Having spent almost thirty years working with and advocating for individuals with dyslexia, I wondered if the information processing of the dyslexic brain may be an asset for some individuals, if there might be, in the words of autistism researchers Brock and Fernette Eide, a “dyslexic advantage.” As a special education teacher, I can’t help but wonder if cognitive dyslexic strengths run in families.
Approximately fifteen years ago, I was sitting with my extended family at Thanksgiving and shared my concerns that one of my sons was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. My father and brother simultaneously looked at me and said, “I think I am dyslexic, too.” My brother struggled in school, though now he is a very successful engineer. My father, now retired, never graduated from college, but worked as a mechanic in the Air Force and successfully ran his own construction company. These two dyslexic men have patterns of cognitive strengths based on visual-spatial abilities. It made me wonder what this means for the rest of my family.
Facts about Dyslexia
The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as a “specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.” Dyslexia affects as many as 15% to 20% of the United States population and 9% to 12% worldwide. Dyslexia is inherited and up to 49% of parents with dyslexic children and 40% of siblings also struggle with reading.
Traditionally, research has focused on the negative implications of dyslexia, such as how it results in difficulty in school and low self-esteem. Even the federal definition of dyslexia has negative connotations.
According to the Eides, while the problems with the dyslexic mind are significant, it is essential to focus on the strengths and abilities individuals with dyslexia utilize to grow, learn, and succeed. They argue that dyslexia should be viewed as a learning and processing style rather than a learning disorder. The dyslexic brain may be an asset for many individuals.
MIND Power
The challenges faced by people with dyslexia are trade-offs resulting in different brain organization and information processing that lead to “dyslexia-related advantages or a dyslexic advantage.” The Eides describe four areas where people with dyslexia excel, referred to as the MIND strengths.
M–
Material reasoning demonstrates three-dimensional awareness and mechanical ability.
I–
Interconnected reasoning discovers connections, particularly from things that do not seem to fit together.
N–
Narrative reasoning makes mental scenes from past personal experiences or memories to explain present or future scenarios.
D–
Dynamic reasoning finds subtle patterns and mentally simulates and predicts past or future problems.
Strength-based experiences are more likely to lead to success for the dyslexic person. According to Susan Baum’s groundbreaking work in neurodiverse education, “strength-based, talent-focused approaches, contexts, and experiences can lead neurodiverse individuals, such as people with dyslexia, to success in overall life satisfaction.”
All in the Family
My paternal grandfather quit school in ninth grade. Not great with reading and spelling, he was a visual learner. He found a job based on his strengths making industrial components out of metal. Though my father graduated from high school, as a teenager he built a boat on his own without instructions. “I do better by looking at things and figuring it out rather than reading manuals,” he said. He received a strength-based, talent-focused education after high school when he took courses in welding and air traffic control fundamentals.
I, too, am dyslexic, but did not know this until my son was first diagnosed. I was not a fast reader in school and struggled with pronouncing multisyllabic words. I was not fond of reading until my fourth-grade teacher recommended the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. My teacher knew I loved mysteries, and reading these books made me want to keep reading. Like many others in my family, I was great at visualizing how things are put together and enjoy designing and building projects and crafts for my home and garden.
In fourth grade, my brother, always a hands-on visual learner, was made to stand in the hallway because he played with electronic motors instead of doing his classwork. In seventh grade, his science teacher helped him receive strength-based, talent-focused experiences that led to a successful career in civil engineering.
My brother’s daughter was also diagnosed with dyslexia in middle school. She suffered from low self-esteem until she attended a high school with a culinary arts program. She now studies baking and pastry arts at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. Her pastries and desserts are not only delicious but visual masterpieces.
My oldest son was diagnosed with reading difficulties in elementary school, though, like many of us, he was always good with taking electronics apart to see how they worked and putting them back together. He considers himself to be a visual learner, demonstrating strength with the mechanics of cars, computers, and other electronics. Recognizing the mechanical talents of his mind have helped him to lead a more satisfied life.
Finally, my middle child was diagnosed as both gifted and severely dyslexic. I was told when he was in third grade that he might not learn to read until ninth grade. While we worked on his challenge areas, we did not focus on his strengths until high school. He was lucky to be accepted into an electronics program at a local technical school. These approaches were precisely what he needed to showcase his strengths. He excelled and graduated as valedictorian from high school and magna cum laude with a B.S. in electrical engineering and mathematics, with a minor in philosophy. He has been accepted into graduate school with full tuition paid. Not bad for a kid who was told he would not learn to read until high school!
Looking at four generations of dyslexia as a learning and processing style rather than a learning disorder supports the research on the potential of the dyslexic brain. It suggests that there are similar patterns of cognitive strengths in individuals with dyslexia. My family history corroborates the genetic consistency of the MIND strengths. All these individuals in my family got where they are today because of strength-based, talent-focused life experiences.
The Benefits of Dyslexia
Parents, teachers, administrators, and individuals with dyslexia can benefit from the knowledge that dyslexia is a learning and processing style rather than a learning disorder. It is important to know that the information processing of the dyslexic brain may be an asset for many individuals. According to a study by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “Treatment is not just fixing what is broken; it is nurturing what is best.” While remediation may be needed, the primary educational focus should be on a student’s gifts and talents.
Individuals with dyslexia can have unique strengths and abilities that should be celebrated and supported. Understanding and embracing these strengths can help dyslexic individuals thrive academically and professionally. As the Eides have written, “If you devote the effort necessary to understand and develop your strengths, you’ll understand the true nature of the dyslexic advantage.”
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Cindy Allen-Fuss has worked as a special education teacher and reading specialist in public schools for 25 years. She is currently the Associate Clinical Director for the Children’s Dyslexia Centers, Inc., a nonprofit agency that trains adults to work with dyslexic children and provides free or low-cost tutoring to children with reading difficulties.
