Dyslexia


Dyslexia is a neuologically-based language disorder where the individual has cognitive difficulties with single word decoding. Oftentimes these processing problems are unusual and puzzling, given the individual's age and other academic capabilities. Having dyslexia does not mean that the individual has any kind of developmental or intellectual disability other than the neurological problems associated with processing phonological information.

Dyslexia is genetic and inherited. It is not due to any developmental or environmental contributions.

Individuals with dyslexia usually have pronounced difficulties in certain areas of reading, writing or spelling. Research has shown that individuals with dyslexia process information in different areas of their brains than do individuals without dyslexia. Additionally research has shown that individuals with dyslexia typically have from average to above-average intelligence.

In addition to the learning disability of dyslexia, there are also two other, somewhat less common learning disabilities:

  • Dyscalculia - where the individual has unusual difficulties in grasping various mathematical concepts or solving math problems, and
  • Dysgraphia - where the individual neurologically has difficulty in forming letters or writing within a defined space

Research has shown that dyslexia is distributed about evenly between males and females, and that it appears to affect individuals from all ethnic and socioeconomic groups evenly.

While dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia are genetic conditions and are thus incurable, these conditions can be professionally managed so that the individual can successfully get through Michigan Tech and then through life.

Counseling Services continues to coordinate with area and home mental health professionals as well as with the Office of Student Affairs and the student's various faculty members to help the student make the best academic and personal accomodations possible.

It's easy to make an appointment at Counseling Services if you have concerns regarding dyslexia. We'll be happy to address them with you.