Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis

Tips for tailoring instruction and meeting the needs of dyslexic learners Looking through both academic and social-emotional lenses, this book will deepen your understanding of dyslexia and help you feel confident in your interactions and implementation of instruction with your dyslexic learners. Written for educators and schools looking for ways to meet the social and emotional needs of dyslexic learners, scaffold instruction, and successfully implement accommodations, Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis provides a concrete framework for promoting self-confidence and student success. Author Casey Harrison, creator of The Dyslexia Classroom, shares her unique approach to creating dyslexia-friendly classrooms, providing accommodations and in the moment scaffolds as well as helping students build self-advocacy skills. This book will allow you to: Meet the needs of dyslexic learners both academically and emotionally Understand what dyslexia is, how it impacts learning, and what implications it has beyond the reading classroom Learn research-based techniques to enhance, differentiate and scaffold instruction, promoting learning in students with dyslexia Develop empathy and understanding, both in yourself and in the broader educational community, and promote inclusive classrooms This book is for anyone who wants to help students with dyslexia find self-confidence and success: K-12 educators, as well as parents, administrators, and aspiring teachers.

Dedication v Preface ix Introduction xiii CHAPTER 1 Understanding Dyslexia 1 CHAPTER 2 Characteristics and Contradictory Signs of Dyslexia 17 CHAPTER 3 The Dyslexia Iceberg and Cascading Effects of Dyslexia 33 CHAPTER 4 Understanding Student Learning Profiles 43 CHAPTER 5 The Reading Brain 61 CHAPTER 6 Structured Literacy in Dyslexia Education 83 CHAPTER 7 Meaningful Multimodal Experiences to Support Learning 99 CHAPTER 8 Scaffolds in Structured Literacy 113 CHAPTER 9 A Snapshot of Support in Action 129 CHAPTER 10 Call for a Champion 151 CHAPTER 11 Critical Thinking and Executive Function 173 CHAPTER 12 Accommodation Toolbox 201 CHAPTER 13 Classroom Environment 221 CHAPTER 14 Self-Advocacy, Success, and Confidence 237 Conclusion 245 Resources 247 Acknowledgments 279 About the Author 281 Index 283