Written by: Robin M. Wilson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Until now, I’ve never spoken publicly about being diagnosed with dyslexia. However, those closest to me have known for quite some time. Recently, Tameka Citchen-Spruce, a disability advocate and friend of mine, invited me to be a part of Being Black and Disabled, a five-part series that chronicles the stories of Black individuals who have a disability. The Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC) is hosting the series to advance public understanding of disabilities. Furthermore, MDRC seeks to explore how individuals from under-represented communities can be affected by physical or learning differences.
As a teacher and literacy advocate, I agreed to participate in the series to help raise awareness about dyslexia.
Eleven years ago, I received my dyslexia diagnosis, after scheduling an appointment at a licensed psychology clinic. A series of interviews and tests were conducted over three days to complete the assessment.
At age 26, despite time and effort, I struggled to pass college math exams. It was challenging for me to remember number facts. Therefore, I used a calculator to solve many math problems. This had long been my experience. As early as elementary school, I struggled with numeracy, spelling, and decoding words.
In grade school, my mother hired a math tutor to work with me. However, rote memorization strategies never enhanced my understanding of mathematics. I did, however, receive academic interventions in reading that supported my growth as a reader and writer.
Over time, reading and writing became my strengths. I became a literacy nonprofit founder and a community leader. At age 25, I became a published children’s author, and I wrote feature articles for local newspapers.
Yet, I continued to lag in numeracy fluency skills. On tests, there never seemed to be enough time to complete math tasks. I had to draw pictures and use various symbols on my paper to make sense of problems. There was a striking difference between my performance on math tasks and my success in other areas of my academic and professional life, and I wanted to know why.
In college, I excelled in the sciences, English language arts, and the arts. Within my community, I was known as the "book lady" and a champion for family literacy. However, I was battling for my education. I was at a crossroads. If I could not pass the required math courses, my vision of earning a degree in education would not come to fruition.
The day that the psychology clinic called to deliver the news of my dyslexia diagnosis, I breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, the puzzle pieces came together. Finally, I had an answer for my years of struggle in mathematics. The diagnostic report revealed that I have dyscalculia, a math-based form of dyslexia.
Dyslexia is defined as an unexpected difficulty in reading in an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader (Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, 2nd edition, pp.143- 24). There are varying degrees of dyslexia. It is a spectrum learning disorder. An individual can be mildly, moderately, or severely dyslexic. Additionally, they can experience challenges in reading, numeracy, or both.
When an individual is dyslexic in mathematics, it is known as dyscalculia. This does not mean that they visualize letters or numbers backward. Rather, it simply means that they process text and numeral information differently.
According to Dyscalculia.org, dyscalculia is a math learning disorder that makes mathematical reasoning and computation difficult, despite adequate education, average or greater intelligence, and proper motivation. Furthermore, there is no correlation between intelligence and dyscalculia or dyslexia.
The news of my dyscalculia diagnosis was a gift because I was able to gain access to the proper resources and support needed to advance in my formal education. I became a United States Fulbright ETA Alternate Candidate to teach in Senegal, West Africa. I learned French and taught briefly in the South of France through the InterExchange Program.
Today, I am a graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I teach French to kindergarteners. Additionally, I am pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Teaching and Curriculum at Michigan State University.
As a teacher, I have become an advocate for children in my classroom. My educational journey has made me patient, empathic, and compassionate towards young scholars.
I recognize the importance of multimodal instruction, which is the use of text, gestures, tactile and audio-visual methods to facilitate learning. Additionally, I believe in giving young scholars more than one way to demonstrate their understanding in daily learning tasks. Even if a child does not have a learning disorder like dyslexia or dyscalculia, every child has a different learning style and preference. Therefore, children and adults can benefit from differentiated instruction and learning strategies.
It is estimated that 20 percent of the population is dyslexic, according to the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity. While early intervention can improve learning outcomes for dyslexic children, many individuals go undiagnosed due to gaps in teacher training and the lack of early diagnostic testing.
To properly address dyslexic learning needs, here are the key signs and symptoms of dyslexia and dyscalculia:
The Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia and Dyscalculia
In children, dyslexia signs and symptoms can include, but are not limited to:
particular difficulty learning to read, write and spell.
difficulty remembering sequences such as the alphabet and months of the year.
difficulty telling left from right.
difficulty copying accurately from the board or textbook.
difficulty remembering and following oral instructions.
persistent and continued reversing of letters and figures, e.g. ’15’ for 51, ‘b’ for d.
Source: The Dyslexia Association
In adults, dyslexia signs and symptoms can include, but are not limited to:
difficulty with map reading.
difficulty filling in forms and writing reports.
tendency to miss and confuse appointment times.
concerns about training or promotion.
difficulty structuring work schedules.
low opinion of capabilities.
constantly losing and forgetting items and information.
Source: The Dyslexia Association
In children, dyscalculia signs and symptoms can include, but are not limited to:
difficulty learning and recalling basic number facts such as number bonds, e.g. 6 + 4 = 10
still using fingers to count instead of using more advanced strategies (like mental math)
poor understanding of the signs +, -, and x, or confusing these mathematical symbols
struggling to recognize that 3 + 5 is the same as 5 + 3 or being unable to solve 3 + 26 ‒ 26 without calculating
trouble with place value, often putting numbers in the wrong column.
not understanding math language or being unable to devise a plan to solve a math problem
difficulty understanding math phrases like “greater than” and “less than”
trouble keeping score in sports or games
Source: The Dyslexia Association
In adults, dyscalculia signs and symptoms can include, but are not limited to:
difficulty counting backward
difficulty remembering ‘basic’ facts
slowness performing calculations
weak mental arithmetic skills
a poor sense of numbers & estimation
difficulty in understanding place value
addition often being the default operation
high levels of mathematics anxiety
Source: The Dyslexia Association
It is critical to schedule an appointment with a qualified professional to undergo proper diagnostic testing if you suspect that you may have dyslexia or dyscalculia. Consider creating a list of challenges that you have faced or continue to face related to learning and share these points during the formal evaluation process. Listen to the results of the assessment and ask questions to increase your understanding of your diagnosis. If, after further research, you question the diagnosis, seek a second opinion.
If your diagnosis is in alignment with your personal experience, consider your options, seek proper support, and access resources in your school or workplace. Learn about your legal rights as a person diagnosed with dyslexia or dyscalculia. Many strengths can come with dyslexia.
Dyslexia Strengths
A dyslexic person's strengths can be described using the acronym M.I.N.D:
Material: Related more to math and science, 3-D, and spatial. Career professions could be an engineer, mathematician, airline pilot, or architect.
Interconnected: Ability to detect relationships between phenomena, like objects, ideas, and events. Career professions could be a zoologist, museum director, historian, physicist, computer software designer, or chef.
Narrative: Ability to connect a series of mental scenes to tell a story. Career professions could be an author, songwriter, psychologist, coach, or attorney.
Dynamic: Ability to explain historical facts with present-day knowledge, to develop a narrative to a “scene” that could have probably happened. Career professions could be an entrepreneur, farmer, business consultant, economist, or medicine: (immunology, oncology).
Source: Dyslexia Reading Connection
In my view, dyslexia is an advantage rather than a deficit. Still, more teachers and business leaders must learn about dyslexia. When teachers and business leaders adopt an asset viewpoint, there can be a greater understanding of the value and strengths that dyslexic individuals bring to classrooms, workplaces, and communities.
My strengths as a learner and leader far outweigh my weaknesses. The same is true for other dyslexics like Dr. Keith L. Magee, Pastor and community leader; Carol Moseley Braun, Former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to New Zealand; Meggie Aderin-Pocock, Space Scientist and Science Communicator; Craig McCaw, Business leader; Steven Spielberg, Screenwriter/Director; and Princess Beatrice of York. They are incredible dyslexic thinkers and leaders.
I am a resilient dyslexic leader. My ability to take a global perspective of problems and solutions contributes to my ingenuity as a teacher and entrepreneur. My commitment to learning and creativity has made me an effective problem-solver in education and business. In many ways, my educational experiences have given me special insights that I use in my literacy advocacy work.
Learning disorders like dyslexia and dyscalculia do not go away. However, there is more than one way to overcome dyslexia. Like a wall, you may not be able to remove the barrier, but you can strategize to climb the wall or find a path to get around it. Conventional methods of teaching do not best serve dyslexics because we are unconventional thinkers. We process information differently.
My purpose in writing candidly about my educational journey is to shift perspectives around dyslexia and dyscalculia and to raise awareness about the strengths that dyslexics can bring to the table in business, education, and beyond.
I am not ashamed of being dyslexic. Learning of my dyslexia was a gift. It allowed me to access the proper resources and support that I needed to actualize my academic goals and to soar. The truth is that I have always been capable and gifted; I simply needed a different path and approach to learning.
If you think that you or a loved one may have symptoms of dyslexia or dyscalculia, visit https://safespot.org.uk/safespotopedia/dyslexia-dyscalculia/.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!
Robin M. Wilson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Robin M. Wilson is the founder and CEO of Robin Wilson Educational Consulting LLC, where she combines her research knowledge and professional experience to guide nonprofit organizations in developing effective strategies for serving youth, especially young girls and women.
References:
Shaywitz, S. (2020). Overcoming Dyslexia, 2nd edition, pp.143- 24.
What is Dyscalculia? Dyscalculia, https://www.dyscalculia.org/dyscalculia/what-s-dyscalculia.
What is Dyslexia? Yale Center on Dyslexia and Creativity, http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/.
What Are the Signs of Dyslexia? The Dyslexia Association, https://www.dyslexia.uk.net/what-is-dyslexia/signs-of-dyslexia/.
What Are the Signs of Dyscalculia? The Dyslexia Association, https://www.dyslexia.uk.net/specific-learning-difficulties/dyscalculia/the-signs-of-dyscalculia/.
The Dyslexic Advantage: Challenge Your Perspective. Dyslexia Reading Connection Inc., https://dyslexiareadingconnection.com/the-dyslexic-advantage/.
Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Tools and Resources:
Dyslexic Advantage
National Center for Learning Disabilities
Dyslexic Advantage (for personal use only)
ADDitude Dyscalculia Test (for personal use only)
Made by Dyslexia (Teacher Training):
