I am a bilingual school psychologist and ESL professional. I was born in Ecuador and moved to the US to attend college. I have worked with professionals and students from many parts of the world and understand the challenges that students with disabilities face. My mission is to help bring global awareness about learning disabilities and the interventions that can help students succeed. More information at: marthayouman.com https://www.youtube.com/user/meyouman81
This paper is an update of our original article outlining and describing dyslexia laws in the Uni... more This paper is an update of our original article outlining and describing dyslexia laws in the United States. The current review provides a snapshot of the status of different dyslexia laws and it also provides suggestions for increasing dyslexia awareness and helping states enact and comply with dyslexia laws.
While significant research has been done on dyslexia with native English speakers, little is know... more While significant research has been done on dyslexia with native English speakers, little is known about identifying dyslexia in English Language Learners (ELLs). This creates challenges for practitioners working with ELLs in schools who must make decisions about placement, interventions, and accommodations without having a clear indication of whether ELLs struggle with reading because of lack of English language exposure or a neurological conditions, such as dyslexia. Previous research, primarily involving monolingual native English speakers, has highlighted specific cognitive correlates of reading that help screen students with dyslexia at an early age. These cognitive correlates, which include Phonological Awareness (PA), Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), and Processing Speed (PS), have consistently been linked to basic reading skills in English and other languages. The present study had many objectives that could provide guidance for practitioners working with ELLs. First it explored the value of PA, RAN, and PS as predictors of basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs. Second, it investigated a model that combined tasks of PA, RAN and PS that with the highest correlations to aspects of reading. Third, it explored the role of Vocabulary (V) in both English and Spanish in the development of reading skills in ELLs. Fourth, it aimed at establishing the use of the Simple View of Reading (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986), which postulates that reading is the product of decoding and listening comprehension skills, for the assessment of reading in ELLs. Finally, it incorporated findings from this study for an adaptation of the SVR for use with ELLs. Findings suggest that RAN and PA, and PS, as measured in this study, are highly correlated to basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs, and that these can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in this population. This study also demonstrated that a model that included RAN Numbers and phoneme deletion in English can accurately predict reading performance. Findings also indicate that V in English is highly correlated to basic reading skills in English, and that the model of the SVR can be replicated with the population sampled in this study. Finally, case study analyses illustrate how a model similar to the SVR, which incorporates RAN and PS, as well as V, can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in ELLs.
Across the United States, ample variability exists in the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia. Se... more Across the United States, ample variability exists in the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia. Several states have recognized the existence of this disorder and the well-established need for services. These states have taken proactive steps to implement laws and regulations for both identification and treatment, whereas other states continue to lag behind in the provision of equal access of services to students who are diagnosed with dyslexia. This article is an update to our article Dyslexia laws in the USA which was published in the Annals of Dyslexia (Youman & Mather, 2012). It summarizes the current status of dyslexia laws across the United States, and highlights some of the differences among the laws and regulations across states.
This article describes the challenges that professionals face when working with individuals with ... more This article describes the challenges that professionals face when working with individuals with dyslexia. Laws vary from state to state in the United States and the experience of students with dyslexia can vary vastly depending on where they are born and go to school.
This KQED article summarizes the challenges that teachers encounter while working with students w... more This KQED article summarizes the challenges that teachers encounter while working with students with dyslexia. It also explores the changes that will take place in California due to Assembly Bill 1369, which was passed on October of 2015.
This is an update of our 2015 Perspectives article and our initial paper on Dyslexia Laws in the ... more This is an update of our 2015 Perspectives article and our initial paper on Dyslexia Laws in the USA.
This paper is an update of our original article outlining and describing dyslexia laws in the Uni... more This paper is an update of our original article outlining and describing dyslexia laws in the United States. The current review provides a snapshot of the status of different dyslexia laws and it also provides suggestions for increasing dyslexia awareness and helping states enact and comply with dyslexia laws.
While significant research has been done on dyslexia with native English speakers, little is know... more While significant research has been done on dyslexia with native English speakers, little is known about identifying dyslexia in English Language Learners (ELLs). This creates challenges for practitioners working with ELLs in schools who must make decisions about placement, interventions, and accommodations without having a clear indication of whether ELLs struggle with reading because of lack of English language exposure or a neurological conditions, such as dyslexia. Previous research, primarily involving monolingual native English speakers, has highlighted specific cognitive correlates of reading that help screen students with dyslexia at an early age. These cognitive correlates, which include Phonological Awareness (PA), Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), and Processing Speed (PS), have consistently been linked to basic reading skills in English and other languages. The present study had many objectives that could provide guidance for practitioners working with ELLs. First it explored the value of PA, RAN, and PS as predictors of basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs. Second, it investigated a model that combined tasks of PA, RAN and PS that with the highest correlations to aspects of reading. Third, it explored the role of Vocabulary (V) in both English and Spanish in the development of reading skills in ELLs. Fourth, it aimed at establishing the use of the Simple View of Reading (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986), which postulates that reading is the product of decoding and listening comprehension skills, for the assessment of reading in ELLs. Finally, it incorporated findings from this study for an adaptation of the SVR for use with ELLs. Findings suggest that RAN and PA, and PS, as measured in this study, are highly correlated to basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs, and that these can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in this population. This study also demonstrated that a model that included RAN Numbers and phoneme deletion in English can accurately predict reading performance. Findings also indicate that V in English is highly correlated to basic reading skills in English, and that the model of the SVR can be replicated with the population sampled in this study. Finally, case study analyses illustrate how a model similar to the SVR, which incorporates RAN and PS, as well as V, can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in ELLs.
Across the United States, ample variability exists in the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia. Se... more Across the United States, ample variability exists in the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia. Several states have recognized the existence of this disorder and the well-established need for services. These states have taken proactive steps to implement laws and regulations for both identification and treatment, whereas other states continue to lag behind in the provision of equal access of services to students who are diagnosed with dyslexia. This article is an update to our article Dyslexia laws in the USA which was published in the Annals of Dyslexia (Youman & Mather, 2012). It summarizes the current status of dyslexia laws across the United States, and highlights some of the differences among the laws and regulations across states.
This article describes the challenges that professionals face when working with individuals with ... more This article describes the challenges that professionals face when working with individuals with dyslexia. Laws vary from state to state in the United States and the experience of students with dyslexia can vary vastly depending on where they are born and go to school.
This KQED article summarizes the challenges that teachers encounter while working with students w... more This KQED article summarizes the challenges that teachers encounter while working with students with dyslexia. It also explores the changes that will take place in California due to Assembly Bill 1369, which was passed on October of 2015.
This is an update of our 2015 Perspectives article and our initial paper on Dyslexia Laws in the ... more This is an update of our 2015 Perspectives article and our initial paper on Dyslexia Laws in the USA.
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The present study had many objectives that could provide guidance for practitioners working with ELLs. First it explored the value of PA, RAN, and PS as predictors of basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs. Second, it investigated a model that combined tasks of PA, RAN and PS that with the highest correlations to aspects of reading. Third, it explored the role of Vocabulary (V) in both English and Spanish in the development of reading skills in ELLs. Fourth, it aimed at establishing the use of the Simple View of Reading (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986), which postulates that reading is the product of decoding and listening comprehension skills, for the assessment of reading in ELLs. Finally, it incorporated findings from this study for an adaptation of the SVR for use with ELLs.
Findings suggest that RAN and PA, and PS, as measured in this study, are highly correlated to basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs, and that these can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in this population. This study also demonstrated that a model that included RAN Numbers and phoneme deletion in English can accurately predict reading performance. Findings also indicate that V in English is highly correlated to basic reading skills in English, and that the model of the SVR can be replicated with the population sampled in this study. Finally, case study analyses illustrate how a model similar to the SVR, which incorporates RAN and PS, as well as V, can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in ELLs.
The present study had many objectives that could provide guidance for practitioners working with ELLs. First it explored the value of PA, RAN, and PS as predictors of basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs. Second, it investigated a model that combined tasks of PA, RAN and PS that with the highest correlations to aspects of reading. Third, it explored the role of Vocabulary (V) in both English and Spanish in the development of reading skills in ELLs. Fourth, it aimed at establishing the use of the Simple View of Reading (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986), which postulates that reading is the product of decoding and listening comprehension skills, for the assessment of reading in ELLs. Finally, it incorporated findings from this study for an adaptation of the SVR for use with ELLs.
Findings suggest that RAN and PA, and PS, as measured in this study, are highly correlated to basic reading skills in Spanish speaking ELLs, and that these can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in this population. This study also demonstrated that a model that included RAN Numbers and phoneme deletion in English can accurately predict reading performance. Findings also indicate that V in English is highly correlated to basic reading skills in English, and that the model of the SVR can be replicated with the population sampled in this study. Finally, case study analyses illustrate how a model similar to the SVR, which incorporates RAN and PS, as well as V, can be used for the assessment of reading and dyslexia in ELLs.