbrouck 2020, 37) can help prevent the reading difficulties associated with dyslexia for many children (Hasbrouck 2020; Kilpatrick 2020; Vellutino et al. 1996). Studies such as Vellutino et al. 1996 have shown “most reading difficulties can be successfully remediated. Furthermore, they showed we can prevent most reading difficulties from happening in the first place” (Kilpatrick 2020, 28). However, some dyslexic learners may only become accurate but not automatic word readers (Fletcher et al. 2019).

How does MTSD monitor students' early reading skills?

MTSD regularly assesses primary student’s early reading skills at intervals throughout the school year. The chart below summarizes reading assessments provided to all students in grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Additional diagnostic assessments may be administered based on a student’s performance.

Grade Level	Reading Assessments
4K	Uppercase/Lowercase Letter & Sound Identification, Concepts Of Print, Phonemic Awareness
Kindergarten	Phonemic Awareness, Lowercase Letter & Sound Identification, Developmental Spelling Level, High-Frequency Word Knowledge, Reading Level, Independent Writing Level
1st	MAP Assessment (foundational skills, language, language & writing, reading), Developmental Spelling Level, Reading Level, Independent Writing Level
2nd	MAP Assessment (key ideas & details, craft & structure, vocabulary), Developmental Spelling Level, Reading Level, Independent Writing Level

What can families do to support students' literacy development?

If you are looking to support your student’s literacy development, at any grade level, the following suggestions may be helpful:

Grade Band	Strategies for Supporting Literacy Development
4K	Read aloud books with rhyme patterns and repetitive text. Use songs, chants, and nursery rhymes. Engage a child in conversation with open-ended questions. Encourage fine motor development.
KG & 1st	Continue to read aloud. Listen to your child read aloud books sent home from school Play games that build sight-word recognition (e.g., sight-word bingo). Demonstrate strategies for decoding and monitoring for meaning while reading. Practice writing words together. Use strategies such as make lists or writing notes to family members. Spell the word aloud, write it, then repeat it. Engage in question-based discussion.
2nd & 3rd	Help the student select reading material at their reading level. Listen to the student read aloud. Engage the student in a conversation about a text. Use open ended questions such as “What are you thinking and wondering about?” “What else did you notice?” “Say more.” “What is your evidence for your thinking?” Practice writing words together. Use strategies such as make lists or writing notes to family members. Spell the word aloud, write it, then repeat it. Continue to read to your child, including texts that are above your child’s reading level.
4th & 5th	Provide a homework routine and location. Guide and teach time-management and planning skills. Assist with and support the use of technology to increase engagement and ease of writing. Encourage reading for pleasure with both books and age-appropriate magazines. Children at this age often still enjoy being read to.
Middle & High School	Encourage reading for pleasure with both books and age-appropriate magazines. Ensure access to a library and other sources of reference information. Assist with and support the use of technology to increase access and ease. Help the student understand their learning needs. Provide them with the language necessary to advocate on their own behalf with teachers.

*Charts outlined in the pull-downs above are adapted from guidance provided by Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction regarding Dyslexia. If you are looking for additional information, click here to access the full guidebook.

Wisconsin’s Informational Guidebook on Dyslexia and Related Conditions

The informational dyslexia guidebook required by 2019 Wisconsin Act 86 is online at https://dpi.wi.gov/reading/dyslexiaguidebook. The guidebook was created through collaboration between the advisory committee, as outlined in Act 86, and DPI. Per Act 86, the informational guidebook discusses screening, instruction and intervention, and resources that can support improved learning for school-aged individuals with characteristics of dyslexia. The audience for the information is broad and includes but is not limited to parents and families, educators, interventionists or reading teachers, and educational leaders.

Each school district is required to include a link to the informational guidebook on dyslexia and related conditions; the school district link must be available no later than December 1, 2021.