Understanding school structure and the connection to diagnosing dyslexic students: leave no stone unturned

While the overarching function of public educational institutions is to instruct students in the proper methods of intellectual, psychological, and emotional growth, the total institution of academia can marginalize students. With regards to students with learning disabilities, stereotypically erudite functions of being an accomplished student become extremely challenging. Dyslexia is considered the most common and studied of learning disabilities that impacts 80% of all students identified as having a learning disability (Shaywitz, 1998). Although data are antiquated and sparse, continued study of dyslexia begs the question of how academic needs of students are being identified. Where the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) classifies academically based disorders as either learning disorders or communication impairments, schools approach dyslexia from the standpoint of phonological deficits alone (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; Snowling & Hulme, 2012). The present study will aid academic practitioners, and other associated professionals in meeting the needs of dyslexic students to increase service delivery while reducing academic relegation.