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NEWS
AND DYSLEXIA
RESEARCH
NEWS
ITEMS
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News and Research
-
Latest Dyslexia News Headlines - updated daily from our news service.
- CiteSeer Research - academic
research search
-
Springboard for Children -
A ground-breaking project which has had extraordinary success in
helping hundreds of dyslexic children and others struggling to read and
write at primary school is poised for a major expansion across Britain.
Springboard for Children, an education charity which now has the
enthusiastic backing of the British Dyslexia Association, has achieved
a 90 per cent success rate in returning children with severe literacy
problems to mainstream classrooms. The revolutionary scheme is being
used in a dozen schools in Manchester and London, and the plan is now
to set the scheme up in ten other inner-city areas – bringing a
lifeline to around 10,000 children suffering from dyslexia and other
difficulties with reading and writing. The Springboard project relies
on intense one-on-one tuition for up to two years, during which a host of innovative techniques are employed to improve the child's skills. Details
- 21% of prison inmates are dyslexic
- A recent study of 357 UK prisoners by Dr John Rach of Dyslexia Action
found that 21% of them were dyslexia, and 38% of them sufered from some
form of disability. Details
Unraveling
Dyslexic Brains - Researchers
at the University of Washington in Seattle are making strides
understanding how dyslexic brains work. Developmental neuropsychologist
Virginia Berninger, Ph.D., and neurophysicist Todd Richards, Ph.D.,
lead a team of researchers whose studies have shown that the brains of
children with dyslexia work about five times harder than other
children's brains when performing the same language task. You think
you're tired at the end of a school day? Imagine if your brain had to
work five times harder!
Vouchers Don't Help Disabled Students
- About 77
percent of private schools taking tax dollars to educate disabled
students don't offer special classes for disabled children. A Palm
Beach Post examination of the 641 private schools taking McKay vouchers
in Florida found that 496 reported on a state Department of Education
form that they do not have classes "specifically designed to meet the
needs of children with exceptionalities." At The Foundation Academy in
Jacksonville, for example, about 70 of the school's 240 students use
McKay vouchers, mostly for learning disabilities. But the school's
teachers are not certified in Florida to teach special education --
they aren't Florida-certified to teach at all, although they do have
college degrees.
- Interim Report of the Bradford Youth Offending Team
- For some
12 months the British Dyslexia Association has been working closely
with Bradford Youth Offending Team to examine the issue of dyslexia
amongst offenders. Low levels of literacy are well documented amongst
offenders but we have found further evidence of a high incidence of
dyslexia. We have delivered training to the Youth Offending Team and
staff and developed interventions to support learning. The project is
now entering its mainstreaming and dissemination phase.
Controversial Therapy Lacks Research Basis
- A recent
statement from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) in response
to a "60 Minutes II" TV item on dyslexia (USA, Wednesday, October 22)
had heavily criticized the DDAT/Dore program of exercises for dyslexic
children:
The
method of treatment or intervention promoted by Mr. Dore (repetitive
physical activity, balancing exercises, etc.) is predicated on research
that has been questioned by many neuroscientists (Zeffiro, Eden, Ivry,
Justus, Snowling, Hulme, Singleton, and Stuart). Unfortunately, that
reality was not shared with the viewing audience. Several studies from
well-respected research institutions (Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, etc.)
indicate that the dyslexic brain functions differently than the
non-dyslexic brain. While there is growing acceptance that the
cerebellum may play a greater role than previously thought in
higher-level cognitive processes, there is surely no consensus in the
scientific community that an intervention for dyslexia may yet be
credibly based on cerebellar theories. It is IDA's position that
interventions such as Mr. Dore's are simply not supported by current
knowledge.
- Mother
queries dyslexic 'cure' - It has
been heralded as a miracle cure for dyslexic children. The Dyslexia,
Dyspraxia and Attention Deficit Disorder Treatment Centre (DDAT) claims 97% of kids see
significant improvement after completing its courses, which can cost up
to £1,500. The Midland company suggests that the condition can
be beaten by simple balancing exercises - like catching bean-bags,
walking downstairs backwards or standing on a wobble-board. But one
mum who splashed out nearly £1,000 for a year-long course for her child
says it was a waste of money. And now
academic experts are raising doubts about the effectiveness of the
controversial treatment. The multi-millionaire founder of DDAT,
business boss Wynford Dore, has rubbished the criticism and says he has
thousands of satisfied customers.
- Controversial
dyslexia treatment 'works' -
A
controversial, exercise-based treatment for dyslexia appears to deliver
significant improvements, a study by UK scientists has concluded. The
treatment regime involves physical exercises designed to improve
functioning of the cerebellum. It has
been taken up at Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Attention Treatment (DDAT)
Centres in the UK, US and Australia. (Nov 5th 02) New
Scientist story.
- NASA
methods 'cure' dyslexia - Dyslexia in young children can be eradicated
within the decade using physical exercises developed for astronauts by
the US space administration NASA, some British specialists believe.
However, any link between their exercises and dyslexia has been denied
by NASA .
The British Dyslexia Association issued a statement: ' In themselves
these exercises seem simple, and claims are being made that children
are making great progress. External researchers are investigating the
results and the early signs seem to be interesting. However, it remains
to be seen whether or not the improvements that are made actually
ensure that progress is both made and maintained in areas of literacy,
numeracy, memory and speed of processing. Over the course of years, a
longitudinal study will prove one way or the other the success of the
programme. If successful this type of provision could complement, but
not replace, established educational provision that is currently in use
in the classroom.'
Dyslexia Teacher's advice is to be cautious about quick-fix, expensive
solutions: a structured phonic-based program, along with one-on-one
tuition has always proved to produce the best results.
The UK Times Educational Supplement
reports: 'Academics are challenging heavily publicised claims of a new
“cure” for dyslexia that costs more than a thousand pounds. The
controversy has been fuelled by the revelation of an alleged financial
link between the professor researching the treatment and Wyndford Dore,
the millionaire businessman providing it . . . Professor Maggie
Snowling of York University said: “It is naïve to think that there is
one cause of cerebellar immaturity and one treatment for correcting it
would be effective for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder as the centre claims.”
Times Educational Supplement reports
One concerned parent contacted the World of
Dyslexia Discussion Board: "I have a son in the UK who is
undertaking exercises run by the DDAT clinic in Manchester. . . He has
been carrying out the exercises for a couple of months and there are
signs that it is causing him emotional imbalance and leading to greater
stress in terms of his organisational skills and timing issues. I know
this programme has delivered some positive results but I am concerned
that this current disruption is detrimental to his well being."
(Responses from other parenents are welcme - our e-mail address is at
the bottom of this page.)
D is for dyslexia and diagnostic tests (TES March
1st 2002)
DDAT Center, Kenilworth UK
Times Educational Supplement Front Page
Wake
Forest School of Medicine Develops Simple Test for Dyslexia -
Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine have come
up with a simple test that they think can identify dyslexics and help
them find the right treatment. "We're not clinicians here but we try to
sort of think outside the box," said Mark Wallace, an associate
professor of neurobiology and anatomy. The experiment is simple. People
sit down in front of a screen and a console with two keys. Two lights
flash in quick succession while a subtle sound is conveyed through
headphones. The subject pushes a button to indicate which light flashed
first. The lights are flashed so quickly that people only get the
correct answer 50 percent of the time when no sound is used. With the
sound, performance improves. (Nov 2003)
- Study Finds Gene Linked to Dyslexia -
The
first gene to be linked to the learning disorder dyslexia has been
identified. Researchers found the gene by studying a family in Finland
in which a father and his three children all had difficulty learning to
read and write. The discovery could lead to a better understanding of
the disability and ways to overcome it. The researchers said that
although people who inherited a particular mutation in the gene were at
increased risk of dyslexia, not everyone with the mutation would
develop the disorder. (Aug 2003)
- New
typeface to help dyslexics -
Dyslexics who have trouble reading words online and in print may soon
find relief in a new typeface being developed by a Dutch designer.
Unlike traditional typefaces, which re-use the same forms for multiple
letters - such as b and d, or p and q - the 'Read Regular' typeface
makes each letter significantly unique so that dyslexics can more
easily distinguish one character from another. (Oct 2003)
Fatty acid deficiency signs predict the
severity of reading and related problems in dyslexic children
- academic article by John Stein and others publishing research
evidence of the symptoms of fatty acid deficiency in dyslexic children,
which are usually counteracted by giving children fish oil tablets
daily.
- 'TIME' magazine article on
dyslexia (August 31st 2003) gives an excellent overview of
dyslexia symptoms and recent research.The
article points out that 'Boys and girls are equally likely to suffer
from dyslexia' (as also emerged from Direct Learning's recent research:
in a group of 100 randomly picked dyslexic children, there were 54 boys
and 46 girls. It seems that the boys are noticed more often by teachers
because of their behavior.)
-
Lexiphone
Therapy - Dr Isi Beller, a French psychiatrist, has developed
a new therapy for children with dyslexia. Children attend a center
where they listen to exaggerated words and sounds - like babytalk -
played through headphones while they play with Lego or draw. Attendance
for an hour twice a week is required for fifty weeks, and the therapy
is aimed at re-educating their brains' auditory pathways. Research has
shown improvement in most children who took the therapy, though I would
have thought that one on one tuition for the same period of time would
also have produced substantial improvement . . .
-
Dyslexic
children's brains operate more like those of normal readers
following training designed to help them hear sounds in words.
For the
first time, researchers have shown that the brains of dyslexic children
can be rewired -- after undergoing intensive
remediation training -- to function more like those found in normal
readers. The training program, which is designed to help dyslexics
understand rapidly changing sounds that are the building blocks of
language, helped the participants become better readers after just
eight weeks.
For the
first time, researchers have shown that the brains of dyslexic children
can be rewired -- after undergoing intensive remediation training -- to
function more like those found in normal
readers.
The
training program, which is designed to help dyslexics understand rapidly
changing sounds that are the building blocks of language,
helped the participants become better readers after just eight weeks.
- Early speech difficulties may predict
dyslexia - Based at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark,
Professor Carsten Elbro has run an eight-year project following
dyslexic children through their schooling. Whilst many of the findings
supported other research, his group also discovered that young dyslexic
children are not so good at pronouncing multi-syllabic words as their
peers. In a game with puppets who could not quite get the word out,
4/6-year olds were encouraged to 'help' the puppet by saying the
correct word. An example was the word 'crocodile': the puppet could
only say "co-di", and the children called out the correct
pronuniciation. It seems that the children who later turned out to have
literacy difficulties were less good at saying 'crocodile' clearly.
Carsten Enbro.
- Fashionable
'cures' for dyslexia - York
University (UK) dyslexia expert Professor Maggie Snowling advised
caution regarding some of the much-publicized 'cures' for dyslexia,
speaking at the Dyslexia Institute's London conference on November
23rd. She commented that taking fish oil impacted more on attention and
behavior issues which only affect some dyslexic children. In any case,
the 480 mg per day dose that has been used in experiments is equivalent
to 8 capsules per day - a challenge for anyone not a dedicated
hypochondriac! I guess it would help keep them afloat during swimming
lessons! She went on to point out that tinted lenses prevent headaches
in some dyslexic children who experience a glare from text on a white
page, but do not offer a cure for difficulties with literacy.
Similarly, the much-publicized balance exercises seem to improve
reading speed but not necessarily reading accuracy. As far as I can
see, the only effective treatment for dyslexia in children is a
structured phonic program in a one-on-one situation, backed up by
confidence-building. (John Bradford) Maggie Snowling.
Parents
form dyslexic kids support group -
Mary Russon of Lindon, Utah, is heading a group of frustrated parents
of dyslexic children. Three parents were designated to voice their
concerns before the board. The parents come from all over the Alpine
School District and met on Sept.16 to discuss what they could do to
consolidate information, support one another and organize themselves to
work together to initiate change in the schools. Russon had spent the
past six years seeking help for her daughter Kim, who is now 12. She
met with Kim's teachers each year to ask that Kim be tested for
dyslexia.
- Dyslexia
didn't hold back author -
Cedric
Hurtt is a published children's book author. His books sit on the
shelves of local bookstores, candy for word hungry children. But not
too long ago, he couldn't have read all of the words in his books. Hurtt
always knew there was something wrong with the way he saw words. He knew
that he often read the word "was" as "saw". He knew that he struggled,
but he didn't know why.
-
Man sues
school governors over failure to diagnose dyslexia (UK)
- A
man who claims his old school's failure to diagnose and deal with his
dyslexia wrecked his education and employment prospects is suing for
more than £400,000 in compensation. (Sep 9, 2002).
Exercises
'aid dyslexic pupils' - Children with dyslexia could be
helped by the introduction of special movements and exercises into
school sports lessons, research suggests. Special routines, designed to
tap into reflexes from birth, lead to better co-ordination which in
turn can improve reading and writing skills, according to psychologist
Martin McPhillips. A
charitable foundation, Primary
Movement, has been set up - with a website - to handle
queries about the exercise scheme.

- Cause of
Dyslexia on Chromosome 18 - A pre-school test to identify
children with a predisposition to dyslexia might be possible in the
future with the discovery of a genetic link to the disorder.A study
of more than 200 families of children who are dyslexic has revealed
that a region of chromosome 18 – one of the 23 pairs of human
chromosomes – is strongly associated with the condition.
Scientists
from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford say that
the biggest dyslexia study of its kind has identified what could turn
out to be the most important gene involved in causing dyslexia.
- Left
handedness - Humans are not the only creatures to be left- or
right-handed. Research by Bill Hopkins
at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center in
Atlanta has shown that, like humans, apes have hand
preferences. Whereas about a tenth of humans are left-handed, around a
third of chimpanzees are left hand dominant. This tendency is also
greater in chimps who have more older siblings.
- An Overview of current research in Dyslexia
- article
by Gavin
Reid.
Continue with More News
and Research, including:
1.
THE CAUSES OF DYSLEXIA
2. EXPERIENCES
OF DYSLEXIA
3. DIAGNOSIS
4. TEACHING
5. OTHER
ARTICLES
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