The FULL, REAL Story Behind Dyslexic Strengths
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- There are claims being made about the special abilities and strengths of dyslexics, but how reliable is this information? Numerous research studies have examined these claims, and most of them have found no evidence. In fact, in some cases, the opposite has been found. Despite this, the "dyslexic strengths" narrative is everywhere.
Are these white lies? Is there any harm done by telling a dyslexic that he or she has special creative abilities or visual-spatial talents? Arguably, yes, if it invalidates the very real struggles we dyslexics experience. Additionally, if we orient ourselves in this world based on false narratives, we will sooner or later be confronted with reality, and that might be a rude awakening. While there are positive findings about dyslexia, I believe we should approach this topic with caution, with balance.
⏰ Timetable:
00:00 - Intro
00:28 - My personal perspective
01:00 - Visual Special talents?
02:51 - Creative extraordinary abilities?
04:20 - Individual Strengths
🙋🏼♂️ My name is Arije, and I am a dyslexic with an MA in Education Studies and I coach dyslexic adults. I aim to share all my tips for learning, coping, teaching, and more on my channel. For dyslexics, educators, and parents alike, I want to make videos that inform and inspire you to reframe dyslexia.
COACHING & CONSULTATION
Have a look at my website: dehaas1on1.com
☕️ If you'd like to support me, feel free to do so one coffee at a time! via ko-fi.com/arije
Here's some of the literature I consulted to create this video:
Erbeli, F., Peng, P., & Rice, M. (2022). No evidence of creative benefit accompanying dyslexia: A meta-analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 55(3), 242-253.
Majeed, N. M., Hartanto, A., & Tan, J. J. (2021). Developmental dyslexia and creativity: A meta‐analysis. Dyslexia, 27(2), 187-203.
Everatt, J., Steffert, B., & Smythe, I. (1999). An eye for the unusual: Creative thinking in dyslexics. Dyslexia, 5(1), 28-46.
Gilger, J. W., Allen, K., & Castillo, A. (2016). Reading disability and enhanced dynamic spatial reasoning: A review of the literature. Brain and Cognition, 105, 55-65.
Chamberlain, R., Brunswick, N., Siev, J., & McManus, I. C. (2018). Meta‐analytic findings reveal lower means but higher variances in visuospatial ability in dyslexia. British Journal of Psychology, 109(4), 897-916.
How do you feel about this subject? Let's talk about it...
I have always the that we are more creative because we have to get creative to navigate common task that most people don’t have to think about
Thanks for making these videos I hope your channel becomes a great success
@@toddpod5244 Thanks for sharing, and I hope so too. It is still a small channel, but the community is already a big success. :)
In school I had never been diagnosed but I was still in reading classes and had accommodations for assignments and tests. This was the only thing getting me through school but then in 10th grade they had me take a iq test and I scored above average and they took the class and my accommodations away. I tried to suggest that I’m dyslexic but they told me that I wasn’t. They told me they worked with kids with dyslexia before and I wasn’t like them. Without my accommodations, and a lack of support and constant shame. I had ended up not graduating and for the past couple of years I have had to work though a lot of guilt and shame. This narrative that I actually have these “superpowers” has been pretty damaging it just reminding me that even within the dyslexics I’m still below average in performance and success. It provides unnecessary expectations that I place on myself.
I can fully relate to the last part of your message
Thank you! I completely agree with this and feel the attempt to highlight strengths sometimes wanders into the realm of toxic positivity. I'd rather have practical solutions for areas where I struggle than be told I have a superpower.
😃 Yes, practical solutions will be a lot more useful. Fully agree.
I agree. I'm sure a lot of the 'dyslexic superpower' stuff is well meaning, but it doesn't ring true and does hover close to being a form of 'toxic positivity'.
Thanks for your thoughtful videos, Arije.
I am a dyslexic academic. Was diagnosed halfway through a PhD in an English department. On the various tests administered by the educational psychologist who diagnosed me 12 years ago, three of my results scored in the low 80s, with a 60+ point spread across the rest of the tests.
I struggle with reading comprehension, note-taking, recalling lectures, structuring my writing, etc. All major hindrances in academic work. But I can quickly recognize linked patterns in large and complex data sets. I can also see through established theories and isolate where mistakes have been made in past research. Writing takes time, but I’m a published author.
While I very much agree with you that describing Dyslexia as a superpower can have a detrimental impact on those struggling in school or at work, at the same time in my experience it seems to me that my particular brain-wiring (which I believe relates to my dyslexia) is particularly efficient for certain tasks, but also particularly inefficient for other tasks that seem simple to most people.
I have been fortunate to stumble into a line of work that suits my strengths, but in which I have also had to learn to compensate for my many weaknesses.
I think that most school programs tend to focus on areas of weakness for most dyslexic children. We rarely get to develop in areas in which we might excel, falling instead at the most “basic” of hurdles (spelling, reading, writing) from which many of us never recover.
Hi John, thank you for sharing your experience. And who knows, maybe researchers will make a big discovery one day. But as of now, that has not happened, and at the same time, researchers are saying that we need more research in this area. So, there is still some hope left. And in case they do not find anything, we still have our personal talents. Those are going to be valid either way.
John, I have had similar experiences! I worked as a pediatric ICU nurse and I was able (with ease) to make connections with data points my colleagues often couldn't connect. It aided in rapid diagnosis, as well as identifying when a patient was going to deteriorate much earlier. I have worked with many dyslexic children, as well, who have displayed this talent well above grade level. Often, though, they lacked the confidence to voice these insightful observations. I believe we haven't yet done enough research on the strengths of dyslexia to rule this out. I do believe that although we have deficits, our unique brains do provide advantages.
Probably the real superpower of many dyslexic kids is having moms that would do anything to help them succeed...Any studies on the direct correlation between dyslexic kids' success and endlessly supportive mothers?
Go Moms! They are most definitely very important. I have not seen any research on it yet, but I'll look into it.
See what I mean? Dyslexic moms are amazing
However I feel like I’m great in terms of I knew my son had dyslexia before the school did, however I was reminded today that I should not try to be the teacher 🤦🏽♀️ I’m dyslexic and have dyscalculia and let’s just say my math on a simple sum somehow was completely wrong and I was corrected by my 7 year old who I was trying to teach.
Great story 😃
I can read today because my mom refused to give up on me when everybody else did.
I can handle the revelation that I'm not gifted because I have dyslexia/dyscalculia/dysgraphia. Because until I found out that I actually had these maladies, I thought I was stupid. (In spite of a very successful business career.) BTW: You and your channel were instrumental in my enlightenment. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment, Craig. I’m so glad to hear the videos I’m making have been of value to you!
What's your business craig, I've struggled with work and finding the right job as an adult.
It's a tough topic, but I think you're right--Even if it doesn't sound as good, I'd rather have all the info and decide for myself than be told generalized mistruths
Thanks, Ted
Exactly, lately, over stating partial truths has just gone "over the top". People only want to "reveal" the information that propagates their point. Ya, we want dyslexics to feel better about themselves but we need to stay grounded in all of the facts/truth. Good word(s) Arije!
I appreciate it, David!
I really appreciate this video as it dispells some misnomers and makes the point that I don't here often that focusing so much on dyslexia being a gift or a strength can actually seem to invalidate dyslexics struggles. However, I like how you balanced this at the end by saying we should focus on our individual strengths. This counters the tendency for some people to feel bad about themselves while not falling into traps of generalizations which may shift as science does.
Thanks for commenting. I thought I can’t just tell everybody “it’s a myth” and not offer something in return. Individual talents and abilities are an important alternative and will probably make us look in places we haven’t looked before to lift ourselves up
This feels more validating to me than the popular narrative. That narrative did not strike true with me so it gave me the feeling that if dyslexics had superpowers, why am I so subpar that I alone do not amongst our group? I don’t feel like dyslexia is an advantage and I don’t like folks trying to create a situation in which I am lucky to have it because I find having it mostly really frustrating.
Very good video. Well said. It’s a difficult topic but the truth is very important.
I really appreciate it, Josh.
I find myself being above average on the visual spacial abilities and in the creative field. I am drawn to working more with my hands. However, there are plenty of people without dyslexia who are good at this as well. This is a tendency I have also seen applied to people with other types of disabilities such as mental illness as having some kind of special gift. I agree that it is dangerous because someone who is struggling already doesn't need to feel like there is something is more wrong with themselves because they lack the "superpower". We do learn differently and possibly see things differently, but it is a difference and that is all it is. Great video. Thanks.
Couldn’t agree more. And good point. If dyslexics end up not having the proclaimed gift then it’s super disappointing for them, and unnecessarily so
I always felt like the dyslexia "superpowers" were a bit broad and never really explained with specific, real-world examples. Plus, me personally, I'm totally shit at visual spatial reasoning, I know this because I studied illustration for 4 years and still struggled with basic perspective principals. The only one I could truly master was one-point-perspective.
I don't think dyslexia has to be a superpower. In some sense, just having the label makes me feel better because I know that I'm not alone.
being Dyslexic, usto get me down as a young boy, but now I prefer , being able to paint portraits, 3D modeling. and being creative ,
Happy to hear that you found those talents for yourself :)
I agree dyslexia isn't a 'gift', I certainly don't experience it that way. but I do like the book "dyslexic advantage' because they speak about Dyslexia beyond just the 'reading difficulty' part, which I think you also do quite well. I can only speak from observations of my own family, but I think individuals with dyslexia have both super strengths and super weaknesses, and it has been frustrating to see those strengths not being able to be utlised by society because of the language, organisation and education barrier. Unfortunately the inaccuracies of these books like "dyslexic advangtage make dyslexia seem a bit pseudo scientific... which is definitely not what we want... We NEED to be taken seriously. As a parent of gifted dyslexics I want true and good research and writing on the topic of dyslexia to give to teachers, and the next generation.
I agree, if the books being written about dyslexia aren’t supported by the studies, they make it harder for those of us who live with being dyslexic.
at school if you gave me a pen to write I couldn’t function instead I used the pen to draw and I was in my element ,I would sit in class and draw all over my work books , give me a pen to drew and I could drew for hours . I remember I would hide in the school library and pick out books I loved mostly about artists and visually stimulating creative books . At times I would be so involved I missed classes as time is a big issue for me 😊.
I'm really happy to see someone make a video on this subject. Since I was a boy, I felt like it was a sweet lie adults would feed me. Or something for "specialists" to parrot at worried parents. Wish this channel existed a decade ago. Would have been helpful. Hopefully more like this will popup.
Glad you like it. I was a bit nervous about releasing this video because I wasn’t sure how it would be received. But it seems like we were not alone feeling this way.
Hey @@ArijeAikedeHaas , thank you for replying.
I think the video is honest, and for people with problems that the most important thing.
What I would like to see is how much research goes into Dyslexia as a whole, and if there is any interesting developments in the subject
I was never told that I had superpowers, in fact I was treated fairly poorly by teachers and peers growing up, because of this, I created my OWN superpowers. Now as people start learning about Dyslexia the misconceptions that get me all wound up are that all dyslexics are all the same, that we all read backwards, we’re all so creative and we’re going to be CEOs, Like it’s just supposed to happen for us . All the struggling will pay off. Now I developed a lot of creative pathways of expression but never thought that was always just part of me. I do agree that trying to put a positive spin on something that people still don’t understand and teachers do not know how to deal with could be more harmful than helpful. But to be honest, I do wish people thought I had superpowers because of my dyslexia when I was growing up, it probably wouldn’t have left me with so many scars.
Wanting to be seen in a more positive light as a kid I really get. In school I was told I’d never make it to university, that I should just work with my hand. It’s very discouraging especially because I didn’t want to do that. But the other extreme, as you say, is being expected to become a CEO. Seems like at the moment we haven’t figured out how to find the balance yet
100% . Thanks for your work and your channel!
@@pentagram313 I am glad you are enjoying it.
Hm. Well I know a lot of dyslexic people and they/we are all extremely creative. Maybe I know a larger proportion of creatives because of the type of work I do and the type of people I tend to associate with because of this?
One explanation might be that dyslexics end up in more often in creative occupations because it does not involve a lot of reading and writing. And since they enjoy the positive reinforcement they get really good at it.
I’ll be honest when I say that I really enjoy seeing your videos and the wealth of understanding you have on this subject. Both helpful and eye opening for many reasons while turning my understanding upside down. One of those books I have read and it was that specific chapter that was mentioned that made me really evaluate the possibility of the spatial reasoning concept since it has been a natural ability along with some very strong pattern detection skills. I only wonder even more now what it is really connected with.
Such BEAUTIFUL message at the end 😭
I thought I could not take some of the hopes people have, like, for example, being especially gifted in visual-spatial tasks, without offering something else in return.
I agree with you on some levels. What i mean by this is no matter who, we are all unique (I mean all people). I agree all people have strength's which we need to concentrate on. Thinking that all dyslexic will have the same strength's is over reaching. I am sure some of us do share the same strength, just the same as people who don't have dyslexic do. I believe that most dyslexic have a unique way of looking at problems. Most of us have had to figure out short cuts for our weakness, and ways of over coming them. In my age range dyslexic was not really a term well known. Most people would just label us a stupid or lazy. I do have dyslexic but also have dysgraphia and dyscalculia. I found typing was a god send for my dysgraphia. The one thing over the years I have learned is never giving up and I do think that is a super power of sorts (this is super power everyone gets LOL if they want it). Too often people give up. Having dyslexic has taught me that if it does not work one way their has to be another way and you can find that way if you persist changing your method until it fits.
I know the Eides and they are amazing physicians and researchers. I think you should contact them and discuss research as they are the leaders in the field and I imagine would be very open to discourse.
I think it’s also important to look at criteria in each study to qualify as dyslexic
good video thank you brother
Like a simulation or in a work setting? Or what do you have in mind?
@@ArijeAikedeHaas yes in work thats what i meant , how do i explain in it to my boss for example?
Good idea, I’ll add it to my list!
Love and appreciate your work and thank you for sharing. Keep sharing. I think over time,more research will focus separately on adolescent dyslexia VS adult dyslexia. Because this learning ability is still a minority group,the big money in research goes elsewhere.
I will definitely keep sharing. Thanks for the encouragement 😊
Ron davis with davis dyslexia association international is pretty legit. Irons out confusion and strengths the individual pursuing relief. Id recommend it for any dyslexic. Im right brain dominant and Rons book confirms what ive learned over years being right brain dominant in a left brain dominant education system and world. My son had been in traditional education system for three years and still was confused on four letters of the alphabet, after first portion of program for young learners with instructor my son no longer was confused on these four letters. Id recommend Gift of dyslexia to anyone who is and is in a close relationship with someone dyslexic. Just know dyslexics did not choose the term dyslexia, its a mis leading label but a fair start to a solution.
Good to hear that you had a good experience with their program anyway. But I can not recommend a book where claims are made that counteract what we know from research. It is a very positive message, and as I said I do understand the desire to refrain dyslexia in a positive way. However, it seems to go a bit too far. If you read through the comments, you will see that some even describe it as toxic positivity.
Maybe being dyslexic forces you to find creative solutions and think out of the box and stay open minded - the point you make is good, but reinforcing is also important
That might also explain why dyslexic adults seem to have higher creativity scores. And I fully agree reinforcing people is a great thing. However, a conversation about the how seems to be needed.
I would say I am a talented creative but not more talented than my peers in the same industry. I feel like it being called super power makes me feel like I am supposed to be superior than others in the same field and that just isn't the case. I also have to work slower because I have to take more time to catch my mistakes.
Really really great! And cool sweater too !
Thank you 🙏
That's a very interesting video. To add to the anecdotes:
I'm dyslexic myself, so is my father and his mother - So far on the point of heritability. I don't know about my grandmother, but my father and I are both artists and were praised for our creativity when growing up....... so are my two siblings and my mother. We are a family of passionate painters and creators. My siblings have not a single traces of dyslexia and my mothers reading speed is even far beyond average.. which I quite envy - dna gambling I guess. :) I clearly grew up in an enviorment where creativity was nurtured, so it's hard to tell if it comes natural to us or if we had a space to train this ability.
Thank's for the upload. I'm looking forward for your next video. :)
Thanks for sharing your experience. And I agree it is hard to tell if it comes naturally to all of you or if you simply had the space to train your ability. But either way, it is a personal strength. ☺️
Without having done nearly as much research as you & only having discovered i had dyslexia in my late 40'a, i agree. It seemed unlikely to me that a specific pop could be more creative or possess advanced spatial reasoning. As someone wkng w/ dyslexic adults, i don't talk superpowers/ i talk people and their unique experience focusing on the mental health & working to improve the self from inside out.
My psych research and personal exp indicated self esteem and confidence being the issues and despite being creative, it felt disingenuous & presumptive that i am more creative just b/c of LEX. I think among many things, we're highly empathetic and sensitive to others b/c of our struggle. It may be tough for some to accept this analysis. Tx for doing the work. Powered x Dyslexia
In what way and capacity do you work with dyslexic adults? I would be interest to hear a bit more.
Because I find it very cruel that many children still suffer while learning to read today, I wrote a book in German for children where children learn to read while playing and having a lot of fun. Later I would like to write it in Spanish and English too.
My method is completely new and is based on “first principal reasoning” and in my book the child has the opportunity to discover the principle of the elementary building blocks for building more complex connections and to continue to do so independently. This creates a great experience of self-efficacy and thus strengthens one's self-confidence, self-assurance and self-esteem.
My great hope is that this method can prevent many cognitive developmental disorders for many children who suffer the consequences of poor teaching throughout their lives.
The education system is quite resistant to change. I am not convinced that much has changed since my own school experience. So reducing the suffering would be great.
Lass mich gerne wissen, wie das Buch heißt, dann schaue ich es mir mal an.
Grüße aus Jerusalem.
I am quite attach to the idea that dyslexia may provide some benefits. It make me made to think that my mind is a tool and it is broken. The vision that says it comes with pros and cons is comforting. It is is not true then, it is heart breaking. It makes me rejecting that part of my personality again. I never find my self talented in the visual area that you mention, agreed, but how about other researches and "talents" that revils in studies? I want you to know that I really enjoy your content and your work. This subject is just harder for me personally. Thank you.
Hi, it is a comforting thought I get that. And if it helps you personally to accept your dyslexia, you might want to hang on to it. As I mentioned, there are some very specific areas where we seem to perform better than non-dyslexics. And mabey we also just need more research. In Cognitive behavioral therapy, they say that thoughts are never right or wrong. They are either helpful or unhelpful.
Personally, I believe that we are all flawed in different ways. I tend to procrastinate. I miss appointments, and only grammar can save me from my terrible spelling. My dad would also call me slow a lot. All of that is true, but that does not mean that I reject the part of me that is struggling. If I were to reject it, then that would mainly hurt, but I would not be particularly helpful. So, instead, I try to treat myself like someone I care about, someone I am responsible for.
I've been diagnosed with dyslexia as a child and I've heard a lot of "rumours" about it ever since. Do you have some recommendations for books that draw a realistic picture on dyslexia including their strengths and difficulties? As I am a dyslexic myself, I'd really like to dig into that topic and the next time somebody makes a weird comment about it, tell them the facts
Dyslexia isn't a gift, or a advantage it makes your life really fucking hard, the "advantage" is some times you have to come up with really creative ways to work around your disability, but this isn't a "advantage" nobody would say being in a wheelchair with no legs was an advantage to someone with legs or wish to have no legs even if the person in the wheelchair invented some sort of super advanced prosthetic leg that allowed them to walk again.
It would be hard to argue with that argument.
I have read the Dyslexic Advantage and In the Mind’s Eye, both of which put a positive spin on Dyslexia. I agree with your position to an extent but not completely. Both these books certainly gloss over the problems. However, I do think from reading some of the original research articles that there are some tasks that dyslexics genuinely tend to do better, often because of their broader perceptual modes. But society is organised around the cognitive profile of neurotypical people. Even language has evolved to suit the majority. If dyslexics were in the majority, language would be more like singing or whistling!
I feel a bit lost, to be honest. : ( Just not willing to accept my dyslexia! Great video though!! ; ) I totaly agree with you though! When will society "stop" belittling dyslexia by pointing out the word creativity all the time!?!
If you need someone to talk feel free to book a appointment for a zoom call. calendly.com/arijeaikedehaas/60min I have been doing coatings with dyslexics for a wile now. Normally I charge 65 euro per session. But you can try out 1 session for free.
I know a dyslexic who struggles with reading and really, really struggles with math. It is very hard to see any benefits to dyslexia
I struggled with both of these things and I certainly didn’t see any as a child. There might not be any benefits to his dyslexia but he might be a big sports athlete or Jamie Oliver, it’s possible. it’s not because he’s dyslexic but because he as an individual has his own strengths
@@ArijeAikedeHaas Alas, neither of those things appear to be true either. We shall see what the future holds
I agree with what you are saying.
Good to hear :)
G’day from the hills of Perth Western Australia
G'day to you. Hope you enjoyed the video.
Appreciate this video.
When I learned my daughter had dyslexia and turned to the internet and books for more information, I was a little put off by how many different sources cite Albert Einstein and Richard Branson. I didn’t find comfort is the name-dropping of a few accomplished individuals. I wanted info on how to help her rather than hope a miraculous “superpower” emerged.
I agree the answer lies in observing each individual child’s strengths and interests.
You are welcome :)
Rats, there goes my super power! I thought it was too good to be true😂! I notice you are a lefty, I’m a lefty too, I understand that we are right brain dominant, does that lead to more of us being left handed?
Rats 😄🙈. When it comes to left or right-handedness, it seems to be a bit unclear after looking at some articles. It seems like more of us are lefties, but it is not an overwhelming majority. But if I find a better answer I let you know.
I need your help
Ok then let’s meet. Send me massage on my website: dehaas1on1.com
This video bummed me out
I am sorry about that. When I saw all of the research, I was also a bit disappointed, especially after hearing so much about different dyslexic abilities. I was hesitant about posting this video because I did not want people to be bummed out or disappointed, but at the same time, it did not feel right to watch inaccurate information being spread. The whole superpower narrative tends to make us feel good, but if we orient ourselves based on inaccurate information, we get in all sorts of trouble. It is like having an inaccurate map that makes you lose your way.
And all of this does not mean that we dyslexics can not be extremely talented. There are a lot of really talented dyslexics out there.
I think this narative of super strengths is overcorrection of naragive that dyslexic oeaple are stupid.
Perosnaly i am very good at some visual secial reasoning and i use it it in my work as a motion designer dayly i suck a lot with gems like portal or orienting in real life maps .
Overcorrection sounds right….
Your a lefty like me ❤
Yes I am 😊
Oh and Gift of Dyslexia is designed for a dyslexic to read. Getty up people!
I listened to it but could not warm up to it. And I am dyslexic.