posted March 24, 2009 10:18 PM         

Understanding Dyslexia and Dyspraxia

Understanding Dyslexia and Dyspraxia

What is Dyslexia?

What is Dyspraxia?

The Origins of Dyslexia and Dyspraxia

Biological, Cognitive, Behavioural and Environmental

The Different Functions of the Two Brain Halves

Overview

Typical Weaknesses

What the psychological report identifies

Dyslexia & Dyspraxia Typical Strengths & Abilities

Opportunity to excel?

Famous people

Dyslexic and Dyspraxic Learning Style

Firstly, as there is so much overlap between these two syndromes, we will have a look at what they have in
common before examining the characteristics which are more specific to each.

Dyslexia and dyspraxia are examples of SpLD, 'Specific Learning Difficulties'.

There is no one type of either dyslexia or dyspraxia - but clusters of characteristics: These frequently overlap. In fact,
both dyslexia and dyspraxia can often co-exist in the same person.

Typically, there is a marked discrepancy between intelligence and academic achievement.

Neither dyslexia nor dyspraxia are related to race, social background or intellectual ability, although research
suggests that people with dyslexia or dyspraxia are, statistically, likely to be more intelligent than nondyslexic/
dyspraxic sample groups.

Dyslexia and dyspraxia are probably hereditary.

Dyslexia and dyspraxia involves a difference in cognitive style affecting learning, organisation and memory.

Dyslexic and dyspraxic learners need to employ different and often more personally meaningful strategies in order to
learn language based skills.

Many people with specific learning difficulties have in common a history of frustration and failure, especially in school.

One of the key factors in relation to understanding the needs of dyslexic and dyspraxic students is that, first and
foremost, they are individuals - while they may share common difficulties and strengths, there are individual
differences. Every dyslexic/dyspraxic person is different and, should be treated as an individual.

When learning new tasks dyslexics and dyspraxics are more dependent on the cognitive rather than unconscious part
of their brains than people without specific learning difficulties. Consequently, learning takes longer and can be more
tiring for us than for people without an SpLD.
http://www.hull.ac.uk/disability/downloads/dyswhatunderstanding

Dyslexic,Dyspraxic
Raymond