Dyslexia is the most common learning disability, affecting 15 percent of the U.S. population, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Sinkinson Dyslexia Foundation was founded in 2008 with the mission to teach children and adults with dyslexia how to read, at no cost to the families. On Thursday, Oct. 1, the foundation and Old Dominion University will co-host “Why Can’t I Reab Like Everdoby Else?,” a symposium on dyslexia.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. in the North Café of Webb University Center with a viewing of the documentary “Dislecksia: The Movie,” which was created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Harvey Hubbell.
The movie tells the funny, though sometimes heartbreaking, story of the life of a dyslexic child (Hubbell himself), his many challenges in surviving the school experience and his ultimate discovery of the effective reading methodology that changed his life.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Hubbell and other panelists with varied expertise in the field of dyslexia. They will address the current state of treatment, the needs of those struggling with dyslexia and pending legislation which will attempt to meet those needs.
Despite average to above average intelligence, children with dyslexia have difficulty learning to “decode,” or read words by associating sounds and letters or letter combinations. They have difficulty recognizing common “sight words,” or frequently occurring words that most readers recognize instantly.
The Old Dominion event will provide families, students and educators the opportunity to learn about this reading disability from adults and children that struggled with dyslexia, as well as professionals in the education and medical fields.
This event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are strongly recommended.