Dyslexia : an Overview

Dyslexia describes a condition first mentioned in English around the turn of the century (Morgan, 1896; Hinshelwood, 1900). Since then the characteristics, causes, and nature of the disability have been discussed by scores of investigators. However, a great deal of disagreement persists among educators, psychologists, clinicians, and physicians, as well as the general public (Reid, 1968). The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to present a short overview of what is known and not known about dyslexia. The discussion will cover four topics: an operational definition of dyslexia, some attendant characteristics, four competing accounts of the nature of the disorder, 1 and some brief suggestions for remediation.