Of all the problems facing young students in schools across the United States, the most common might surprise you. This is because it does not seem to discriminate against race, culture, gender, religious background, social status, or affluence. While it affects a student’s ability to process information, it is not necessarily considered a developmental learning disability. Indeed, dyslexia is the most common source of learning problems for students who struggle with reading, writing, and spelling, as well as some mathematics, in all of the United States of America. Here are some specific statistics regarding dyslexia in the U.S.
• Dyslexia (or rather, “learning disabilities/differences) affects 20% of people in the United States
• Among students with poor reading skills, dyslexic is usually the cause as often as 80% of the time.
• Dyslexia seems to afflict males and females nearly equally
• Dyslexia seems to afflict different ethnicities equally
• Currently there is no known genetic or neurological test that can be accurately administered to determine a predisposition for dyslexia
Of course, not every child who has trouble with reading, mathematics, language, or learning in general has dyslexia. However, it is important to understand that dyslexia is not developmental and is therefore something that can a student can learn to work with under the proper guidance. For example:
• Approximately 75% of children who have demonstrated primary problems with basic reading skills at an early age can be helped or taught to overcome these problems.
• Unfortunately less than one-third of children with known reading disabilities actually receive in-school services that address their particular disability.
• Reading difficulty can be caused by many factors, including neurobiological issues (varying brain structures), experiential (behavioral or psychological issues), instructional (no access to the proper instructors or tools), or a combination of these things
• Approximately 5% of the population, as a whole, will suffer from persistent reading disabilities regardless of treatment or adaptive instruction.
What is, perhaps, most discouraging is that the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the NAEP, has found that nearly 40% of fourth grade students in the United States have been found to have reading skills “below basic” levels. These students would be considered “failing” as they fall within the 40th percentile in their age group. Furthermore, they have a 50% higher chance of failing important, standardized achievement tests. While this population of students is not 100% dyslexic, it is safe to assume that a remarkable number of these students are. Nonetheless, the statistics serve to prove that the public school system needs more awareness and development in terms of alternative methods for students who struggle in a traditional setting.