Understanding Dyslexia: What Every Parent Should Know

As we enter Dyslexia Awareness Month, thousands of families across New Zealand are seeking answers about their child's reading struggles. If you're wondering whether your child might have dyslexia, you're not alone - and there's reason for hope.

What Is Dyslexia?

According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is "a learning disability that is neurological in origin, characterised by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities." Put simply, dyslexia affects how the brain processes written language, making reading and spelling more challenging despite normal intelligence and adequate instruction.

Dyslexia is not a vision problem, lack of intelligence, or result of poor teaching. It's a specific neurological difference that affects approximately 10-20% of the population, making it the most common learning difference. Children with dyslexia often have strong oral language skills and may excel in creative thinking, problem-solving, and big-picture reasoning, but struggle specifically with written language tasks.

Evidence-Based Facts About Dyslexia

Research has provided clear insights into the nature of dyslexia. First, dyslexia is hereditary and runs in families. Studies show that children have a 40-60% chance of developing dyslexia if one parent is affected (Pennington & Olson, 2005). This genetic component means that family history is an important early indicator.

Dyslexia stems from difficulties in phonological processing - the ability to recognise and manipulate sounds in spoken language. Brain imaging studies reveal that people with dyslexia show different patterns of brain activation when reading, particularly in areas responsible for connecting sounds to letters (Shaywitz et al., 2002). This neurological difference is present from birth and explains why children with dyslexia find it challenging to learn the alphabetic principle that underlies reading and spelling.

Importantly, dyslexia can be identified much earlier than many people believe. Contrary to outdated practices that required children to "fail" before receiving help, research shows that warning signs can be detected as early as preschool (Catts et al., 2015). Early identification leads to more effective intervention outcomes.

The most encouraging evidence-based fact is that dyslexia responds well to appropriate intervention. When children receive systematic, explicit instruction using structured literacy approaches, significant improvements in reading ability are possible. The key is providing the right type of instruction early and intensively enough to make a difference (Torgesen, 2004).

Signs to Watch For

Parents should be aware of indicating signs at different ages. In preschool children (ages 3-5), look for difficulty learning nursery rhymes, trouble with rhyming games, challenges remembering letter names, and a family history of reading difficulties. These early signs indicate potential phonological processing weaknesses.

In early primary school (ages 5-7), indicating signs become more apparent. Children may show slow progress learning letter-sound relationships, difficulty blending sounds to make words, and trouble remembering sight words despite repeated practice. They might confuse similar-looking letters like 'b' and 'd' or struggle to read simple words they knew yesterday.

As children progress through primary school (ages 8-11), dyslexia signs include slow, laboured reading with frequent errors, excellent listening comprehension but poor reading comprehension, and strong emotional reactions to reading tasks. These children often avoid reading activities and may show signs of fatigue or frustration after reading tasks.

One key indicator across all ages is the gap between a child's obvious intelligence and verbal abilities compared to their reading and spelling performance. Children with dyslexia often demonstrate sophisticated thinking and vocabulary in conversation but struggle significantly when asked to read or write at the same level.

How Structured Literacy Supports Children with Dyslexia

Structured literacy is the evidence-based approach specifically designed to help children with dyslexia learn to read. Unlike balanced literacy or whole language approaches, structured literacy teaches reading skills in a systematic, explicit, and sequential manner. This approach directly addresses the phonological processing difficulties that characterise dyslexia.

The key components of structured literacy include systematic phonics instruction, explicit teaching of sound-symbol relationships, and multisensory learning techniques. Children learn to break down words into individual sounds, understand how sounds connect to letters, and practise blending these elements together. This systematic approach provides the clear, logical progression that children with dyslexia need to develop reading skills.

Research consistently demonstrates that structured literacy approaches produce significant improvements for children with dyslexia. The National Reading Panel (2000) found that systematic phonics instruction significantly improves reading achievement, particularly for struggling readers. When implemented early and intensively, structured literacy can help children with dyslexia achieve reading levels comparable to their peers.

Structured literacy also builds the automaticity that children with dyslexia need for fluent reading. Through repeated practice with systematic instruction, children develop the rapid word recognition skills that allow them to focus on comprehension rather than decoding individual words.

How Study Nook Can Support Your Child

At Study Nook, we specialise in evidence-based literacy intervention using structured literacy approaches specifically designed for children with dyslexia and related learning differences. Our programmes are built on the research principles that show the strongest outcomes for struggling readers.

We begin with comprehensive diagnostic assessment to identify your child's specific strengths and areas of need. This detailed evaluation examines phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, reading accuracy and fluency, spelling patterns, and writing abilities. Understanding your child's unique profile allows us to design targeted intervention that maximises progress.

Our intervention programmes follow the structured literacy approach with systematic, sequential instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. We use multisensory techniques that engage visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning pathways simultaneously. This approach is particularly effective for children with dyslexia who benefit from explicit, structured instruction.

Each session is individualised to your child's needs and progress. We provide regular progress monitoring to ensure intervention remains targeted and effective. Our instructors are trained in evidence-based methods and understand the specific challenges faced by children with dyslexia.

We also support families by providing clear explanations of your child's learning profile, practical strategies for home support, and collaboration with school teams to ensure consistent approaches across settings. Our goal is not just to improve reading skills but to build confidence and help children develop a positive relationship with literacy learning.

If you suspect your child may have dyslexia, don't wait. Early identification and intervention provide the best outcomes. The research is clear: with appropriate structured literacy instruction, children with dyslexia can become successful, confident readers. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your child's literacy journey.

References

Catts, H. W., Nielsen, D. C., Bridges, M. S., Liu, Y. S., & Bontempo, D. E. (2015). Early identification of reading disabilities within an RTI framework. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(3), 281-297.

National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Pennington, B. F., & Olson, R. K. (2005). Genetics of dyslexia. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 453-472). Blackwell Publishing.

Shaywitz, S. E., Shaywitz, B. A., Pugh, K. R., Fulbright, R. K., Constable, R. T., Mencl, W. E., ... & Gore, J. C. (2002). Disruption of posterior brain systems for reading in children with developmental dyslexia. Biological Psychiatry, 52(2), 101-110.

Torgesen, J. K. (2004). Lessons learned from research on interventions for students who have difficulty learning to read. In P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds.), The voice of evidence in reading research (pp. 355-382). Paul H. Brookes Publishing.