Is dyslexia a disability? Should dyslexia be called something else? Find additional information at our website, http://www.dyslexiaconnect.com .

The question of whether dyslexia is a disability is a controversial one. Proponents of using the word disability for dyslexia say that dyslexia clearly impairs an individual's ability to to learn how to read and spell. However, those who reject calling dyslexia a disability insist that calling it that is misleading. They think that the term seems to indicate that dyslexics are not able to learn to read and spell well. In fact, dyslexics can learn to read and spell well with the proper dyslexia tutoring.

In addition, those that reject the use of the word disability for dyslexia say that the term leads to dyslexic children being placed in regular learning disabled classes, where they may not receive the specialized instruction that they need. Parents also worry about having their children labeled as having a learning disability, and they may reject using the term for that reason.

As an alternative, some people have begun calling dyslexia a learning difference instead of a learning disability, since it accurately describes the fact that dyslexics can learn to read and spell; they just need a different approach to written language.

Regardless of how we define dyslexia, the important thing is being able to recognize dyslexia when we see it and know how to effectively deal with it. In this way, we can help dyslexic children become successful learners and reach their potential. In this video, I discuss these different points of view and offer my own.

Peter Groth
CEO
Dyslexia Connect Online Tutoring