By Carrie Quinney
Dyslexia affects as many as one in five children in the U.S. The disorder causes difficulty processing words, letters and sounds, which can profoundly alter a child’s ability to learn. Literacy experts know that early intervention is critical to help children with dyslexia read fluently, and Idaho law requires dyslexia screening for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
College of Education faculty Carolyn Cort, Eun Hye Son and Jennifer Snow responded to Idaho’s mandate by creating special training for teacher candidates and in-service teachers to help identify and support young learners experiencing symptoms of dyslexia.
The professional development helped Boise State alum and 5th grade teacher Carissa Schlachter (BA, elementary education, 2021) tailor interventions for students diagnosed with dyslexia in her classroom at Riverstone International School in Boise.
“We have multiple students with characteristics of dyslexia and who’ve been diagnosed with dyslexia,” Schlachter said. “Throughout the year we’re giving those students the tools they need to be successful.”
One strategy Schlachter uses is to take turns reading with students individually or in small groups. Students use shorter bursts of attention to read, then listen. According to Schlachter, this method allows students with dyslexia to read a novel in a way that keeps pace with other students in the class.
Boise State alum Marybeth Flachbart (Ed.D., curriculum and instruction, 2009) funded a fellowship in spring 2024 for College of Education faculty pursuing training and conducting research in the fields of dyslexia, reading and literacy. Cort is the fellowship’s first recipient and will pursue an online graduate certificate in dyslexia from the University of Florida.
“This fellowship will allow me to pursue advanced learning about dyslexia and evidence-aligned practices,” Cort said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to better support our teacher candidates and teachers in Idaho to help children with language-based learning difficulties.”