| "If I said the word, 'dyslexic', what would you think | | | | difficulties that affect the learning process in one or |
| about first?" | | | | more of reading, spelling, writing. Accompanying |
| OK, so I'm sat here with this thing, this blur in front | | | | weaknesses may be identified in areas of speed of |
| of me. I hate it. Saying that so has everyone else in | | | | processing, short-term memory, sequencing and |
| the room. They're doing fine though. The only thing is | | | | organisation, auditory and/or visual perception, |
| that we've been sat here for nearly an hour, | | | | spoken language and motor skills. It is particularly |
| everyone simultaneously turning pages, turning | | | | related to mastering and using written language, |
| chapters. I however, am half way down the first | | | | which may include alphabetic, numeric and musical |
| page with this nightmare in front of me. And it's | | | | notation." |
| getting worse. | | | | The other types of learning difficult that are often |
| Oh no. Light-headed again. Right, remember what she | | | | associated with dyslexia are: |
| said. Concentrate. Look at the word, split it up into | | | | - Dyscalculia: This relates to a difficulty in |
| little bits. | | | | understanding and coping with numerical and spatial |
| But that's as far as I get. I don't split up the word | | | | information, in particular a reduced ability to |
| and I don't break it down; I tear the book up instead | | | | understand and/or apply mathematical processes. It |
| and breakdown within myself. Everyone is staring at | | | | can result in a difficulty in handling sequences of |
| me. I throw the remainder of the ripped up book on | | | | information or processing it. |
| the floor and storm out of the classroom. The | | | | - Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD): This is |
| teacher says nothing, as usual. And as the door | | | | an impairment in the development of motor |
| closes behind me I hear the sniggers of all the people | | | | co-ordination skills and can result in a reduced ability |
| who have ever pushed me around, of all the people | | | | to perform tasks requiring a lot of coordination and |
| who have ever stolen my dinner money and of all | | | | fine motor control. Dyspraxia is also an example of a |
| the people who have ever thrown my things on the | | | | DCD. |
| floor just because I'm different... The ones who called | | | | - Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit |
| me the "Dyslexic Thicko." You know, anything so | | | | hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD): This condition |
| long as it separated me from the rest of them. And | | | | results in a reduced ability to concentrate and focus |
| to be honest, I think I preferred it that way. | | | | on specific tasks, and an increased chance of |
| The thing they didn't realise was that I had a talent. I | | | | distraction, and reduction in memory capability. ADHD |
| had a talent that none of the others had and that | | | | includes an aspect of hyperactivity, which if often in |
| none of them could ever have. I had the gift of | | | | the form of fidgeting, excessive talking, a general |
| dyslexia. So what if sometimes I couldn't control it. At | | | | excess in physical movement or impulsive actions. |
| least I had it in the first place. | | | | Overall the general opinion is that dyslexics and |
| To most people the thought of someone having any | | | | people with other types of learning difficulties have |
| kind of learning difficulty provokes some sort of pity. | | | | an inability to do certain things. In many cases this is |
| But to be honest, what do we really think a learning | | | | true but not many people actually consider the pure |
| difficulty is? Generally the understanding of such | | | | genius that comes from non-verbal conceptualisation |
| learning difficulties is quite shallow. Specific Learning | | | | instead of verbal conceptualisation. Most of the UK |
| Difficulties (SLDs or SpLDs) is just one of these more | | | | think verbally where they arrange sentences and |
| vague terms given to a number of conditions that | | | | meaning inside their heads with words, not pictures. |
| affect a person's ability to learn. The most common | | | | But ever wondered the creative aspects that come |
| and highest profile of these difficulties is dyslexia, but | | | | from thinking non-verbally? Dyslexics are able to look |
| others include dyscalculia, developmental co-ordination | | | | at the world in a view that none of the "normal" |
| disorder (DCD) and attention deficit (hyperactivity) | | | | people can, a 3D view of words and pictures and this |
| disorder (ADD or ADHD). | | | | enables dyslexic people to find out so much more |
| There are several syptoms that relate more | | | | about the world and so are capable of knowing so |
| commonly to these conditions and they are the lack | | | | much more. Some of the more famous dyslexics |
| of ability to organise or process more complex pieces | | | | include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Leonardo da |
| of information, a reduction in spacial awareness or an | | | | Vinci, Whoopi Goldberg and Winston Churchill. Now do |
| evident inability to follow directions. | | | | you think those sniggers from the ignorant people in |
| In the UK dyslexia is thought to occur in around 4% | | | | my class could still be as plausible knowing this? Could |
| of the population and around 10% show the | | | | they still place "dyslexic" and "thicko" in the same |
| symptoms of it. It has been defined by the British | | | | sentence? |
| Dyslexia Association as "a combination of abilities and | | | | |