'Made By Dyslexia' - Recognize the Potential of Our Learners

Awareness of Dyslexia – and other Language-based Learning Disabilities – is growing, which is a grateful thing. Prevailing attitudes by a lot of our society really has damaged and disserved those with Dyslexia. Those with Dyslexia – even some adults I know – will say, “Oh, I’m just lazy” or “Some people aren’t cut out for school.” I know an enormously talented carpenter who couldn’t read beyond an early reading level; his cognitive strengths and skill set would maybe project him as an engineer or an architect. I don’t know what his reading instruction was like when he was a kid, but he could have perhaps had opportunities available if his instruction had been tailored to his strengths and weaknesses.
 
When a child is struggling to learn to read or to process and use language, she maybe does not project the intelligence or potential that she may have. When a person has to use compensatory strategies to make up for areas of weakness, she certainly does not look efficient or smooth. In addition, think of the self-consciousness and embarrassment of struggling in front of her peers. Finally, as a learner going into an environment that emphasizes her weaknesses on a daily basis for 5 hours, why should she not give up, act out, or be the class comedian?
 
Obviously, schools should be sensitive to these needs within our children. In many cases, schools will answer the call. If they do not, however, parents have to carry that load. As a parent, you sense the struggle your child might be experiencing, and you recognize that there is a window of time, of which you need to take advantage, so that your child can reach her potential.
 
The organization Made By Dyslexia has created inspiring videos and stories which describes the strengths of folks with Dyslexia who have untapped talents:
https://madebydyslexia.blog/2017/08/16/dyslexic-thinking-skills-explained/
 
At Linguistic Foundations, we think that identifying a child’s strengths and weaknesses is the most important first step. Sometimes her profile of strengths and weaknesses leads to a diagnosis of Dyslexia, Specific Learning Disability, or Language-based Learning Disability, at which time you can begin to have the conversation with her school team about her learning needs and the instruction she needs to receive.
 
We can identify your child's learning profile through our testing process. We will also help you work with your child’s school to create a teaching program that will target her strengths and weaknesses and help her to reach her potential as a learner. Please contact us at Linguistic Foundations with any questions you have. Thank you!