Beyond the Score: Characteristi cs
of Dyslexia Dyslexia, WEAKNESSES :
Phonological Processing A Specific Learning Disability Word Decoding An Essential Component of a Full and Individual Evaluation Word Recognition
Fluency
Spelling
Reading Comprehensio n Carla M. Proctor, Ph.D.
Written Expression Approved for 1 Contact Hour CEU Credit by
STRENGTHS: Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA)
General Intelligence
Oral Language
Mathematics
Agenda
- Welcome/Introductions - Federal and State Mandates - Definition of Dyslexia as a Specific Learning Disability - Definition Based Evaluation & Identification of Dyslexia - Neurological Basis of Reading Acquisition - Characteristic Areas to Assess - Determination of Disability - Tools for Dyslexia - Assessment Service Bulletin 6: Use of the Woodcock-Johnson IV for the Assessment of Dyslexia - General Dyslexia Profile - Dyslexia Report Writing Template - Consideration of Special Populations - Bilingual Evaluations - Gifted, Twice Exceptional Evaluations - TEA Program Requirements for Dyslexia - Recommendations Purpose & Rationale
Reading is the fundamental skill upon which all formal education depends. Research now shows that a child who doesn’t learn the reading basics early is unlikely to learn them at all. Any child who doesn’t learn to read early and well will not easily master other skills and knowledge and is unlikely to ever flourish in school or life. Moats, 1999 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018 Purpose & Rationale
- Federal Register for Rules & Regulations (2006) - Patterns of Strengths & Weaknesses - Reauthorization of IDEA (2004) - “Ensure that educators and parents have the necessary tools to improve education results for children with disabilities” - State Regulations - TEA Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders (2018) - Screening K-2 - Identification - Program - Recommendations 34 Code of Federal Regulations §300.8 (c) (10) IDEA 2004 §1401(30)
In IDEA 2004, §1401 (30), dyslexia is considered one of a variety of etiological foundations for “specific learning disability.” Section 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10) states the following:
Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services U.S. Department of Education
In implementing the IDEA requirements, OSERS encourages SEAs (State Education Agencies) and LEAs (Local Education Agencies) to consider situations where it would be appropriate to use the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia to describe and address the child’s unique, identified needs through evaluation, eligibility, and IEP documents.
OSERS further encourages States to review their policies, procedures, and practices to ensure that they do not prohibit the use of the terms dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia in evaluations, eligibility, and IEP documents.
Finally, in ensuring the provision of free appropriate public education, OSERS encourages SEAs to remind their LEAs of the importance of addressing the unique educational needs of children with specific learning disabilities resulting from dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia during IEP Team meetings and other meetings with parents under IDEA.
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 2015
Texas Education Code §38.003
- Students enrolling in public schools in this state shall be tested for dyslexia and related disorders at appropriate times in accordance with a program approved by the State Board of Education.
- In accordance with the program approved by the State Board of Education, the board of trustees of each school district shall provide for the treatment of any student determined to have dyslexia or a related disorder.
- The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules and standards necessary to administer this section.
TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
State Board of Education Adopted Rules and Standards
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2018-Dyslexia-Handbook_Approved_Accomodated_12_11_2018.pdf Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Let’s take a look at current Definitions of Dyslexia.
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek words “dys,” meaning “impaired”, and “lexia,” meaning “word.” Dyslexia is a cognitive disorder of neurological origin that is manifested in deficiencies in decoding (the ability to read single words) and encoding (the ability to spell words in print).
Mather & Wendling, 2012
Texas Education Code §38.003
- Texas Education Code §38.003: - Dyslexia means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity.
- Related disorders includes disorders similar to or related to dyslexia such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability.
TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/ or 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 the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. International Dyslexia Association Definition, 2002 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Let’s take a closer look a definition based assessment for Dyslexia!
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Dyslexia means a disorder of constitutional origin. Texas Education Code §38.003
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin.
International Dyslexia Association Definition, 2002 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What is the Neurological Basis of Dyslexia?
Neurological Basis of Reading/Dyslexia Neurological Pathways Make Connections for Reading
Neuro-Network System Natural Environment Enriched Environment Dendritic Growth Dendritic Growth
Sylwester, 1995 Neurological Basis of Reading/Dyslexia Language Processing: What Goes Wrong?
Phoneme Producer Word Analyzer Automatic Detector
Shaywitz, Sally, 1998 Neurological Basis of Reading/Dyslexia Neuro-systems for Reading Support Reading Acquisition
Phonological Stage Orthographic Stage
Automaticity in Word Access Stage
Milne, 2005 Neurological Basis of Reading/Dyslexia Rewiring the Brain for Reading
Language Processing: New Neurological Pathways: What Goes Wrong? Making the Connection Pre-intervention Post-intervention
Shaywitz, 1998 Shaywitz, 2003, 2020
1 2 3
1. Phoneme Producer 2. Word Analyzer 3. Automatic Detector One year after an effective intervention program, f-MRI research reveals the development of new neurological pathways for processing print language. Neurological Basis of Reading/Dyslexia Wiring the Brain for Reading Comprehension
White Matter Tracts Correlate with Reading Comprehension Learning Disabilities
Mild Disability
Moderate Disability
Severe Disability
Hillis, 2005 ; Poldrack, 2001; Wolf, 2007 Neurological Basis of Reading/Dyslexia Linking Cognitive Ability to Academic Learning
Student Participants: Avg - Average Achievement Achievement Within Normal Range: Reading Comprehension Reading Decoding Skills Mathematics
Low RC – Low Reading Comprehension Achievement Weakness: Reading Comprehension
Low Ach - Low Achievement Achievement Weaknesses: Reading Decoding Skills Reading Comprehension Mathematics
Floyd, Bergeron, & Alfonso, 2006 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
How can evaluators determine characteristics of Dyslexia as a Specific Learning Disability?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
https://www.hmhco.com/~/media/sites/home/hmh-assessments/clinical/woodcock-johnson/pdf/wjiv/wjiv_asb_6.pdf?la=en Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
WJ IV DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia WJ IV DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia GENERAL DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia GENERAL DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE REPORT WRITING TEMPLATE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Dyslexia is manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell. Texas Education Code §38.003
Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/ or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. International Dyslexia Association Definition (2002) TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook (2018)
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What are the Primary Characteristics of Dyslexia?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE OVERALL REPORT Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA REPORT WRITING TEMPLATE Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
International Dyslexia Association Definition, 2002 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What are the Secondary Characteristics of Dyslexia?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE OVERALL REPORT Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA REPORT WRITING TEMPLATE Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
These (primary and secondary reading and writing) difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language.
International Dyslexia Association Definition, 2002 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What are possible contributing factors of Dyslexia?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE OVERALL REPORT Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Considerations - If average phonological/phonemic awareness, consider the student’s history to determine if there is evidence of previous interventions with phonological/phonemic awareness. Prior effective instruction in phonological/phonemic awareness may remediate these skills in isolation. Thus, average phonological awareness scores alone do not rule out the existence of dyslexia. Ongoing phonological awareness deficits can also be exhibited in word reading and/or spelling.
- A weakness in orthographic awareness can be a significant contributing factor to dyslexia. Orthographic awareness is often assessed through tests of irregular word reading and spelling. Students with a weakness in orthographic awareness are more successful in reading and spelling phonically regular words than irregular words and tend to spell irregular words the way they sound, rather than the way they look.
- Consider that as a person grows older, limited reading affects the development of vocabulary and knowledge. Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA REPORT WRITING TEMPLATE Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Difficulty in learning (occurs) despite adequate intelligence. Texas Education Code §38.003
These difficulties are often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities.
International Dyslexia Association Definition, 2002 Texas Education Agency, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What is the unexpectedness in the ability to learn independent of reading?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE OVERALL REPORT Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA REPORT WRITING TEMPLATE Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Difficulty in learning (occurs) despite conventional instruction and sociocultural opportunity. Texas Education Code §38.003
If the student exhibits weakness in reading, examine the student’s data to determine whether these difficulties are unexpected in relation to the student’s other abilities, sociocultural factors, language differences, irregular attendance, or lack of appropriate and effective instruction. TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
These difficulties are often unexpected in relation to the provision of effective classroom instruction.
International Dyslexia Association Definition, 2002 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Based on the data, what is the determination for Committee Consideration?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA PROFILE OVERALL REPORT Determination of Disability Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
DYSLEXIA REPORT WRITING TEMPLATE Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Special Populations What considerations are needed?
Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Considerations: Special Populations English Language Learners
- Dyslexia occurs across all languages; however, it affects students differently depending on the characteristics of their language. - The nature of the writing system of a language, its orthography, impacts the reading process. Thus, the most salient characteristics of dyslexia may differ with the language. - Shallow or transparent written languages, such as Finnish, Spanish, or German, have more predictable sound (phoneme)/letter (grapheme) correspondences; consequently, mastery of phoneme- grapheme correspondences is more easily developed in these languages. - Slow reading rate is more characteristic of dyslexia than is poor phonological processing Alvarado & Bilingual Special Education Network of Texas, 2011 Mather & Wendling, 2012 TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Texas Education Agency, 2018 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Considerations: Special Populations Gifted with Dyslexia 2E
- Superior oral vocabulary - Advanced ideas and opinions - High levels of creativity and problem-solving ability - Extremely curious, imaginative, and questioning - Discrepant verbal and performance skills - Clear peaks and valleys in cognitive test profile - Wide range of interests not related to school - Specific talent or consuming interest area - Sophisticated sense of humor IDA Understanding Dyslexia Fact Sheet, 2013 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Considerations: Special Populations Gifted with Dyslexia 2E
- Twice-exceptional learners, are often not diagnosed appropriately. - They may excel in some subject areas, including reading comprehension. - Strengths in oral language, knowledge, and reasoning enable them to compensate for weak decoding and encoding (spelling) skills. - They may skip or misread many words when reading but still understand the gist of the material. - Their difficulties in decoding may be attributed to carelessness, inattention, or limited motivation; therefore, their dyslexia is often not identified Mather & Wendling, 2012; Uhry & Clark, 2005 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
Considerations: Special Populations Gifted with Dyslexia 2E
- When evaluating gifted students for dyslexia, one needs to consider: - Consider carefully the extent to which discrepancies between the student’s strengths and weaknesses cause frustration and interfere with the full development of the student’s abilities. - Rather than relying on below average scores on standardized tests, school evaluators can document relative weaknesses that are unexpected in comparison to the student’s strengths. - Scores in basic reading skills in the average range with significant impairment. - Likely if the student has received systematic, explicit reading interventions in the past. - A student who has had effective intervention, may have average scores in reading, but still demonstrate a significant weakness in spelling.
Silverman, 2009 & 2013 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What program requirements are needed for students with Dyslexia?
Dyslexia Program Requirements
Components of Instruction
- Phonological Awareness - Sound-symbol association - Syllabication - Orthography - Morphology - Syntax - Reading comprehension - Reading fluency
TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
Dyslexia Program Requirements
Instructional Approaches
- Simultaneous, multisensory; VAKT (visual, auditory, kinesthetic-tactile) - Systematic and cumulative - Explicit instruction - Diagnostic teaching to automaticity - Synthetic instruction - Analytic instruction
TEA, The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018 Definition Based Assessment for Dyslexia
What recommendations can be made?
Recommendations
Technology
- The Technology Integration for Students with Dyslexia online tool (TEC §38.0031) - A resource developed to support school districts and charter schools in making instructional decisions regarding technology that benefit students with dyslexia. - https://www.region10.org/programs/dyslexia/techplan Recommendations
GENERAL CLASSROOM RECOMMENDATIONS
- Provide extended time or allow untimed circumstances for completion of assignments and tests. - Provide voice to text assistance including audiobooks - Bookshare is free for all public, charter, and private school students with qualifying disabilities (TEA purchased Membership) https://www.bookshare.org/cms/state/texas - Learning Ally http://www.learningally.org - Public Library Recommendations
GENERAL CLASSROOM RECOMMENDATIONS - Provide an opportunity for the student to verbalize her/his thoughts aloud to herself/himself to develop her/his thoughts for reading comprehension. - Provide writing assistance including support for spelling and grammar check for written work. - Allow the student to use a personal word processor for composition writing. - Don’t penalize for spelling errors in context. - Use graphic organizers to reinforce associations between concepts and plan writing activities. - Provide an opportunity for the student to ask clarification questions in the course of learning. - Provide concise wording, frequent repetition, and visual supports during learning. Recommendations
Proctor & Albright, 2010 Proctor & Albright, 2010 Recommendations
Proctor & Albright, 2010 Recommendations
SUGGESTED READING
- Assessment Service Bulletin Number 6 Use of the Woodcock-Johnson IV for the Assessment of Dyslexia https://www.hmhco.com/~/media/sites/home/hmh-assessments/clinical/woodcock- johnson/pdf/wjiv/wjiv_asb_6.pdf?la=en - Gifted and Dyslexic: Identifying and Instructing the Twice Exceptional Student Fact Sheet by the International Dyslexia Association (2013) https://app.box.com/s/7b1pme4nshtqe2uh1cll9mv9bmbf4pxz - The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders 2018 Update by Texas Education Agency https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2018-Dyslexia- Handbook_Approved_Accomodated_12_11_2018.pdf - The Technology Integration for Students with Dyslexia online tool (TEC §38.0031) https://www.region10.org/programs/dyslexia/techplan - Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz, M.D. (2003, Update 2020) - Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia
References Alvarado, C. G. & Bilingual Special Education Network of Texas. (2011). Best practices in special education evaluation of students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Retrieved on 7/9/2015 from http://www.educationeval.com/articles. 34 Code of Federal Regulations (2018) Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8/c/10 Floyd, R.G., Bergeron, R. & Alfobso, V.C. Cattell–Horn–Carroll cognitive ability profiles of poor comprehenders. Read Writ 19, 427–456 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-006-9002-5 Hall, S., & Moats, L. C. (1999). How does a child learn to read? Straight talk about reading. Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books. Hillis, A.E., (2005). Brain/language relationships identified with diffusion and perfusion MRI. In Ulmer, J. L., Parsons, L., Moseley, M., and Gabrieli, J. (Eds.) White matter in cognitive neuroscience: Advances in diffusion tensor imaging and its applications (pp. 149-161). New York, NY: The New York Academy of Sciences. Milne, D (2005). Teaching the Brain to Read. England: S.K. Publishing, Smart Kids pp. 34-36 Morton, J. B., Bosma, R., & Ansari, D. (2009). Age-related changes in brain activation associated with dimensional shifts of attention: An fMRI study. NeuroImage, 46, 249-256. Proctor, C. M., & Albright, G. (2010), Linking CHC to Intervention Tool. Proctor, C. M., Mather, N., & Stephens, T. L. (2015). Use of the Woodcock-Johnson IV for the Assessment of Dyslexia. (Woodcock-Johnson IV Assessment Service Bulletin Number 6). Itasca, IL: HMH. Proctor, C. M., Stephens, T., Mather, N., & Jaffe, L. (2016). WJ IV Dyslexia profile of scores. In N. Mather & L. Jaffe, Woodcock-Johnson IV: Recommendations, reports, and strategies (p. 64). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Proctor, C, Mather, M., Stephens-Pisecco, T. and Jaffe, L. E. (2016). General Dyslexia Profile. Shaywitz, Sally E. et al. (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95, 2636-2641 Shaywitz, Sally E. (2003, 2020). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. Silverman, L. K. (2009). The two-edge sword of compensation: How the gifted cope with learning disabilities. Gifted Education International, 25, 115-130. Silverman, L. K. (2013). The psych 101 series: Giftedness 101. New York, NY: Springer. Sylwester, Robert, (1995). A Celebration of Neurons: An Educator's Guide to the Human Brain Danvers, MA: .Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ISBN: ISBN-0-87120-243-3 Texas Education Agency. (2018). The dyslexia handbook: Procedures concerning dyslexia and related disorders. Austin, TX: Texas Education Agency. Texas Education Code §38.003. (1995). Retrieved from https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._educ._code_section_38.003 The International Dyslexia Association’s Gifted and Dyslexic: Identifying and Instructing the Twice Exceptional Student Fact Sheet (2013). Retrieved from https://app.box.com/s/7b1pme4nshtqe2uh1cll9mv9bmbf4pxz Uhry, J. K., & Clark, D. B. (2005). Dyslexia: Theory & practice of instruction (3rd ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED. 20 United States Code §1401(30) (2011). Retrieved from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title20/html/USCODE-2011-title20-chap33-subchapI.htm U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Dear Colleague Letter regarding guidance on Dyslexia (October 23, 2015). Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/idea/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/guidance-on-dyslexia-10-2015.pdf Wolf, M. (2007). Proust and the squid: The story and science of the reading brain. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. Thank you!
Carla M. Proctor, Ph.D., NCED, RPED, LDT, CALT
Approved for 1 Contact Hour CEU Credit by Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA)