A dyslexic learner is like a car that runs on diesel rather than petrol. The problem with our education system is that it fails dyslexic learners by trying to fill their tanks with petrol.
There is an obscene amount of rubbish out there that generates fear in parents and portrays dyslexia as a disability.
The education system tests the ability of a student to regurgitate information and read and write quickly but it doesn't test knowledge.
Children with dyslexia will fail those tests because they don't measure their ability to solve problems and think laterally which is what they are good at.
Dyslexic individuals tend to think in pictures rather than words and receive information in a different way to "neuro-typical" thinkers.
It is estimated that one in 10 Australians has dyslexia and it is often misunderstood and un-diagnosed, despite being initially identified more than a century ago.
Dyslexia is not a problem only experienced by children and teenagers.
An adult dyslexic may find that they get frustrated at themselves and may experience periods of intense anger and/or depression at what they perceive as their own failure to achieve their goals. Increasingly, jobs require the individual to pass exams often involving reading, math and writing. This can cause anxiety, stress and result in the person failing or avoiding the job completely.
Characteristics of Dyslexics
The following lists are some of the characteristic traits and behaviours that a dyslexic child will exhibit. The symptoms can vary from day to day, minute to minute. The most consistent things about these traits are the inconsistency – one day the symptom is present the next it is not.
Generally
Family history of learning problems.
Isn't behind enough to be helped in the school setting.
Test well orally, but not in written tests.
Not reading at age level but appears bright/intelligent.
Displays behaviours to cover problem (class clown, disruptive, teacher's
pet, quiet).
Labelled as lazy, dumb, careless, immature, or "not trying hard enough".
Easily frustrated and emotional about school, reading or testing.
Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales,
business, designing, building, or engineering.
Difficulty maintaining attention; loses track of time, seems "hyper".
Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations,
experimentation, observation, and visual aids.
Has difficulty with math.
Poor short term or working memory.
Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been
experienced.
Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often.
Excellent memory for experiences.
Visual learner. Thinks primarily in pictures not in sound.
Difficulty putting thoughts into words verbally or in writing.
Mispronounces or transposes words.
Confused by verbal explanations.
Clumsy.
Feels dumb.
Reading
Initially had trouble or still has trouble with sight words (eg was, what, is,
the).
Difficulty catching on to phonics or sounding out words.
Lacks awareness of the sounds in words, rhymes or sequences of syllables
(e.g. what is the last sound in the words "what", "action", "fun").
Tends to confuse words that look alike (e.g. was/saw, for/from, who, how,
house/home).
Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions,
substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
Uses the pictures or context of the story for cues.
Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words.
Tends to lose his/her place when reading (tracking problem).
Mis-reads or omits small words (for, of, with an, it) and word endings
(-ing, -ed, -ly, -s).
Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time
pressure and emotional distress, or poor health.
Can do math but has difficulty with word problems.
Confuses words with similar spelling (slat/salt, slime/smile).
Vision and Spelling
Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.
Confused by letters, numbers, and/or words.
Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading,
writing, or copying.
Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exam doesn't reveal a
problem or diagnosed with tracking problem.
Spells phonetically and inconsistently.
Trouble copying from classroom board.
There is an obscene amount of rubbish out there that generates fear in parents and portrays dyslexia as a disability.
The education system tests the ability of a student to regurgitate information and read and write quickly but it doesn't test knowledge.
Children with dyslexia will fail those tests because they don't measure their ability to solve problems and think laterally which is what they are good at.
Dyslexic individuals tend to think in pictures rather than words and receive information in a different way to "neuro-typical" thinkers.
It is estimated that one in 10 Australians has dyslexia and it is often misunderstood and un-diagnosed, despite being initially identified more than a century ago.
Dyslexia is not a problem only experienced by children and teenagers.
An adult dyslexic may find that they get frustrated at themselves and may experience periods of intense anger and/or depression at what they perceive as their own failure to achieve their goals. Increasingly, jobs require the individual to pass exams often involving reading, math and writing. This can cause anxiety, stress and result in the person failing or avoiding the job completely.
Characteristics of Dyslexics
The following lists are some of the characteristic traits and behaviours that a dyslexic child will exhibit. The symptoms can vary from day to day, minute to minute. The most consistent things about these traits are the inconsistency – one day the symptom is present the next it is not.
Generally
Family history of learning problems.
Isn't behind enough to be helped in the school setting.
Test well orally, but not in written tests.
Not reading at age level but appears bright/intelligent.
Displays behaviours to cover problem (class clown, disruptive, teacher's
pet, quiet).
Labelled as lazy, dumb, careless, immature, or "not trying hard enough".
Easily frustrated and emotional about school, reading or testing.
Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales,
business, designing, building, or engineering.
Difficulty maintaining attention; loses track of time, seems "hyper".
Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations,
experimentation, observation, and visual aids.
Has difficulty with math.
Poor short term or working memory.
Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been
experienced.
Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often.
Excellent memory for experiences.
Visual learner. Thinks primarily in pictures not in sound.
Difficulty putting thoughts into words verbally or in writing.
Mispronounces or transposes words.
Confused by verbal explanations.
Clumsy.
Feels dumb.
Reading
Initially had trouble or still has trouble with sight words (eg was, what, is,
the).
Difficulty catching on to phonics or sounding out words.
Lacks awareness of the sounds in words, rhymes or sequences of syllables
(e.g. what is the last sound in the words "what", "action", "fun").
Tends to confuse words that look alike (e.g. was/saw, for/from, who, how,
house/home).
Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions,
substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
Uses the pictures or context of the story for cues.
Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words.
Tends to lose his/her place when reading (tracking problem).
Mis-reads or omits small words (for, of, with an, it) and word endings
(-ing, -ed, -ly, -s).
Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time
pressure and emotional distress, or poor health.
Can do math but has difficulty with word problems.
Confuses words with similar spelling (slat/salt, slime/smile).
Vision and Spelling
Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.
Confused by letters, numbers, and/or words.
Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading,
writing, or copying.
Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exam doesn't reveal a
problem or diagnosed with tracking problem.
Spells phonetically and inconsistently.
Trouble copying from classroom board.
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