Misconceptions About Dyslexia Common, Even Among Professionals

FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) — There is substantial variability in how professionals conceptualize and assess dyslexia, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in Annals of Dyslexia.

Johny Daniel, Ph.D., Ed.D., from Durham University in the United Kingdom, and colleagues explored practices of dyslexia identification in the United Kingdom based on a survey of 274 dyslexia professionals, including educational psychologists and dyslexia specialists. The authors queried the respondents on the types of assessments they employ, their approach to utilizing assessment data, their decision-making processes, and their conceptualization of dyslexia.

The researchers found substantial variability in how professionals conceptualize dyslexia, as well as variations in assessment methods. A significant proportion of the survey respondents believed one or more misconceptions regarding dyslexia, including most commonly that children with dyslexia read letters in reverse order.

“Our findings show that there is a need for government policy to guide how students with reading disabilities should be assessed, based on reliable evidence,” Daniel said in a statement. “It”s also important that dyslexia and psychological associations in the United Kingdom ensure that any misconceptions amongst professionals are directly addressed in their guidelines so that children are assessed in a consistent way across the board.”

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