How Dyslexia Happens
Having been functionally illiterate for the first 38
years of my life, and having overcome the problem sufficiently to write a book
and read it onto tape, here is what I've found out: dyslexia is not the result
of brain damage or nerve damage. Nor is it caused by a malformation of the
brain, inner ear or eyeballs. It is the product of a special mode of thought
and a natural reaction to confusion.
Before the invention of written language, dyslexia
didn't exist. People with the gift of dyslexia were probably the custodians of
oral history because of their excellent ability to memorize and transmit the spoken
word.
Dyslexics inherently perceive more and formulate
mental concepts faster than other people. They excel in the arts, architecture,
engineering, strategy and invention. They can perceive imagination as reality.
This form of intuitive thought is the foundation of genius. It is a nonverbal
mode of thinking, so it can cause difficulty in learning written language.
Literacy problems are often compounded during the first few years of school.
Our educational system relies mainly on reading and writing to convey
information and measure achievement, so dyslexics are often seen as having low
intelligence.
This is really a disability of our language and the
educational process. From my experience in working with more than 1,000
dyslexics, this is how the syndrome develops during childhood.
1. A child who is potentially dyslexic
discovers how to mentally fill in fragmentary perceptions at an age as early as
three months. This imaginative talent may later produce dyslexia.
2. During early childhood, the child
uses this talent to recognize objects in the environment and to develop
artistic and kinesthetic talents. The child becomes a visual and conceptual
thinker. There is little need for development of verbal thought, a slower mode
of thinking characterized by an internal monologue of words.
3. The child is expected to begin
reading in kindergarten or early grade school. Written language—composed of
phonetic symbols—is a puzzle. By this time, the child automatically disorients the
perceptions to recognize and understand things in the environment. It works
fine with the real world, but viewing printed letters upside down or reversed
or in the wrong order makes them less recognizable.
4. The child becomes increasingly
confused, which produces more disorientation. The child suspects something is
wrong. This is confirmed by the teacher, the other kids in the class, the
school administration, and eventually the parents. Everybody gets upset, so the
"cognitively challenged" child also gets upset. Now we may see
behavior problems.
5. Unless someone intervenes and
provides appropriate learning methods, the child has no choice but to struggle
through as much school as tolerable, possibly in a Special Education class or
under the influence of drugs like Ritalin or Cylert.
6. At the age of eight or nine, the
child invents tricks like rote memorization, avoidance and reliance on others
for reading and writing skills. In practical classes like science, music, art
or shop, this child may excel, but classes that require much reading and
writing are torture.
7. Unless there is proper intervention
by someone who shows compassion and respect, the dyslexic child's self-esteem
will suffer.
8. After escaping from school, the
person begins to overcome or circumvent the "handicap" of being
functionally illiterate. Dyslexics often excel on the job, even though they are
functionally illiterate.
9. By the time the dyslexic becomes an
adult, the inability to read and write well is a shameful secret. The person is
convinced that it is a sign not only of ignorance, but unworthiness. This
unfortunate self-perception can make adult dyslexics secretive and hostile.
Restoring a person's self-esteem is truly the most
important part of undoing dyslexia—and other learning problems, including ADD
and hyperactivity. The procedures described in the Gift of dyslixia generally enable a "learning disabled"
person to gain basic literacy skills during a 30-hour program. After a few
months of part-time home tutoring, most can read, write and study normally.
Unlearning the lesson that they are stupid is the most valuable result of the
training.
How can we prevent children from losing their
self-esteem? As my colleague Dr. Ali has said, erase words like
"dumb," "stupid" and "challenged" from your
vocabulary. Never criticize them for mistakes or imply something is wrong with
them. Gain an understanding of how dyslexics think and emphasize their strong
points. Find appropriate methods to help them learn to read, write and study.
Remember that some bright kids aren't ready to start reading until they're
eight or nine. They will catch up faster without the burden of self-doubt.
In tutoring kids, treat symbols and words as games or
puzzles to be solved. Make language fun. This is covered in Chapters 28 and 29
of the Gift of dyslixia
Language skills are dandy, but there is much to be
said for real life skills and experiential learning. Give dyslexics credit for
these abilities, and you may discover that their "learning
disability" is really genius in disguise—or at least a high level of
intelligence and ability, which they had since the day they were born.