What are Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Disabilities?
Dyslexia
According to the 2002 definition as agreed by a committee of researchers and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) board members:
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge” (International Dyslexia Association, 2002)
Language-Based Learning Disabilities
From the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website: "Language-based learning disabilities are problems with age-appropriate reading, spelling, and/or writing. This disorder is not about how smart a person is. Most people diagnosed with learning disabilities have average to superior intelligence."
"Dyslexia has been used to refer to the specific learning problem of reading. The term language-based learning disability, or just learning disabilities, is better because of the relationship between spoken and written language. Many children with reading problems have spoken language problems. The child with dyslexia has trouble almost exclusively with the written (or printed) word. The child who has dyslexia as part of a larger language learning disability has trouble with both the spoken and the written word."
Dyslexia, Language, & the Brain
This free webinar from Carnegie Mellon University provides a first look at how the pioneering research taking place at CMU is influencing how we think about dyslexia.