[Note: in 2023, The Student Disabilities Services department at TCU is now called Student Access & Accommodations]
According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia affects between 15 and 20 percent of Americans. Dyslexia is a specific reading disorder that does not reflect low intelligence. Dyslexia, a hidden disability, often results in underemployment and/or unemployment, difficulty navigating the demands of a career, challenges in academic environments, reduced self-confidence, and often increased anxiety and depression.
Due to federal reduction in spending for dyslexia, school districts are evaluating fewer students for the disorder. The result is that many students come to their university experience without having adequately addressed their problems with reading, spelling, and writing. In TCU’s Center for Academic Services, the Student Disabilities Services office staff often meets with students who have symptoms of undiagnosed dyslexia. The following are questions and answers to help faculty understand the population of TCU students with diagnosed and undiagnosed dyslexia.
A student tells me that s/he read the assignment but does not understand it. Why does this happen?
Comprehending an author’s intended meaning requires the coordination of several neuro-developmental functions including attention, memory, language, and higher order cognition. Reading is complex. Reading requires holding important information and concepts in active working memory, but when a student reads slowly they may not remember what they read previously. The dyslexic student may not be reading multi-syllable words correctly and may substitute words that begin the same but have a different meaning entirely.
What is the experience of a student with dyslexia in my classroom? Is reading slowly the main problem for university students with dyslexia?
Most students with dyslexia do read more slowly than their peers due to problems with phonological processing. However, a range of challenges may face university students with dyslexia, including short term memory problems, poor spelling, slower writing speed, difficulties managing self and time, and higher level comprehension challenges. Additionally, the social impact of dyslexia can be great, creating embarrassment and anxiety. Students may be especially nervous about being called on in class, keeping up with the reading load, and performing well on examinations. They may have difficulty remembering spoken directions and face particular challenges with taking notes.
Are students with dyslexia more or less industrious than other university students?
These students represent the typical university population regarding motivation. Some do not work hard enough, yet many report working significantly harder than their peers. Difficulties with fluently decoding text create the need to reread frequently and result in mental fatigue. Anxiety can become a problem, both when studying and when taking examinations. The need to effectively manage both self and time can be frustrating, and the student may have learned to be highly anxious during tests. Due to repeated failure during testing, a sense of “learned helplessness” may ensue and lead to behaviors that impede progress. Sustaining effort and attention may eventually become so difficult that the student with dyslexia loses motivation and appears to be less industrious. Slower writing speed may mean that a student writes less on an exam or submits papers of shorter length than expected or required or does not even submit the paper.
Since the Letter of Accommodations does not specify the nature of the student’s disability, what other indicators might help a professor know that a student may have dyslexia?
Poor spelling and grammar skills are frequent complaints of dyslexic students. The following accommodations may indicate that a student has dyslexia:
- Permission to use a dictionary or electronic spell-checker for in-class writing assignments
- Grading with less emphasis on spelling, unless spelling is the skill being assessed
- Provide the syllabus or reading lists as early as possible
- Recorded texts must be requested from sources in advance
- Permission to highlight or write on the exam
- Accept answers written on exam, or provide assistance marking the Scan-tron sheet
- Permission to use a color overlay sheet
- Permission to use a word processor on in-class writing assignments
- Permission to use a word processor on short answer and essay examinations
- Extended time on examinations requiring reading, writing, and/or mathematics calculations (time-and-a-half allowed other students)
What strategies can I employ in the University classroom to help students further develop their skills?
Students would benefit from a lesson outline and Power Point notes, as well as graphic organizers. You can present new and difficult material using sequential, step-by-step instruction. Case studies make content relevant, applicable, and may lead to opportunities for analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Balance presentations with activities. Multi sensory learning opportunities are of great benefit to the dyslexic learner.
I have a student who I suspect has dyslexia. What can s/he do to connect with TCU resources?
Student Access & Accommodations is located in The Harrison, Suite 1200 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. Students should call 817-257-6567 for an appointment with one of our staff members.
Editor note: The department name and contact information has been replaced above with the current information.
This article was written by Laurel Overby, Department of Student Disability Services, for the Fall 2014 Issue of Insights Magazine.