Dyslexia

What Causes Dyslexia?

Children are born with dyslexia, but it may not always be clear they have it. The condition typically appears as children learn to read. In many cases, dyslexia runs in families, suggesting the disease has a genetic component.

• Dyslexia Defined
• Request Evaluation

How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

It’s not possible to diagnose dyslexia with a single test or online quiz. Instead, diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation.

At the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia & Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite, our clinical experts provide these evaluations for children ages 5 to 14 to assess their:

• Academic skills
• Cognitive and developmental abilities
• Social and emotional functioning

After the evaluation, clinicians discuss diagnostic findings and recommend next steps with parents and families, helping them choose the best path forward.

To be eligible for an evaluation, a child must be proficient in English and have a suspected learning disorder or challenge.

Although we are known for our dyslexia evaluations, we also identify several other disorders that impact learning, including dysgraphia (difficulty producing legible handwriting), math disorders and coexisting mental health disorders.

Learn more about screening and diagnosis on our Dyslexia Patients and Families page

How is Dyslexia Treated?

Medication cannot treat dyslexia. The most effective treatment is intensive education intervention that helps the child improve phonemic awareness (the ability to pair letters to sounds and turn sounds into words) and develop reading and writing skills.

Scottish Rite is nationally recognized for our comprehensive suite of evidence-based dyslexia interventions that help children across all developmental stages build phonemic awareness, expand vocabulary and improve reading comprehension.

All our curricula are research-tested, so parents and educators can be confident our programs are effective in teaching children with dyslexia how to read.

Scottish Rite programs are on the Texas Education Agency’s approved list of dyslexia interventions. They address all areas of instruction identified in the Texas Dyslexia Handbook.

Our flagship program, Take Flight: A Comprehensive Curriculum for Students with Dyslexia, is the industry-standard intervention for children 7 and older with dyslexia.

Students grow their reading skills through two years of intensive, small-group instruction from a certified Academic Language Therapist. Children can participate in a Take Flight intervention in schools that offer the curriculum. A child may also be eligible to enroll in Take Flight through The Center’s Dyslexia Laboratory School on Scottish Rite’s Dallas campus.

Note: Children with specific learning disabilities, including dyslexia, are eligible by law to receive accommodations in public schools, including special instruction and more time to complete assignments.

Scottish Rite’s other curricula include:

Bridges

• Highly accessible, two-year program that uses technology and live instruction to deliver a fun and engaging learning experience

• Certified classroom or special education teachers partner with a digital teacher, Ms. Hallie, to teach the curriculum
• Program mirrors the Take Flight program
• Ms. Hallie handles more complex lesson components while certified teachers ensure instruction proceeds at the right pace for individual students

Build

• • A 100-lesson, small-group intervention that meets the specific needs of younger elementary school students struggling to read
  • Taught in a developmentally appropriate manner
  • Addresses five key components of effective reading instruction for younger children: alphabet skills, letter/sound knowledge, phonological awareness, vocabulary and comprehension

Turbo Start

A nine-week program that provides a jump start for students of all ages who need comprehensive dyslexia intervention while awaiting placement in an intervention group

Jet

• Accelerated small-group dyslexia intervention for students 14 and older
• Covers same information as the Take Flight intervention in one school year versus two
• Teaching and learning materials more suitable for older students

SCOTTISH RITE LEADS THE WAY IN DYSLEXIA RESEARCH

Research is at the core of the Center for Dyslexia’s mission. Our experts are committed to advancing the study of dyslexia to better understand why this and other language-based learning disorders develop.

We partner with universities and school districts throughout the U.S. to study the learning variations among children with dyslexia to determine how we can refine our treatments to meet every child’s needs.

Through continuous innovation, we ensure all children can read and write with confidence and thrive inside and outside the classroom.

Learn more about our research

Although dyslexia is one of the most recognized learning disorders, there are several others that can impact a child’s academic journey. Click the links below to learn more about other disorders our experts diagnose and treat.

Dysgraphia Defined

Orthographic Processing Position Statement

Watch this short video to hear one of our dyslexia education experts debunk common dyslexia myths.