FAQ's About Dyslexia

1. What are dyslexia and specific language learning difficulties?
Dyslexia is a neurological problem of genetic origin which makes the acquisition of language skills extremely difficult. The term is Greek in origin and literally means "difficulty with language". The condition is sometimes referred to as word blindness, word deafness, specific language based disability, developmental dyslexia and mirror reading.

A commonly accepted description of this condition is the failure to learn to read, write, spell or compute with normal proficiency despite conventional instruction, a culturally adequate home, proper motivation, intact senses, normal intelligence and freedom from gross neurological defect. Another common historical description is that dyslexia is the failure to learn to read and write as well as one can think. Dyslexics often have average to well above average intelligence with high verbal language skills and may show special talents in areas that require visual, spatial and motor integration.

Dyslexia is not a disease (it has no cure) but a specific language difficulty characterized by problems in expressive or receptive, oral or written language. It is usually recognized when a child is of school age and having trouble learning to read, write and spell. Frequently, because the student is bright, but working below the level of his apparent potential, it is not diagnosed until he or she is approaching middle school or high school. All too often it is unrecognized by teachers and parents, and is consequently not addressed.

2. Who was the first to identify dyslexia?
Dyslexia was first recognized by a British ophthalmologist named James Hinshelwood, over one hundred years ago. In the 1920's, the work of Dr. Samuel T. Orton, a neurologist, brought dyslexia to the attention of American educators and doctors. In 1926, Mr. Peter Gow, Jr. an acquaintance of Dr. Orton, decided to create a college preparatory school outside of Buffalo, New York specifically geared to the needs of bright dyslexic young men. He worked closely with Dr. Orton as the school program developed.

3. Is dyslexia related to the irregularity of the English Language?
The difficulty has been recognized in many different languages. However, English does create particular difficulties for dyslexic students because its spelling, grammar and vocabulary are irregular and complex.

4. Why is this condition so difficult?
Unlike most other neurological problems, the difficulty in learning to read, write, spell, or compute is the focus of one's success in school. Students are judged to be good or poor students based upon their ability to deal primarily with written language. Those who experience difficulty are often labeled by teachers and their peers as lazy, unmotivated, or lacking intelligence.

5. How common is dyslexia and other similar language based learning difficulties?
In America, it is estimated that 10% of all males and females entering school each year are dyslexic. In 1990, the United States Department of Education reported that 1,200,000 American school children had dyslexia. None of the statistics included youngsters whose dyslexia had not been recognized or the large number of adults who experienced various language difficulties.

6. What are some characteristics that may accompany dyslexia and similar language based learning difficulties?

Lack of awareness of sounds in words (phoneme order, rhymes, or sequence of syllables)
Difficulty decoding words - single word identification
Difficulty encoding words - spelling
Poor sequencing of numbers or letters in words when read or written, e.g.: sing-sign; soiled-solid; 12-21
Problems with reading comprehension
Difficulty expressing thoughts in written form
Delayed spoken language
Imprecise or incomplete interpretation of language that is heard
Difficulty in expressing thoughts orally
Confusion about directions in space or time (right and left, up and down, early and late, yesterday and tomorrow, months and days)
Confusion about right or left handedness
Difficulty with handwriting
Difficulty in mathematics - often related to sequencing of steps or directionality or to the language of mathematics
Similar problems among relatives

7. Does dyslexia and other similar language based learning difficulties run in families?
Most experts agree that dyslexia is probably genetically based. Many dyslexics have relatives who have had similar difficulties.

8. Are there more dyslexics now than in the past?
No. Because of the high premium we place on formal education, as well as an increased awareness of specific types of language difficulties, more dyslexics are being diagnosed than before.

9. How do you teach a dyslexic student?
Intensive language remediation is based on retraining the younger person, stressing the sounds of individual letters and combinations of letters. The teaching of phonemic awareness must be done gradually and involves a great deal of oral instruction, reading and writing, as well as repeated repetition and drill. Using a multisensory method, the process is a slow one, requiring tremendous patience on the part of both student and teacher. The older the student, the longer it generally takes.

10. Do dyslexics ever learn to read really well?
Yes. Properly trained, many dyslexics not only learn to read accurately and to enjoy it.

11. How long does it take before results can be seen?
This varies from student to student and depends both on the program of remediation chosen, the intensity of the program throughout the curriculum, and the motivation of the student. With most students, significant progress can be observed after one or two years. With some, it may take longer.

12. What kind of future is there for a dyslexic student?
An excellent one. With early and appropriate remediation, college and graduate school can be a reality. Many colleges have superb support programs for those with dyslexia.

13. Is it true that many famous people were dyslexic?
Yes, many identified dyslexics have made great differences in history. General George Patton Jr., Thomas Edison, Hans Christian Andersen, Winston Churchill, Leonardo da Vinci and Nelson Rockefeller are said to have had dyslexia. Among contemporary figures, Olympic champion Bruce Jenner, comedian Whoopi Goldberg, singer Cher and actor Tom Cruise are well-known dyslexics.

14. Are there medical or psychological tests to determine dyslexia?
Although there are no universally agreed upon criteria which would enable a physician or a psychologist to diagnose a child as dyslexic, there are valid and recognized tests which can eliminate many of the other possible causes of language learning problems. Thus only through a process of elimination can we pinpoint dyslexia as a primary factor. Essentially one looks for a bright young person whose language skills are well behind where they should be. Many educational psychologists avoid the label dyslexia, preferring instead, "language based learning disability" or "language based learning difference".

15. If dyslexia is suspected, what course of action should be taken?
The first step is to consult an educational psychologist who can administer the appropriate psycho-educational battery and intelligence tests to determine the nature and extent of the young person's difficulties. In some cases a pediatrician or neurologist may need to ascertain if any problems relative to hearing or vision exist.

16. What educational options are there for a dyslexic child?
Some public and independent schools have special reading programs for young people who require extra help. Some with dyslexia may benefit from additional tutoring two or three times a week with a reading specialist. For the young person who has reached the seventh grade level and still requires remediation, a residential school which offers a highly intensive retraining program will produce the best and most immediate results. The Gow School is the nation's oldest college preparatory school for dyslexic young men.

17. What makes The Gow School successful?
In addition to the intensive language remediation, the essence of The Gow School experience includes:

a devoted group of skilled, specially trained teachers focused exclusively on the needs of dyslexic students;
low student to faculty ratio (4:1);
expansion and consistency of the language remediation program throughout the curriculum leading to six hours of language and mathematics work each day;
coherence of the curriculum both throughout each discipline and across each grade level;
highly structured day with required study halls;
daily opportunity to meet with any teacher on a one-to-one basis during tutorial period;
opportunity to know one's teachers in a variety of roles (as teacher, study hall supervisor, head of the dining table, athletic coach, dormitory master and/or advisor);
supportive family oriented community;
opportunity to achieve success and/or to become a leader in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities;
six day class week;
two hour and fifteen minute evening study hall (six evenings per week) under careful supervision;
constant emotional support of living in a community of others with dyslexia;
pride exhibited by teachers and students in the appearance of the school (maintained in part by daily house jobs);
high standards including jacket and tie;
active leadership by the school council;
example of success set by 100% of seniors accepted to colleges; and
examples set by Gow graduates who return to campus to share stories of their educational and professional accomplishments.