Angela Onwuzoo As Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate the 2024 International Dyslexia Day today, experts have suggested ways of tackling the learning disability in reading among affected children in the country. They advocated early detection and interventions for students with the disorders to boost their academic performance. International Dyslexia Day is celebrated on October 8 every year.
According to the British Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that primarily affects reading and writing skills. It explained that dyslexia affects both reading skills and information processing. “Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills”, the association added.
Speaking at an event organised by Women Foundation for Improved Living Standards in collaboration with Nwafor Orizu College’s Primary School, Anambra State to commemorate the day, a Sub-Dean at the Faculty of Arts, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Prof. Ifeoma Udoye, said there were scientifically proven methods of tackling the condition. She stressed the need to raise more awareness about the disorder, citing millions children affected worldwide.
Udoye, a Professor of Linguistics, identified early detection as a crucial method of tackling dyslexia in children. The don also listed other key methods for identifying children at risk, including monitoring linguis.