The Many Strengths of Dyslexics (2024)

FAQs

What are dyslexia strengths and challenges? ›

People with dyslexia are known for their lack of fine detail strengths – the strengths that result in accurate and precise reading and spelling. On the flip side, the wiring of the dyslexic brain results in global big picture strengths such as strengths in comprehension, word associations, context and gist.

Dyslexics are best at jobs that make use of motor skills, jobs that involve using spatial techniques and problem-solving skills. These jobs may include mechanical engineering, fashion styling, creative design, performing arts and so on.

One of the more advantageous qualities in many dyslexic people is their ability to think outside of the box. They come up with excellent, unorthodox ideas that are not only fresh, but lucrative as well. Critical thinkers: Another trait that some dyslexics possess is their ability to use logical reasoning.

Dyslexic brains process information differently. We are naturally creative, good at problem solving and talented communicators. Our heightened abilities in areas like visualisation and logical reasoning skills and natural entrepreneurial traits bring a fresh and intuitive perspective.

Dyslexics have high levels of empathy

Dyslexics have a greater ability to sense, understand and respond to how others feel. This allows for a more authentic connection with people and can result in a deeper understanding of their stories and a greater skill in telling them. It's all part of our 'Connecting' skills.

In fact, despite reading ability, people who have dyslexia can have a range of intellectual ability. Most have average to above average IQs, and just like the general population, some have superior to very superior scores.

The Relationship Between Math and Language Struggles

We often define dyslexia as an “unexpected difficulty in reading”; however, a dyslexic student may also have difficulty with math facts although they are often able to understand and do higher level math quite well.

The mental function that causes dyslexia is a gift in the truest sense of the word: a natural ability, a talent. It is something special that enhances the individual. Dyslexics don't all develop the same gifts, but they do have certain mental functions in common.

Dyslexics are fast problem solvers and can think laterally, providing unorthodox methods for solving problems. This skill often provides leaps of insight. This enables excellent troubleshooting. Dyslexia is frequently associated with having a natural curiosity to discover or understand new things.

problems learning the names and sounds of letters. spelling that's unpredictable and inconsistent. confusion over letters that look similar and putting letters the wrong way round (such as writing "b" instead of "d") confusing the order of letters in words.

Do dyslexics have social problems? ›

Over the years, students with dyslexia may develop increasing frustration if the reading skills of their classmates begin to surpass their own. Access to effective Structured Literacy teaching will help these students, but they may still experience social and emotional problems.

Poor memory recall is a key characteristic of the dyslexic brain. This means that while students may appear to understand things well, they often struggle to recall concepts later.

There is a common misconception that dyslexia only affects the ability to read and write. In reality, dyslexia can affect memory, organisation, time-keeping, concentration, multi-tasking and communication.

Experts agree that the best practice for teaching children with dyslexia is to teach them by engaging all their senses (multisensory teaching). This means using visuals, motion, body movement, hands-on, and auditory elements in their learning.

Children with dyslexia often feel stupid, have low self-esteem, attempt to hide weaknesses with complex compensation strategies, and are easily annoyed and angered/ saddened by reading or school testing.

40% of the 300 millionaires who participated in the more comprehensive study had been diagnosed with dyslexia.

Why are dyslexics so smart? Most dyslexics often have a better sense of spatial relationships and better use of their right brain. Dyslexics have excellent thinking skills in the areas of conceptualization, reason, imagination, and abstraction.

Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects approximately 10% of the population. Did you know that 60% of self-made millionaires are dyslexia? That has got to account for something. This stat to me means that individuals who have dyslexia have a certain set of entrepreneurial skills.

Dyslexic students can put so much effort and energy into avoiding reading, writing, spelling, sequencing, math, or any other affected skills, and they can mask their lack of function in those tasks so well that sometimes their most attention-getting symptoms can be poor behavior or anxiety.

Is dyslexia a form of genius? ›

Despite the updated definition, dyslexia continues to be misunderstood. Is dyslexia a sign of genius or a different way of learning? Current research indicates that dyslexia has no relationship to intelligence and individuals with dyslexia are neither more nor less intelligent than the general population.

Children diagnosed with dyslexia show greater emotional reactivity than children without dyslexia, according to a new collaborative study by UC San Francisco neuroscientists with the UCSF Dyslexia Center and UCSF Memory and Aging Center.

ResultsFamily-risk status was a stronger predictor of dyslexia at 8 years than low language in preschool. Additional predictors in the preschool years include letter knowledge, phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, and executive skills.

People do not outgrow dyslexia, although the symptoms do tend to vary by age. With appropriate instruction and support, people with dyslexia can succeed in school and the workplace.

Many dyslexics have strong visualisation skills. And when it comes to sport, this can translate to an uncanny knack of knowing how the game is going to unfold, or where the play is going to take place, which often influences the result of the game.

Dyslexic children are full of capabilities and potential; their creativity and lateral thinking, problem-solving techniques and insightful questions can complement their studies of science in particular, so long as their teachers know how to nurture and cater to their skills.

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.

Some dyslexic people find that their mind races, and they struggle to find the right words to express themselves or to verbally keep up with the speed of their thoughts. Conversely, they often know the answer but need time to retrieve it from their memory.

These may include: reversing letters or the order of letters (after first grade); spelling phonetically; having accurate beginning and ending sounds but misspelling the word; not using words in writing that they would use in oral language; and disorganized writing, such as a lack of grammar, punctuation, or ...

Children diagnosed with dyslexia show greater emotional reactivity than children without dyslexia, according to a new collaborative study by UC San Francisco neuroscientists with the UCSF Dyslexia Center and UCSF Memory and Aging Center.

Do dyslexics think faster? ›

The dyslexic has a visual thinking, so often these children can learn many skills faster than the rest of the people. It is estimated that image thinking is 400 to 2,000 times faster than verbal thinking. A person can have between two and five thoughts, while the dyslexic has 32.

Finally, participants with dyslexia who showed low reading abilities had significantly lower scores in total empathy and cognitive empathy, as measured by the IRI test, than did typical participants with high reading abilities.

Dyslexia symptoms don't 'get worse' with age. That said, the longer children go without support, the more challenging it is for them to overcome their learning difficulties. A key reason for this is that a child's brain plasticity decreases as they mature. This impacts how quickly children adapt to change.