Definition:

The term "Dyslexia" is used to cover a wide range of learning problems. It refers to a specific difficulty in learning, either inborn or acquired, in reading, spelling and written language. This may also be accompanied by difficulty in number work. It is a neurological condition in which the child has tremendous difficulty acquiring language skills, even though she may be intellectually bright, with oral skills so good that she is able to bluff her way through the early classes.

• Research shows that dyslexia is unrelated to home environment, intellect or social class. Dyslexics usually follow the normal distribution curve of IQ pattern, and several dyslexics have average to above average IQ.
• Birth traumas such as oxygen deprivation, head injuries and certain medications such as those for seizures are also one of the factors.

• Recent research also indicates that the brains of dyslexics differ structurally from brains of others. Their information processing system also differs in a distinctive manner.

• There is also some evidence to suggest that dyslexia is largely inherited.

• Adequate and sometimes above average ability to understand and comprehend.
• Poor development of written language skills
• Lack of ability to differentiate between letters of similar shape, such as 'b' and 'd', 'p' and 'q'. Mirror image reversal of these letters.
• Lack of strong preference for either right-handedness or left-handedness.
• Tendency to transpose word images: to read 'saw' as 'was', 'on' as 'no', etc.
• Serious inability to spell and learn things in sequence, such as months of the year.
• Difficulty in spelling, reading and writing. Some children have difficulty in spatial orientation too.
• Difficulty in copying notes and answering examination questions.

1. In the first year the child may be a bit slow in acquiring the alphabet and some aspects of sight vocabulary.
2. By about 7 years of age, the child may begin to have difficulty in reading and spelling and may therefore become demotivated.
3. As the child grows older and is not given appropriate help in reading, writing and spelling, these will further lag behind the chronological age.
4. The child, faced with his own failure, will show a low self esteem.
5. Another feature therefore, is a secondary anxiety problem which manifests itself in many ways. The child may be withdrawn, anxious, aggressive or 'playful '.

There is a grave danger of classifying a slow learner as dyslexic. A child can be considered a dyslexic, if:

• her intelligence is high but her academic achievements are low and
• she demonstrates a few of the recognised dyslexic symptoms including:

1. a disparity between her actual reading ability and listening comprehension ability
2. sequencing and visual memory deficit and
3. problems in spelling.

• Dyslexics learn best in highly structured environment.

• They have a poor visual memory for words and must go back to basic phonics and phonetic techniques in a multi-sensory teaching approach.

• The magic formula is: drill, practice and repetition

There is no medicine or drug that can cure dyslexia, only remedial teaching can.

Assessment of children with learning problems provides the basis for remediation. Assessment information is of two types:

1. General information: This includes case history material, general abilities of the child, observational data, etc. It gives an overall picture of the child and suggests a beginning point for remediation.
2. Specific information: This gives results of direct measurement of the students performance in language, arithmetic and other areas that provides the basis for further instruction.

Assessment of general abilities: This is done to determine whether the child functions at a lower or higher level of intelligence for her age. This cannot be done only on the basis of academic records. A child may be intelligent but due to lack of motivation or other factors perform poorly in academics. Some of the other ways of judging the child's general abilities are as follows:

• Observing the child's general capacity in areas other than academics compared to other children her age, such as, comprehension, ability to go out and buy things, counting, understanding TV programmes, etc.
• Observing the child when she plays with other children of her age group.

NOTE: A child who is poor in general abilities will be dull in all areas. In case of doubt refer the child to a psychologist for assessment of her intellectual abilities. Once the background data and information about the general abilities is available, assessment can be focussed on specific areas.

Specific assessment:

These tests are done at two levels:

Level 1 for children in the age group of 5-7 years.

Level 2 for children in the age group of 8-12 yea

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