National Dyslexia Awareness Month

Proclamation
By the Governor of Alabama

WHEREAS, dyslexia is a specific learning disability, that is neurobiological in origin and is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities; and

WHEREAS, these difficulties are typically caused by a deficit in the phonological component of language that is unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and to the provision of effective classroom instruction; and

WHEREAS, secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge; and

WHEREAS, according to the National Institutes of Health, dyslexia occurs on a continuum of severity, affecting between 10 and 20 percent of the population; and

WHEREAS, Alabamians can benefit from increased awareness of the nature of dyslexia, the early warning signs of dyslexia and the value of multisensory structured language interventions for students with dyslexia; and

WHEREAS, greater recognition and understanding are necessary to ensure that individuals living with dyslexia in Alabama are accurately identified and provided with appropriate services so that they might lead productive lives:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim October 2015, as

National Dyslexia Awareness Month

in the State of Alabama.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 9th day of October 2015.

Robert Bentley
Governor