Imagine that you’re 12 years old and in the sixth grade. You have been asked to make a speech in front of 200 people, and the topic is your learning disorder.

On March 26, Jake Seitz of Nesquehoning, a student in the Panther Valley Intermediate School, spoke at the Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition Conference in Harrisburg.

Jake was diagnosed with dyslexia four years ago.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves a difficulty in reading due to problems with identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words. The learning disorder is the result of individual differences in areas of the brain that process language.”

‘A red flag for us’

Dyslexia in children can go undetected by parents unless they know the symptoms.

“My husband, Brian, and I had noticed that Jake was getting frustrated with reading and spelling,” said his mother, Kylie. “He was having trouble with recognizing and sequencing letters, especially B, D, P and Q. This was a red flag for us.”

Dyslexia does not always exhibit other identifiable deficiencies.

“Jake has not had problems with his speech or his motor skills, and that’s why dyslexia can go undiagnosed for a long time,” Kylie said.

He was eventually tested and the diagnosis was confirmed. The test for dyslexia, according to retired school psychologist Sharon John of Kingston, is quite comprehensive.

“There is a battery of tests that are administered by a certified psychologist that include five specific areas,” she said. “The items are given one at a time to the individual child. The areas tested are letter identification, including their sights and sounds; word identification; fluency; vocabulary; and comprehension. There are also subtests given in each area.”

At school, Jake was assigned to Lori Severino, who has been his tutor for the past year and a half.

“Before Jake was diagnosed, he had no system in place to help him decode words,” Severino said. “Commonly used is the Wilson language system that provides curriculum for teaching reading and spelling to individuals of any age that have difficulty with written language.”

‘I can do this’

When Severino is asked about Jake’s progress, she replied with exuberant praise.

“Jake is very resilient and he’s always positive,” Severino said. “He understands the importance of developing his reading skills. In fact, he would fit my tutoring sessions in between his sports activities despite being tired from a long day of activities.

“He’s shown a year’s worth of growth since we have worked together. He puts in the time and effort with an attitude of, ‘I can do this.’ He’s really been a bright part of my day.”

Robert Palazzo, supervisor of curriculum and students services at Panther Valley, said that a comprehensive science of reading program has been in place in the district for the past four years as a vital part of instruction at the elementary level.

“We have a diagnostic intervention program in grades 1-3 that identifies what reading level each student is at,” Palazzo said. “The program emphasizes lesson repetition and it’s not computer based. It focuses on face-to-face instruction between the teacher and the student.”

The Seitz family has been pleased with the teamwork that is necessary for teaching dyslexic students.

“Ms. Severino, Jake’s teachers and Mr. Palazzo have all been wonderful and have worked together in helping Jake improve his ability to read,” Kylie said.

Early detection

One of the main targets of the Literary Conference was to promote legislation in Pennsylvania that will provide resources and a structure for schools to create an evidenced-based curriculum to improve the literacy levels of all students by bolstering reading instruction.

At the conference, Jake met Deon Butler, a former football player for the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

Butler was able to struggle through school and college without knowing he was dyslexic before he was cut from the Lion’s roster because he couldn’t read the playbook. He is a national advocate for early diagnosis of dyslexia and the need for testing once reading instruction has been introduced.

‘Embarrassed and left out’

When it was his turn to speak at the conference, Jake, who had practiced using note cards, commanded the room and made his parents proud.

He began by saying: “I found out I was dyslexic in the third grade, which made me understand why recess and lunch were my favorite times of the day. I remember a time I was in science class in the fourth grade and it was my turn to read. I was not even paying attention to the teacher because I was so worried and scared about having to read out loud.

“I would feel embarrassed and left out because I was reading at a second-grade reading level. At home, I would get so upset that I couldn’t go out and play because it would take me so long to do my homework.”

His frustration took its toll on his mother and father.

“Jake would call himself stupid and that would just make me cry,” Kylie said.

‘The way I learn’

At the conference, Jake continued his speech: “Once I was tested, I started a program based on the science of reading. We knew I needed more time to practice and master it, and my tutor helped me learn how to put words together, sound them out and put them into sentences.

“Dyslexia has not stopped me from doing what I like,” Jake said in the conclusion of his speech. “I just know my brain works differently. I am thankful for the support of my parents who have always helping me stay positive. I am grateful to my teachers and tutors. Since I couldn’t learn the way they taught, they started teaching me the way I learn.”

Information for parents about dyslexia can be found at Decoding Dyslexia Pennsylvania.