"20% of students have dyslexia"; Boston's Children has new app for diagnosing it

Jan 2, 2019, Boston 25 News: Can diagnosing dyslexia early improve learning processes? https://www.boston25news.com/news/can-diagnosing-dyslexia-early-improve-learning-processes-/895620373 Yet it’s estimated that up to 20 percent of students have dyslexia or another language-based learning disability that makes decoding letters on a page challenging. A new app created at Boston Children’s Hospital is focused on screening children at younger ages to find out if they’re at risk for developing a reading problem. Nadine Gaab, an associate professor of pediatrics at Boston Children’s and the Harvard Medical School, developed the app. … Right now, the app is being tested in 16 schools, including some in New England. Gaab says it could be in wide use by the start of school in the fall. By targeting students as young as preschool, Gaab hopes this approach transforms how – and when – kids are diagnosed with dyslexia. “Right now, children are waiting for a significant period of time and failing for a significant period of time before they’re actually identified and pulled out and tested, and then might get the diagnosis and access to resources,” added Gaab. This app comes as a new law goes into effect in Massachusetts, mandating the Department of Education to come up with a system to screen all students…. The final version of the app will contain resources for teachers, such as instructional videos and downloadable lesson plans. …