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Dyslexia

Dyslexia means a disorder of constitutional origin manifested by a difficulty in learning to read, write, or spell, despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity.

 

Related disorders include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphagia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability.

                                                                                                                    Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.003

Characteristics of Dyslexia

The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using written language. It is a myth that dyslexic individuals “read backward,” although spelling can look quite jumbled at times because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and forming memories for words. Other problems experienced by dyslexics include the following:

 

The following are the primary reading/spelling characteristics of dyslexia:
• Difficulty reading words in isolation
• Difficulty accurately decoding unfamiliar words
• Difficulty with oral reading (slow, inaccurate, or labored without prosody)
• Difficulty spelling
 
*It is important to note that individuals demonstrate differences in degree of impairment and may not exhibit all the characteristics listed above.
 

Please see the brochure linked below for more information about the Westwood ISD Dyslexia Program:

Westwood ISD Dyslexia Program Brochure

 

If you have any concerns, please contact your child’s teacher for more information about the referral process and instructional support.

 

Westwood ISD Dyslexia Handbook

 

Westwood ISD Dyslexia Contact:
Tiffany Carwell [email protected] (903)729-1776
 
Westwood ISD Dyslexia Teachers:
Amy Camp [email protected]
Erin Barron [email protected]
Megan Bedre [email protected]
 
Region 7 Education Service Center Dyslexia Contact:
Angela Venters [email protected] (903)988-6798
Additional Resources
 
Talking Books Program (TBP)
The TBP provides free library services to qualifying Texans with visual, physical, or reading disabilities. It is part of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, a program administered by the Library of Congress. While TPB does not offer textbooks, the program does offer thousands of books that students can use at home and at school. Books are available by download to portable devices using the Braille and Audio Recording Download (BARD) service and through iOs and Android mobile apps and on digital cartridges, in Braille, and in large print. To learn more about the TBP, including eligibility requirements, please visit   https://www.tsl.texas.gov/tbp/index.html or call toll-free at 1-800-252-9605 in Texas or 512-436-5458 in Austin.
 
Learning Ally
Learning Ally has over 80,000 human-narrated audiobooks available to students with print disabilities. The materials can be delivered through internet downloads and accessed using various mainstream and assistive technology devices. Through a contract with TEA, Learning Ally offers free memberships to Texas K-12 public and charter schools with qualifying students.
 
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