From ADHD to dyslexia, diagnoses that affect how people learn often lead to serious academic challenges that can breed frustration and mask students’ true potential. But increasingly, such learning differences are talked about in more flattering terms—usually by adults who either possess them or know someone who does.
Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Records, calls his dyslexia a “superpower” and attributes it to advantages in business and life. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential contender, has publicly referred to his teenage son’s non-verbal learning disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorder as his “secret power.”
But how do these metaphors sound to a student whose diagnosis makes learning a challenge?
To find out, Education Week interviewed five high school students who attend Jemicy School, an independent co-ed school for grades 1-12 in Baltimore that specializes in serving students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences.
The students opened up about their individual journeys with dyslexia, explained what the diagnosis has come to mean to them, and offered some advice for teachers.
The interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
What was it like to learn that you have dyslexia?
Logan West, 9th grade: I found out I had dyslexia when I was in 3rd grade. I always kind of knew something was wrong, or something was holding me back. So it wasn’t a big shock when my mom told me that I had dyslexia.
It was definitely something I kind of had to wrap my head around. It answers so many questions, but it also creates so many questions, like, oh, this is the way I think, but also, what can I do to help me succeed?
Max Schwartz, 10th grade: I was probably like 8 or 9 when I found out I had dyslexia. When my grandmother found out, she got this poster for me that was basically full of a bunch of famous people, physicists and mathematicians, who all had dyslexia or dysgraphia, like Albert Einstein and a bunch of other people. I thought it was pretty cool. It made me feel like I’m not the only one who has this thing.
Cooper Snedeker, 11th grade: I was diagnosed in the 8th grade. Until then, I always thought I was different than other people because I wasn’t as fast at reading as other people, but I excelled in math and other stuff.
Since being diagnosed with dyslexia, have you also discovered strengths you weren’t aware of?
Max: I think that seeing what you’re not good at can also make you see stuff that you are good at. I’m pretty big into the sciences. And I’ve noticed that I’m really good at things like spatial reasoning and problem-solving. I can come up with pretty complex blueprints and designs for something just in my head, and then be able to write it out on paper. I think that’s something I’m pretty good at.
Logan: If I were to listen to something, I could tell you in full detail what just happened, or what you just said. That’s why, during tests and stuff, I ask my teachers, “Can you read this to me?” Because it’s better for how I learn.
Anthony Warren, 12th grade: For me, reading was such a challenge. But when I came to Jemicy, they helped me explore tools and skills and approaches to analyze the reading and to understand the reading—tools you can apply to anything, whether you’re playing a role in your community or working on a project. Problem-solving skills are so important, and in my opinion, that’s the gift of dyslexia.
Claire O’Connor, 12th grade: I do lots of creative things, like dance and theater and cheer. I feel like I get my creative abilities because I am weaker in reading and writing. So my brain is more wired, I guess, to do more creative stuff.
Would you go so far as to call dyslexia your superpower?
Anthony: I personally don’t call dyslexia a superpower, because I recognize that for those who aren’t able to get the support they need, it can be a struggle. I was so fortunate to have early intervention when I was in 3rd grade. I got the support I needed right away. So I don’t call it a superpower, but I do believe that you can gain so much from it when you work with it to build skills. Having dyslexia allows you to become a good problem-solver, because you have to find ways to solve a problem, to execute a plan, to find a way to make it through and to reach a sense of completion.
Cooper: I think dyslexia is a blessing and a curse. Because if you don’t get help, you don’t know what you’re going through. When I was in 5th, 6th, 7th grade, I was just struggling and I had zero clue what was wrong. I’d come home from school and start crying because I couldn’t do the work. Then when I came here to school, I was like, everybody is the same as me. They’ve definitely had the same experiences as me. And I got the help that I needed. So everything just started to click. And now I’m a straight A student when I used to be a failing student.
What advice can you offer teachers who work with students who have dyslexia?
Logan: I never want a teacher to make something easier for me. We learn differently. We may be a little slower than the average kid, but don’t treat us like we can’t do it.
Max: Approach kids with dyslexia like—they can do this. Even if it seems like they can’t, they probably have the drive, the determination. They’re probably like, “I want to get this assignment turned in right the first time, but I just don’t know how. Can you show me?”
Claire: I think if more teachers did hands-on projects, that would be a way to really help students—like building a sculpture, or doing a presentation, or working with people. I feel like that’s definitely how we work better than by reading and writing. So if teachers assigned more of these hands-on projects, I think kids [with dyslexia] could do better in those types of settings.
Cooper: Just don’t give up on the student. In my past school years, I had a couple of teachers who, I felt, just let me go. But other teachers who recognized that I was good at math would engage more with me, because I’m stronger at math. So I would just say to teachers: Don’t give up on a student who struggles. And also, try and recognize students’ strengths and weaknesses, and build off of that.
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