October is Dyslexia Awareness Month and the Champlain Library is participating in a mini-grant program to ensure children have access to decodable books and the resources they need to succeed.
Dyslexia is the most common cause of word reading difficulties. It’s estimated that five to 20 per cent of the population has dyslexia, which is a neurologically-based condition affecting word-level reading accuracy, fluency, and spelling. While dyslexia is very common and also very well understood by researchers, most people don’t know the warning signs, and dyslexia often goes unrecognized for years.
Left untreated, dyslexia can have lifelong negative effects including increased risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, increased likelihood of experiencing abuse, under-employment and unemployment, and homelessness. Dyslexia varies in severity, and the impact depends on the effectiveness of reading instruction and/or remediation. While there is no ‘cure’ for dyslexia it is very responsive to treatment.
Thanks to the IDAO, the International Dyslexia Association Ontario, the Champlain Library was chosen to receive funding to purchase decodable books and dyslexia resources. The books are designed with very specific phonic instructions. They use specific words that help struggling readers decode the sounds of the word, which is something that people with dyslexia and other language-based disabilities have trouble with.
The Champlain Library is encouraging patrons to get involved with the Read October campaign to help support Dyslexia Awareness. Read October is a literacy and dyslexia awareness program run by the International Dyslexia Association Ontario. Read October promotes reading while raising money to purchase dyslexia friendly resources for Ontario Public Libraries.
For more information on dyslexia visit IDAO. For more information on the decodable books offered at the Champlain Library visit bc-cl.ca or call 613-678-2216.
