School Board meeting focuses on Dyslexia #dyslexia

A recent Knoxville School Board meeting primarily focused on elementary reading programs that help children with dyslexia and other reading troubles. A Powerpoint presentation was given by Jennifer Lambirth, a teacher at Northstar and West Elementary. Lambirth explained to meeting attendees that while reading, those without dyslexia use three areas of the brain; those with dyslexia only use one area. Lambirth urged early detection in order to help those with dyslexia achieve reading parity because “A child can have a high IQ, but their reading never catches up”. She illustrated to the attendees what it was like for a child to feel frustration and stress by their inability to read or write well in class by having an open writing exercise where they were expected to write using their non-dominant hand.