October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month, and Reading to New Heights is lifting the topic as it is an all-too-common struggle for adult learners. While our nonprofit does not diagnose individuals, we support all adult learners who are ready to read to new heights!
Here are five facts about Dyslexia according to The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity and the International Dyslexia Association.
1. Dyslexia is defined as an unexpected difficulty in learning to read. Dyslexia takes away an individual’s ability to read quickly and automatically and retrieve spoken words easily, but it does not dampen creativity and ingenuity.
2. Dyslexia is very common, affecting 20 percent of the population and 80– 90 percent of all those with learning disabilities. Scientific research shows differences in brain connectivity between dyslexic and typical reading children, providing a neurological basis for why reading fluently is a struggle for those with Dyslexia.
3. Dyslexia can’t be “cured” – it is lifelong. But with the proper support, dyslexic individuals can become highly successful students and adults.
4. Signs of Dyslexia in adults can be:
● A childhood history of reading and spelling difficulties
● While reading skills have developed over time, reading still requires significant effort and is done at a slow pace.
● Rarely reads for pleasure.
● Slow reading of most materials—books, manuals, subtitles in films
● Avoiding reading aloud
5. While there is no single test to determine Dyslexia, adults can take this self-assessment tool from the International Dyslexia Association to determine the likelihood of having Dyslexia.
If you or someone you know has Dyslexia, there is support through our program.
