Appreciation for the Dyslexic Brain

In a Wired interview, Brock and Fernette Eide, authors of The Dyslexic Advantage, talk about the unique strengths of those with dyslexia.

The Eides have words of appreciation for the remarkable dyslexic brain, pointing out the wide variability among individuals with dyslexia, and discussing the rote “over-learning” that is typical of early-grade classroom education. “It’s a huge mistake to regard a dyslexic child as if his or her brain is trying to follow the same pathway of development as all the other kids but is simply doing a bad job of it,” Fernette Eide says. “The other big misconception is that dyslexia is fundamentally a learning disorder which is accompanied only by problems, rather than a different pattern of processing that can bring tremendous strengths in addition to the well-known challenges.”

Public school classroom education is designed to reach the largest number of children but usually fails to serve the needs of the exceptional child with dyslexia. While we know that with appropriate therapy children with dyslexia can overcome their challenges with reading, writing, and spelling, we also know that one-size-fits-all education and one-size-fits-all programs are not the answer.

The more our schools can share in the Eide’s appreciation and understanding of dyslexia, the more effectively they will serve their uniquely challenged students.

Lexercise is a clinician-managed therapy-and-practice program for children with language processing problems such as dyslexia. The clinician customizes each interface to precisely address the child’s language challenges.

You can learn more about Lexercise here, or for a referral to a qualified clinician, contact us at Info@Lexercise.com or 1-919-747-4557.