01 NRDC Dyslexia 1-88 update - Texthelp

Developmental dyslexia in adults: a research review 133
Appendix 1
Some definitions of dyslexia
Caveat 1 ‘A complete explanation of any kind of individual difference in reading behaviour
requires three things: a description of the reading performance that can be compared
with performances of other readers; at least one hypothesis as to its proximal cause,
which must be at the cognitive level; at least one hypothesis as to the distal cause or
causes which brought about the cognitive condition … At least one such distal cause
must be at the biological level’ (page 17). Jackson, N. E. and Coltheart, M. (2001). Routes
to Reading Success and Failure: towards an integrated cognitive psychology of
atypical reading. Hove: Psychology Press.
Caveat 2 A good definition of dyslexia provides ‘operational criteria which pick out all
those —and only those—who would be recognised as dyslexic by the dyslexia
community’ (page 57). Miles, T. R. (2001). Editorial. Dyslexia, 7, 57–61.
Caveat 3 ‘Rod Nicolson’s choice of the word ‘ecosystem’ to describe the dyslexia
community is imaginative and apposite because the essence of ecosystems is vicious
competition for scarce resources … competitive viciousness characterises the dyslexia
ecosystem’ (page 178). Stein, J. F. (2002). Commentary: the dyslexia ecosystem.
Dyslexia, 8, 178–179.
Caveat 4 ‘Of the many definitions that exist, there are very few that make sense in the
context of the workplace experience of adult dyslexics’ (page 2). Fitzgibbon, G. and
O’Connor, B. (2002). Adult Dyslexia: a guide for the workplace. Chichester: John Wiley
& Sons.
Caveat 5 ‘Dyslexia may perplexia’. Marion Welchman.
Advocacy Group Definitions
British Dyslexia Association
Dyslexia is best described as a combination of abilities and difficulties that affect the
learning process in one or more of reading, spelling, writing. Accompanying weaknesses
may be identified in areas of speed of processing, short-term memory, sequencing and
organisation, auditory and/or visual perception, spoken language and motor skills. It is
particularly related to mastering and using written language, which may include
alphabetic, numeric and musical notation.
Some dyslexics have outstanding or creative skills. Others have strong oral talents.
Some have no outstanding talents. They all have strengths.
Dyslexia can occur despite normal intellectual ability and teaching. It is independent of
socio-economic or language background.
Accessed at www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk on 4 October 2002.