Reading disability

A reading disability is a condition in which a sufferer displays difficulty reading resulting primarily from neurological factors. There are different types of reading disabilities that include Word-Level Recoginiton Disability (RLRD), also known as Dyslexia, Fluency, and Reading Comprehension.

Definition

There is currently no consensus on how to define all learning disabilities, including reading disability. Definitions have previously been developed by committee in a political context in response to the advocacy of parent groups and the educational system. These definitions have a focus on an unexpected difficulty in reading, with unexpected referring to low achievement in the absence of difficulties in home life, economic disadvantage, interruptions in school, sensorimotor problems, severe emotional disturbance, or developmental delay. The unexpected component has been included in many definitions, including the DSM-IV, and school districts have interpreted this as a discrepancy between measured academic achievement and measured intellect. Research based definitions, however, have veered away from a discrepancy between intellect and achievement, and instead have stressed low achievement coupled with poor response to intervention.

Types of Reading Disorders

The most well-known type of reading disorder is the Word Level Reading Recognition Disability (WLRD). This is also known as dyslexia, a neurologically based condition which is characterized by difficulty understanding and applying the alphabetic principle.

Some people with reading difficulties are able to use phonetic strategies to decode words but have problems with reading comprehension; that is, they struggle to understand what they have read.

Another form of reading difficulty is the lack of reading fluency or reading automaticity. People with this condition are likely to read slowly and to stumble over the words. For them, reading continues to require great effort and often becomes something that they avoid.

A fourth group is emerging, people with preventable reading disorders. The number of students with reading disorders can be considerably reduced by good quality early intervention. This group may not necessarily have an underlying neurological condition but without the intervention can later not be distinguished readily from those who do [ Fletcher, J.M, Lyon, G. R, Fuchs, L.S, & Barnes, M.A (2007) Learning Disabilities: From Identification to Intervention. The Guildford Press, New York]

elected list of reading disabilities

*Dyslexia
*Hyperlexia
*Scotopic sensitivity syndrome (also called Irlen Syndrome)

References