Video

From MTSU On the Record: The Case for Dyslexia Screening with Dr. Tim Odegard

Sometimes schools start seeing kids with dyslexia symptoms in second and third grade. Other times it is fourth and fifth grade that symptoms start popping up. Watch the video, The Case for Dyslexia Screening with Dr. Tim Odegard to find out what you can do.

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Dyslexia screening needs to be available for children in all grades of elementary school, urges Dr. Tim Odegard. Odegard holds the Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. Testing for dyslexia can focus on one important skill set, such as hearing rhymes in words, or breaking up compound words, and can be adjusted in difficulty appropriate to the grade.
Odegard explains that research shows that children with dyslexia emerge at different grade levels when new difficulties in reading become part of their studies. Children have their own special strengths and thus may get by in earlier grades. Making testing available at every level allows schools to identify and help learners along the way.

Key takeaways

  1. Early detection of Dyslexia can help manage and overcome it.
  2. There is a growing movement to screen students for Dyslexia at younger ages.
  3. Screening can be simple and fun.
Is it dyslexia? Take the free test Ten minutes, no pressure, and a clear next step for reading and spelling. Take the dyslexia test

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A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.

Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert Writes about the learning brain for parents who want plain answers. Every article is grounded in current neuroscience and classroom practice.