With the previous article dwelling on the signs and causes of dyslexia, it is important to note that a formal psycho-educational assessment is required to ascertain if a person has dyslexia. This assessment is aimed at examining memory, language, orientation in time and space, behaviour, motor skills, intellectual ability, bodily awareness, information processing, psycho-linguistic processing, and academic skills of the child. It determines whether or not the child is reading, writing or spelling at age appropriate level. Such assessments also take into account the child’s birth history, developmental milestones and overall school performance. It is conducted by trained specialists such as educational psychologists.
Strengths and positive skills of individuals with dyslexia
Although children with dyslexia have average or above average intelligence, they may experience difficulties learning language based subjects since language is the most common mode of communicating new knowledge in schools. People or children with dyslexia can learn to read and be proficient in language skills when their strengths are maximized. They have inherent strengths that if used can make them perform at levels at par with their contemporaries.
Below are some positive strengths of individuals with dyslexia
- They are great at visuo-spatial thinking.
- Fast problem solvers who are able to think laterally
- They are intuitive and good at reading people
- They are verbally articulate and may be great communicators
- Creativity is a major strength possessed by them – so many people with dyslexia excel as designers, artists, actors and more
- They are excellent at solving puzzles
- They are spatially talented- many individuals with dyslexia are employed as engineers, architects, designers, artists, mathematicians, physicists, physicians, dentists and some other professions.
- Individuals with dyslexia frequently enjoy above average physical co-ordination skills
- they possess great emotional strengths such as empathy
- They are inclined to think outside the box most of the times.
- They are persistent individuals.
In order to maximize these strengths, brain based strategies are necessary to be utilized when teaching individuals with dyslexia and this will be the focus of the next article.
Always remember that individuals with dyslexia have strengths and learn differently!
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