It is another school day. I am scared of going to school once again.
Nobody at school understands that I am special like my Mum will always say, "Sarah, you are special."
Nobody understands why I can't read properly or why I can verbally express my views in class but cannot write them down.
My class teacher doesn't know why my handwriting is "ugly", or why I find it difficult remembering spoken information.
I cannot explain why I mispronounce words or why my letters ( b,d,c, etc) will always face the opposite direction.
Nobody understands why I find it difficult remembering sequences and ordering ideas.
My teachers say I am pretending so as not to do my school work. My classmates laugh at me and call me names.
I always tell them that I am special just like my mum was at my age.
I thought today was going to be another bad day for me until I was warmly welcomed back to school by Miss Joseph, the new English teacher.
She told me she knows why I am having difficulties with reading and writing. She said I have DYSLEXIA - a learning disability in which a person finds it difficult to read and write.
She promised to talk to mum and at the close of school today, she will explain what it is and ways to help me.
Someone finally understands me!
Today turned out to be a good day.
DYSLEXIA - WHAT IS IT?
Dyslexia, also known as word - blindness is a learning disability in which a person finds reading and writing difficult.
It is neurological, the brain of a dyslexic person processes information (written or spoken) differently.
A dyslexic person expresses ideas verbally but finds it difficult putting same ideas down in writing.
Dyslexia not only affects letter reversal but organization, processing speed, recall or recollection.
Dyslexia occurs in 1 out of 10 persons and can be detected as early as the age of five years.
Dyslexia is hereditary, it is passed from parent to offspring. Therefore, if a close relative has dyslexia, there is a likelihood that a child will as well.
Most parents are not able to detect this on time. Educators therefore need to familiarize themselves with the signs of this learning disability because early detection will go a long way in minimizing the long term effects of DYSLEXIA.
SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA
1. Delayed speech is usually one of the first signs of dyslexia.
2. Letter reversal: dyslexic persons usually write certain letters in the opposite direction.
E.g. letter d is written as b. This is my bog (dog).
3. Short -term memory: dyslexic children have a hard time remembering spoken information. Teachers usually attribute this to not paying attention.
4. Dyslexic persons have difficulties remembering sequences.
5. Dyslexic children tend to throw some letters away while writing.
Example:
which -- wich
friend -- frend
when -- wen
lock --- lok
Other children may make the same mistakes, but where they frequently occur and persist, it is typical of dyslexia and should be looked into immediately.
Dear teachers, do not ignore the signs. Remember, early detection is the key to giving dyslexic children a better life now and in the future.
UP NEXT: HOW TO TEACH DYSLEXIC CHILDREN.
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