'Right To Read Act' Aims To Help Dyslexic Students

A proposed Rhode Island law would require all elemantary school teacheres become proficient in scientific reading instruction, a new approach to teaching that could help decrease youth illiteracy and help dyslexic students. The bill, named the "Right To Read" act, was introduced in the House of Representatives by William O'Brien.

The scientific reading approach focuses on sounds and how they are related to letters and words. The concept is based off of neurological research into how the brain works during written and spoken language learning. In a release, Rep. O'Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence), said many teachers are not aware of the new teaching approach, leading to literacy gaps.

"Too many of our children, especially those with dyslexia, cannot read at their grade level and are being left behind in the educational process," O'Brien said. "This gap in literacy teaching is because outdated methods of teaching literacy are still being taught to our teachers and this bill requires our teachers to learn and to instruct their students with the clinically-tested and scientifically-proven ‘scientific reading instruction’ model."

If passed, the bill would create benchmarks for teachers that would guide teachers on when to employ the scientific reading model. Schools and individual teachers that do not meet the standard within a certain period of time would be penalized.

House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) praised the legislation, saying dyslexia is an important issue that schools need to address head-on.

"I want to thank Representative O’Brien for sponsoring this House initiative to work on the dyslexia issue in our public schools. He has been talking to me about dyslexia for years and I want to thank him for his persistence on the issue and the information and research he has provided in order to fix the important problem that our public school system does not adequately address the needs of dyslexic students," Mattiello said.

The bill will be reviewed by the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare.