According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is defined as “…a specific learning disability that is neurological 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 the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” Dyslexia results from a deficit in the brain’s ability to perceive and order the sounds in a spoken word (phonological processing) and/or to anchor and retain the correct spellings for words (orthographic processing).

The methodologies we use are specifically designed to stimulate phonological and orthographic processing – the core deficits in a diagnosis of dyslexia. They have been extensively researched and found to be powerful approaches to easing the symptoms of dyslexia.

One seventh-grader whose treatment focused on orthographic processing saw dramatic gains in her reading accuracy. Before treatment, she scored significantly below the average range (in the 2^nd percentile compared to same-age peers). After specifically targeted treatment, her score was well above average (in the 75^th percentile). While not every student’s gains are this impressive, the typical student experiences gains of 15 to 20 percentile points in reading accuracy.