Dyslexia high among low achievers in Dubai

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Dyslexia high among low achievers in Dubai A study of struggling pupils carried out in 15 schools in Dubai has shown many have signs of the learning disability dyslexia, despite never being diagnosed. More than half of the 475 primary and secondary pupils who were screened in November by the Lexicon Reading Centre were at a “high risk” of dyslexia. A high risk suggests that the individual is facing problems with spelling, reading or language issues, which can ultimately lead to the long-term learning disability. However, it can be prevented through early intervention, experts said. Results revealed that more than 65 per cent of those screened were at high risk of dyslexia, 17 per cent were at mild-to-moderate risk and 18 per cent did not show signs of the problem. “Dyslexia is a genetic disorder,” a statement from the Lexicon Reading Centre said. “The kids nominated for the screening by their schools were already identified initially as low achievers academically.” As part of the awareness campaign, Professor Nancy Cushen-White, a clinical professor at the University of California and a director of the US-based Slingerland Institute, ran a free workshop to guide teachers on how to teach spelling. White said: “We were able to emphasise the importance of early diagnosis, ensuring quick treatment, which in turn can improve a child’s learning potential at an earlier age. “One of the key indicators of dyslexia is when children struggle to spell and often finds it difficult to recognise the correct letters.” The screening programme was aimed at identifying children who are at risk to provide further help. At the screenings, an assessment was carried out, where the student’s cognitive ability, achievement, information processing, language, attention, behaviour and psychological issues were assessed. The clinical director at the Lexicon Reading Centre, Rudolf Stockling, shared the screening results with the teachers and parents, so they can guide the students who are most likely to have the learning disability. Stockling said: “Since we announced the free screenings for schools, the response has been huge. We believe that the issue of dyslexia is so important, that we made the decision to offer the screenings to three times the number of schools as a way to reach a larger number of pupils who will potentially benefit from early intervention.” The Dubai-based Child Early Intervention Medical Centre said: “Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that can hinder a person’s ability to read, write, spell and sometimes speak. “Dyslexia is the most common learning difficulty in children and persists throughout life. “The severity of dyslexia can vary from mild to severe. The sooner dyslexia is treated, the more favourable the outcome, however, it is never too late for people with dyslexia to learn to improve their language skills. “Children with dyslexia have difficulty in learning to read despite traditional instruction. It is caused by impairment in the brain’s ability to translate images received from the eyes or ears into understandable language.” sarwat@7days.ae Read the original story at: Dyslexia high among low achievers in Dubai