DYSLEXIA IN CROATIA

CROATIAN LANGUAGE - CONSTITUTION AND INFLUENCE ON DYSLEXIA

The basic principle of writing in Croatian language is phonemic - alphabetical principle, which simply means that you write what you hear. According to this principle each phoneme in a spoken word is written by a defined sign (grapheme) which is always represented by the same letter. First of all children must learn the connection between each letter and the associated phoneme, then they have to convert certain number of written symbols (letters) in sounds, and finally bind them up in words. All that serves to achieve one goal - to discover the meaning and sense of the text. Therefore for child it is crucial to have good ability of phonematic analysis and synthesis. Because of that the method that dominates in Croatian schools is analytic - synthetic method in teaching of reading and writing. Only in the very beginning this method is combined with the global method.

Described processes are not going on equally in all kinds of alphabetical lettering. They depend upon basic principles of orthography (spelling). The more some language is phonematic (which means that correlation of phonemes and graphemes is closer); the simpler is the process of modeling vocal structure of the word in reading is simpler.

But, however, one question remains: why is there such a big number of dyslectic children in Croatia where orthography is very phonematic?

FREQUENCY OF DIFFICULTIES
IN READING AND WRITING - DYSLEXIA

It should be noted that the whole literature provides the same figure: 5-10% of the population suffers difficulties in reading and writing, which also includes specific difficulties called dyslexia. Systematic research and observation of the frequency of these difficulties in Croatia isn't done (only isolated research on small samples). For that reason it is impossible to give complete and precise statistics. But figures that are given by schoolteachers and parents show that number of dyslectic children is increasing. The increase is particularly noticed in the first few generations after the war in Croatia, which began in 1990. The possible factors are the consequences of the war trauma that children had experienced in their psychological and physical development. But, the cause could also be drastic changes of methodic principles of initial teaching of reading and writing, with too many new primers, every one of which has its good and bad aspects considering dyslexia.

PREVENTION AND RECOGNITION

At the moment in Croatia there isn't any systematic prevention of development of dyslexia. Some efforts are being done in systematic early recognition. The key factor in that should be expert teams in elementary schools. Their education and competence are crucial for creation of adequate model, which should be officially accepted.
So far dyslexia has been recognized isolately and more or less accidentally. This happens usually when a dyslectic child becomes unsuccessful at school. However, there are some indications, which suggest improvement.

DYAGNOSTICS AND THERAPY

The child who shows the symptoms of dyslexia has to be completely assessed by the team of professionals, to achieve the diagnosis. This means the assessment has to be done by a psychologist, speech therapist and, if needed by other experts (neurologist, otorinolaringologist). Speech therapists who are employed in schools should obligatory do their part of assessment and diagnostics, and they should refer the child to further assessment. All these should be put together in the child's file in his/her school. Expert opinions and reports are the basis for therapy. The therapy is organized in various institutions, according to the circumstances (in schools, clinics, special institutions, hospitals etc).

Annually 25 students enroll in the Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation in Zagreb, Speech Therapy Department. Although they are formally present in most of the schools, the real need (the number of children who need therapy) is much bigger. The majority of school speech therapists cover several schools. Besides, many of them do jobs which aren't speech therapy, but common rehabilitation jobs.
Speech therapist are employed in educational institutions, but also in health institutions, and some of them run their own private practice. Speech therapy in educational and health institutions is free of charge (in health institutions it is covered by insurance). Private dyslexia tuition has to be paid.

The absence of speech therapist causes the biggest problems in isolated towns and villages. Law doesn't regulate the relation between the number of children with difficulties and number of employed speech therapist.

SCHOOLS AND DYSLEXIA

In Croatia all children obligatorily attend primary school, and follow a national curriculum from the age of 7 until 15. School attendance is compulsory for children who turn 6 in April of the current year. School programs and textbooks aren't well suited to dyslexic children. Besides, due to the poor financial situation of the whole society, the accompanying didactical material is missing. Tuition and mastering of the teaching material is primarily based upon skills of reading and writing. Formally, there are no exemptions for dyslectic children, specially considering knowledge evaluation, where good reading and writing are required. Only the children who suffer from very severe difficulties can, after achieving the diagnosis, ask for the program which is specially adapted for their needs.

If the child wasn't remedied during the primary school his bad marks cause difficulties while trying to enroll in the secondary school which is appropriate to his/her real abilities and desires. Moreover, if they manage to finish some school, later they face a new problem - to find their own social position, which is in Croatian society closely bound with the profession. Down to the lack of formal qualifications, dyslectics are frequently pushed into professions which fail to make good use of their gifts and abilities.

EDUCATION OF PROFESSIONALS AND PARENTS

Parents frequently don't realize for a long time what is wrong with their child. Usually, after noticing child's difficulties, they try to find help in the books or on the Internet, and than they ask for help in schools. Their understanding of the problem and their education in that field depends on their own efforts and capability to find information and suggestions. The role of the professional school team (pedagogist, speech therapist, and psychologist) is very important - they should help parents.

According to the recent data, at the Faculty of Philosophy (Departments of Psychology and Pedagogy) and at the Teacher Education Academies and Higher schools students don't study about dyslexia. Yet, some improvements can be noticed: few years ago counselors in the Ministry of Education started to organize regular professional lectures on dyslexia for teachers and pedagogues.
School physicians and family physicians should obligatorily have knowledge of symptoms of dyslexia. After noticing the symptoms, they should refer the child to a specialist for a check-up or a treatment. However in praxis it usually happens that physicians who are not competent enough in that field, do the diagnosis alone. In that case parents should themselves ask for the reference for specialists.

Although some sporadic information on dyslexia appears in public, it is not enough to encourage the public awareness, and it is necessary to keep on working in that field.

ADULTS AND DYSLEXIA

The majority of dyslectic adults doesn't know or doesn't realize the real nature of their problems. They know that they failed in schools, and usually they recognize their symptoms after getting some information on dyslexia. Some of them still suffer severe difficulties, and some want to try the therapy. The others think that they've outgrown difficulties, and they take it as a part of their own personality. Those adults who want to be assessed and who want to receive a therapy can do it either at private speech therapist or in some health institution, which is covered by insurance. Professionals and therapists can provide help and advice for students, suggesting how to use techniques and tools, which make their further schooling easier.

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