#DyslexiaIsAGift

[sparklebuds]

Why Your Dyslexic Child Might Be the Smartest in the Room (and You're Missing It)

Is your child struggling to keep up with reading or writing?Before you let the school labels get to you, here’s something powerful to consider: Dyslexia isn’t a learning disability—it’s a learning difference.And often, that difference hides some of the brightest minds and biggest gifts. Let’s explore why your dyslexic child might actually be a genius in the making—and how you can support their…

[dyslexicswantedpodcast-blog]

The Dyslexia Debate

The following blog is inspired by the article: “IDA Responds to the ‘Dyslexia Debate’”published by the International Dyslexia Association.

I remember distinctly being in kindergarten and first grade constantly anxious, on guard, and finding excuses to go to the nurse. Though I’d always been a curious child and loved to learn new things, I hated school. I hated the potential for being called on, I hated that my classmates made fun of me, I hated being punished for not doing homework that I truly couldn’t do. Though I hated many aspects of daily life, I played along with the system enough to get by for a few years. Though, soon enough, my trick was discovered. 

I remember walking into my testing session and being asked if I knew why I was there. My response: “I’m just a dumb 2nd grader”. That is truly how I felt. I felt dumb for not being able to read, for getting stuck on math problems, for being confused in class, for being different from my peers. 

Following the testing session it soon came out that I was dyslexic. Unsurprisingly, I hated this too. But with time, I was able to accept that being dyslexic did not mean that I was dumb, but rather that I learned differently. It meant that like everyone else I had strengths and I had areas I could work on. The discovery of my dyslexia also meant that I was going to change schools so that I could be best supported. At first I did not like this plan, but eventually I was excited as I felt I would have a community in where I belonged and was understood. Though it took me about 10 years to fully embrace my dyslexia, I have been able to slowly accept myself for who I am and the strengths I have, while acknowledging the areas I need growth in. 

Fastforward---> 

I have graduated from college where I wrote my undergraduate thesis on the parent perspective of a dyslexia diagnosis. I have become involved in advocacy surrounding dyslexia. I have mentored younger dyslexic students. 

After graduating from college I began teaching Special Education in urban public schools and... BAM! No one uses the word “dyslexia” anymore but instead says “Specific Learning Disability”. What the HECK does that mean? It’s the least specific “specific” disability possible!! My students have no way to explain their learning difference, they struggle to identify what it is, they aren’t sure of their strengths. 

You may be wondering why this is. How does a word really make that much of a difference? 

It does! 

Without a way to “specifically” identify their learning difference, the perception of being dumb and less capable than their peers is confirmed, when it is not truly reality. When they are told their “Specific Learning Disability” is in reading, writing, and math, they feel hopeless. When teachers start by identifying areas of difficulty, that’s all kids hear. I can say this from being a student AND a teacher in these conversations. When it changes to “you have dyslexia, so there are some areas you are really good at, and there are some things that are more difficult for you” it COMPLETELY changes a chid’s (and parent’s) self-perception. 

I have no more strengths or intelligence than my students, all I had was a truly SPECIFIC word to identify with, a community to call on, and a difference I could learn about.  

[everythingwithange]

Tomorrow Join Me for a Q & A on Coffee Chats With ⁣@ldayr ⁣ If you follow @ldayr and attend this Instagram live chat they are doing a giveaway! ⁣ Send them Your Questions to @ldayr Details: May 6th at 5:30pm est ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #embracedyslexia #dyslexics #learningdisabilities #ldcommunity #creatingawareness #spreadingtheword #sharingmystory #podcaster #Dyslexia #Dyslexic #Dyslexics #DyslexiaAwareness #IAmDyslexic #DyslexicandProud #DyslexicThinking ##learningdisabilities ⁣ #DailyDyslexia #DyslexiaPower #DyslexiaSupport #DyslexiaProblems #DyslexiaIsAGift #DyslexiaIsMySuperPower #SayDyslexia #DyslexicLife #DyslexiaAdvocate⁣  #DyslexiaTherapy #DyslexiaIsReal  #CultureMakers #learningdisabilities (at Toronto C•A•N•A•D•A) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0sf9BAYu2/?igshid=137c858y3yo49

[theriseofthedyslexicspeaker-blog]

Free dyslexia / public speaking live chat show, anyone? Register now!❤ https://mailchi.mp/trevorhenderson.co.uk/chatshow Date: 23 February 2020 Time: 9pm UK time Happening via Zoom Cloud Meetings app (download via App store or Google Playstore) #dyslexickids #dyslexicstrengths #dyslexiapower #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #dyslexiaisagift #dyslexi #dyslexiateacher #dyslexia #dyslexiclife #dyslexic #dyslexie #dyslexicthinking #dyslexiatherapy #dyslexiasupport #publicspeakingskill #publicspeakingskills #publicspeakingclass #publicspeakingtraining #publicspeakingtips #publicspeaking #publicspeakingcoach #publicspeakingschool #publicspeakers #publicspeaker #dyslexiaawareness #decodingdyslexia #dyslexicandproud #dyslexicandproud #dyslexiaeducation #dyslexics https://www.instagram.com/p/B84KoMiBgx9/?igshid=ry0u0f8wwf0z

[tcooktutor]

(via Article Review: Looking to Heal Our Own [Learning] Difference Through Our Very Own DNA)

[km-adventures]

Some Gifts are Hard to Appreciate

For our household - it is a gift shared from my side of the family. My mother passed the lovely gift to me - and I passed it to one of my daughters.  

However, when my child is shamed intentionally or unintentionally in a peer setting - I wish I could take the gift back. When my child tells me how children years younger than her can probably spell better, I want to tell her, "no" - but even as I write this - I realize how grateful I am for spellcheck. And when my child hopes the substitute teacher doesn't ask the kids to read aloud, I remember my own moments of counting seats and guessing the paragraph that I would need to read out. 

But then I remember to say - it is a gift we both share, even as her eyes roll.

How did we "discover" this gift? Oh, it goes back to the earliest writings. When the order of the letters in her name were wrong. It goes back to the spelling of "Momy, Mammy, or Mam" for Mama. For most, the time passes and they know the order of their name and they know how to spell friend and love with ease. For her, a smile comes to her face when she writes it correctly on the first shot. For her, a B or D in the middle of word is still easier then a b or d when spelling numBer or BeD.

Back to the gift. In all fairness, it is truly a gift - because until we adults recognized it, had her tested and began to build supports - she was faced with creating her own work arounds, her own techniques to learn language and her own strategies to succeed. 

By the time, she was officially classified as a child with dyslexia, she had developed certain skills beyond her grade-level - and even more so - she had gained intuitive capacities no textbook reading could provide. 

To my dyslexic child, that observes, listens, and then asks well beyond her years - I smile. I know that it took her several more years then most to correctly spell, "I love you Mama" but she has asked questions that many adults, still have not learned enough to ask. I know she does not take for granted her success and can appreciate her accomplishments. I know she will strive and use her creative soul to read every word that comes before her.

But on nights like this - with tears in everyone's eyes -  I wish this was one gift that I hadn't shared....

[everythingwithange]

Join me next week for a Q & A on Coffee Chats with LDAYR⁣ ⁣ If you follow @ldayr and attend this Instagram live chat they are doing a giveaway! ⁣ Details: May 6th at 5:30pm est ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #embracedyslexia #dyslexics #learningdisabilities #ldcommunity #creatingawareness #spreadingtheword #sharingmystory #podcaster #Dyslexia #Dyslexic #Dyslexics #DyslexiaAwareness #IAmDyslexic #DyslexicandProud #DyslexicThinking  #MadeByDyslexia ⁣ #DailyDyslexia #DyslexiaPower #DyslexiaSupport #DyslexiaProblems #DyslexiaIsAGift #DyslexiaIsMySuperPower #SayDyslexia #DyslexicLife #DyslexiaAdvocate⁣  #DyslexiaTherapy #DyslexiaIsReal #NeuroDiversity #ItsOkayToBeDifferent  (at Toronto C•A•N•A•D•A) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_lRUnEgAJu/?igshid=1p717jrzbr4ts

[theriseofthedyslexicspeaker-blog]

Episode 2 is happening in 3 days! Follow this link to register for the show⬇️ https://mailchi.mp/trevorhenderson.co.uk/chatshow #dyslexickids #dyslexicstrengths #dyslexiapower #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #dyslexi #dyslexiclife #dyslexiaisagift #dyslexie #dyslexia #dyslexic #dyslexicthinking #dyslexiateacher #dyslexiatherapy #dyslexiasupport #dyslexicproblems #dyslexiamom #dyslexics #publicspeakingskill #publicspeakingskills #publicspeakingclass #publicspeakingtraining #publicspeaking #publicspeakingcoach #publicspeaker #publicspeakingschool #publicspeakers #madebydyslexia #saydyslexia https://www.instagram.com/p/B8y9rsJBeHW/?igshid=1tfpqfheaqnr6

[theriseofthedyslexicspeaker-blog]

To everyone interested in joining the Q&A show, click on this zoom link at least 10 mins before the show starts! https://zoom.us/s/681495603 We hope you are all excited! See you all there! ❤❤❤ #dyslexiatherapy #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexiclife #dyslexicandproud #dyslexic #dyslexiaeducation #dyslexicthinking #dyslexiaismysuperpower #dyslexia #dyslexicproblems #dyslexicadvantage #dyslexicstrengths #dyslexi #dyslexiapower #dyslexics #dyslexiasupport #dyslexickids #dyslexiateacher #dyslexiaisagift #dyslexiaisreal #dyslexiamom #dyslexiatutor #madebydyslexia #publicspeaking #publicspeaker #publicspeakers #publicspeakingtips #publicspeakingtraining #publicspeakingclass #publicspeakingskill https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Wjwt5JBKJ/?igshid=19cugywwy6qbl

[tcooktutor]

(via Article Review: Looking to Heal Our Own [Learning] Difference Through Our Very Own DNA)

[theriseofthedyslexicspeaker-blog]

Come join the show! 😀 Register for the show: https://mailchi.mp/trevorhenderson.co.uk/chatshow #dyslexia #publicspeaker #publicspeaking #neurodiversity #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexic #dyslexiaeducation #dyslexiaadvocate #dyslexiatherapy #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #dyslexicproblems #dyslexicthinking #dyslexicandproud #dyslexicadvantage #dyslexicstrengths #dyslexiapower #dyslexics #dyslexiasupport #dyslexiateacher #dyslexiaismysuperpower #dyslexiaisreal #dyslexiaisagift #madebydyslexia #publicspeaking #publicspeaker (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9erae8Bq8V/?igshid=h744vr79yjhm

[tcooktutor]

#dyslexia #dyslexiaawareness #adhd #autism #dyslexic #dyslexiaeducation #education #dysgraphia #specialeducation #learningdisabilities #dyslexiaadvocate #dyslexiasupport #learningdifficulties #saydyslexia #specialneeds #dyscalculia #dyspraxia #neurodiversity #learningdisability #learning #autismawareness #dyslexiaisreal #add #downsyndrome #parenting #asd #reading #dyslexiapower #mentalhealth #bhfyp #ortongillingham #dyslexiamom #madebydyslexia #school #dyslexiatherapy #teachersofinstagram #dyslexiaismysuperpower #dyslexiateacher #in #anxiety #speechtherapy #homeschool #dyslexicthinking #occupationaltherapy #dyslexicandproud #adhdawareness #dyslexiaassociation #dyslexiaisagift #disability #dyslexickids #dislexia #homeschooling #art #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #teacher #children #parents #love #dyslexie #awareness

[theriseofthedyslexicspeaker-blog]

Tuesday 🦋 #dyslexia #publicspeaker #publicspeaking #neurodiversity #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexic #dyslexiaeducation #dyslexiamemes #dyslexiaadvocate #dyslexiatherapy #dyslexie #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #dyslexicproblems #dyslexicthinking #dyslexicandproud #dyslexicadvantage #dyslexicstrengths #dyslexiapower #dyslexics #dyslexique #dyslexiasupport #dyslexickids #dyslexiateacher #dyslexiaismysuperpower #dyslexiaisreal #dyslexiaisagift #dyslexiamom #dyslexiatutor #dyslexiclife #dyslexicwriter https://www.instagram.com/p/B8bHb5XJsSY/?igshid=7gf5vz76im6v

[theriseofthedyslexicspeaker-blog]

Curious as to what a Public Speaking book that's specially tailored for dyslexics look like? ☺️ Here's a sneak peak of Trevor Henderson's The Rise Of The Dyslexic Speaker Book 1. From text, to layout, to colours and content, it's the whole package. 😍 Pre-order in Kindle Store! https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2Z24ENUUAEWUK&K=18P9YIH3PK0G9&M=urn:rtn:msg:2020020512494934ba2af6e20e4a74a00e15db49d0p0na&R=2NUFXEP6KO8HE&T=C&U=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB084HCJ158%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_276849420&H=AD1GANISUTRP6P2T2CWP5WKLNZWA&ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 #dyslexia #publicspeaker #publicspeaking #neurodiversity #dyslexiaawareness #dyslexic #dyslexiaeducation #dyslexiaadvocate #dyslexiatherapy #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #dyslexicproblems #dyslexicthinking #dyslexicandproud #dyslexicadvantage #dyslexicstrengths #dyslexiapower #dyslexics #dyslexiasupport #dyslexiateacher #dyslexiaismysuperpower #dyslexiaisreal #dyslexiaisagift #madebydyslexia https://www.instagram.com/p/B8YnH64pUpC/?igshid=49ou67mka3ft