Dyslexia

Oct. 29, 2024

Recently, as part of the nation-wide ‘Act4Dyslexia’ campaign, key monuments in Delhi, including Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, North and South Blocks, and India Gate, have been illuminated in red, the colour for Dyslexia Awareness.

About Dyslexia:

  • It is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding).
  • It is also called a reading disability, dyslexia is a result of individual differences in areas of the brain that process language.
  • It is not due to problems with intelligence, hearing or vision. 
  • It is often misunderstood as the ‘slow-learner syndrome’.
  • The exact cause of dyslexia isn’t clear. However, several clues hint at how and why most cases happen.
    • Genetics: It is highly genetic and runs in families. A child with one parent with dyslexia has a 30% to 50% chance of inheriting it.
    • Differences in brain development and function: Research shows people with dyslexia have differences in brain structure, function and chemistry.
    • Disruptions in brain development and function: Infections, toxic exposures and other events can disrupt fetal development and increase the odds of later development of dyslexia.
  • Specific Learning Disabilities, including dyslexia, were officially recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016, which mandates equal opportunities in education, employment, and other aspects of life.
  • The National Education Policy 2020 reinforces this mandate, emphasizing inclusive education from foundational to higher education levels. NEP 2020 reforms focus on early identification, teacher capacity building, and providing necessary support and accommodations to students.