Myths about Dyslexia

Defining Dyslexia

DSM-IV defines it as a reading disorder
Rose Report (2009) - characteristics such as disorganisation, mental calculation etc are not themselves markers of dyslexia
Good comprehension, poor decoding
Discrepency definitions have issues - Children with a low IQ can't have dyslexia? Children who had poor literary teaching can't have dyselxia? Children from a lowere socioeconomic background less likely to have it? It has biological foundations so how would this impact these factors?
There are no good definitions, diagnosing it doesn't guide intervention, doesn't allow for causal explanation

1 of 4

Ronald Davis claims it is a gift as it creates superiority in other aspects of life e.g. creativity, intuition,
Malcolm Gladwell - desirable difficulty, suggests there is a link between entrepeneurs and dyslexia, they have difficult personalities making them better at business, no clear evidence for this
Shaywitz (2013) - sea of strengths model

2 of 4

The DORE programme - focuses on the cerberal deficit hypothesis, physical exercise can cure dyselxia?
Coloured lenses
Fatty acids
Phonics - have actually been found to work, they develop phonological awareness and train relationship between letters and sounds, motivated by phonological deficit hypothesis

3 of 4

Snowling et al (1980) - people with dyslexia have difficulty reading nonwords
Reynolds (2013) - found support for the DORE programme
Dorothy Bishop (2007) - heavily criticised the DORE programme and said it was not a cure
Alban, Adi and Hyde (2008) - coloured lenses are not a cure for dyslexia

4 of 4