Addressing dyslexia with phonics programs

At the heart of Really Great Reading’s instruction is phonics; students are taught to understand the systematic relationships between sounds and the spellings of those sounds. Systematic, explicit phonics instruction is critical for students with dyslexia. In fact, Eide (2011) explains that brain research has shown that “the use of intensive phonics is the only way to teach dyslexics and learning disabled individuals how to read and is the best way for everyone to learn to read.”

Dyslexia and reading comprehension

Although not the immediate focus of our instruction, orthography, and morphology are naturally enhanced when decoding is taught through our approach. Part of what we are helping students do is digest multisyllabic words by breaking them into six syllable types. When students see patterns in these decodable chunks, affixes naturally expose themselves.

Spear-Swerling (2016) indicates that “at more advanced levels of word reading and spelling, interventions should also explicitly and systematically teach structural and morphemic analysis (e.g., recognition of common prefixes, roots, and suffixes), as well as useful spelling generalizations (Lovett, Lacenzera, DePalma, & Frijters, 2012; Masterson & Apel, 2010).”

In the Really Great Reading lessons, prefixes and suffixes are explicitly taught along with their meanings, and when prefixes and suffixes are isolated, base/root words are often naturally exposed and then explored.

Phonics teaching methods for children with dyslexia

Dyslexia is characterized by effortful and slow reading, and lacking fluency (Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2008).

“In order to decode unknown words fluently, readers need to develop at least the following knowledge and skills to a fluent level: knowledge of sound-symbol relationships, blending of sounds into words, recognition of reoccurring patterns across words (phonograms), and coordination of phonemic/ orthographic and meaning information to determine exactly the right word” (Torgesen, 2006).

Really Great Reading lessons teach to students’ understanding rather than their memory. The lessons teach flexibility, strategies, and common patterns rather than having students memorize a list of syllabication rules that are difficult to apply. It is important to understand that we absolutely target students’ true understanding of the underlying substructures of words: syllable types, prefixes, suffixes, base words and root words, and spelling patterns.

Because we are not targeting their memory, we are targeting their conscious understanding of these features, allowing them to recognize these patterns more fluently. It is only when a student has a conscious understanding of these features that he or she can really build up automaticity with decoding. The International Dyslexia Association (2017) states that “it is important for these individuals [students with dyslexia] to be taught by a systematic and explicit method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time.”

Multisensory phonics instruction for dyslexia

Throughout our programs, children are actively engaged in learning concepts using their whole bodies. They listen carefully to words and phonemes, move their bodies to help build their phonemic awareness, and manipulate objects during phonics instruction. Using multiple pathways into the brain seems to help students learn the concepts faster and retain them better. This allows our programs to move quickly through a robust and rigorous phonics scope and sequence.

We have been refining our approach for the last 10 years, and even teachers with a great deal of experience with other programs are often quick to recognize that our approach is more succinct, efficient and digestible than many other approaches. We know it works well with all students, including dyslexic students.

Our program teaches students to play with the sounds in spoken words and then to analyze and attack those words on paper in developmentally appropriate ways. Countdown, Blast Foundations, HD Word, Phonics Boost, and Phonics Blitz lessons set students on the path to becoming successful decoders and, ultimately, successful and fluent readers.

References

Eide, D. (2011). Uncovering the logic of English: A common-sense approach to reading, spelling, and literacy. Minneapolis: Pedia Learning.

International Dyslexia Association. (2015). Effective reading instruction for students with dyslexia. Retrieved from https://dyslexiaida.org/effective-reading-instruction/

International Dyslexia Association. (2017). Dyslexia basics fact sheet. Retrieved from https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-basics/

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015). Essentials of assessing, preventing, and overcoming reading difficulties. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Torgesen, J.K. & Hudson, R. (2006). Reading fluency: critical issues for struggling readers. In S.J. Samuels and A. Farstrup {Eds.}, Reading fluency: The forgotten dimension of reading success. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Shaywitz S. E., & Shaywitz B. A. (2008). Paying attention to reading: The neurobiology of reading and dyslexia. Development and Psychopathology, 20(4), 1329-49.

Spear-Swerling, L. (2016). Instructional considerations for students with dyslexia. Retrieved from https://www.texasgateway.org/sites/default/files/resources/documents/10B rief_DyslexiaConsiderations.pdf