11. Specific (developmental) learning disabilities

Specific developmental dyslexia is a disorder manifested by an inability to learn to read, even though the child receives normal teaching guidance, has adequate intelligence and a socio-cultural opportunity. It is caused by disorders in basic cognitive abilities, and these disorders are often of constitutional origin.

World Neurological Federation at the Dallas Conference (1968)

Orton's Dyslexic Society (1994)

Dyslexia is one of the more significant learning disabilities. It is a specific speech disorder of constitutional origin, which is characterized by difficulties in decoding individual words, usually reflecting the insufficient ability of phonological processing. These difficulties in decoding individual words often occur unexpectedly due to age and other cognitive and academic abilities. They are not the result of generalized developmental disorder or sensory impairment. Dyslexia manifests itself in difficulties of various kinds with different forms of language and, in addition to difficulties in reading, often involves noticeable problems in acquiring the ability to write and follow a spelling standard.

(Matějček in Kucharská, 1997, p. 18)

Use of terms
The term dyslexia was first used in 1887 by the German ophthalmologist R. Berlin for cases previously known as verbal blindness.
Ambiguous use of the term dyslexia:
  1. narrowly in the sense of the word as a specific reading disorder
  2. more broadly as a specific disorder of speech functions. i.e., a collective term for dyslexia, dysorthography, and dysgraxia
  3. broadly, encompassing all SUAs

Another terms for learning disabilities:

  • Special learning problems

  • Specific developmental disorders

  • Learning disabilities

  • Specific learning difficulties

  • Specific speech disorders

Keywords:

basic diagnostic discrepancy criterion, P and L type dyslexia (right and left hemisphere dyslexia)