(Toronto, Canada) – Dyslexia Canada urges school boards to screen all Kindergarten to Grade 2 students to help identify children who need extra support to learn how to read.
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability and affects one’s ability to read, write, and spell. It is often overlooked and undiagnosed in Canada.
“Screening for dyslexia is similar to having your temperature or blood pressure checked at the doctor's office,” said Alicia Smith, Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada. “When these measurements are outside the normal range, they indicate that further assessment, intervention, and follow-up are needed.”
While it is never too late to learn to read or improve literacy skills, intervention is most effective when it starts in kindergarten or grade one. When schools implement universal early screening and provide targeted intervention to students identified through screening, more than 95 percent of all students can learn to read by the end of grade 2.
Alberta is currently the only province that has implemented evidence-based screening for students from Kindergarten to Grade 2. Dyslexia Canada is encouraged that Ontario and New Brunswick have committed to implementing universal screening beginning in the 2023-24 school year.
In Ontario, several school boards have been proactively implementing screening this year, including the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB), which already screens all its Kindergarten to Grade 2 students.
Schools in Ontario that have implemented screening report positive results. “Universal screening has been a game-changer in my kindergarten program: fast, reliable and valid data informs my instruction, supports equity and leads to reading success for all students,” explained Kate Winn, a kindergarten teacher in the PVNCCDSB board.
Dyslexia Canada calls on all parents to contact their provincial legislative member and school board to commit to implementing universal screening in their schools. For more information visit our new screening information page.