myths vs. scientific evidence about dyslexia
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Myths vs. Scientific Evidence about DyslexiaDr. Joanna Christodoulou MGH Institute of Health Professions [email protected]. Tyler Perrachione Boston University [email protected]. John Gabrieli Massachusetts Institute of Technology [email protected]
MythMyth Scientific EvidenceScientific Evidence
Dyslexia describes students who are lazy, unmotivated, or not willing to try hard enough.
Dyslexia is a neurobiologically-based disorder defined as difficulty with reading words, accurately or fluently, despite average or higher IQ. Brain differences are documented at all ages, and even before children start school. Laziness and related reasons do not explain these students' reading difficulties.
Dyslexia impacts only readingability.
Dyslexia can impact many areas, including math, spelling, writing, and reading comprehension; it can also limit exposure to print.
Dyslexia is outgrown after childhood.
Dyslexia is a chronic difficulty that impacts readers within and outside of school, from childhood into adulthood.
Dyslexia is more common in boys than girls.
Boys can be referred at a higher rate due to behavior, but the prevalence of dyslexia is similar in males and females.
Readers with dyslexia see letters backwards or words moving on a page.
Letter reversals are common in early elementary school years for all young readers. Only a minority of readers with dyslexia experience visual issues. The most common deficit underlying dyslexia is in processing the sounds of language, which makes sound-letter mapping a major challenge when reading.
Reading in children with dyslexia cannot be improved or fixed.
Effective interventions for dyslexia exist, and brain imaging shows how the brain changes (plasticity) in response to such intervention. The effectiveness of interventions can be impeded by delays in identification, limited access to appropriate instruction and resources, and limited teacher training.
Dyslexia cannot be identified until late elementary school.
Many risk factors can be identified before school begins and in early elementary school to identify children.