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November 2024

What is Dyslexia?

• Dyslexia (dis-LEK-see-uh) is a type of learning disability.

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• It's a condition someone is born with, and it often runs in families.

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• Dyslexia is characterized by problems in expressive or receptive, oral or written language.

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• Dyslexia can develop in reading, spelling, writing, speaking, or listening.

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Dyslexia Struggles

Individuals with Dyslexia often find difficulty with:

• Reading, writing, spelling
• Phonemic Awareness - rhymes, syllables, and how words fit together
• Phonics - identify and use different sounds that distinguish one word from another
• Word Recognition - poor spelling and deciphering abilities
• Planning and prioritizing tasks
• Memorizing number facts
• Time keeping
• Following multi-step instructions
• Background noise or other distractions

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* It is important to remember that everyone with Dyslexia is different, and not everyone will experience all of the difficulties listed above.

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Did you know that Dyslexia is common?

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• 1 in 5 children are diagnosed with Dyslexia

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• Formal testing is the only way to diagnose Dyslexia
• Not all students with learning difficulties have dyslexia

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• Dyslexia is not a lack of intelligence or desire to learn

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• Dyslexia can affect a person’s self-image

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• Students often end up feeling “dumb,” and less capable as they are stressed with school work being extra difficult.

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• Doctors have studied scans of the brains of people who have Dyslexia vs. people without Dyslexia.

Here’s what the research has found:

When people with dyslexia read, they use different parts of the brain,

compared to people without Dyslexia.

This is just one reason why reading when you have Dyslexia

can be exhausting, slow, and very hard work!

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Strengths of individuals with Dyslexia

• Spatial Reasoning

Visualizing objects, imagining how they would look from different angles and understanding how they relate to each other

• This strength helps those with Dyslexia succeed in the fields of engineering, industrial and graphic design,

architecture, or construction.

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• Imaginative

Easily able to think of, or create, new or exciting things

• This strength helps artists, actors, and authors, with Dyslexia, to have a strong sense of curiosity and interest.

People in these fields are able to make great use of their imaginations, and have a fantastic view of the world.

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• Out of the box thinkers

To think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective

• This strength helps those with Dyslexia to thrive in the field of creative thinking.

They are easily able to come up with excellent, abstract ideas, that are new and positive.

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People with all levels of intelligence can have Dyslexia

• Successful people with Dyslexia learn to look at problems from multiple angles.
• They use their strengths to thrive.

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• Dyslexia is a pattern of strengths and challenges that makes some types of tasks easy to figure out, and others much more challenging.

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• Overcoming life’s challenges can lead to being great examples of strength, empathy, and encouragement.

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Who do you know?

Celebrities with Dyslexia:

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• Whoopi Goldberg
• Jennifer Aniston
• Cher
• Mohammad Ali
• Tom Cruise
• Keanu Reeves
• Danny Glover
• Kiera Knightly
• Salma Hayek
• Lewis Hamilton
• Tim Tebow
• Walt Disney
• Steven Spielberg

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There are many of the world’s great thinkers, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and billionaires that are Dyslexic.

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Dyslexia Awareness

The symbol is intended to: 

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Empower:

Celebrate how people with dyslexia process information differently, which can lead to advantages in reasoning and understanding relationships 

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Raise awareness:

Start conversations about dyslexia and what it means to be dyslexic 

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Support organizations:

Help dyslexia organizations provide better education and experiences for the dyslexic community

The symbol for Dyslexia Awareness are the letters p, q, b, and d.

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These letters are used because they are often transposed by Dyslexic students.

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More information: Book Recommendations

Brilliant Bea

A Walk in the Words

Cartwheels

Ben & Emma’s Big Hit

More Information: Videos

Dyslexia: Reading, Writing and Spelling Problems

https://youtu.be/hXyN9lXlNQY?feature=shared

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DYSLEXIA | What Is Dyslexia? | Learning Disability | The Dr Binocs Show

https://youtu.be/65psPXWzNic?feature=shared

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Dyslexia Facts

https://youtu.be/gT7Iv5xDmSk

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The Alphabet War: A Story About Dyslexia�https://youtu.be/pQU9AhwrKe8?feature=shared

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