On the Dyslexic Mind
Here’s how to uncover its incredible strength.
I’ve been told I had a learning disability because I couldn’t understand the difference between b or d, 6 or 9. I’ve been told I will never be good at maths and numerical calculations. I’ve been told I will need extra learning support in high school. I’ve been told I will struggle to memorise things. I’ve been told I will never be the smartest kid in the class. I’ve been told I should ‘just go’ for social sciences, it’s easier.
All of that because of a simple diagnosis: I have dyslexia.
Dyslexia touches around one in ten people and yet it is one of the least understood neurological conditions in the world. A study by YouGov on the public’s perception of dyslexia found that only 3% of people see dyslexia as anything other than a disadvantage. A video made by MadeByDislexia shows that most people would say no to having a dyslexic child. Everything is out there to nourish this misperception — googling the word dyslexia leads primarily to a description of a learning disorder or disability and hence its association with a lack of intelligence.
Well, it’s not.
I graduated from high school among the top 10% of my year and went on to study a Bachelor’s and a Master’s achieving excellent grades. My thesis was one of the best of my cohort, I’m into data science and I enjoy quantitative stuff — yes, I’m talking statistics and everything that has to do with numbers. I stood out in my professional career for my writing skills, my analytical mindset and capacity to synthetise detailed information into key findings.
Surprised? You won’t be after you finish reading this article.
You think differently, that’s all. It’s not a disability.
Dyslexia is a neurological issue, not a character flaw. (James Redford)
Dyslexia refers to a neurological condition. The simple difference with other brains is that the dyslexic brain processes things differently — it has absolutely no effects on intelligence. Take reading for instance: it involves the stimulation of three different parts of our brain. The first one is the area accessing the sound representation of language (i.e. the process by which we associate sounds with letters), the second one is the area that helps us recognise words using our sight and the third one is the area that deals with the pronunciation of words. What happens in a dyslexic brain is that these areas are not activated the same way as in any other brain. As a result, a dyslexic brain will struggle to learn reading the same way as a non-dyslexic brain simply because it functions differently.
Struggling to learn to read is one of the most common difficulties that we dyslexics experience. Other difficulties might include poor handwriting that is hard to read, the difficulty to get thoughts organised on paper, bad at spelling or grammar or a difficulty to follow instructions or stay on tasks. However, these no longer become difficulties once a dyslexic mind is understood and exposed to the proper teaching method.
Be exposed to a learning that fits your dyslexic mind
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life thinking it’s stupid. (Einstein)
Because the dyslexic mind is wired in a slightly different way than non-dyslexic minds, we process information differently. This makes us really good at some things but it also means we may struggle with other things, especially if the learning process is not adapted to our way of thinking. The traditional benchmarks in education can accentuate these challenges and miss the strengths of a dyslexic child when it’s compared to a non-dyslexic’s ability to learn and read. Instead, dyslexic minds simply need a different way of teaching that is more adapted to the way they process information. It is not inferior, nor should it be taken as a ‘difficulty’. A particular method of teaching might simply not be fit for purpose for everyone.
As a result, the difficulties that we may have had in high school are often projected into our future. If we were bad in spelling or grammar, we will just always be bad in spelling or grammar. If supported early on, the symptoms of dyslexia can however be very easily treated with the right kind of support. I was lucky enough to be diagnosed early and receive my parent’s support to bring me to the right teachers. Once I was taken out of the traditional classes’ environment — in which I was failing among non-dyslexic minds — and brought to a different teaching method adapted to my way of thinking, I strived. I easily understood the difference between b and d, my spelling and grammar sky-rocked and my tiny and shy writing suddenly became big and confident. Today, I largely outgrew any of the difficulties I could have had as a child. This points to the importance of diagnosing dyslexia early on and help those children strive to achieve amazing things.
This difference is your advantage — here’s the evidence
I didn’t succeed despite my dyslexia, but because of it. It wasn’t my deficit, but my advantage. (Scott Sonnon)
Did you know that 40% of self-made millionaires are dyslexic? The dyslexic mind has actually been praised because of its way to think differently — we see the world in another way. This divergent thinking has led to the creation of some of the world’s greatest inventions, brands and arts. Here are only a few of them: Steve Jobs, John Lennon, Einstein, Henry Ford or Thomas Edison.
So the next time you feel frustrated because you can’t spell a word properly or because you’ve been thinking dyslexia is a disadvantage, look back at all the amazing things dyslexic minds have come to achieve. Your brain is a gift if you start understanding your difference as a strength.
Embrace your strengths
It’s time we all understand dyslexia properly as a different thinking skill-set, not a disadvantage. (Richard Branson)
Recent research in dyslexia and generations of successful dyslexics are now providing a wealth of evidence on the benefits of dyslexic thinking. Books such as Dyslexic Advantage by Dr.’s Brock and Fernette Eide, and Minds Eye and Thinking Like Einstein by Thomas West are some great examples of publications that are highlighting the skills of a dyslexic mind and their impact on science, architecture, technology and media.
The global charity MadeByDislexia finds that people with dyslexia have incredible cognitive advantages. This makes them particularly suitable and high performing in careers such as entrepreneurship, engineering, architecture or arts. In particular, they find that dyslexic people score above average in the following skills:
- Visualising: interacting with space, senses and physical ideas
- Creativity: creating an original piece of work or thinking outside the box
- Communicating: conveying clear messages and storytelling
- Reasoning: simplifying, analysing and deciding
- Connecting: empathising with others and understanding self
- Exploring: curious and learning addicts
So the next time you or someone else sees your dyslexia as a disadvantage, remind yourself that your way of thinking is instead a true gift and strength. Outgrow your difficulties with the appropriate help and embrace your strengths, tell the world about it and never ever let it stand in your way. Your dyslexic mind is your biggest strength.
