Just the Facts about Dyslexia: Strengths & Success Factors
Today’s post continues our blog series “Just the Facts about Dyslexia” by Educational Pathways Academy, a private school for dyslexia in Florida. The series summarizes findings from many research sources to educate families about dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities. In our quest to serve students with learning differences by delivering innovative programs that address their academic, social and emotional needs, our school seeks to understand the latest facts, statistics, and trends happening across our nation and world related to literacy in exceptional student education, language-based learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD and neurodiversity. The blog series shares a cumulative summary of third-party information taken from a wide range of books, published articles and blogs, research studies and websites in this arena. Sources are cited accordingly.
This is the third post in the “Just the Facts About Dyslexia” series, and we’re talking about strengths of children with dyslexia — and key factors that can help them reach their potential and succeed in life and work. (Click here to read our first blog post “Just the Facts about Dyslexia in the Population-at-Large and the Educational System” or here to read our second blog post, “Just the Facts about Dyslexia: The Risk Factors”.)
Dyslexics Have Incredible Strengths — The Entrepreneurship Example
Did you know that dyslexics are two times as likely to own two or more businesses? (1) Or that 40% of entrepreneurs are likely to be dyslexic — four times the amount of dyslexics in the general population? (2) In fact, studies have shown that there are two times more dyslexic professionals in fields such as engineering, art, and entrepreneurship compared to the general population! (3)
The way dyslexics process information is a core strength across many different types of tasks. Dyslexics are often extremely good at interconnected reasoning – and tend to be highly creative, perceptive, interdisciplinary, and innovative in how they make connections and seemingly put disparate things together. Dr. Julie Logan, professor of entrepreneurship at Bayes Business School in London, studied dyslexic entrepreneurs for more than a decade. She identified some key traits among the group she studied: a sense of vision, a confident and persistent attitude, and excellent oral communication. What’s more, they used their sense of intuition frequently — and weren’t afraid to ask for and engage the help of others.
Many of the most admired and talented people of modern times were dyslexic, among them Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple and inventor of the iPhone; Thomas Edison, world-famous Inventor; Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company; and Albert Einstein, the physicist known for his Theory of Relativity. Other public figures with dyslexia include: actress Keira Knightley, actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg, CNN broadcaster Anderson Cooper, and even George Washington! (4)
Important Dyslexic Strengths That Contribute to Success
A 2022 book called the Dyslexic Advantage (Eide) states: “Dyslexic processing predisposes individuals to important strengths in many mental functions including
three dimensional spatial reasoning and mechanical ability
the ability to perceive connections and connections and relationships like analogies, metaphors, paradoxes…..
the ability to remember past personal experiences in vivid detail and to use fragments of these memories to perform all sorts of cognitive tasks
the ability to perceive subtle patterns in complex and constantly shifting systems or data sets, and to mentally simulate and predict the outcome of complex processes over time.”
Here are a few other ways that dyslexics stand out from the crowd: (5)
84% of dyslexics are above average at Imagining. This includes strengths at creating an original piece of work, or giving ideas a new spin.
84% of dyslexics are above average at Exploring. Dyslexics can be very curious, and explore ideas in a deep, constant and energetic way.
84% of dyslexics are above average at Reasoning. This means they understand and spot patterns, evaluate, at times, seemingly distant possibilities, and make sound decisions based on their intuitions and evidence.
80% of dyslexics are above average at Connecting. Dyslexics have a strong understanding of self, as well as strengths at connecting, empathizing & influencing others.
75% of dyslexics are above average at Visualizing. This includes how they interact with space, senses, physical ideas and new visual-spatial concepts.
71% of dyslexics are above average at Communicating. Many dyslexics, including some of the most well-known, best-selling authors of our time, are excellent at crafting vivid stories, and conveying clear, convincing and engaging messages.
How You Can Help Your Child: Some Background and Keys to Success
Today’s mainstream public education system was largely designed more than a hundred years ago to serve the industrial revolution. Dubbed “the factory model of education”, by Sir Ken Robinson, who was knighted for his inventive ideas on education, many aspects of the system were created to standardize and train factory workers who were willing to follow exacting processes and precise orders — and because of this, it was not designed to encourage independent and unconventional free thinkers. This educational system is excellent at moving large groups of students from subject to subject and grade to grade. A weakness, however, is that the system can — at times — be blind to the fact that one type of learning does not fit all students. A perhaps unintended result is that schools reward the majority of students who can learn in this environment — and are considered successes. Meanwhile, those who do not fit the narrow parameters of learning are often left feeling like failures, with far-reaching damage to their self-esteem and mental health. (7)
The mainstream education system is also very focused on standardized testing to measure progress and achievement of key educational milestones. Standardized testing poses a few critical problems for dyslexics. First, dyslexics tend to think in examples or stories — rather than abstract definitions — and that can mean they underperform on standardized tests, including the vocabulary portion of IQ tests. Secondly, it’s important to keep in mind that standardized tests were largely designed for the “majority” of learners with a conventional brain processing style, and may not accurately represent those who learn in different ways or process information differently.
Finally, another important consideration beyond the education system, is that the developmental path for dyslexic individuals often looks very different than the mainstream population. For example, for many children and adolescents with dyslexia, the difficulty they have putting complex ideas into words is a normal feature of their development. This often diminishes with maturity. That’s because working memory reaches peak levels as a person gets older — in the mid-to-late twenties. That means that dyslexics may not be able to fully use their many strengths and advantages until these working memory resources have fully matured. (3)
Success Strategy #1: Focus on what they do well
Rather than judging your child’s development solely on qualities like speed, quantity and focus during work, focus on their development of creativity, use of insight, and time spent in reflection. If we fail to recognize the slower, but incredibly rich, insight system that many dyslexics have, we are doing children a disservice. Placing an emphasis on linear, rule-based, deductive-thinking styles, hinders the development of all children — but especially those who are most creative and insight dependent. It also helps to show children that they are special in positive ways.
To encourage your child to embrace their differences and have a sense of appreciation for their own unique identity, here is a list of books for children with dyslexia:
Success Strategy #2: Encourage and collaborate with YOUR CHILD
Take a moment to really absorb this statement: Your child’s motivation is the single most critical factor in determining how and what he/she learns. (7) Positive collaboration together on school work, positive reinforcement when milestones — however big or small — are achieved, and peer and teacher acceptance and flexibility are some of the most effective ways to improve academic performance and heal a broken spirit. Experiences of success are infinitely better at promoting brain development than any schoolwork or ‘failure to perform’ penalty your child could experience.
Success Strategy #3: Be patient
Be patient and forgiving with your child. Your child is doing their best, despite what it might look like. They want more than anything to be successful. Help your child find their strengths — and even more importantly, help them see the big picture. One day, school will be just a small part of their lives they will look back on. Help them see that is only one part of who they are, and not necessarily the most important part. Let them know that they can create their own success story. (6)
Success Strategy #4: Educate yourself on dyslexia
There are many resources out there for parents of dyslexic children. Here are just a few that you may find useful:
Podcasts:
Websites
Books
Your dyslexic child can flourish and succeed. While dyslexia poses challenges with today’s educational systems and methods, it also brings with it many strengths that have fueled success across many fields. You are the person your child needs to help them overcome difficulties, focus on the many positive aspects of their learning style, and see beyond current difficulties to a bright future.
About Educational Pathways Academy
Educational Pathways Academy (EPA) is a private school that specializes in the academic, social and emotional development of students with language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. At EPA, your child’s journey is about more than just delivering structured literacy or Orton-Gillingham instruction (although we do that, too!) It is about their total academic, social, and emotional success. It’s about helping them overcome and work around their disability, exploring their strengths and talents at every turn. And finally, it’s about preparing them for a successful life and career ahead, with whatever accommodations they may need to survive and thrive.
Sources:
Julie Logan. “Dyslexic Entrepreneurs: The Incidence; Their Coping Strategies and Their Business Skills.” Cass Business School. 2004. Dyslexic entrepreneurs: the incidence; their coping strategies and their business skills
Tulip Financial Group (2003) Study commissioned for a BBC Two series ‘The Mind of the Millionaire’. British Broadcasting Corporation, London. Who wants to be a millionaire? | UK news | The Guardian
Eide, Brock and Fernette Eide. 2023. The Dyslexic Advantage. Plume; Updated edition.
“12 Famous People Who Struggled With Dyslexia Before Changing The World.” Institute for Multisensory Education. November 21, 2017. 12 Famous People Who Struggled With Dyslexia Before Changing The World | IMSE - Journal
“Connect the Spots Report.” Made By Dyslexia. ConnectTheSpotsReport.pdf (madebydyslexia.org)
Rippin, Sally. 2022.Wild Things. Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing.
Brooks and Goldstein 2001, Lavoie 2007