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Academics » Special Programs » Dyslexia

Dyslexia

Cumberland Academy uses the MTA program to serve our students with dyslexia. MTA is an Orton-°© Gillingham multi-sensory approach that teaches reading using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (muscle memory) techniques. The MTA curriculum enhances and develops alphabetic phonics by teaching for mastery. MTA teaches the science of the written language and addresses reading, handwriting, and spelling. This curriculum meets all state requirements as an exemplary choice for the remediation of dyslexia.

 
* Many students identified with dyslexia are eligible for accommodations through Section 504.

Definition of Dyslexia 

The current definition from the International Dyslexia Association states:

Dyslexia is 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 growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
 

Common Signs of Dyslexia

 

Kindergarten – 3rd grade:

• Failure to understand that words are made up of parts or individual sounds

• Difficulty learning the letter names and their corresponding sounds

• Difficulty reading single words in isolation

• Choppy and labored reading

• Difficulty spelling phonetically

 

4th – High School

• History of reading and spelling difficulties

• Avoids reading aloud

• Reads most materials slowly; oral reading is labored, not fluent

• Avoids reading for pleasure

 

 
 
If you have questions regarding Dyslexia services or testing for your child, please contact your child's homeroom teacher or the dyslexia specialist on your child's campus.