Talk given for the British Dyslexia Association Conference
Warwick University 2004
Dyslexia – Lateral Thinking as a ‘Plus’, not a ‘Deficiency’
From discussions with perceived dyslexics
of all ages since the 1960s, plus the findings of a multitude of
research, including my own, I have become increasingly aware of
the verbal and non-verbal abilities of the people that I have
met in a variety of situations, which have included the
classroom, the workplace and in general life. The act of
assessing dyslexics over many years, has allowed me to have
insights into characters and abilities that have not ‘fitted in’
with established views of dyslexia which primarily, still focus
upon poor literacy skills.
In addition, discrepancy theories,
describing the supposed gap between cognitive functioning
(intelligence) and performance, have not always shown to be
satisfactory in that,
‘they have not accounted for the broader
difficulties experienced by dyslexic people and because (some)
adults no longer experience what could be described as
significant problems with literacy skills. ‘ (McLoughlin:1995)
In the event, many dyslexics read very
well, though spelling often remains as a difficulty throughout
life. With decoding (reading), the text remains as a constant
reference. Encoding (spelling) requires the recall of letters to
match sounds, which can result in an appropriate letter or blend
being chosen, though not necessarily the correct one for the
required word.
For example, ‘thay’ for’ they’ or ‘stashun’
for ‘station’. The spelling of dyslexics is often described as
bizarre. Seldom is this so, as in many cases, a high degree of
logic and common sense has been applied.
Difficulties in acquiring literacy skills
can be the result of:
a)poor health b) a low ability c)
socio-economic factors d) inefficient teaching,
e) parents moving house constantly f)
sight/hearing problems and in some cases
g) one manifestation of dyslexia.
Working at Harvard, Johnston (1996)
suggested that,
‘he did not find it particularly helpful to
distinguish poor readers from others, as being dyslexic. I am
mostly interested in describing the nature of literacy for
individuals and what might be done to prevent problems. Any
understanding of literacy failure (for whatever reason), was not
possible through fragmented analyses of speed of performance of
various isolated mental acts, out of context of their social and
environmental antecedents’.
Johnston concluded that,
‘useful understanding will only emerge from
an integrated examination of the cognitive, effective social and
personal history of the learner.’
Proper assessment procedures and
appropriate remedial measures must be awarded whatever the
genesis of the difficulty. However, in considering the presence
of dyslexia, we must be sure that there are distinguishing
features in the assessment evaluations that would lead to a
reasoned finding of a dyslexic mind.
It is my contention that the
over-concentration on inefficient literacy skills, has seemingly
masked the other important and on-going manifestations of
dyslexia.
We must, of course appreciate that
currently, literacy skills remain vital to the welfare of any
individual and that being so, everyone deserves the best
tuition, resources, expertise, awareness and understanding, in
order for them to compete in the world as it stands today.
Increasingly, there are practical
techniques that can help to compensate for poor spelling.
However, in this linear based world, the difficulties usually
encountered by the dyslexic throughout life, as indicated in my
research include:
1. Organisational skills. which do not
match the expectations of the world. It is
possible for a dyslexic to find the
answer to a problem, without being able
to describe the processes taken to
reach this conclusion. Problems often arise
with the organisation of facts, ideas
and instructions. that emanate from our
linear based world.
2. Laterality difficulties, so that in many
cases, a dominant side, (right or left) has not
been established. Identifying right or
left, for instance when driving a car,
can be confusing.
3. Directionality, including not being able
to find destinations easily.
4. An undeveloped short-term memory/recall
5. Confusion of thought, which then cannot
be translated into coherent spoken words.
6. Difficulties with assimilating more than
one piece of information at a time,
therefore easily overloaded.
7. Poor literacy skill acquisition,
predominantly spelling (encoding)
8. Printed text that can blur and print
that ‘jumps’ when the dyslexic is under stress,
e.g. when publicly reading, or being
required to copy from board or book.
9. Difficulties in retrieving and
prioritising facts.
10.Low esteem
The presence of these manifestations at a
level that can cause disruption, separate the dyslexic from the
non-dyslexic. The number of manifestations that are
significant, are not easily quantified, in that individuals
display different thresholds of coping and non-coping. Dyslexia
traits do not disappear when children become adults, though
there may be some diminution with age and maturity.
The work of important researchers such as
Galaburda and Geschwind, has tended to lead to the common use of
terms, such as ‘lesion’ and ‘cell movements’ by professionals
and lay people alike, giving the impression that dyslexia is a
condition that can be ‘cured’ or altered, with specific
treatments. The real importance however, of these clinical
investigations, comes from discovering how people think and more
importantly, how they communicate.
If we accept that dyslexia is genetic,
familial or hereditary, then dyslexic children will become
dyslexic adults, with the accompanying manifestations.
Maturity, plus growing knowledge and more self-awareness, will
effect natural development and change. However, the fundamental
signs will still be within the dyslexic’s persona.
Perhaps we should question recent claims to
‘cure’ or ‘change’ brain patterns.
Is there not a danger of losing ‘something’
of importance, in the process?
A participant in my research (1995-9),
commented that he was trying desperately to ‘conform’. He is
still disciplining himself to complete forms accurately and to
follow structure as laid down by the schools and the workplace.
The negative effect is that he now feels that he is losing
creativity. Hopefully, it is still there, ready for retrieval
for the benefit of expanding knowledge and vision to the world
in a future time, when diversity of brains is an accepted ‘norm’
Much of the evidence in my research
suggested that the conventional educational system may be
focussing on the wrong kinds of skills, leaving behind many of
the people who have the most to offer. In the event, dyslexics
often face a reduction in the quality of life, emanating from
difficulties in retrieval, prioritising and the organisation of
ideas and instructions, in the manner expected by society.
‘They process information in a way that
does not necessarily fit in with the recognised format. Perhaps
it is the education system that is in error, in that it does not
allow for intuition, creativity and individualism
(Hargrave-Wright (1995:11).
Until differences can be accepted, there is
bound to be frustrations in the day-to-day struggle to conform.
‘I am sick of being dyslexic. I am sick of
having to battle with words - and the persistent cry to look on
the bright side is nothing short of maddening…..to constantly
champion the view that dyslexia is the best thing that can
happen to a person is to detract from the real problems it
causes. It ignores the everyday frustrations of living with the
things that damages the self-esteem of the dyslexic. If we
think that everyone else is delighting in their non-lateral
thought processes…..then the isolation we feel is deepened….Of
course there is a positive side to dyslexia but to suggest that
all we need is specialist teaching to improve our spelling is to
belittle the problem. (Wendy Pearson, contributor to BDA
Contact publication, 2003)
Attitudes are important and an allowance
for the dyslexic’s individuality in the learning and teaching
structure, is crucial to their progress. Awareness of needs and
the understanding of different ways of learning are the keys to
success and to lay the foundations of confidence that can be
enjoyed throughout life. In addition,
self-esteem can only be regained by the
dyslexics themselves, by believing in and accepting their own
strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps it is the systems that will
eventually have to change! Perhaps too, we should present an
education that embraces multi-varied skills and talents.
Even in the year 2005, definitions of
dyslexia still concentrate on poor literacy skills, with the
focus upon poor reading. During my years of Headship, I
considered that properly devised literacy schemes, including
multi-sensory programmes, were crucial for the remediation of
inadequate literacy skills, whatever the genesis of the
difficulties. However, it could be argued that, in the case of
dyslexia, these excellent schemes have often been given such a
high priority, that parents and teachers alike, have frequently
gained the impression that poor literacy skills acquisition was
the only manifestation of dyslexia. Developmental dyslexia does
not start and stop at given points but is part of a person’s
thinking processes and therefore on-going throughout life. With
the acceptance that dyslexia is genetic and inherited, then the
assumption must be, that one is dyslexic before the need to
acquire literacy skills.
If we lived in a solely oral society, a
non-literate society, or an advanced technological society, the
dyslexic would still be dyslexic.
Dyslexia has unfortunately been
encapsulated within the range of institutionalised education,
when accepted at all and in many areas, still does not appear to
have moved on from this concept. Even test materials
concentrate on literacy abilities and their content could apply
to all those with literacy skill difficulties. Few tests give
us real understanding of the nature of dyslexia and its
manifestations. Dyslexia has been over-analysed and over-tested
over the years and has almost become a caricature in the public
eye. Why is it not possible to agree that we all think
differently? Why are we so frightened of those who have
original thought processes and who do not react well to
expectations and conformity? We all have different talents, so
why are a selective few of these, considered ‘markers’ for
intelligence and educational prowess? Who decided that literacy
skills were the only intelligence? Reading and spelling are
artificial skills that have been imposed upon us. Representing
the world orally and visual, is natural. Representing thought
in symbols is not natural but now seems to be taken as the only
option.
I am concerned about the current spate of
‘cures’ and ‘treatments’ that are often expensive and so far,
with no guaranteed outcome. In any event, why should anyone
want to be ‘changed’ – to lose their essential self? Would we
have wanted to have lost the immense talents that are brought to
us daily, by those who think creatively and differently? Why
should dyslexics feel isolated and struggle to conform, rather
than be themselves? Our teaching processes and our systems in
the workplace, tend to be linear in character and are usually
offered as mandatory, without a choice. Sadly, differences,
individuality and flexibility, are not very easy to quantify and
regulate, so that intelligence - and levels of education
recognition - are too often measured by standardised tests and
prescribed bodies of knowledge. Self-esteem and confidence is
too often undermined, by the comparison of one child/adult with
another or with a standardised ‘norm’
Tom West suggested that it is our task to
outwit nature by preserving the high talents without any of the
disadvantages, (West: 1991).
Sherman (2003), suggested that we all have
different brains, ‘With this view, we tackle the mysteries of
the dyslexic brain and even admit that brain variation is an
asset for the human species.’ He asked the questions as to what
happened to evolution during three billion years and how did we
become what we are?’
Does today’s society stand to benefit from
thinkers who process information more globally, or from other
activities often associated with dyslexia, e.g. mechanical
aptitude, creative problem solving, ability to connect disparate
data, artistic expression and visualisation.
Sherman concluded that ‘Dyslexia exists
only in the context of today’s society, a fleeting moment in
geographical time. Indeed we humans have been illiterate far
longer than we have been literate……Given the challenges we face
in our unstable, natural and social environments, alternative
brain designs might be important assets, even pivotal (2003:3)
Dyslexics, over the years, have been
exhorted to adopt coping strategies, to enable them to work in
the mode expected by government legislation, educationalists,
the workplace and society generally. If individual approaches
had always been accepted, the words ‘compensate’ and
‘strategies’, may never have become common in the whole area of
Special Needs. To think differently does not necessarily mean
wrongly, even when poor literacy skills are involved.
‘Perhaps the problem is so much how to help
children (and adults) to measure up but rather how to identify
and develop widely varied but often substantial talents that
appear well suited to provide novel and integrated solutions to
extremely modern problems’ (Sherman, 1998:2)
General Strategies
Most strategies are used to combat an
unwelcoming world, though not all tactics are easily available
or easily adapted. For instance the use of IT, can be
beneficial for dyslexics. Nevertheless technology is not
optimised for the dyslexic and does not always allow for
individual, creative thought processes. On the whole, dyslexics
prefer to use speech, so IT needs to concentrate on speech
recognition.
‘Progress now needs to be made in the world
of research as to how to provide the dyslexic with optimum tools
to aid communication (Hiscock 1995:128)
A complication, to my way of thinking, has
been the use of the word ‘disability’ as applied to dyslexics,
usually aimed at the lack of reading skills or occasionally the
whole range of literacy acquisition. The considerable talents
and strengths of dyslexics, rarely seem to have been taken into
account and the presence of supreme artistic talents, for
example, still does not appear to count as a measure of
intelligence. I firmly believe in the recognition of multiple
intelligences, including
a)interpersonal b) intrapersonal c)
linguistic d) mathematical and logical e) visual and spatial f)
kinaesthetic g) musical and h) naturalist. (Smith 1998). All
these intelligences should be equally valued by both the
dyslexic and by those seeking to instruct and lay down patterns
of learning and behaviour.
‘ Too great a reliance on one process may
only represent an extreme range of variation in human intellect
which used strategies based on visual-spatial faculties in
preference to those based on language: each human brain has
these faculties in effectively different proportions, both are
useful. It is only our word-dependent society, which labels one
extremity of the range a ‘deficiency’ (dyslexia), while ignoring
its beneficial aspects. At the other extreme, the disadvantages
of the ‘linearlexic’, non-seeing mind, receive no recognition at
all.’
(Parkinson Smith 1997)
Strategies can be positive/negative,
functional/dysfunctional and work both ways – that which can be
offered to the dyslexic and that which dyslexics can use to help
themselves.
Positive Strategies should focus
upon strengths, thus providing some success
1. Acceptance of the nature of one’s
own difficulties is paramount before moving on to
remedial/compensation/different approaches. It is then possible
to negotiate with families, friends, schools and the workplace.
Only at that point can real acceptance be possible. Then it
becomes easier to develop functional strategies for coping with
the difficulties.
2. Identification of the areas for
negotiation is the next step. Assessment, diagnosis,
counselling and discussion can all help with the processing of
the identification of needs and appropriate support. These
needs can range from raising the low opinion of one’s own
ability, to the relief of stress symptoms and the acquisition of
practical skills and literacy knowledge.
3. Positivism is the keyword for all
dyslexics. A positive approach is needed for the acquisition of
skills, whether literacy, vocational or aesthetic. We are all
happier if we are allowed to concentrate on the areas for which
we have ability and talents.
4. Life Skills. Dyslexics need to
like and respect themselves before they look at the world
head-on. Careers should be chosen in the light of possible
stress factors, so that strengths and abilities can be
exploited. Hobbies can give a sense of self-worth and
achievement and may dyslexics have reported high efficiency and
success in such activities, which have them turned towards
professional careers. Self-assertiveness and Yoga classes are
often beneficial, in that there is the opportunity to meet
others, often who are similarly despondent. Nothing is more
healing than mutual support.
5. Study Skills. As confidence
grows, help can be sought and accepted from trusted friends,
family and colleagues, especially for handling forms, cheques
and accounts. There are many areas where the dyslexics
themselves can offer help. Support is a two-way activity and
each person has their own level of expertise to offer.
Techniques for acquiring necessary study skills, including
organisation of work schedules, timetables and examinations,
should be incorporated into any teaching situation.
Negative Strategies tend to focus
upon anger and despair, thus interfering with opportunities for
negotiation.
Inadequate Strategies
1. Get someone else to do it.
2. Withdraw from the whole situation rather
than negotiate within the situation
3. On the whole there seems to be a
preference for being called ‘lazy’ rather than
‘not bright’.
4. Contemplating suicide
5. Security, rather than taking a risk,
appears to be preferred, so any struggles are kept
to a known environment.
6. Poor perceived organisational skills
sometimes lead to under or over organisation
7. Jobs and careers can be abandoned
because there is no personal control of the
working methods.
8. Social interaction can be difficult, so
events avoided. Tasks in such situations
are undertaken, such as the
dispensation of food and drink, which give the
opportunity of anonymity.
Lack of Strategies
1. Self-image is poor, so why try? The
dyslexic often shows low expectations and
therefore diminished effort.
2. There is often no understanding of time
span, so dyslexics can be unpunctual.
3. Low confidence produces a fear of making
errors, so that tasks are avoided.
Keeping in the background can also be a
tool for non-involvement.
4. Errors are feared, so tasks are not
attempted.
6. Further training for a job is often
avoided because of possible difficulties
and expected distress over
examinations.
7. Emotions are often hidden, thus leaving
others in a state of not understanding
the situation, therefore possibly
reacting in an unfavourable way.
8. Making errors and not seeking support or
practical help can be a disadvantage
Inappropriately Generalised Strategies
1. Spell checkers can prevent practice and
therefore consolidation of fact learning.
2. Preparation for any event or piece of
work can be so full of minutae that
the results can be muddled and
obsessional in nature.
3. Headaches, vomiting and tiredness appear
to be common ploys for evading
certain situations.
4. Avoidance tactics in the classroom and
workplace include, having a sore throat.
a constant need to visit the lavatory,
breaking pencils and copying from neighbours.
5. Poor memory is used as a reason for lack
of achievement.
6. Behavioural difficulties in school and
work cover organisational problems.
7. Dyslexics often appear to trust people
selectively, usually only close friends
and relatives.
Summary
Definitions of dyslexia have frequently
focussed on poor literacy skills. The importance of the global
nature of dyslexia has therefore been diminished. My research
has led me to pose questions as to the true nature of dyslexia
and whether there is a proper awareness of the lifelong
difficulties that lateral thinking dyslexics face in a world
that is geared to linear organisation. Have we achieved the
goals set at the outset of the dyslexia movement? Is it
possible to say 50 years later, that dyslexics are given the
opportunities that they need to allow them to be ‘different’ and
to explore their talents and strengths? Do the dyslexia
institutions, associations, education establishments and
commercial outlets, really offer the support, resources and
approaches, that are suited to the dyslexic mind or is the focus
on ‘curing’, ‘changing’ and ‘bringing up to standard?’
There is a constant cry for ‘coping
strategies’ to enable dyslexics to perform to an expected
standard. Why not instead, provide them with the optimum tools
to maximise their contribution to the world.
Perhaps the time has come to re-define dyslexia
Where it becomes impossible to conform to
expected behaviours without distress and a breakdown in
intellect and emotional mechanisms, then it is possible to
assume a problem that requires a definite diagnosis and name,
followed by an awareness of individual needs, appropriate
support and importantly, recognition of strengths.
References
Johnston,P. (1996). From a letter to
J.L.Hargrave-Wright, February 8yh, 1996, in
reviewing a Harvard Educational
Review Paper, 1985
Hargrave-Wright,J.L. (1995),
‘Misunderstandings’, in Dyslexia: Signposts to Success
A Guide for Dyslexic Adults.
British Dyslexia Association, 1995:11
Hargrave-Wright,J.L. (1999). Continuing
Manifestations and Coping Strategies of
Adult Dyslexics, Ph.D.
research Exeter University, 19955-1999)
Hiscock,N. (1995) ‘We Dyslexics Need To
Communicate’ in Dyslexia,
An International Journal of
Research and Practice, vol 1, no.2, Miles, T.R. (ed.)
British Dyslexia Association,
Wiley, 1995, 128
McLoughlin, DD (1995) .’The Adult
Dyslexic’. Pamphlet of the Adult Skills
Development Centre, 1995.1
Parkinson,S.(1997) ‘And Now For The Good
News’, an Arts Dyslexia Trust Lecture
at the BDA International
Dyslexia Conference, York University, 1997
Sherman, G. (1998) President’s address in
Perspectives, Journal of International
Dyslexia Association,
Winter 1998
Sherman,G.(2003)‘Neuroanatomy of Dyslexia.
Through the Lens of Cerebrodiversity’
in Perspectives, Journal
of International Association, Spring, 2003,12
Smith,A. (1998) ‘ Bringing Out The Best ‘,
Workshop in Celebrating Success,
Raising Achievement
for All. NASEN Annual Study Course, Somerset.1998
West, T. (1991) In the Mind’s Eye,
Prometheus Books. 1991. Preface
Joyce L.Hargrave-Wright
M.A., Ph.D., Dip.Ch.Dev.(Post-grad.),
F)Coll)P., Teachers’ Cert., AMBDA
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