Arizona Lawmaker Wants Dyslexia Handbooks In Public Schools To Help Learning-Disabled Students

A lawmaker in Arizona is proposing that its state's public schools, as well as charter schools, should have a handbook on dyslexia. Rep. Jill Norgaard has filed a bill to make this happen to give students with dyslexia a better chance to graduate from high school.

Norgaard believes having the handbook on dyslexia, filed under HB 2202, would help with how schools can approach and satisfy the learning needs of its students. It would give schools a consistent and standardized process or help with dyslexia early intervention.

Arizona school districts currently have different approaches in teaching learning-disabled students. Norgaard is hoping to follow similar guidelines from dyslexia handbooks already created in 14 American states, including Alabama, Ohio and Texas, according to Cronkite News.

Meanwhile, a Dutch expert believes poor educators contributed to the increase in dyslexia diagnosis since 2007. Professor Anna Bosman noted that several kids might have been improperly diagnosed with the condition when they could not be learning-disabled at all.

"We forget to check whether good education was provided," the professor said, according to NL Times. She believes educators aren't properly teaching and drilling the kids, thus they do not develop and improve as expected academically.

A study published in the National Institutes of Health noted that students with dyslexia and reading disabilities have a higher dropout rate compared to other students. There is about 13 to 14 percent of students who are most likely challenged by this learning disorder, according to the Dyslexia Association.

Part of the problem is because the approach and medium of instruction do not work for them. Students with dyslexia could also get easily discouraged in school or learning without the proper guidance from the teachers.

Dyslexia affects students in different ways and depending on their condition. Some of the indicators include difficulty in reading, spelling and writing. When overlooked, it can not only lead to academic problems but also communication and self-image issues when the students become adults in the workplace.