Most parents’ initial reaction to hearing their child has been diagnosed with dyslexia is fear - fear about what struggles lay ahead and how they can help their child succeed. It is especially difficult when you have to explain to your child what their diagnosis means. You don’t want to be caught off guard when your child asks you questions like, “Is something wrong with me?”. The best response to start with is to explain that having dyslexia simply means that their brains think differently.
If you present dyslexia as an obstacle they must overcome, the hardships will become their main focus. Instead, it may be helpful to learn how to work with dyslexia, not just against it. While dyslexia does present several challenges for education, there is also research being done to explore the learning strengths of students with dyslexia.
Thinking in 3D
One of the most popular observations found in people with dyslexia is their tendency to have greater spatial reasoning abilities than those without dyslexia. This means they may have an easier time thinking about objects in three dimensions and forming conclusions about them.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
People with dyslexia may also be better at holistic thinking, or processing ideas and images as a whole. In other words, they tend to focus on the bigger picture. This is part of the reason that reading is difficult for kids with dyslexia, because reading requires breaking down parts (sentences, words, letters, etc.) before being able to understand the bigger picture.
Creativity to Spare
You know your child best. You know where they struggle, and where they shine. A diagnosis of dyslexia should not limit their dreams. Given the right tools and interventions, students with dyslexia can learn to adapt to their learning abilities and make the most of their unique learning skills.
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...among many more!
