The World of Dyslexia: The Difficult Journey to Be UnderstoodsteemCreated with Sketch.

in steemiteducation •  7 years ago  (edited)

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“For too long, we've assumed that there is a single template for human nature,
which is why we diagnose most deviations as disorders.
But the reality is that there are many different kinds of minds.
And that's a very good thing.”
-Jonah Lehrer


Oftentimes parents or teachers may notice that a child has difficulty with reading or avoids reading out loud. The child may have difficulty with spelling, leaving certain letters out or writing a letter backwards. Frequently he/she will show difficulty with handwriting, math computations, and following a sequence of directions. The child may mispronounce words or ignores punctuations where he/she may fail to stop at the end of a written sentence or pause with a comma. These symptoms should be a warning that perhaps the child may have dyslexia.


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Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. It is not an illness nor is it a vision problem. Most of all it does not stem from any lack of intelligence. In fact many Dyslexics are highly intelligent. Dyslexia affects the way the brain processes language. Children with dyslexia may feel inadequate because they are not meeting the expectations of others. Sometimes they are labelled as lazy, careless, not trying hard enough. They easily get frustrated in school with reading activities and testing. Dyslexics may seem hyper or seem like a daydreamer when they zone out. Attention span may be limited.


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Children with dyslexia have difficulty with managing their time and show difficulty telling time. When doing math problems, they may count using their fingers instead of doing calculations on paper. They will also show difficulty dealing with money. Many times they may make careless mistakes which leads to their frustrations and feelings of being inadequate.


“Dyslexia is not a pigeonhole to say you can’t do anything.
It is an opportunity and a possibility to learn differently.
You have magical brains, they just process differently.
Don’t feel like you should be held back by it.”
-Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice


Some dyslexics tend to compensate by being the “class clown” or on the other end may be considered too quiet. They may show a social immaturity making them awkward in social interactions. They also have difficulty reading social cues so sometimes they seem insensitive to the body language of others.


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Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. Unlike some other conditions which can be treated with medication or therapy, dyslexia is something an individual has to deal with throughout his/her lifetime. The exact causes of dyslexia are still not clear but scientific studies have shown that there are actual differences in the brain of a dyslexic vs. a non-dyslexic brain. Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. It must be pointed out that many people with dyslexia are very bright.


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“If children can’t learn the way we teach, then we have to teach the way they learn”
-Robert Buck


How can parents and teachers help?

  1. Parents and teachers need to give the dyslexic child consistent encouragement and support. They need to listen to the child’s feelings (i.e. anger, depression, anxiety issues) keeping in mind that dyslexics have language problems so it may be difficult for them to express themselves.

  2. Reward the child’s efforts not the outcome or product produced. Focus on the fact that the child made the effort to perform or do something.

  3. When there is a behavioral problem, parents and teachers should try not to discourage the child by using words that may hurt him/her like lazy, bad, incorrigible, stupid, etc. Such labels can hurt the child’s self-esteem.

  4. Parents and teachers must also help the child set goals that are realistic for them, something attainable. By doing this, they may help the child to encounter more success than failure.

  5. Parents and teachers should give the child more opportunities to volunteer to help others because these experiences help the dyslexics feel more positive about themselves. These feelings of helping others leads to more successful outcomes for the child which in turns helps them deal better with their pain and frustrations.

  6. Teachers should set up a quiet area for the child with dyslexia for activities that involve reading, testing, & comprehensive work. By controlling the environment it can help the child to focus on the tasks at hand without distractions.

  7. Sometimes it can be very helpful to use books that are on tape as opposed to written text or if using books, the ones with larger print and spaces between the lines would assist the child in his/her learning.

  8. Because the dyslexic child may frequently misspell words, if possible, don’t grade on spelling errors but focus on the content of what was intended.

  9. When teaching, try to incorporate multi-sensory methods which use more than one sense to learn. Frequently the best technique to use is using visual or auditory senses. For instance, use words with corresponding pictures to facilitate better absorption of learning information.

  10. Provide a copy of the lesson plan for the parent so they can help to reinforce what was covered in class.


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There are many resources on the internet that parents and teachers can use to facilitate better learning and outcomes for the child.

Teacher Resource Sites

Nessy- http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/professionals/dyslexia-school/strategies-for-teachers

We Are Teachers- https://www.weareteachers.com/8-things-every-teacher-should-know-about-dyslexia

Special World - http://www.specialworld.net/2016/10/07/classroom-strategies-to-support-dyslexic-students

Parent Help Sites

Dyslexia Help Success - https://www.nessy.com/us/parents/dyslexia-information/6-ways-parents-can-help-dyslexia

Education.govt.nz for Parentshttps://parents.education.govt.nz/primary-school/learning-at-school/how-to-support-a-child-with-dyslexia

PBShttp://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/articles/dyslexia/resources.html

I highly recommend that you search the internet to tap into all available resources. Even on Pinterest there are a lot of different pins that may be helpful. Of course looking under dyslexia or dyslexics are the primary areas but another helpful area is looking under learning disorders or learning disabilities. Good luck on your research!


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Famous Dyslexics

Did you know that there are a lot of well known people who have had dyslexia and despite their difficulties, have all become very famous and successful? All children need role models to look up to whether it is their parents, teachers, brothers or sisters. But sometimes it is also helpful to know that there are very famous people in history and in these present times who have gone far beyond anyone’s expectations and have made significant contributions to the world. These role models should inspire these children with dyslexia, to know that anything is possible if they try. The following is a list of some of these historic and famous people who overcame their learning disabilities:


  1. Albert Einstein – famous physicist who developed the theory of relativity and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. It has been said that Albert Einstein didn’t talk until the age of four because of a language disability.

  2. Leonardo da Vinci – famous Italian Renaissance painter who is known for his Mona Lisa and The Last Supper paintings. He was known for writing his notes backwards from right to left.

  3. Thomas Edison – an American inventor who invented the phonograph, motion picture camera and the light bulb. He was reported to be dyslexic.

  4. Pablo Picasso – a famous art icon who had dyslexia and developed a technique where he would draw pictures in the way he saw or felt them. Such paintings demonstrated the power of the dyslexic imagination.

  5. Tom Cruise – a successful actor in films who has dyslexia, but because of his determination to overcome his learning disability, he was able to tap into his gifted acting ability to become a star of many films.

  6. Richard Branson – founder and chairman of Virgin Group became a very successful business man, despite his dyslexia by using his skill as a business guru and incorporating his gifted interpersonal skills.


Other notable dyslexic individuals include Steven Spieberg, Director, Henry Winkler, Actor, Mohammed Ali, World Heavyweight Champion Boxer, Anne Bancroft, Actress, Magic Johnson, Basketball Hall of Famer and Bob May, Golfer.


So using these talented & famous people as role models, one can inspire any young child with dyslexia, to be successful and good at something they want to do with hard work, determination and the belief that they can. Every child is important and needs to be facilitated & nurtured to become the best that they can be.


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"I was, on the whole, considerably discouraged by my school days.
It was not pleasant to feel oneself so completely outclassed
and left behind at the beginning of the race."
-Sir Winston Churchill


In closing, everyone in the child’s life has an important role to help them achieve success and accomplishments. A young child is very fragile and susceptible to so many influences that depending on the experience, it can affect their lives in good or negative ways. Each child deserves a chance to be on a path to success and happiness, so shouldn’t we at least try to help them find their way?


“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
-William Butler Yeats


I hope this article will help you understand the lives of children with dyslexia and how we can help them along their life's journey. Using some of the activities and approaches may help them to overcome some of their obstacles. I hope you will give it a try. Every child is special and important!


Thank-you for reading my post. It is much appreciated! If you would like to follow me, please check HERE


Article Resources:

Social and Emotional Problems Related to Dyslexia: http://www.ldonline.org/article/19296

Test for Dyslexia: 37 Common Traits: https://www.dyslexia.com/about-dyslexia/signs-of-dyslexia/test-for-dyslexia-37-signs

The Difference Between Dyslexia and Visual Processing Issues: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues

Dyslexia: https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/dyslexia

Levinson Medical Center for Learning Disabilities: http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/basics/famous_dyslexics.html


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This post received a 2.8% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @cabbagepatch! For more information, click here!

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

I think it is great that dyslexia is getting attention in elementary schools now, so kids these days don't grow up thinking they are stupid like I did when I was young. I used to be the dumb kid in class throughout elementary school and a few years after that. Until I got my first set of IQ tests at 15 years of age and it turned out I was actually in the 3 sigma high IQ range. Teachers back then really didn't know jack about dyslexia even existing, but after some experimenting one amazing teacher gave me a two inch wide black ruler to read with and it truly changed my life. In a matter of just months I went from being the dumbest to being the smartest kid in class. Today my Kobo reader is my absolute best friend. I've got it sent to OpenDyslexic font with increased line spacing and that combination works wonders for me.

I think it's important to note that dyslexia is not a single thing. Instead, it's a wide spectrum of cognitive distinctions involving written language. As such, there is no single way for managing it. While font and linespacing work wonders for me, to the point that being a slow reader is the only remaining handicap for me, for many others font and line spacing changes have absolutely zero attenuating effects.

@pibara, your comments not only made my day but I am so thrilled that you were able to overcome what you went through in your early educational years. Fortunately you had someone who believed in you and helped you take that first step to being who you really are. You were the one who fought hard to break through that stereotypical label and look how far you have come. I am truly so proud that you didn't let labels or people's opinions stand in your way. You are an inspiration!!!!!

Pibara, you should write an article to share what it was like for you when you were treated as so called "stupid". Teachers, parents and other children with dyslexia need your inspirational story!!! I know people need a lot of education and you could help provide it. They need to feel and see how cruelty and being labeled can really hurt a totally feeling child.

Thank-you so much for sharing your story. I will always remember it and how you actually rose above all these people who doubted you. I wish you nothing but the best. You deserve it, especially being do determined. Please take care and again, thank-you so much! ......Cabbagepatch :D

There's a lot of research showing that teaching children with dyslexia to write in cursive can be very helpful to them. When we write in cursive we don't pick up the pencil until the whole word is written. This constant flow is supposed to help retrain the brain.

I really like that concept because there is a flow to that technique. Even with speech they have found for those who have difficulty with speaking, like in stroke patients, that instead of verbalizing words, to sing because of that flow. Thank-you for sharing good information. I believe anything and everything should be explored to help children to learn and thrive.

This is so helpful.

One important thing to note is that you can't 'cure' someone of dyslexia.

It's always there. It's always something that has to be managed.

We can do everything you can do, and often we can do it better, but it's just a lot harder for us sometimes.

If you know someone, or have a child with dyslexia help them. Be supportive, encouraging, forgiving. Telling them they are useless and that they know nothing, and will be nothing won't make them a better person. It won't make reading or writing easier for them.

Find out what interests them or excites them and use that you help bolster their self esteem, and address their weaknesses. It takes time and effort, but it works really well.

I know it's a lifetime condition which is too bad but I believe all what you said above. People in general don't know what it is like so they need to understand in any way possible that the child with dyslexia needs to be treated with respect. I appreciate your excellent comments and your support. Have a great day! :D

When my brother was around 3, they diagnosed him as mentally retarted - he is not 54 :) He was rediagnosed when he was around 9 and they diagnosed his as severely dyslexic .. He was put in classes grown up all of the way thru high school with severely mentally retarded children some of which had no control over their bodily functions, etc. He worked really hard to graduate which he finally did at 21 years old .. He has been working a job now for 21 years for a company that still to this day takes advantage of these amazing employees - he got a .05 (yes, 5 cent) raise last year and he was more excited about the turkey they gave him for Thanksgiving. It is not an easy thing to grow up with but I can tell you that repetition and consistency is key. He does still write things backwards at times but I realize that he does this more hen he gets nervous. He is the BEST!!!! I really like this post alot :) SUNSHINE247

Dear @sunshine247, thank-you so much for your heart felt comments. I can understand what your brother must have gone through when he was young. Putting him in with the severely mentally retarded was probably one of the biggest mistakes. In those days they really didn't have a very good way to deal with all the different conditions. They tended to lump everyone together, not realizing that they needed to have different approaches. Learning disability is very different from other conditions because children are very much aware of things around them. They don't have intelligence problems, just difficulty with processing certain things. When you are put with others different from you, you begin to think something is wrong. Expectations are different so he probably didn't think he could strive higher.

I know it is so unfair that someone can profit from others like what is happening to your brother. I guess the main thing is if your brother is happy. Because money has less value than the feeling of earning a turkey, they can take advantage of the situation. Are there other programs that might employ him? Here in Hawaii, there are many McDonald's that hire the handicap and they get paid like the other employees. But again the key thing is if he is happy and if he would be happy changing to something new.

You are a fantastic sister! Your love for your brother is probably one of the most precious things to him. One thing I do know is that these people with learning disabilities or other conditions are probably the most loving people on Earth. They express love with no hidden agendas. They don't play games because they are real! And fortunately for you brother, you are real too! I wish you and your brother the best. You made me think that perhaps I need to write more in this area. Education of these areas are so important! Thank-you @sunshine247 for sharing your brother with me. His story has really touched my heart. It actually made me glad that I wrote about dyslexia. Have a wonderful week and please give a huge hug to your brother for me! :D

I love you friend .. Thanks for lending an ear .. this is a topic I am happy to see someone post on :) Have a GREAT start to your week and just know I APPRECIATE YOU!!! Sunshine247

You are so welcome! I appreciate family members who truly love their family members no matter what. Your brother is so lucky to have you and vise versa. He makes you special because you understand what it is like. I will think about another article on working with learning disabilities. Thank-you for your inspiring comments. It is sincerely appreciated! .....Cabbagepatch! :D

Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by cabbagepatch from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.

Hi @cabbagepatch, I just stopped back to let you know your post was one of my favourite reads and I included it in my Steemit Ramble. You can read what I wrote about your post here.

@shadowspub I truly appreciate your recognition, support and upsteem. It was a surprise when I woke up this morning to find your reply. I've been fortunate to have crossed paths with many dyslexic young people and they are so misunderstood. I decided to write more about the areas of learning disability and handicap children because being different should not be labeled. Thank-you so much for helping me to spread the word about dyslexia to more people. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead. And again thank-you so much!

you're welcome @cabbagepatch, the piece was well written and showed great understanding and compassion for people who learn differently which is how I tend to view learning disability.

I was able to understand the dyslexia in detail.I think that understanding it is very important.Thank you for the detailed post @cabbagepatch.

Yoshiko, you are so kind in always supporting me. It is so appreciated. I am writing some articles for Steemiteducation so that is why my articles tend to vary as much as they do. I use to work with all types of learning disability children so I wanted to write about this misunderstood area. I'm so glad you were able to learn something. All children are so precious and important and we need to value everyone. Again, thank-you so much for you wonderful comments and kind support. Have a nice week ahead!

This post has received a 1.04 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.

It is important to understand Direxia and support children. I think your support is wonderful. Since there are many extraordinary people in Direxia, including Leonardo da Vinci, I think children of Direxia have great potential.

Yes, many dyslexic individuals have been able to rise to the top despite the challenges they have to overcome. It just shows how important for children and people to never give up. As long as you try is what counts in life. Much appreciation Kinakomochi. I am so grateful for your friendship and support. Have a great week! :D

Hi @cabbagepatch, Great Article. See book I wrote on Dyslexia that underscore what you say http://lightsurfers.me/The_dyslexia_code%20_pdf.pdf

#dyslexia #dyslexic #giftofdyslexia