From ADHD to dyslexia, diagnoses that affect how people learn often lead to serious academic challenges that can breed frustration and mask students鈥� true potential. But increasingly, such learning differences are talked about in more flattering terms鈥攗sually by adults who either possess them or know someone who does.
, the billionaire founder of Virgin Records, calls his dyslexia a 鈥渟uperpower鈥� 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鈥檚 non-verbal learning disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorder as his 鈥�.鈥�
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鈥檛 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鈥檓 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鈥檛 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鈥檛 aware of?
Max: I think that seeing what you鈥檙e not good at can also make you see stuff that you are good at. I鈥檓 pretty big into the sciences. And I鈥檝e noticed that I鈥檓 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鈥檚 something I鈥檓 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鈥檚 why, during tests and stuff, I ask my teachers, 鈥淐an you read this to me?鈥� Because it鈥檚 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鈥攖ools you can apply to anything, whether you鈥檙e playing a role in your community or working on a project. Problem-solving skills are so important, and in my opinion, that鈥檚 the gift of dyslexia.
Claire O鈥機onnor, 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鈥檛 call dyslexia a superpower, because I recognize that for those who aren鈥檛 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鈥檛 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鈥檛 get help, you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e going through. When I was in 5th, 6th, 7th grade, I was just struggling and I had zero clue what was wrong. I鈥檇 come home from school and start crying because I couldn鈥檛 do the work. Then when I came here to school, I was like, everybody is the same as me. They鈥檝e definitely had the same experiences as me. And I got the help that I needed. So everything just started to click. And now I鈥檓 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鈥檛 treat us like we can鈥檛 do it.
Max: Approach kids with dyslexia like鈥攖hey can do this. Even if it seems like they can鈥檛, they probably have the drive, the determination. They鈥檙e probably like, 鈥淚 want to get this assignment turned in right the first time, but I just don鈥檛 know how. Can you show me?鈥�
Claire: I think if more teachers did hands-on projects, that would be a way to really help students鈥攍ike building a sculpture, or doing a presentation, or working with people. I feel like that鈥檚 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鈥檛 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鈥檓 stronger at math. So I would just say to teachers: Don鈥檛 give up on a student who struggles. And also, try and recognize students鈥� strengths and weaknesses, and build off of that.
