Dyslexia: What it’s not.
William is an 8 years old boy in grade 2. The day he was assigned to my class, his face was fallen, and sadness was written all over him. I asked for his name, but it took him ages before he could respond, and when he would react, he stammered at the pronunciation. When he looked at me, I saw hope gleaming in his eyes.
An assurance that he will get better day by day if you give me the opportunity. William has been called a dullard, a fool, idiot, stupid, and other condescending names because of his inability to comprehend what he has been taught or read.
He has been registered in 6 schools within the timeline of a year, what every teacher complains about is his inability to write and understand. Williams literally spell words backward, and will always complain of figures and words dancing in his eyes. He would often spell “CAT” as “TAC”. “I can’t read Uncle, the words are dancing,” This he would profess like a mantra anytime you ask him to read between tears.
Ask William to write his name, he would start wailing as if he has been sent to the war front to die. During the lunch break, when he was supposed to be playing with his friends, he would remain in the classroom copying notes so as not to lag behind.
William’s parents hired and fired several tutors with the assumption that they are not competent enough to handle their son, concerned neighbors, and teachers advised that he should be taken to a prophet or imam, he was even advised to go beg his “village people” because his problem is more of the spiritual than the physical.
After many observations, I discovered Williams wants to learn, and he is passionate about books. I did my research, and I found out that Williams is dyslexic.
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that is often characterized by difficulty in learning. It is NOT due to mental retardation, brain damage, or lack of intelligence.
While Dyslexia is a neurological condition, Researchers are not sure why some people have Dyslexia and others don’t. It has no relation to intelligence. Dyslexia affects the way that the brain process words, which makes it difficult to decode words. Still, it can easily be diagnosed by reviewing a child’s way of processing information from seeing, hearing, and the child participates in activities.
Over 1.5 Million cases of the Dyslexia cases are reported in Nigeria yearly. While expert say an estimate of between 5–17% of people have it.
Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disability and can persist throughout life. Its severity can vary from mild to severe. Early detection is always a good thing as it gives a favorable outcome; however, there is never a late-stage for dyslexic people to learn.
Children with Dyslexia can quickly show signs of depression and low self-esteem or become uninterested in school activities. According to the International Dyslexia Association there are lots of factors health professional or psychologist look out for to diagnose Dyslexia.
Some signs and symptoms to look out for to detect Dyslexia include; fluency skill,vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, writing, and spelling skills but not limited to these signs.
Parents and caregivers of dyslexic children need to pay special attention to these symptoms, show them love, and create an enabling environment. The use of specialists, such as speech therapists, reading specialists, and an excellent support team.
Dr. Ben Aripko, the Principal Consultant of Akada Konsult, and Chairman Board of Trustee of Dyslexia Foundation, he is also a certified Brain Trainer & a Dyslexia advocate.
In one of his interviews with a media house revealed that one of the secrets to help Dyslexic children grow is to show them, love and affection. While also stating that Dyslexic people are known to have excellent creative skills.
A look at some celebrities who had Dyslexia growing and turned out to be the innovators of their industry considered the best in their crafts. Steven Spielberg (Hollywood Director), he was never diagnosed until he was 60 years old, Whoopi Goldberg (Actor) she was called “dumb” while in school but look at her now. Richard Branson(Virgin Group) and Steve Jobs(Apple) made use of their Dyslexic brain to build an empire.
Parents, Educators & caregivers must be aware of these unique gifts from God and love them. People with Dyslexia experience it in different ways, but with the right environment and support, they can excel like people who don’t. Educators must be equipped with the right attitude and skills to make them into the version they can be.
