Dyslexia and specific learning difficulties

Dyslexia and specific learning difficulties Evidence-based educational intervention for teachers Dyslexia is the most common specific learning difficulty: it affects between 5% and 12% of school-age students, regardless of intellectual ability, sociocultural context, or the quality of instruction they receive. It is a condition of neurobiological origin — with high genetic heritability — whose most characteristic feature is a deficit in phonological processing, that is, the ability to identify, manipulate, and work with the sounds of language (Snowling, 2000; Frith, 1985). The core difficulty is not visual or motivational: it lies in establishing phoneme-grapheme correspondences and automating reading decoding. Coltheart's dual-route model explains why some students can recognize familiar words as whole units but struggle with new words or pseudowords, while the double-deficit model (Wolf & Bowers, 1999) adds naming speed as a second predictor of reading fluency. In addition to dyslexia, this course covers other specific learning difficulties that often co-occur in the classroom: dysgraphia (difficulties with written production), dyscalculia (difficulties with number sense and mathematical processing), and reading comprehension difficulties despite intact decoding. These conditions often co-occur with ADHD, which calls for an integrated approach to assessment and intervention. This course trains teachers to identify early indicators of these difficulties, understand their neurocognitive basis, and apply evidence-based intervention strategies in both mainstream classrooms and specialized support settings. Key topics - Neurocognitive foundations of dyslexia: phonological processing and naming speed - Explanatory models: dual-route, double-deficit, and magnocellular processing - Classroom assessment and identification: warning signs at each educational stage - Dysgraphia: types, assessment, and writing intervention - Dyscalculia: number sense, arithmetic facts, and support strategies - Multisensory intervention and evidence-based methods (Orton-Gillingham, structured phonics) - Instructional and assessment accommodations in mainstream classrooms - Coordination with families, guidance teams, and specialized support providers Who it's for Primary and secondary school teachers, special education teachers (PT), school counselors, school-based speech-language therapists, and any education professional who supports students with, or suspects, reading or learning difficulties. Methodology - 100% online, self-paced training - Text-based content with clinical examples and real cases - Adapted practical resources for reading, writing, and math - Final quiz - Certificate of completion Timely identification of a specific learning difficulty can change a student's educational and life trajectory. This course gives you the tools to act with rigor, empathy, and effectiveness.