Dyslexics often have strong long-term episodic memory (remembering experiences) and visual memory, but frequently struggle with working memory (holding and processing info in the moment) and short-term verbal memory, making tasks like recalling lists or instructions difficult, while excelling in areas like narrative reasoning and big-picture thinking. It's a mix: challenges with immediate verbal tasks, but strengths in experiential recall and visual/spatial memory, say the British Dyslexia Association, Neurodivergent Insights, and Succeed With Dyslexia.
Many people with dyslexia can read fluently. This is because they are very good at memorizing whole words. Some of the dyslexic students I have worked with have an impressive orthographic memory, which is their visual memory for words. However, they find it difficult to sound things out.
Dyslexic Strengths:
Many dyslexics have a photographic memory that can rewind an event. Many dyslexic students will not feel the need to take notes, but can recall most of the information discussed. They recall vocabulary words in pictures. The pictures usually become attached to the words that describe the picture.
Famous actors like Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom all have dyslexia. Pablo Picasso's teachers described him as “having difficulty differentiating the orientation of letters”.
Behavior, Health, and Personality:
Easily stressed and overwhelmed in certain situations. Low self-esteem. Self-conscious when speaking in a group. May have difficulty getting thoughts out – pause frequently, speak in halting phrases, or leave sentences incomplete.
Dyslexic individuals have a greater ability to learn through experiences and recall information with more efficiency, whether they have actually experienced or simply imagined these experiences. REASONING: Understanding patterns, evaluating possibilities or making decisions.
Grades 3–5 signs of dyslexia
Establish a routine
Dyslexic learners may find it difficult to maintain concentration for long periods of time and may get tired quickly, so it's a good idea to create a routine which emphasises 'a little and often' rather than trying to squeeze too much work into a longer session.
These creative processing skills allow dyslexics to see the bigger picture, and visualise new solutions. This skill is really valuable to employees, in fact, 50% of NASA employees are dyslexic. They are deliberately hired because of their excellent critical thinking skills and spatial awareness.
Highly intuitive – Dyslexics often have a strong sense of intuition and heightened emotional intelligence. They can quickly grasp complex concepts and situations, often arriving at conclusions before others.
The majority of people think mainly with their brain's left hemisphere, whereas dyslexics think predominantly with their right hemisphere. This leads to a different kind of thinking and learning style that we call conceptual thinking.
Understanding and supporting individuals with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Dyspraxia is essential for fostering an inclusive and effective learning environment. These disorders can also coincide with other conditions such as ADHD and Autism, requiring a comprehensive approach.
The most commonly observed cognitive impairment in dyslexia is a difficulty in phonological processing (i.e., in phonological awareness, phonological processing speed or phonological memory). However, phonological difficulties do not fully explain the variability that is observed.
ADHD and dyslexia are different brain disorders. But they often overlap. About 3 in 10 people with dyslexia also have ADHD. And if you have ADHD, you're six times more likely than most people to have a mental illness or a learning disorder such as dyslexia.
According to UMHS, the following conditions can present similar symptoms and difficulties to dyslexia: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Executive Dysfunction. Memory Impairments.
But if a child has a low IQ and additional problem with dyslexia, that just is going to mean that they're going to have even more difficulty learning to read. But knowing that, most people with dyslexia are, at least, average or above-average IQ. So, it is not related to intelligence at all.
5 things not to say to your child about dyslexia
Research by the University of Strathclyde has found that people with dyslexia are much better at being curious and exploring new ideas and more likely to be found in careers where this is an advantage, such as art, media, architecture, creativity, engineering and inventing things!
Longitudinal data confirm that dyslexia is positively associated with stress and depressive symptoms in children, and the higher the DCCC scores, the more severe their symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression were. The emotional symptoms can persist among dyslexic children.
The Many Strengths of Dyslexics