Fact: In a 2011 study, dyslexics and typical readers were shown blurred images. The dyslexic students were able to decipher the images. Most typical readers were not.
Dyslexia, or an unexpected reading difficulty given a learner’s intelligence, often makes the years of formal education tough if you don’t find the right solution. The specific skill set that often accompanies a “dyslexic brain” is not catered for in what is an overwhelmingly auditory school environment.
But this skill set should not be underestimated.
This article lays out a number of studies that illustrated the particular advantages of the dyslexic learner. A high capacity for visual learning, excellent pattern-finding in large sets of data (“big gist”), and above-average spatial reasoning are just a few that have been studied.
In one such study, the researcher deliberately blurred a set of photographs to the point of partially obscuring what they represented. He then presented these pictures to groups of dyslexic and non-dyslexic undergraduates. Students with dyslexia were able to spot patterns in the pictures that allowed them to identify their meaning. Typical learners struggled significantly with the task, often failing.
And the difference was clear.
Dyslexics are pattern-finding ninjas!
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Sarah Forrest is a Reading Specialist for the Easyread System, an innovative online course that uses highly visual methods that appeal to struggling readers with dyslexia, auditory processing weakness, and more. www.easyreadsystem.com
