A few blogs ago, we discussed the charming personality traits of a child with Dyslexia who was only 4 years old. What about our teenagers? Guess What? It only gets better.
'll tell you the truth. The only thing more invigorating as fixing the dyslexic brain at 13 is having Dyslexia at 13. What do I mean by that? The character traits of these kids, the eloquent way they have of describing themselves, and their talents that make up for this deficit, join together to create a marvelous picture of pure unadulterated potential waiting to be maxed and uncovered.
The other day I had a student who was about to read a story about Albert Einstein. He asked me who he was. I answered that he was the biggest inventor, full of curiosity, who had a brain that was studied because of his brilliance, and he had Dyslexia.
STUDENT: What is Dyslexia?
ME: It is actually what you have. Your thinking is up here, but you're reading is down here ( I demonstrated with hand motions) and does not equal all that you can do so seamlessly and easily. Our goal is to move your reading nearer to your thinking skills so you can tell the world what you know.
STUDENT - "OHHH" There was only one word, but you could see the blissful relief evident in his face. The powerful sentiment of sweet acceptance echoed through his features. You mean, I'm not just okay but smart, too? It was likely a moment he will not forget.
HOW THESE TEENS DESCRIBE IT
a. I could do it. I just don't like to do it unless it's really good.
b. I pick up a book....and I don't enjoy it...I'm like whatever and I put it down.
c. That's me, I just add s's when I read. I don't know why.
d. Could I have that clicker to keep me in line when I read? It keeps me in check with focusing in on the sounds
d. Oh yeah whoops, I just made up that word (in the midst of being remediated) starting to realize what's going on
e. I read but I just gloss over words I don't know and sort of get it
f. Oh right! I forgot to think.
g. I know the word but I can't say it.
h. It just comes out wrong when I say it fast.
I. When I push that light game, the order comes out right.
AND THEY MAY ORGANIZE YOU and GET YOU IN ORDER TOO.
QUOTE: You should get one of those things that charge your phone consistently (when they see my struggle with keeping my phone alive)
I need training in organization and they need training in reading but they don't believe it until they see it that this is NOT tutoring. This is the once and for all solution to conquering the underlying block through activities that raise up the underlying deficit and the struggle which these kids so eloquently describe...and the reward when they see it's working...
"Can you just go to the next level of that sound game?
Turn the metronome higher.
Give me four numbers to reverse this time.
I just want to try! I'm sure I can do it.
And the changes begin...
"I was at RITA's the other day and I found a typo where they used the word "for" when they meant "of"
" I like coming. It's fun. (after conquering a level of processing)
I would for sure get this word game to do at home. It's addictive!
And honestly, I know it's working, as we're on a roller coaster at high speed, when they start processing sounds faster than me, so I need to go and correct myself.
The key is that there are certain parts of having Dyslexia that we never want changed. The deficit is the part of the package, but the package is our future, our brightest and smartest and most of all, those that know how to train and WIN, so challenges don't scare them. You might have that annoying language difficulty when words just don't come out right. However, you likely have this innovative way of thinking that's the cure waiting to be found for so many.
DYSLEXIA DOCTOR: OUR TEENS
FIX IT ONCE AND FOR ALL