Dyslexia Screening

There are many different theories of dyslexia, which is probably why there are so many different dyslexia screening tests available. Evolutionary theorists argue that all this reading promoted by Western societies is "unnatural" and has not fully developed yet. Some people say that adults with dyslexia have a "phonological deficit" and trouble retrieving speech sounds. Other scientists argue that dyslexic people can't process quick auditory commands, have trouble with their vision or that the brain has trouble filtering excess stimuli. Perhaps better screening and diagnostic tools can clear up some of this confusion.

In "Advances in early years screening for dyslexia in the United Kingdom" (2007), researchers discuss the dyslexia early screening test (DEST) and the cognitive profiling system (CoPS 1), which are both approved for use in the United States as well. By administering these dyslexia screening tests early, it's believed that at-risk students can be identified before they even fail, thereby decreasing the possibility that these kids will develop emotional, behavioral and motivational issues. A number of educators who teach adults and children with learning disabilities say these two tests are the best options we have today, as long as they're administered.

"Dyslexia is not a matter of low intelligence. It is mainly caused genetically, as twin-studies have shown," says Arndt Wilcke, scientist at Leipzig, Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology. He says that 1 in 4 German school children suffer with dyslexia signs and that they're "trying to find out which genes cause the disease." They propose that embryonic nerve cells may not migrate to the right places during development, thereby causing the confusion. Currently, researchers in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the US are racing to see who will first identify those specific genes that are associated with reading difficulties.

Critics argue that dyslexia screening is largely subjective and that it's futile to distinguish "adults with dyslexia" from "adults who have difficulty reading." They add that saddling someone with "an adult learning disability" can actually further hinder their development or expose them to discrimination. However, researchers have also found that a number of individuals flourish once they learn about other adult learning styles that they may benefit from. Perhaps some of the biological arguments for dyslexia will settle the score once and for all.

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