Dyslexia Definition + 2 Other Useful Terms You Need to Know

What Even is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a growing and looming concern for parents – particularly for those of primary grade children, but what is it? Dyslexia definitions continue to be different across organizations and settings. Further, different settings may use different terms like specific learning disability to label your child’s difficulty with reading. That brings us back to the question: what is dyslexia? 

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) adopted an updated, and rather lengthy,  definition of dyslexia in October of 2025, which states:

This is a recently adopted and long definition that can feel intimidating! The part of that paragraph that should stick with you is that initial sentence. Dyslexia is a learning disability that makes learning to read particularly challenging without specialized instruction. Unfortunately, there are dozens of definitions for dyslexia from many different organizations. They all follow similar trends, but just to add to the confusion the places that you go to get help may not even use “dyslexia” to talk about your child’s literacy struggles. So let’s talk about the different worlds where dyslexia comes into play.

Dyslexia in the Medical Field: Specific Learning Disorder

There are multiple medical professionals able to conduct testing that could identify dyslexia. In a clinical or medical practice, diagnoses are typically done using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). Dyslexia does not exist as a label with in the DSM-5, and is instead tucked inside Specific Learning Disorder.

A specific learning disorder is when a student, despite having instruction and extra practice, continues to struggle with a specific academic skill like reading. This is the term that shows up on the evaluation paperwork, and in letters requesting accommodations for your dyslexic child. There is no functional difference between a specific learning disorder and dyslexia! The general recommendations are the same, though they should be specific to your child and situation.

Dyslexia in Special Education: Specific Learning Disability

I occasionally have a parent call to request dyslexia testing for a child that is currently in special education. They can see that their child is struggling but they have not been told their child is dyslexic. Special education law uses Specific Learning Disability (SLD) to label difficulties that are isolated to a specific academic skill such as reading. Schools are often hesitant to use the word “dyslexia,” even if it would reduce confusion, because it is not one of the defined terms they are credentialed to identify. Instead educators (and their paperwork) often stick to the term “specific learning disability”.

However – just to add to the confusion – not everyone who has a dyslexic profile, or struggles with some components of literacy will meet the criteria of a Specific Learning Disability. This is because one of the criteria is that you require specific teaching strategies or instruction in order to learn. Many children with dyslexia learn to read without special education.

If you are feeling confused, or overwhelmed after a meeting with your child’s teacher, or IEP team and want to know if your child is dyslexic – please don’t hesitate to call me to set up an appointment. 

Different Terms; Same Solution

The different terms are not generally reflective of different severity levels. Dyslexia is a relatively common learning profile, even though many kids learn to read without intensive intervention, or significant struggle. Approximately 15 to 20% of the population overall has some symptoms of a dyslexic profile. About 13% of the current school population has some dyslexic components in their profile, and receive additional help learning to read.

The recommendations for children with dyslexia, and SLD follow similar trends where teachers focus on using structured literacy, and Orton Gillingham based approaches to help build foundational literacy skills. Depending on your child and your setting, support may come from special education services, general education interventions like the Reading Room in DJUSD, private tutoring, or through leveled reading groups within the general education classroom. 

Dyslexia, and specific learning disabilities is something that can be supported! Here at Breakthrough Education Support we believe that every single student has the capacity to learn to read. We have not come across any students that are not able to read if they receive appropriate targeted instruction. 

Things to Look Out For: 

• Not meeting school benchmarks
  • Kindergarteners should be learning letter names, and sounds
  • 1st graders should be learning sight words, and read short words
  • Feel free to send us a message if you are unsure what the benchmarks are for your child’s grade
• Avoiding reading practice
• Confusing spelling, or refusal to spell new word without an adult dictating the letters
• Difficulty with phonemic awareness like rhyming, or blending together sounds
• Difficulty learning their letter names, and/or sounds

Ways to Support Your Developing Reader:

• Read in front of them! Even if you are not reading with them. Our kids copy us all the time, and seeing you read helps them see reading as an important goal.
• Take them places with books.
  • We have a lovely library here in Davis that has an expansive kid section, and regularly hosts events including reading to therapy dogs!
• Encourage them to read something interesting to them
  • Even if it is a comic book!
• Read aloud to them daily
  • Choose the book together to help support buy in
  • It’s ok if they are doing something else while you read like draw, or pace, or build Lego as long as they are listening.
• Reach out to us for help if your child is struggling