Molly Hood

Reading 691

Advocacy Statement

In February of 2010 the U.S. Senate agreed that early screening for Dyslexia in

kindergarten aged students was essential. This requirement and further investigation has led to a

wide range of research into what Dyslexia is, how we can identify it, and the screeners that are

best suited in the assistance of that identification. It is my opinion that this early identification be

swift and exact so that students who are Dyslexic can quickly receive interventions that will

support their literacy growth from an early age.

Through my experiences as a classroom teacher I have seen the impact of late

identification of Dyslexia. Students who struggle through their journey to reading and never

learn the joy that reading can bring to their lives. Through the interviews conducted during the

Senate's committee investigation it was determined that early intervention for students was

essential. A universal screener was a necessary component of literacy plans for all schools. The

outcome of this process resulted in the requirement for Virginia schools to assess all

Kindergarten aged students using the PALS assessment.

I will advocate that the results of these assessments are reviewed with a critical eye.

Students who are at risk must be further assessed and provided with interventions that are

explicit. This is particularly critical as research has shown that the younger the child the easier it

is to develop improvements in their literacy acquisition. The PALS screener should be one

component of determining where a child falls in the RTI framework. As early childhood

literacy is at the forefront of many current conversations across the literacy community, we

should all be aware of research based best practice that allows for early identification and
intervention for children with reading difficulties. This ensures that children with Dyslexia are

able to have their individual needs met early.

 References

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2016). From Best Practices to

Breakthrough Impacts: A Science-Based Approach to Building a More Promising Future for

Young Children and Families. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.