Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention

Dyslexia is the most common type of learning disability, with statistics showing that as much as 20% of our nations children may be dyslexic. Packaged in the user-friendly and accessible Essentials format, this book will be the first of its kind to combine the research, assessment, and treatment interventions of dyslexia in one concise volume. The authors address the components that need to be considered in the assessment of dyslexia, both cognitive and academic, and will include descriptions of the various tests that might be utilized in a comprehensive dyslexia assessment.

Nancy Mather, PhD, is a Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department Disability and Psychoeducational Studies. She specializes in the areas of assessment, reading, writing, and learning disabilities. She has served as a learning disabilities teacher, a diagnostician, a university professor, and an educational consultant. She has published numerous articles and books and conducts workshops on assessment and instruction nationwide. She is a co-author of the Woodcock-Johnson III and has co-authored two books on interpretation and application of the WJ III.

Barbara J. Wendling, MA, is the Education Director for the Woodcock-Muñoz Foundation. In addition, she conducts training workshops nationwide on topics related to assessment and linking assessment to instruction. Barbara has served as a general education teacher, a learning disabilities specialist, a product manager for a test publishing company, and an educational consultant. She has a number of publications related to assessment and instruction and is a co-author of the Woodcock Interpretation and Instructional Interventions Program.
Both authors have coauthored numerous Essentials volumes, and cowrote together the Essentials of Evidence-Based Academic Interventions, one of the series' best-selling titles.

Series Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

One: Understanding Dyslexia 1

Two: A Brief History of Dyslexia 19

Three: The Brain and Dyslexia 43
Nancy Mather, Barbara Wendling, Martha Youman, Sally Shaywitz , and Bennett Shaywitz

Four: Genetics and the Environment 61

Five: Assessment of the Cognitive and Linguistic Correlates of Dyslexia 77

Six: Assessment of Decoding, Encoding, and Reading Fluency 105

Seven: Instruction in Phonological Awareness: Early Reading/Spelling Skills 135

Eight: Instruction in Basic Reading and Spelling Skills 147

Nine: Instruction in Reading Fluency 179

Ten: Technology Applications for Students With Dyslexia 199
Kathleen Puckett and Blanche O'Bannon

Eleven: Dyslexia in Diff erent Languages and English Language Learners 223
Martha Youman

Twelve: Dyslexia in the Schools 241

Appendix: Descriptions of Evidence-Based Programs 261

Glossary 323

References 333

Annotated Bibliography 365

About the Authors 369

Index 371