How do Dyslexics Learn to Spell?
The secret is meaning
This fall I’m learning all about dyslexia. I chose this topic because, despite my 13 years of teaching, I knew nothing about it. I received no training, saw no PowerPoint presentations, nada.
Now, I’m working on The Dyslexia Book, a graphic novel all about learning, teaching, and parenting with dyslexia. So far, I am fascinated with dyslexic brains.
I’m not exaggerating — dyslexia is a unique style of genius. It makes neurons fire more heavily on the right side than the left, a process ideal for creative work, playing on a team, or inventing.
But spelling? That’s a chore that makes many dyslexics climb the walls.
Teacher and storyteller Matthew Friday, a dyslexic himself, understands the pain of trying to get a dyslexic brain to focus like a neurotypical thinker. He uses a color-coded system that not only identifies dyslexia but starts his students down a path that helps them understand their unique thought process.
Friday starts each year with a book called Thank you, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco. The story talks about the author’s own struggles to read and the teacher who decided to help her. Then, Friday informs his students that he’s like Patricia — he struggles to spell, mixes up his words, and has to work twice as…
