The deaf depend on reading, but the dyslexic have reading difficulties. What strategies would help the educati

Question

on a deaf dislexic child? Does dyslexia affect only the recognition of written symbols or also signs of the sign language? Research the issue and summarize the available information in two two three paragraphs? List any questions

Answer 1

Dyslexics are visual learners.  If a deaf person happens to be a visual learner then he/she could exhibit signs of dyslexia.  (Being a visual learner does not mean you will be dyslexic.)  The sign language would not be a problem because this gives them a visual and hands on method to deal with the written symbols.  Some dyslexics, who are not deaf, use sign language to learn to spell.

Difficulty with the recognition of written symbols is only one symptom of dyslexia.  There are many:

-Has high IQ, yet does not score high on school tests

-Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with coping mechanisms

-Easily frustrated and emotional about school, reading or testing

-Seems to "zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time

-Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation and visual aids

-Complains of dizziness, nausea, headaches or stomach aches while reading or studying

-Reads or writes with additions, omissions, substitutions, repetition, reversals or transpositions of letters, numbers or words

-Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing or copying

-Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress

-Mispronounces long words; transposes phrases, words and syllables when speaking

-Clumsy, uncoordinated or poor at ball or team sports; difficulty with motor skills and tasks; motion-sickness

-Often confuses left/right and over/under

-Has difficulty telling or managing time, being on time or learning sequenced information or tasks

-Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math

Answer 2

First of all, the deaf do not depend on reading. Many deaf and hard of hearing people depend on spoken language just like anybody else. You need to know and keep in mind  the type and severity of the hearing loss, age of onset and diagnosis, technology used, and communication method used before trying to decide whether the problems are due to a lingustic roadblock as a result of the auditory disability, or dyslexia, before you decide what strategies would be best.

Answer 3

It is difficult to diagnose dyslexia in ANY child due to the fact that it is near impossible to see how someone else perceives text. Most likely, the child is delayed in phonemic awareness skills.

Signs in ASL are representing words, not letters except when fingerspelling.

Answer 4

Dyslexia is not an educational term. It is a basket term for a specific learning disability that interferes with reading. It is important to know the exact disability so that the accommodations will be correct. That is why we don't use the term in education because it is comparatively meaningless.

Usually learning disabilities that interfere with reading can be in a number of areas. They are as follows:

Visual Sequencing - Problems in using a separate answer sheet. Loses place easily. Problems with reading. Reversing or misreading numbers of letters. Reading words incorrectly. Difficulty with equations. For this student you will want to let them write on the answer sheet and provide a desk copy of anything presented on the overhead or board.

Visual Memory - Difficulty remembering what was seen. Reading comprehension. Difficulty with math equations. Poor recall of information. For this child you will want to use graphic organizers so that it orders their memory recall and gives them something organized to support their memory. Also you may need to do the same as above.

Visual Motor Integration - Mechanical problems in test taking. Difficulty copying from board or book. Spaces poorly. Poor written work. Unorganized. Use the same accommodations that were mentioned previously. Also, limit the amount of copying or writing definitions that this student needs to do because writing is very laborious for them.

Visual Figure Ground - Trouble seeing an image within competing background. Picking one line of print from another while reading. Have this child use a marker when reading or a reading window which blocks out all the sentences except the one to be read.

Visual Discrimination - Seeing the difference between two similar objects. Again use the accommodations above and enlarge any print that you will be handing out in worksheets etc.

Basically you will be making the same accommodations for a deaf child with visual specific learning disabilities as you would with a hearing child. They will just be added to the accommodations that are being used to assist the hearing difficulties.