Myths and Facts

Myths about dyslexia:

Can we identify students at risk of dyslexia? When is it too early? There are myths that say early identification is not possible for students with dyslexia.
  • This is not true. You can effectively screen children even before they start reading at the basic pre-kindergarten level. We can also intervene right away!
Dyslexia is associated with vision problems.
  • This is not true. We regularly hear that people with dyslexia do not see letters and words in the right order, but this is not due to vision problems. Dyslexia is a learning disability with a neurobiological origin. Research has shown that when an individual with dyslexia reads text, his brain functions differently than an individual without dyslexia.
Dyslexia is related to the individual's level of intelligence and motivation.
  • This is not true. Students with dyslexia are not lazy and, in many cases, try even harder than their classmates to master reading. People with dyslexia need extra support and structured multi-sensory learning to access sustainable literacy skills.
Dyslexia is extremely rare.
  • It is not. It is estimated that 70-80% of people with reading difficulties have mild to severe dyslexia.
 
Myths about DLD:

They don't speak English (or their second language) well.
  • This is not true. People with DLD have difficulty learning English and any other spoken language, whether it is their first or second language.
They are not intelligent.
  • This is not true. DLD is not an intellectual disability. People with DLD can be very intelligent, but they may have difficulty expressing their knowledge.
Bilingualism causes DLD.
  • This is not true. DLD affects those who speak only one language and also those who speak more than one language. There are social and cognitive benefits to becoming bilingual and parents who want to raise their children to be bilingual should not worry that bilingualism will cause DLD. Children should not be discouraged from learning another language, especially if they have sufficient exposure to the languages in question.
Parenting causes DLD.
  • Genetic influences on brain development cause DLD. The way parents raise, talk and read to their children does not cause DLD.