What Is Dyslexia?

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a term used to encompass a set of connected learning issues which are affected by a weakness in being able communicate in different ways. These may typically include parts of reading e.g. recognition of connecting words or words with no connection to a visual clue, note-taking, short-term memory recall of numbers, names and details, time keeping and managing time or organising their time. Problems also often occur with written work such as segmenting, phonetic spelling and word building. (Nicola Brunswick, 2015)

When people are discussing the possibility of a person being dyslexic they are most likely to discuss their reading challenges and particularly reversal of letters as a tell-tale sign. However this excludes the majority of the actual characteristics of a dyslexic learner. (Davis, 2010) Problems may also include sequencing difficulties especially when following or providing instructions and directions. It appears most obviously in children at the age where they begin to use symbols to represent words and numbers, but can be recognised through patterns of behaviour and responses in much younger children. It has tendencies and similarities but no defining set of fixed features. Although some governments and organisations have tried to define it by its features it is clear that all dyslexic people are unique and the way they learn and process information varies for them over time.

Dyslexia has in the past been seen as being related to having a variety of problems in reading and writing as a weakness in certain people. It has an ancient meaning from the Greek words ' dys' meaning difficulty and 'lexis' meaning 'word' although historically it has been widely accepted that children with this weakness are also capable of being really talented at many other aspects of learning. This spectrum of issues has also been extended to include mathematical recording and processing. Academics now agree it is extended to a much wider spectrum of learning processes and have a variety of theories and practices to describe ways of coping with or curing the problems. (Robbins, 2014) It is often referred to as a learning disorder, and is also recognised as a disability. Through a more positive approach to exploring the whole picture of a dyslexic child or adult a more balanced view is taken. However it is more of a different balance between strength and weaknesses in communication and interpretation of information. For example: s a dyslexic person may be unable to learn to read in line with age related expectations, but find visualising 3D objects easily from a plan, a skill you would not consider relevant to a young child. In later years they may find ways of overcoming their reading and writing issues so they can communicate just as effectively as anyone else, but they may still have the emotional experience of feeling they have been seen as different and less able through their formal education. (Davis, 2010)

There appears to be a greater chance of dyslexic people having creative and innovative thinking. Strengths and weaknesses in remembering dates, times and events, symbols and ordering. These tendencies can be effective in holding a person back in developing certain skills and understanding processes such as literacy and numeracy in school but they can also be instrumental in creating extraordinary skills which we often call a gift or a talent. In fact it all depends on the way the brain is developing in early life and the type of opportunities and support a dyslexic child is given. Once a dyslexic child is recognised and accurately assessed, their support can hopefully be tailored to allow their strengths to flourish but also to give them the tools to recognise how to manage skills such as reading and writing. As part of their expectations in life they can see how their progress with be different to other children but not feel the debilitating pressure of being the odd one out who can't do and may often have been labelled as lazy or illiterate. Research suggests that it is directly linked to the way that a persons' brain functions and also that it is developmental and progressive but can be managed and controlled to a large extent through careful intervention. It is claimed to have a genetic basis although recognising it early, can significantly benefit the way a child can cope with the disability both socially and emotionally. (Robbins, 2014) The dyslexic person has to be able to understand their own way of communicating and then adapt and control aspects of their interpretation and communication, such as through switching off the part which wants to become distracted and work through confusion by being able to control their disorientation and the way they can create an altered perception. (Davis, 2010) Davis described how through is experience of working with dyslexic people. The point at which they have repeatedly been told to stop daydreaming is where the dyslexic person must become aware of the changes taking place in their thought process. But by identifying these triggers the important process of the individual understanding what dyslexia is to them is actually taking place. The answer of what is dyslexia is the first phase every dyslexic person has to answer for themselves before they can continue to the process of taking control of it and being able to accept support fully and effectively. As times goes on they will continue to find new aspects of their own dyslexia which may present in appositive ability or in a difficulty.

Conclusion By exploring the concept of what Dyslexia is, it becomes clear that experience working with dyslexic people is vital to understanding it fully in its real world presentation. This is not a disability that can be dealt with completely by following a single method of intervention such as working with a child out of class once a week for half an hour. Dyslexia affects people in so many different ways that there are methods which can be applied to many people, but they will need to be designed to suit each individual's set of characteristic needs. It must also fit in with the stage of educational development they have reached and be a positive manageable experience for their emotional intelligence. By recognising that dyslexia is actually a set of gifts unique to the individual. Also that they need to be understood, developed and nurtured it is probable that a dyslexic individual can not only feel proud of their brain and the unique way that it functions but also become a highly skilled person with their own successful ways of communicating in the world. Bibliography

Davis, R. D. (2010). The gift of Dyslexia. London: Souvenir Press. Nicola Brunswick. (2015, January). What is Dyslexia? Retrieved March 19th, 2015, from dyslexiascotland.org.uk. Robbins, J. (2014). Overcoming Dyslexia: The Essential Guide to Parenting Children with Dyslexia. Kindle Edition.