Difficulty in spelling

Difficulty in spelling-You must have seen some children struggling with spellings and reading though they may know it quite well. These children are not dumb or unintelligent. They have a problem which they can overcome if encouraged and guided properly.

To help them you need to know what their problem is. The condition that they are suffering from is known as dyslexia. This article will give you a clearer knowledge about dyslexia. You will also find out that it is not a disease or that a person suffering from it is mentally retarded, but is a problem that one eventually overcomes and gets cured of it.

Dyslexia is a genetic problem in a person which affects his reading and writing skills. It can occur in a normal person even though he has had exposure to adequate instructions.

Two types of people define dyslexia in their own term or views. People in medicine believe it to be a genetic problem which runs in one’s family, while psychologists believe to be a specific reading problem.

Before the term “dyslexia” was explained, in the 1980s, people were unaware of this problem, which led many children to suffer. The National Institute of Health (USA) also discovered the use of phonics, which they claim to be “The best and only way to teach reading”. That’s why phonics is commonly used in languages, as it is easier for the child to learn and understand.

The problems commonly faced by a dyslexic person are:

• Difficulty in written and spoken language.
• They cannot absorb things easily and quickly.
• It takes time for them to understand what is said to them, weather it’s in reading or orally.
• They can’t remember things.
• Confusion with letters, words, and numbers.
• Confusion between left and right.
• Find it hard to put down their thoughts on paper.

There is a drastic difference between a normal and a dyslexic brain. A dyslexic brain has a larger right hemisphere as compared to those who have a normal brain. The dyslexic brain has special strengths such as artistic, athletic and mechanical gifts; 3D visualisation ability; musical talent, creative problem solving skills, and intuitive people skills.

Therefore a dyslexic person focuses on these skills unlike a normal person who will put more pressure on his reading and writing skills. The brain has an “unusual wiring”, where its neurons are not in place or disordered compared to a normal one which is organised.

Many children suffering from dyslexia are pressured by parents and teachers who are unaware of these symptoms. Some parents are unable to understand and, at times deny this problem in their child, which leads to stress on both the adult and the child. In this day and age, there are many ways to overcome this problem; physicians and psycho educational diagnosis can be of great help. Remedial reading teachers have mastered special techniques and strategies, to simplify and make the work more interesting for the child to learn, by using picture cards, stories and games. In the Montessori system, its material can indirectly help dyslexic children with their reading, writing and mathematic skills, in an easier and fun way. Material as the sand paper letters and numbers, metal insets, number rods, etc. can help the child overcome many problems. There are also many institutes around the world, including Pakistan, which can help children who are suffering from dyslexia.

At home and in schools, both the teachers and parents must have patience and help their child with love and care. These children need encouragement to do better by giving them hope and focusing on their special talents. It eventually pays off and the child grows to become successful in life.

You may be surprised to know that people like Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Hans Christian Anderson, George Washington, Agatha Christie, Leonardo De Vinci, Tom Cruise and Mohammad Ali also suffered from dyslexia but managed to overcome it and lived successful lives. Therefore, dyslexia is indirectly a gift and not linked to intelligence. “Dyslexia is not a disease to have and to be cured of, but a way of thinking and learning. Often it’s a gifted mind waiting to be found and taught.”

Difficulty in spelling