Conversations with Students
-Anonymous
When did you first realize you had dyslexia?
I always knew, and then my mom had me tested for dyslexia
Do you think it has hurt any learning experience?
Dyslexia has not hurt me in learning environment, but the disorders that are linked with it like anxiety and ADHD had more of an effect.
How was dyslexia explained to you?
My mom explained it to me as a file cabinet in my head. She said that people who didn’t have dyslexia had a file cabinet that was very organized so they could see a word and find the file on what it means and sounds like very quickly. She told me that the file cabinet in my head was really messy and that when I saw a word I couldn’t find the file that told me what it meant or how it sounds as quickly, so it took me longer to read.
Do people treat you differently when they learn you have dyslexia?
Yes, people assume that I’m not intelligent / illiterate
We’ve all recently read the book David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell, do you think that this book portrays dyslexia correctly?
Yes,
What are some common myths about dyslexia?
That it’s the same for everyone,
Are there any issues with how people with dyslexia are treated today?
Education- exclusion from the class, it helps some people but for me, it didn’t help
Why do you think it’s important that people know and understand dyslexia?
Dyslexia is actually very common, and people should know that it’s not a disability
Do you have anything else to add?
No.
-Caroline Rodriguez
When did you first realize you had dyslexia?
Caroline- My mom thought that I had it in 1st grade, and my teacher agreed, but the school thought that I was “too smart” 2 years later my mom took me to get tested anyways and I was diagnosed with both dyslexia and ADHD
Do you think it has hurt any learning experience?
No, if anything, it’s improved it. I would still be me even if I didn’t have it, but this allows me to get help as well.
How was dyslexia explained to you?
But my dad, there were two roads, one is a freeway and one is a neighborhood leading onto a freeway, it will just take longer to get to the freeway.
Do people treat you differently when they learn you have dyslexia?
YES, especially with coaching, they don’t use you as an example, they talk to you slower, they explain more (redundant). Sometimes with friends but not as much because I am in advanced classes.
We’ve all recently read the book David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell, do you think that this book portrays dyslexia correctly?
Yes
What are some common myths about dyslexia?
Letters aren’t blurry/ flipped, we’re just as smart as you, don’t see letters backwards, you don’t struggle in everything, you can still be in advanced classes, left and rights can be hard, just because you flip number when someone tells you doesn't mean you have dyslexic.
Are there any issues with how people with dyslexia are treated today?
You can only be tested when you’re young
Why do you think it’s important that people know and understand dyslexia?
So you don’t misjudge, they could have it, it’s not really different
Do you have anything else to add?
I can comprehend passages by reading them once, OG, Teachers only bring you up to make a grade (passing) instead of actually getting help, it takes a lot longer. If you have dyslexia, the only way to be successful is to want it and they have to want it more that the average person.
A Conversation with an Expert
How would you explain dyslexia to someone who doesn’t know what it is?
Dyslexia is a language processing disorder. Language relates to anything we speak, read, or write. This includes – words, sounds, numbers… The way language is processed in a person without dyslexia is anything related to language goes straight to the language part of the brain but in a person with dyslexia- language often goes to the vision area of the brain first and eventually it goes to the language part of the brain. This is why it takes a person with dyslexia longer to find the right word to say or process what they hear. It is also why they struggle to pair the right sounds with the letters they see, spell words wrong, and tend to be slow at reading and writing. People often think that math is not related to language but it is and people with dyslexia can have a hard time processing math facts quickly but they are really good with math concepts. Math concepts relate more to the big picture and math facts are about producing the right word for the number.
Do you think someone who has dyslexia could ever be at an advantage?
Yes, because the person with dyslexia processing language in their vision area stronger than a person without dyslexia the dyslexic person has a strength in tasks that relate to seeing the big picture. People with dyslexia often have stronger visual spatial awareness, they understand concepts better than smaller details, and they are often much more creative than a non-dyslexic person. Dyslexia is an advantage for people who are in the architecture and engineering fields. People with dyslexia also have a stronger right hemisphere of their brain and this is the side that not only deals with creativity but also reading & understanding people. People with dyslexia are often better at reading facial expressions and body language of those around them, often without even realizing they are good at this skills. This is an advantage for people in helping professions such as counselor, doctors, nurses, teachers… It is also why many actors & directors are people with dyslexia- Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stephen Spielberg…
Why do you think it’s important that people know and understand dyslexia?
People assume that our intelligence is related to our ability to read and write well and that is not true. People with dyslexia are often more intelligent than people without dyslexia. What is frustrating for a person with dyslexia is that they often work twice as hard as a person without dyslexia only to get half as far. When people understand dyslexia than a person isn’t judged on their weakest areas but instead valued for their strengths.
What are some common myths about dyslexia?
People believe that it is rare but it is extremely common – 1 in 5 is a person with dyslexia. People also believe that a person with dyslexia sees letters and words backward but this is not true. When the person with dyslexia confuses b for d or was for saw it is because they grabbed the wrong letter or word when they processed it in their language center of their brain. This is kind of like grabbing a blue shirt instead of blue pants out of a pile of laundry. You perceived something similar so you pulled it out only to discover you picked the wrong thing.
Why do you think that there’s so many myths about dyslexia?
There are many myths because many people have not taken time to really learn about dyslexia even though it has been highly researched for decades. So instead of learning the facts the myths are still believed.
Why did you get into this particular line of work?
I am dyslexic. I know what it is like to be dyslexic and how to help others live life with dyslexia. I was trained how to diagnose dyslexia and all other types of learning disabilities decades ago and have dedicated myself to helping people with all types of disabilities, anxiety, and depression.
Are there any parents that make your job harder?
Parents do not make my job harder. Teachers and the education system often make my job harder. Teacher education programs do not educate teachers about dyslexia or they educate them based on the myths of dyslexia- so there is a lack of knowledge. Parents often know more about dyslexia than educators. Education systems also make my job harder because they purchase curriculums that are not conducive for a student with dyslexia such as Fontas and Pinnell especially Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI). Even Fontas & Pinnell admit that their reading programs are not designed for students with dyslexia.
Jill Lam, Ph.D., LPCC
Counselor, Coach, & Psycho-Educational Diagnostician
Forest Alliance Coaching
Dyslexia is a language processing disorder. Language relates to anything we speak, read, or write. This includes – words, sounds, numbers… The way language is processed in a person without dyslexia is anything related to language goes straight to the language part of the brain but in a person with dyslexia- language often goes to the vision area of the brain first and eventually it goes to the language part of the brain. This is why it takes a person with dyslexia longer to find the right word to say or process what they hear. It is also why they struggle to pair the right sounds with the letters they see, spell words wrong, and tend to be slow at reading and writing. People often think that math is not related to language but it is and people with dyslexia can have a hard time processing math facts quickly but they are really good with math concepts. Math concepts relate more to the big picture and math facts are about producing the right word for the number.
Do you think someone who has dyslexia could ever be at an advantage?
Yes, because the person with dyslexia processing language in their vision area stronger than a person without dyslexia the dyslexic person has a strength in tasks that relate to seeing the big picture. People with dyslexia often have stronger visual spatial awareness, they understand concepts better than smaller details, and they are often much more creative than a non-dyslexic person. Dyslexia is an advantage for people who are in the architecture and engineering fields. People with dyslexia also have a stronger right hemisphere of their brain and this is the side that not only deals with creativity but also reading & understanding people. People with dyslexia are often better at reading facial expressions and body language of those around them, often without even realizing they are good at this skills. This is an advantage for people in helping professions such as counselor, doctors, nurses, teachers… It is also why many actors & directors are people with dyslexia- Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stephen Spielberg…
Why do you think it’s important that people know and understand dyslexia?
People assume that our intelligence is related to our ability to read and write well and that is not true. People with dyslexia are often more intelligent than people without dyslexia. What is frustrating for a person with dyslexia is that they often work twice as hard as a person without dyslexia only to get half as far. When people understand dyslexia than a person isn’t judged on their weakest areas but instead valued for their strengths.
What are some common myths about dyslexia?
People believe that it is rare but it is extremely common – 1 in 5 is a person with dyslexia. People also believe that a person with dyslexia sees letters and words backward but this is not true. When the person with dyslexia confuses b for d or was for saw it is because they grabbed the wrong letter or word when they processed it in their language center of their brain. This is kind of like grabbing a blue shirt instead of blue pants out of a pile of laundry. You perceived something similar so you pulled it out only to discover you picked the wrong thing.
Why do you think that there’s so many myths about dyslexia?
There are many myths because many people have not taken time to really learn about dyslexia even though it has been highly researched for decades. So instead of learning the facts the myths are still believed.
Why did you get into this particular line of work?
I am dyslexic. I know what it is like to be dyslexic and how to help others live life with dyslexia. I was trained how to diagnose dyslexia and all other types of learning disabilities decades ago and have dedicated myself to helping people with all types of disabilities, anxiety, and depression.
Are there any parents that make your job harder?
Parents do not make my job harder. Teachers and the education system often make my job harder. Teacher education programs do not educate teachers about dyslexia or they educate them based on the myths of dyslexia- so there is a lack of knowledge. Parents often know more about dyslexia than educators. Education systems also make my job harder because they purchase curriculums that are not conducive for a student with dyslexia such as Fontas and Pinnell especially Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI). Even Fontas & Pinnell admit that their reading programs are not designed for students with dyslexia.
Jill Lam, Ph.D., LPCC
Counselor, Coach, & Psycho-Educational Diagnostician
Forest Alliance Coaching