Dyslexia - Too Stupid to Read?

Yes, the heading is provocative. I know. So...which reaction does it provoke in you? Is it a "yes", accompanied by a sneer? Or is it a clear "no"? Are you undecided?

Here is my answer: NO!

Children with dyslexia are not stupid. They are only slower than others when it comes to reading and writing. They need more help when they learn to connect letters and sounds. They need more time when they try to connect written words with their meanings. But they are definitely not stupid. Full stop.

Dyslexia belongs to the so-called learning disorders. Its impact on a person's life varies greatly. It can be as simple as making slightly more mistakes when writing and a slower reading speed than the average people, and it can be as grave as not being able to read and write at all (mostly because it was too difficult so they just stopped trying).

During the next few weeks, we will have a closer look on dyslexia. What causes it? How can you recognise it in your child? What can you as a parent/teacher/friend do to help a dyslexic person?

I want to invite you to share your own experiences with dyslexia or dyslexic people with us to help raise awareness to the fact that dyslexic people are not stupid. You can share here or on the follow-up posts directly via the comment function, or you can send me a guest blog post with your experiences. If you don't want to write your own post, you can simply write me your experiences and allow me to use them for a blog post. Of course, you can remain anonymous.

I am looking forward to your reactions and experiences!