Dyslexia ‘no myth’

Press, 11 October 1986, Page 16

Dyslexia ‘no myth’

PA New Plymouth A claim by an Otago researcher that dyslexia was a myth has been rejected by Speld (specific learning disabilities) New Zealand. Speld’s national publicity officer, Mrs Barbara Young, of New Plymouth, said that the comments of a researcher Dr David Share about dyslexia were “absolute rubbish” and had shocked and infuriated her organisation. “What he is saying is that dyslexia is a myth, an excuse for bright and advantaged children who are poor readers,” said

Mrs Young. “He is saying they are not special and they don’t need special treatment” Mrs Young said that Dr Share’s opinion that dyslexia was basically the same as ordinary reading difficulty and the socalled dyslexic was normal in every respect except reading ability went against all the research findings, both overseas and in New Zealand, that Speld was aware of. “There is more to dyslexia than a poor reader,” she said. Dr Shard’s comments had upset a lot of people.