The Learning disability: Dyslexia

1. The Learning disability: Dyslexia By: Rebecca Freeman November 2010

2. Dyslexia • A neurological disorder • A deficit in the phonological element of language Results in difficulties with: • Reading comprehension • Writing skills • Growth of vocabulary • Background knowledge

3. Dyslexia: Second Person Account • Bollywood Film: Like Stars On Earth: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e5_B6cDSN8&feature=related

4. Like Stars On Earth • Ishaan is a boy from India who has failed 3rd standard and is about to fail again • He is sent to boarding school • He is diagnosed with dyslexia • Most authority figures do not • understand why Ishaan should be • given any special treatment

5. First Person Interview What type of school did you attend k-12? • “I attended various schools, a small close knit public k-5 school, a big middle school during 6th and 7th part of 8th grade. Around then kids started changing and home school started in 8, Public High School in 9th. It was hard, 2 months, then Home school for the rest. ” Was this decision based on your dyslexia? • “Partially because of the dyslexia, I used to cry because I felt like an outsider socially and academically. Studying hard and making bad grades, what should take one hour took 4 hours. You know, too much time intensive stuff.”

6. First Person Account of Dyslexia • In 3rd grade, a reading tutor was hired • Home school was selected during the second half of 8th grade • Traditional High school was attempted in 9th grade • Homeschooling was continued after 2 months of 9th grade until graduation due to the large amount of reading, and difficulty associated with social adjustments because of stress levels.

7. Key Differences Because… • In the film, Ishaan had tremendous difficulty completing daily tasks like getting dressed. He was affected profoundly. • Millie does not experience difficulty in areas besides reading and writing. • Ishaan did not have parents who knew why he struggled. • Millie had the full support and understanding of her mother. • Ishaan struggled with depression because of the rejection of his family • Millie was relieved to be able to leave public school

8. We Can Infer… • Early identification is crucial • A supportive environment makes or breaks the student • To “Care” means more than to know about • An outlet is important • Other neurological deficits can be paired with dyslexia • Additional help in school is required • IQ is not related to dyslexia

9. Myths Regarding Dyslexia • Anyone with Dyslexia is a “duffer” • Anyone with Dyslexia is mentally handicap • People with Dyslexia cannot read • Dyslexia is related to a person’s IQ • Can be outgrown • Retention will help the child • Dyslexia is a medical condition

10. A Diverse Society • What types of students are welcome in school? • What type of people are seen as a success? • Does what people think of you matter?

11. Summary Of Personal Interview • Millie Palmer was diagnosed with dyslexia in 10th grade, although her mother noticed she first began having trouble with reading in 3rd grade. She attended traditional school until half way through 8th grade when she began homeschooling because of the amount of reading that was required. Making friends became very hard because of the stress that each school day brought. 8th Grade was the first time that diligent studying did not bring good grades. • Millie experiences symptoms when reading such as wavy words and problems with comprehension. Example, from the context, it is obvious that Jill would not tell god to sit, so the word must be dog instead of god. Words do not make sense at first glance, and the situation worsens as the night goes on. In Math, which comes naturally to her, a problem could be wrong because she saw a 9 as a 6. • Overtime, her experience has gradually changed. She functions better, but not because her symptoms have changed. She has learned coping methods, and is allowed more time to complete reading and writing assignments. Dyslexia comes in many different manifestations, and Millie’s deficit is on the lesser end of the spectrum. Things like slowing down, writing in cursive, and repeatedly going over elementary basics, has really improved her literacy. • Dyslexia impacts Millie on a daily basis, if a sentence is unexpected, or unusual, she has a difficult time understanding its meaning initially. Millie is musically gifted, and because of being dyslexic she believes there is a good chance that music was an escape that she could turn to. It is almost impossible to truly know if being dyslexic is common to creative people, or if dyslexic people use their creativity to cope. • Being dyslexic is a part of who Millie is, but there is no shame associated with it. In fact, it is seen as an ordinary part of who she is. The extraordinary thing is the natural talent she has for singing, playing guitar, and piano. Even crafts provide entertainment for her, basically anything without words. Though there is a lack of reading, in her life that she attributes directly to being dyslexic. • Socially, Millie is very well adjusted. She has no problem making friends. However there was a period in early high school when she was struggling in school that she did not flourish. She did homework for 8 hours after school each day for 2 months before switching to homeschooling. Despite her all of her hard work, she did not make good grades during that period of time. Because of her obvious deficit, she had trouble making social connections. Occasionally there are times when she is called on to read aloud, and she forces herself to read slowly in an effort to overcome the obstacle. • Overall, being dyslexic has in fact made Millie more socially aware than she may have been otherwise. She feels that she takes note of others in a more sensitive way since she has to struggle with basic reading. When Millie first found out that she was dyslexic it actually gave her the drive to overcome, using role models like Albert Einstein. Millie feels that dyslexia is not a positive or negative trait, it simply is.

12. Summary of Like Stars on Earth • Ishaan is a boy from India who struggles to fit in his family because of simple daily activities. Living in the shadow of his older brother, Ishaan is not a tennis star, and he is not first in his class. He is last in his class, and he can’t manage to be on time for school. His mother has constant a struggle getting him to do homework, and getting him ready in the morning. Ishaan can’t seem to get along with his peers either. • His father is success crazed, and interested in Ishaanonly for the honor he can bring the family. Ishaan seems stubborn and unwilling to put in the necessary work needed to succeed. Because of this, Ishaan and his creative tendencies are shipped of to boarding school. Ishaan, deeply traumatized by the abandonment, does not respond to his new surroundings. Ishaan is abused physically, verbally, and emotionally. Eventually, he loses interest in painting, his favorite activity. • Desperate for help, only his eyes continue to cry out. Ishaan will not even speak to the new teacher who seems to take a special interest in him. His teacher notices that something is wrong, and begins to investigate. He looks at Ishaan’s lessons to discover that his writing shows dyslexic tendencies. This caring teacher visits Ishaan’s home and is unpleasantly surprised. Not only are his parents oblivious regarding his dyslexia, but his father thinks that being dyslexic is synonymous with mental retardation. • Slowly, as Ishaan’s art teacher begins to work with him individually on reading and writing, life begins to look up. The art teacher has seen Ishaan’s outstanding artwork and is convinced that Ishaan is not destined to be crushed by society. Though his father is hard hearted, Ishaan begins to flourish under the guidance of a teacher who truly cares for him. • Though Ishaanhas difficulty understanding complicated instructions, judging he speed, size, and velocity of a ball coming towards him, he has an extraordinary artistic talent. He is a “gem that will change the world.” The art teacher uses all of Ishaan’s senses to teach him to read and write. They incorporate literacy into art. The individual attention given to Ishaan makes the difference between life and death. When properly understood and supported, he is able to contribute to society, and carry his weight.