What is the most harmful myth of dyslexia?
We often hear, “My brilliant child can read, they don’t need an intensive reading program.”
Perhaps that’s true, but one of the most harmful myths about dyslexia is that if you are reading, you don’t have dyslexia or you don’t need help.
The truth is that most people with dyslexia do read up to a point, using “compensatory reading”, which eventually causes them to hit a wall. Because of compensatory reading and their intelligence, smart kids with dyslexia are more likely to be unidentified or receive inadequate help.
What is compensatory reading?
There is no reading system in the brain, so reading must be taught.
We all start out reading using some visual memory to learn sight words, or words that don’t have patterns of sound and symbols we easily recognize. However, an additional skill is required for the most efficient and sustainable type of reading. This skill includes the development of an expansive, accurate, and automatic association of sounds and symbols patterns. Those with dyslexia struggle with this type of reading unless they are intensively, explicitly taught.
So, they become compensatory readers who use visual memory, or the memorization of all words like sight words–instead of only a few.
The brain is quite capable of reading some words this way and can look impressive, but it is limited and uses much more of the cognitive load, leaving little left over for rich comprehension. Compensatory reading begins to get glitchy as new vocabulary, reading volume, or unpredictable story lines begin to outstrip the ability to memorize. Sometimes, we begin to see the compensatory reading system fail in very young children, but more often, we see it in middle school, high school, and even college age readers.
With bright kids, we know that their intelligence masks how much they are struggling and for how long.
Whether in kindergarten or high school, we eventually begin to see unexpected issues in reading and school performance, frustration, or even reading avoidance of new and more challenging material.
They are told they just need to try harder, focus, or overcome laziness. They are at higher risk for depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. The focus is no longer on nurturing their talents, but on their weaknesses.
The solution isn’t a reading review or more reading. These approaches only reinforce compensatory reading without providing true access to literacy. If compensatory reading is not addressed with intensive intervention, it remains, it becomes limited…and limiting.
Instead, the International Dyslexia Association suggests that for these bright compensatory readers, we should use an intensive, sequential, and structured literacy program that is multisensory and engages technology–LexiaHeroes has all these elements and more to help the compensated reader.
If you suspect your child is memorizing to read, reports visual problems with reading that simple reading glasses do not fix, inconsistently reads aloud, has dropped off in reading for pleasure, avoids reading advanced material, or has other unexpected difficulties with text-based learning, we can help you determine if your child might benefit from an intensive reading program.
Please contact us today at LexiaHeroes. WE can help.
