To all the dyslexic kids out there who feel like they're alone. To the kids who have been dealing with it for many years, and to all the parents who are so tired and frustrated they're about to give up. This one's for you.
This
is for all the teachers that don't think it's a big deal, they just
need to try harder and "pay attention" better. This is for all the
administrators who brush off parents who are desperately crying out for help.
This is for the legislators who want to better understand why we want
better laws for our states to address
Dyslexia.
As parents, professionals, advocates, we often talk about our children's strengths and weaknesses. How we feel, how they feel. What works and what doesn't. We jump into every Facebook group we can find just to feel like we're not alone. Not crazy. We share our stories, we ask each other for help, give advice on how to fight, how to advocate, how to survive, and support each other through the struggles and celebrate each others' triumphs. Brag about our amazing kids.
I am one of these parents. My daughter is 1 in 5.
I was talking to a friend one night, and it hit me. What do THEY have to say about dyslexia? So, once again I enlisted the help and participation of the amazing folks at Learning Ally's Parent Chat and Decoding Dyslexia TN's parent group on Facebook. Specifically, I enlisted their kids. I wanted to interview them.
The questions were basic...simple, really. But some of the answers.....may surprise you. Some of them even surprised their own parents with what they had to say. This wasn't about shock and awe, though. This was for creating an open discussion on one thing: Understanding. People fear the unknown, it's a fact of life. When we understand something, however, some of that fear gives way to hope.
What you are about to read are real responses, from real boys and girls, living with dyslexia, all over the country. These are our amazing "Dyslexians".
In Their Own Words
1. What does dyslexia mean to you?
"Dyslexia means that it is harder to read and write. It makes me try harder to be a better person."
-Carolyne, 10, Knoxville TN
"Being creative, having some spelling, reading and writing challenges, being the kid that’s creative and doing assignment more creatively."
-Brandon, 13, Yuma AZ
"It means that it's hard for me to read, write, and it makes me slower than the average person usually- not by speed though, but by learning to read, and writing and stuff like that. Dyslexia is hard for me to explain to other people."
-Andrew, 10, Franklin TN
"It means I can’t read good."
-David, 8, Knoxville TN
"Dyslexia means having trouble with work."
-Evan, 11, PA
"It's hard to read."
-Kate, 6, Knoxville TN
-Lauren, 10, Las Vegas NV
"It means that I’m kind of different than other people. Some things I can do better than other people
and some things I have to work on."
-Vivian, 7, Burbank CA
"Dyslexia means to me that lots of kids around the world that have dyslexia and they still don’t know it. Its hard for them to read, write or spell."
-Keara, 8, Martinsville IN
-Quinn, 12, AZ
"I never think about it. I forgot I was dyslexic until you asked me."
-Kolten, 9
2. What is your most favorite thing about being dyslexic?
"Being Creative."
-Brandon, 13, Yuma AZ
"What do they mean by that? There is no favorite thing? What do you think, mom?" (I then reminded him of some of his giftings) Then he responded, "my creativity"
-Andrew, 10, Franklin TN
"That your brain is bigger and you get to learn in different languages."
-David, 8, Knoxville TN
(Mom note: I think he means that his brain learns in a different way.)
"My favorite thing about Dyslexia is being able to be creative."
-Evan, 11, PA
"That you get to do fun stuff and that little kids
help you all day. The fun thing about dee-lexia, because I have no homework,
so, that's the fun thing about dee-lexia. I know that doesn't make sense! Ha!"
-Kate, 6, Knoxville TN
"I love how creative
it lets me be. That even though it makes things harder, there are benefits that
other people don't have. Like: creativity, the way I look at things, noticing
patterns, and how you can take one thing and turn it into a completely
unrelated other thing."
-Lauren, 10, Las Vegas NV
"That it is going to help me choreograph dances better. I can
see the whole thing, all the people, in one piece."
-Vivian, 7, Burbank CA
"My most favorite thing is that I get to have dyslexia friends and other friends that aren’t really dyslexic but there is 1 other kid in my class that is, he just found out!"
-Keara, 8, Martinsville IN
"The challenge and the gift."
-Quinn, 12, AZ
"Dyslexics are special."
-Kolten, 9
"It is hard to be me. I don't like it."
-Carolyne, 10, Knoxville TN
"That's gonna be simple. There is so much stuff. Ummm, there is so much. Dyslexia is so hard to put in words....being slow and being behind everybody....when the teacher keeps moving on and I'm not ready.~ just being frustrated a lot."
-Andrew, 10, Franklin TN
"That you’re not good at reading."
-David, 8, Knoxville TN "That you’re not good at reading."
"My least favorite thing is not being able to read or write faster."
-Evan, 11, PA
"I do NOT like about it that you can't read or not do anything like ….like teachers yelling at you if you get it wrong. That kind of stuff. That was at my old school."
-Kate, 6, Knoxville TN
"That I have trouble spelling and writing and a lot of the time when I am writing, I have to do my work over again because no one can read it."
-Lauren, 10, Las Vegas NV
"It is going to make reading hard and I hate it."
-Vivian, 7, Burbank CA
"Im not like the other kids."
-Keara, 8, Martinsville IN
"The slow reading and spelling."
-Quinn, 12, AZ
"Dyslexics become good people."
-Kolten, 9
4. If you could say one thing to your teacher, what would you say?
"To read about dyslexia and read my IEP."
-Brandon, 13, Yuma AZ
"Could you slow down? I have dyslexia and it's really hard for me to keep up."
-Andrew, 10, Franklin TN
"That you can’t read that good. I don’t go up to the board, I told her. I don’t want to go up to the board. I don’t want to do spelling in front of everybody because I don’t want them to know how hard it is to read it"
-David, 8, Knoxville TN
"I would say 'I am dyslexic, and you are required by law to help me through this'"
-Evan, 11, PA
"I would say I love this school [new school without the yelling teacher] all day long, can I please stay here? I would say to my teacher that at my old school that she has this thing that has red, and blue and yellow, and it makes it easy to do, so I told my teacher to bring it at school. So, that really does help! I told my new teacher about it, and she's gonna buy it!"
-Kate, 6, Knoxville TN
"That even though I might have a hard time with writing and spelling, and you might have a hard time reading it, maybe I can give it you out loud better so that you can understand it more. Dyslexic doesn't mean dumb."
-Lauren, 10, Las Vegas NV
"Please can I use tools when other people aren’t to help me."
-Vivian, 7, Burbank CA
"I would say you’re the best teacher ever. Its true…She the best cause she is really nice to me and helps me read sentences and spell letters and helps me get my b’s and d’s right"
-Keara, 8, Martinsville IN
"It may be hard, but I will try."
-Quinn, 12, AZ
" I’m sorry that you have me in your class, because I am difficult learner."
-Carolyne, 10, Knoxville TN
5. What would you say to other kids that are dyslexic like you?
"Tell them the weakness and the advantages of dyslexia."
-Brandon, 13, Yuma AZ
"I have dyslexia too, and its not that bad because you can still learn.... but it's just harder for dyslexics sometimes because it's just the way your brain works....you know.....how dyslexic's brains work."
-Andrew, 10, Franklin TN
"I would say that you should get a reading tracker to help you read. I would be his friend or her friend because we’re both dyslexic. I would tell him that I would practice reading with you."
-David, 8, Knoxville TN
"I’d say, “Keep trying. A dyslexic’s potential is limitless.”"
-Evan, 11, PA
"I would say that dee-lexia is not hard. I can help
you about that. Just wear a green shirt, and it has a blue line, and that's
dee-lexia kids. (her 1in5 initiative shirt). I said the only thing about
dee-lexia is fun things. You get to play outside!"
-Kate, 6, Knoxville TN
"Well, it might be
hard, and difficult but you can do anything as long as you try. Because you are
dyslexic you can do other things other can't. YOU CAN DO IT!"
-Lauren, 10, Las Vegas NV
"Dyslexia is kind of good and kind of bad. But you get to play on an iPad when you are
being tutored!"
-Vivian, 7, Burbank CA
"I would say dyslexia isn’t very hard for them
cause its pretty easy just being dyslexic…"
-Keara, 8, Martinsville IN
"Don’t shy away from it, embrace it like Albert
Einstein, Thomas Edison or Bill Gates did."
-Quinn, 12, AZ
"I'm dyslexic too."
-Kolten, 9
I think Carolyne said it best:
"Always try your best and keep smiling."
-Carolyne, 10, Knoxville TN
#RedeemingRed
#1in5
