Dyslexia, a term coined by ophthalmologist Rudolf Berlin in the late 19th century, has been known to us for 136 years. It was used to describe a young boy who, despite having normal intelligence and physical abilities, struggled with reading and writing. This marked the beginning of our understanding of dyslexia, which is often considered a learning disorder due to the way it affects the brain's ability to process language. However, this label can be misleading and fails to capture the full picture of dyslexic thinking and its potential.

Dyslexia and Dyslexic Thinking: An Overview

Dyslexia is not a reflection of a person's intelligence or potential. Rather, it reflects a different way of processing information, which can be at odds with traditional teaching methods. Dyslexic thinking, on the other hand, is a unique cognitive process often exhibited by individuals with dyslexia. It is characterized by several strengths, including visual-spatial thinking, pattern recognition, lateral thinking, big-picture thinking, narrative reasoning, and strong interpersonal communication skills.

Visual-Spatial Thinking

Dyslexics often have strong visual-spatial skills. They can visualize objects from different perspectives and manipulate them in their minds. This ability can be advantageous in fields like architecture, engineering, and graphic design.

Pattern Recognition

Dyslexics are often good at recognizing patterns and making connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. This can lead to innovative thinking and problem-solving.

Lateral Thinking

Dyslexics tend to think laterally, meaning they approach problems from multiple angles rather than following a linear thought process. This can lead to creative solutions and out-of-the-box ideas.

Big Picture Thinking

Dyslexics often excel at seeing the "big picture" or the overall concept. They can synthesize information from various sources and understand how different elements relate to each other. This can be particularly useful in strategic planning and decision-making roles.

Narrative Reasoning

Dyslexics often use stories to process information and make sense of the world. This can make them effective communicators and storytellers.

Interpersonal Communication

Many dyslexics have strong interpersonal skills. They can be intuitive about others' feelings and perspectives, which can be beneficial in roles that require teamwork, leadership, and empathy. Dyslexics may excel in non-verbal communication, often having a keen sense of observation and picking up on subtle cues such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. They often develop strong listening skills as they rely more on oral/aural information due to their reading difficulties. Many dyslexics have high emotional intelligence, being very aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others, which can make them very empathetic and understanding.

Dyslexic Thinking vs. Neurotypical Thinking

In a neurotypical brain, the process of digesting and organizing information often follows a linear and sequential pattern. Traditional education systems mirror this pattern, emphasizing the rote memorization of facts before understanding the overarching concept. This approach is akin to being given a shopping list of items to remember without knowing what meal you're preparing. In this system, you'll never understand what you are unable to remember.

However, for individuals with dyslexia, their biological wiring predisposes them to a different approach. Rather than following a linear path, their cognitive process is innately geared towards understanding the whole concept first, akin to knowing what meal you're preparing before getting the ingredients. Once they understand the overarching concept, the constituent parts, or 'ingredients', become parts of a meaningful whole, rather than isolated facts to be memorized. This approach allows them to see how all the pieces fit together, which aids their understanding and memory of the individual elements. It's not about remembering a list of items, but about understanding a cohesive and interconnected system.

The Challenge with Traditional Education

Traditional education often presents information in a piecemeal fashion, requiring students to learn and remember individual facts or skills before seeing how they fit into the larger picture. This approach can be challenging for dyslexic learners, as it requires them to memorize details without fully understanding their context or purpose. Moreover, traditional education is often compartmentalized, much like the rooms in a house. Each subject is taught in isolation, making it difficult for students to see the connections between different subjects. For dyslexic thinkers, this compartmentalization can be particularly challenging. Their cognitive process naturally seeks to see the whole "house" (or the overarching concept) before focusing on the individual "rooms" (or subtopics). This compartmentalized approach to education can hinder the learning process for dyslexic students, who thrive in an "open-plan" learning environment where subjects are interconnected.

For instance, balancing equations in chemistry is essentially a mathematical exercise. If the chemistry lesson is scheduled right after math, students could apply the mathematical principles they just learned to their chemistry lesson, reinforcing their understanding of both subjects. Similarly, history and literature often intersect, with historical events providing context for literary works and literature offering insights into the human experience of those historical events. By teaching these subjects in an integrated way, we can help students see the connections between different areas of knowledge, which can enhance their understanding and retention of the material.

The Problem with "Extra Time"

In an attempt to accommodate dyslexic learners, schools often provide them with "extra time" to complete tasks. While well-intentioned, this approach can be counterproductive. It doesn't address the fundamental mismatch between the learning style of dyslexic students and the teaching methods used in traditional education. Instead, it can stigmatize dyslexic students, making them feel different or inadequate, and it doesn't help them learn more effectively.

Dyslexic Thinking: A Call for Change

Given what we know about dyslexic thinking, it's clear that we need to rethink how we educate dyslexic learners. Rather than trying to fit them into a traditional educational model that doesn't align with their cognitive processes, we should be exploring ways to adapt our educational systems to better serve dyslexic learners. This could involve teaching strategies that emphasize understanding the big picture before diving into the details, interdisciplinary learning that shows the connections between different subjects, and teaching methods that leverage the strengths of dyslexic thinking, such as visual-spatial skills, pattern recognition, and narrative reasoning.

The Dyslexic Advantage: Self-Directed Learning and Teaching

Due to the mismatch between their cognitive processes and traditional education, many dyslexic individuals embark on their own educational journeys outside of formal academia. These self-directed learning experiences, often driven by a thirst for understanding left unquenched by traditional academic structures, can lead to deep and meaningful learning. They can also foster resilience, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.

Given their unique cognitive processes and their ability to see the big picture, dyslexic individuals often have a knack for explaining complex concepts in a way that is accessible and engaging. They can break down complex ideas into understandable parts, weave them into a compelling narrative, and relate them to the listener's own experiences. This ability to make complex ideas accessible and relatable can make dyslexic individuals effective educators.

In fact, those who have struggled to learn in the way schools traditionally teach may, in fact, be some of our most effective educators. After all, you are unable to forget what you truly understand.