A revision of the International Dyslexia Association’s definition, led by Texas A&M scholar R. Malatesha Joshi, introduces significant changes including the removal of IQ testing reliance and increased focus on early intervention, inspired by global research developments.
A Texas A&M University scholar has helped steer the first major revision in more than 20 years to the International Dyslexia Association’s definition of dyslexia, a change that could alter how children are identified and supported in schools. The updated wording reflects newer research, broadens the definition beyond English-language reading systems and drops a long-criticised reliance on IQ testing, according to the association and the paper published in the Annals of Dyslexia.
R. Malatesha Joshi, a professor of literacy education and educational psychology at Texas A&M, served on a small executive committee that worked with a larger group of international scholars on the revision. Texas A&M said the panel reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the 2002 definition before agreeing on a new version, which was approved in October 2025 and later analysed in the journal article by Hugh W. Catts, Charles W. Haynes and Joshi.
One of the biggest changes is the removal of an IQ gap requirement that had been part of the earlier definition. Joshi told Phys.org that the old standard sometimes excluded children who needed help but narrowly missed the threshold, and he argued that reading assessments are more useful than intelligence tests when determining whether a student has dyslexia. The revised definition also steps away from language suggesting a problem with brain function, a shift Joshi said was important for reducing stigma.
The new wording also reflects a broader research base. The International Dyslexia Association said its 2025 draft drew on input from researchers, educators, clinicians, advocates and people with dyslexia from around the world, while the updated paper in Annals of Dyslexia says the revision was intended to better fit evidence across different writing systems. Joshi noted that work since 2002 has expanded well beyond Western European alphabetic languages to include studies in Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and Arabic.
Early identification is another central theme. Where the 2002 definition had encouraged waiting until later primary grades, the new version places more weight on support in the earliest years, saying language and literacy help before and during early education can be especially effective. Joshi said some children may show warning signs before they enter school, and that the revised definition is meant to help families, teachers and policymakers respond sooner.
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