The late Robin Williams, a comedian and actor who took the world by storm with his antics and wit, struggled with dyslexia.
As a young child, Williams struggled to learn to read and write.
He joked about his literacy difficulties in an interview with Johnny Carson:
“I suffer from severe dyslexia,” Williams said. “I was the only child on my block on Halloween to go ‘trick or trout’ … Here comes that young Williams boy. Better get some fish.”
Although initially a shy child, once he discovered drama at high school he blossomed. He was on multiple athletic teams and was elected class president.
He studied acting at Juilliard but left in his junior year at the suggestion of one of his professors, who said there was nothing more to teach him! His teachers have since said that Williams was “a genius” – and anyone who has seen him perform would have to agree.
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Sarah Forrest is a Reading Specialist for the Easyread System, an online course for children with dyslexia, reading difficulties, guessing habits and more. www.easyreadsystem.com
