Dyslexia A Big Expensive Myth

David Mills wrote a long, thoughtful article in The Telegraph entitled "Dyslexia: A Big Expensive Myth" (page one, page two, page three) sparked by the row over a Cabinet official's decision to place her son in a school specializing in remediating dyslexia, and possibly the difficulties the British Dyslexia Association has brought on itself.

Certainly, the "culture of dyslexia", if you will, seems a bit different in the UK than in the US.  I should qualify that: In the US that I know.  In the UK, it seems to have the flavor of victimhood and credulousness -- the phrase "dyslexia sufferers" seems common; the emphasis is toward accomodations, not remediation;  "cures" and "treatments" that have no empirical basis abound. 

Mills writes:

Moving     towards a proper definition of dyslexia – or dropping the term – and  getting practical, cost-effective help into every school in Britain should be a national priority. We will pay dearly if we fail to do    so.

I whole-heartedly second that for the United States, as well.   In the US, there is still a failure to prepare teachers to teach reading effectively.

Effective, early, evidence-based remediation meant that Jumper Girl could realize her potential. 

I believe there will still be a need for specialty schools for kids with more-severe learning disabilties.  Many of the LD schools I know of have the aim of keeping the students for a limited period -- not the full k-5 range (or whatever they serve).  Their missions seem to center around

1. remediate
2. teach the child to manage his/her issues or learning challenges
3. teach the child to self-advocate, and then
4. get back the child back into the conventional classroom.

Previous Posts: UK Approaches to Dyslexia, LDs

• British Dyslexia Association's Troubles -- January 10 2007
• Informative Webcasts on Dyslexia -- January 3 2007
• "Learning Disabilities" in the US and the UK --- January 7 2007
• Reading Changes the Brain -- December 14 2006
• Dyslexia Not a Learning Disability in New Zealand -- December 9 2006
• European Union to Study Dyslexia -- November 25 2006
• Stealth Dyslexia -- October 23 2006
• Dyslexia Misinformation in Scotland October 09 2006
• Rapid Automatic Naming and Reading Disorders August 25 2006
• Autism in Scotland May 28 2006
• Unscientific Approaches to Remediating LD in the UK March 28 2006
• Four Approaches to Remediation That Don't Work January 2006
• Remediation for Dyslexia That Is Effective January 03 2006
• Helping Weak Readers: Research to 2004 January 1 2006
• Self Concept and the Dyslexic Child December 31 2005
• UK: Burden of Dyslexia; Lack of Rigor in Remediation Appproaches September 24 2005
• Differentials in Rates of Autism Diagnosis in Scotland August 19 2004
• James Panton: Accomodation & Victimhood Instead of Remediation in the UK August 5 2004
• Evaluations of Reading Interventions in UK January 14 2004
• The "Sunflower Method" for Supporting Dyslexics January 2004
• DDAT (Dore) Bunk or Not? January 2004

The Myth of Dyslexia Posts
Interview with Julian Elliot and Michael Shaunnessey September  5 2005
Is Dyslexia A Myth?  Julian Elliot and Conference Details  September 2 2005