A working definition for dyslexia is the
characterization of difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition
by poor spelling and decoding abilities. When studying dyslexia, a plethora of
dysfluent traits becomes apparent; such as, reading, writing and speech inabilities.
I also fund that fluency and prosody in speech is one area affected by the dysfluent dyslexic reader. My intention is to alert people that there is an ethnographic challenge when students are diagnosed with dyslexia.
Prosody is an area of speech that dyslexics find challenging. When discussing prosody, you must also address fluency, and vice versa. Many American schools neglect
to teach the skill fluency, which affects students’ reading comprehension.
Fluency is the necessary bridge students need to recognize words and comprehend
what they are reading. Automaticity and fluency are considered when analyzing the readers pace, and effortless word
recognition. In other words, how fast a student can
effortlessly – or fluently - read single words, lists of words, or any other
printed material for their age and grade level. A dyslexic reader will struggle in the area of fluency. Fluency is derived from the Latin word ‘fluens’ which means “to flow.” We understand a fluent reader has the ability to read and the words "flow" together for the reader. We can think of fluency in reading with the following equation – speed + accuracy + prosody = fluency. Fluency is freedom from word identification problems, incudes smooth and effortless reading, and when decoding and comprehension, it is simultaneous resulting in expressive reading.
Prosody will also include the definition of intonation. This is
defined as patterns in speech or melodic pitch changes heard to connect the
speech patterns, especially the pitch pattern occurring in a sentence. This
change in speech patterns are unique to the kinds of sentences and phrases
related to phrase boundaries. A child reading, often uses
punctuation to define these specific speech boundaries. Yet, a dysfluent dyslexic student will suffer in the areas of prosody and intonation.
Dysfluent readers, who haven’t mastered fluency,
automaticity, speed, accuracy, prosody or intonation when they read do not know
how to use expression. They read word by word, almost robotically, instead of
fluid phrases; and the dysfluent reader fails to use intonation or they do not
pause their speech to indicate punctuation. Maximizing comprehension for
readers, is the ability to fluently read with
intonation. Furthermore, the dysfluent reader does not gain the ability to
rapidly, effortlessly or smoothly read textual material and automatically
comprehend the mechanics of what they are reading, such as decoding. The slow dysfluent reader is dedicating their time to decoding
each word, rather than extracting meaning from the passage.
Readers who would be considered “good” readers for
their age group, read fluently with adequate speed, and they also have the acquired
ability to use the appropriate phrasing, intonation, and their oral reading mirrors their spoken language. Their spoken language is their
effectiveness to speak in their ethnological class of communication. Dysfluent
readers who have broken reading patterns also have broken ethnology communicative
patterns.
Students who have slow text recognition skills, difficulty
with semantic connections between words, meanings and ideas, who lack
sensitivity to prosodic cues and who have poor comprehension skills need
fluency practice. The dysfluent dyslexic student can master these reading,
writing and speech challenges by listening to various models of fluent reading,
practicing read alouds with a fluent reader and listening to books on audio so
comprehension is not lost through decoding.
