Our dyslexia team is led by Elizabeth van der Pol and Robin Ferrata. They support the identification, assessment, and serve students with Dyslexia. Our dyslexia team is trained in an Orton-Gillingham methodology, either from Neuhaus Education Center or Region 4. Our dyslexia teachers support classroom students, teachers and parents with reading, writing and spelling instruction. Classroom teachers are strongly encouraged to attend training sessions that support the science-based approach to literacy instruction through the Neuhaus Education Center, HISD provided training, and Region 4. 

Orton-Gillingham based dyslexia intervention is science-based literacy instruction. It incorporates the six strands for reading phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and written expression (which includes spelling!). The Orton-Gillingham approach to dyslexia intervention provides a systematic and explicit instruction in all the strands for reading. Teachers who provide the dyslexia intervention are diagnostic and prescriptive when providing intervention so that it is tailored to meet the needs of the child. 

Students with dyslexia are served either through 504 or Special Education. If you have a concern about your child’s reading, reach out to Dr. Abraham to schedule a meeting to discuss your concerns and possibility of having your child assessed in the area of reading.

All Kindergarten, First, and Seventh grade students are screened for dyslexia in accordance with H.B. 1886 passed in 2017. H.B. 1886 was passed to increase the early identification and intervene with students who may be at-risk for reading difficulties such as dyslexia.. Students in Kindergarten are screened during the end-of-year TX-KEA assessment. First grade students are screened with the middle-of-the-year Renaissance 360 Early Literacy progress monitoring assessment.Seventh grade students who did not pass the Reading STAAR in sixth grade are screened using the TMSFA in the first 6 weeks of school. If flagged at-risk for dyslexia, notification will be sent home, and a meeting to discuss your child and their reading progress will be scheduled. Here is a link to more information regarding dyslexia screening www.houstonisd.org/dyslexiascreening

More information about the HISD Dyslexia Department www.houstonisd.org/dyslexia