Though the term dyslexia is familiar to the American public and is frequently seen in the media, it often is misunderstood, even in the educational setting. The International Dyslexia Association established the following definition of dyslexia: Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. The International Dyslexia Association also described the characteristics of dyslexia in young children: difficulty reading single words, difficulty learning to associate letters and sounds, confusion of small words such as "at" and "to," letter reversals, and world reversals. The myths and truths about dyslexia are presented. The authors believe that by understanding the characteristics of dyslexia and implementing specific strategies, teachers can effectively address their students' instructional needs. (Contains 2 tables.)