by Marianne Sunderland
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. As a long time homeschooler with 20+ years of experience teaching kids with dyslexia, here are 10 truths I want you to be aware of:
1. Your kids will learn to read. Eventually. All kids learn to read in their own time. Our oldest kids who didn’t have the benefit of all of my current knowledge about dyslexia, didn’t read independently until 12 and took off from there. So if you’re worried because your eight-year old is struggling with Bob Books while his or her peers are reading chapter books, take a breath and know that it will come. (And get books on audio!)
2. But they may never spell well. After years of intensive educational therapy, some of my kids still have trouble with spelling. But you would never know it because they use assistive technology when typing and texting. I hear from parents all. the. time. that their kids are reading well but spelling – not so much. This is a reality of dyslexia. Teach them to use assistive technology that helps with spelling and let it go!
3. The school years can be HARD. I really did spend a lot of time agonizing over my kids’ learning difficulties in the early days. (I still worry some but not nearly as much!) From not remembering their math facts, to poor spelling and handwriting, to poor memory and a lack of attention … the school days are hard for kids with language based learning difficulties.
There are many people with dyslexia who, despite their struggles, do very well academically. College is doable but taking a lighter load and finding tutoring may be needed. Interestingly, it isn’t uncommon for a dyslexic student to understand the content better than their classmates and still do poorly on exams. The school years are hard, but fortunately, they don’t last forever.
4. The school years don’t look anything like your school years. The way kids with dyslexia learn is anything but linear and predictable. I have talked to more than one parent, concerned about a teen son’s reading ability. They can read but don’t like to. Then a few minutes later, I learn that this reluctant reader can rebuild a tractor motor and can basically run the family farm on his own. Hmmm. There really isn’t a place on the high school transcript for that kind of thing (at least not one that gives it the credit due). YOU need to know that this is highly valuable despite not being a high school graduation requirement. Our kids learn with different methods and on a different time table than traditional learners and that is okay. See #1 above!
5. Real life is easier. While all of my dyslexic kids learned to read later and struggled across the board with learning from one degree to another, once they hit the real world (i.e. graduated from high school) they are off and running. All of that time you spent helping them to understand themselves, how they learn, and nurturing their interests pays off big time once they are out of the school setting and able work and learn more on their own. All of our kids needed a few years to find their ‘thing’ but once they did – wowza!
6. Outside the box people are happier outside the box. What I mean by this is that, at least for my kids (and their dyslexic father) they struggle in cookie cutter types of environments. That is why the traditional school setting often doesn’t work for our kids. Did you know that 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic? It is believed that about 20% of the general population are dyslexic. People with dyslexia are much more likely to be entrepreneurs than traditional learners. Curious about what kinds of skills people with dyslexia excel at? Read this list of dyslexic strengths.
7. Accommodations and assistive technology are absolutely necessary. Once upon a time, a long time ago, this left-brained, linear mama who never struggled in school thought the use of assistive technology was unfair. I felt that my kids needed to write their own papers (not dictate them to me or a device) or that my kids couldn’t move ahead in math until they learned their multiplication tables. Please don’t fall into that trap. I have two kids who can write and express themselves with words better than I could imagine but I NEVER would have known unless I allowed them to dictate those words to me. How ironic to have a gift with words but not be able to physically write or spell them! Accommodation and assistive technology allow our kids to express themselves at their intellectual ability and cause confidence to soar. Learn more about accommodations for dyslexia here.
8. Dyslexic people really can do anything. Of our five adult kids with dyslexia, all of them are pursuing their interests and excelling. One kid who struggled mightily with higher level math is currently taking Calculus in college. While the class isn’t easy, she is able to get the help she needs and is doing well. Taking and passing this class is leading her to her goal to become a physical therapist. Had you asked me a few years ago if I thought this was a possibility, I would have said definitely not. And here we are…
9. Dyslexia is not all bad. Although the school years can be tough, once our kids with dyslexia get out into the world, they often excel. I write this to encourage you that despite what it may seem, your dyslexic kids have amazing abilities that school curricula don’t often address. An ability to make unusual connections, to think outside the box, to imagine, to engineer, to create music, art, or businesses – these are areas where our kids EXCEL, and that is good!
10. It’s not all good either. If you’re reading this post today, your kids, or grandkids, or students are very fortunate. There are some shocking statistics surrounding dyslexia. Without the support of some caring adult, whether a parent or teacher, many dyslexics slip through the cracks. They perform poorly in school and begin getting into trouble. There is an alarming amount of illiteracy in our prisons today and a large portion of those people are dyslexic but never received the kind of help you are giving the dyslexics in your life. The good news is, however, successful dyslexics say the the thing that had the biggest impact on their success was the presence of at least one caring adult; someone who saw their potential and took the time to advocate for them. If you’re reading this article, that is YOU!
These are 10 things about dyslexia that I want others to be aware of. What would you add to the list?
About Marianne
Marianne Sunderland is a homeschooling mother of eight unique children ages 11 to 29, including adventurous and homeschooled sailors, Zac and Abby Sunderland, known for their world-record setting around-the-world sailing campaigns. She is also an author, speaker, and because seven of her eight children are dyslexic, a passionate dyslexia advocate. Her mission is to educate and encourage families to understand dyslexia as well as to discover and nurture their children’s God-given gifts and talents, in and outside of the classroom. Marianne’s web site, Homeschooling With Dyslexia, provides weekly articles on homeschooling kids with ADD, ADHD, and dyslexia that will bless and encourage you.
This article was originally published on October 6, 2018 on www.homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com. Reprinted with permission.