1. Dyslexia & MTA
Kristina Duffy
Dyslexia Specialist
Manara Academy

2. Agenda
 30-35 minutes for Dyslexia/MTA overview
 45-50 minute Sample lesson/debrief

3. If students don’t learn the
way we teach, then let’s
teach the way they learn.
-Kenneth Dunn

4. What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is NOT:
 A vision issue – dyslexic students do not see backwards or upside down
 A curable disease – dyslexia cannot be cured by taking medication or completing a
program
 The same for everyone – it is a personalized disability and no two students are
exactly the same
 B/D & P/Q Confusion – it is age appropriate or normal, to a certain point, for
students to reverse letters and/or numbers
1 in 5 children will fall somewhere on the dyslexia spectrum. That means in a class of
30 students, 5-6 students will be dyslexic.
Source: Learning Ally &
Univ. of Michigan

5. What is Dyslexia?
 “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 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.”
Working definition of dyslexia adopted
by the International Dyslexia
Association, Reid Lyon Annals of
Dyslexia, 2003, 53, 2-10.

6. Characteristics of Dyslexia
 Problems in learning the names of the letters of the alphabet
 Difficulty in learning to write the alphabet correctly in sequence
 Difficulty in learning and remembering printed words
 Difficulty retaining letter sounds
 Difficulty blending sounds together for reading
 Difficulty segmenting (unblending) sounds for spelling
 Reversal of letters or sequences of letters
 Difficulty in learning to read
 Difficulty in reading comprehension
 Cramped or illegible handwriting
 Repeated erratic spelling errors
 Difficulty getting thoughts down on paper
Source: Linda Sullivan, CALT

7. Characteristics that MAY be associated
with Dyslexia
 Delay in spoken language
 Difficulty in finding the “right” word when speaking
 Poor listening skills
 Attentional disorders
 Auditory processing disorders
 May be late in establishing preferred hand for writing
 May be late in learning right and left and other directional components such as up-
down, front-behind, over-under, east-west, and others
 Problems in learning the concept of time and temporal sequencing, i.e., yesterday-
tomorrow, days of the week and months of the year
 Family history of similar problems
Source: Linda Sullivan, CALT

8. Reasons why English is hard to learn:
 The bandage was wound around the wound.
 The farm was used to produce produce.
 The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
 We must polish the Polish furniture.
 He could lead if he would get the lead out.
 The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
 Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
Source: Linda Sullivan, CALT

10. Texas Dyslexia Law
Texas Administrative Code §74.28
(State Board of Education Rule)
§74.28. Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders.
 A school district shall purchase a reading program or develop its own reading
program for students with dyslexia and related disorders that is aligned with the
descriptors found in "Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and
Related Disorders." Teachers who screen and treat these students must be trained
in instructional strategies that utilize individualized, intensive, multisensory,
phonetic methods and a variety of writing and spelling components described in
the “Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related
Disorders.” The professional development activities specified by each district
and/or campus planning and decision making committee shall include these
instructional strategies.

11. What is MTA?
 Multisensory Teaching Approach – Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic
 Written by Margaret T. Smith beginning in 1978 and was based on the Alphabetic
Phonics curriculum
 Areas of study include: language awareness, alphabet and dictionary skills,
phonological awareness, reading, spelling, cursive handwriting, comprehension and
composition
 7 Kits of Instruction – 2-3 school years to complete instruction

13. Resources for Dyslexia
 International Dyslexia Association: http://eida.org
 Region 10: http://www.region10.org/dyslexia/index/
 State of Texas Dyslexia Handbook: http://www.region10.org/interactive-dyslexia-
handbook/
 University of Michigan: http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/
 Scottish Rite Dyslexia Centers: http://www.childrensdyslexiacenters.org/Home.aspx
 Yale Center for Dyslexia: http://dyslexia.yale.edu/
 Dyslexia Training Institute: http://www.dyslexiatraininginstitute.org/

14. Transition
 I need 2-3 volunteers to participate as students
 Move to Duffy’s office for lesson