History of Dyslexia

Research on the history of dyslexia is expanding. This entry provides a synopsis of dyslexia’s history—from its initial identification in the late nineteenth century to expanded interest across the twentieth century—and the kinds of conceptual questions that research on dyslexia’s history is exploring. These include the question of what role society has played in dyslexia’s emergence and in changing understandings of dyslexia over time.