What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterised by persistent reading and spelling difficulties. It is neurological in nature and affects an individual’s phonological awareness. Phonological awareness is an early literacy skill that enables us to recognise the number of syllables in words and the relationship between letters and sounds (phonemes). It is a predictor of later reading and spelling success at school. Individuals with dyslexia often have good listening comprehension but poor spelling (encoding) and reading comprehension due to problems with single word reading (decoding).

The impacts of Dyslexia

According to the Australia Dyslexia Association, poor reading comprehension and reduced reading experience caused by dyslexia can indirectly impede an individual’s vocabulary development and growth of background knowledge. Dyslexia can also impact a person socially and emotionally. Individuals with dyslexia often experience low self-esteem due to their inability to perform well academically.

Research has shown that the synthetic phonics program, which teaches word reading (blending) and spelling (segmenting) in an explicit and systematic manner, is effective in building reading and spelling skills in individuals with dyslexia.

How we can help

At Olive Tree Therapy, we would love to help and support you if you or a family member struggle with dyslexia. Contact us today for more information!

Karina Lai