Dyslexia - from, The Project
On Monday 25th March, 2013, 'The Project' aired a story on Dyslexia called, 'Dealing with Dyslexia'.
http://theprojecttv.com.au/dealing-with-dyslexia.htm
It was about a boy called Ben. Eleven year-old Ben has the hidden learning disability that impairs his ability to read - because his brain finds it hard to convert letters into sounds and words. He has a phonological difficulty, or what is commonly referred to as Dyslexia. The truth is that he may also have Visual Dyslexia.
"When I look at a page I see words moving, words going onto walls," says Ben, "Words blowing up and moving."
The condition, which is inherited, affects at least an estimated 10% of Australians, but is greatly misunderstood. While a small percentage of kids with Dyslexia get their letters and words back to front, others can just have trouble spelling simple words or reading from left to right. Dyslexia also runs into mathematics and remembering basic arithmetic as well.
While we've known about it for decades, Australia still doesn't have a national system for detecting it early. Shame, shame, shame! The history is that many school systems have refused to acknowledge it. Shame, shame, shame - again!
Those who know the facts say as many as 8% of kids in the public school system aren't being diagnosed as a result of poor identification. Whistle blowers inside Australian Education Systems also tell us that many systems have long refused to acknowledge that Dyslexia even exists!
Dyslexia has nothing to do with a lack of intelligence.
Yet, poor understandings in the community and within the teaching profession, sees Dyslexic students being not accepted, misunderstood and teased; the result – an horrific battering of their confidence and loss of their potential.
"When I came home, I would say to my Dad I don't want to talk about it," says Ben.
"After I got home I would go into my cupboard not say anything. I wouldn't do my homework. I would sit in my cupboard crying my eyes out."
People with Dyslexia can be very successful - just check out Richard Branson and may others on Youtube - once they're taught some coping strategies and alternative learning methods, they're away! They can be gifted, and are often more creative and better at problem solving. In fact one UK study found that 40% of self-made millionaires are dyslexic, including Richard Branson and Jamie Oliver.
Ben was diagnosed with dyslexia just 18 months ago, and has gotten help - privately - which has dramatically improved his reading, and his confidence. He's also got advice for other kids.
"If you have Dyslexia, go get help from an adult and never, never, never, never, never give up."
For more information, please visit the following web sites;
Helping people with dyslexia: a national action agenda
Australian Dyslexia Association: http://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/
Raising Children (federal government parenting website, learning disabilities section): http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/learning_disabilities.html
Australian Federation of Specific Learning Difficulties (AUSPELD): http://www.auspeld.org.au/
Learning Difficulties Australia: http://www.ldaustralia.org/
The Australian Learning Disability Association (for adults) http://www.adcet.edu.au/alda/