Why Dyslexia Testing in Schools?
Dyslexia was virtually unknown, unrecognized and certainly not understood up until about 25 years ago. Almost all that we know about it we have learned fairly recently.
Dyslexics learn differently. Their eyes see the same but their brains interpret the signals from the eyes differently than those of non-dyslexics. It’s O.K., many famous people have been dyslexic. But to reach full potential they need to be taught differently, according to their needs.
In roughly the last fifteen years, dyslexia testing has been part of the educational process. Children in elementary schools have routinely been screened for dyslexia. As part of their standard procedures, everyone went through preliminary screening. Those identified as possibly dyslexic, plus all those that the teachers identified as having problems with reading, were put through full scale testing for dyslexia which identified whether or not they were dyslexic, and, if so, what type and to what degree was the problem.
Before about 15 years ago, dyslexics were lumped in with the rest of the students and had to take their chances. Most were treated badly by the educational system, called lazy, slow learners, underachievers. They were made to feel ashamed of and embarrassed by their differences and learned to conceal them.
Millions of adult dyslexics today have never taken a dyslexia test. They still struggle with learning and reading difficulties that could be easily overcome if they were only known. A half-hour dyslexia test could make enormous improvements in their self-esteem and abilities.
One of the problems in helping dyslexics is that there are many different types of dyslexia. Dyslexia takes many different forms; all dyslexics are different. They cannot be readily sorted into categories and then treated the same as a group.
For adult dyslexics (part of the 2+ million) out there a dyslexic test could open up a whole new world of how to easily do things they had never been able to do before. Many adult dyslexics are identified when one of their children tests positive for dyslexia in school. Since dyslexia runs in families, parents of newly-identified dyslexics are often encouraged to be tested. Doing so has opened up new possibilities, new abilities, new careers for many.
For more info on dyslexia and how it can be overcome, click on any of the above links.
Disclaimer: This posting is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with dyslexia. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.
By Timothy Reeves