What tips do you have to offer for someone who has been diagnosed with dyslexia?

Question

And who aspires to go to college and makes something of his/her life?

Answer 1

If there are any books you have heard of and would like to read them, you could try audio books.

I am visually impaired (blind in my left eye, and right is weak etc) RNIB give me a machine called Daisy. That I play talking book CDs on: that they send to me of any book I would like to read.

This has been great for me, because my eyes often hurt so badly I cannot do anything until the pain goes away, apart from listen to my Daisy player.

Just recently I listened to The Master and Margarita a fascinating story read by Steve Hudson. I am sure Steve is the best reader I have ever listened to; bringing all the characters to life. I have written a bit about this story on my Yahoo 360 page.  

The other thing I would make sure of is that, which ever college the person who has dyslexia is going to, to make certain that college are in a good position to be supportive.

Unfortunately Newi Wrexham College where I went were hopeless at supporting anyone with a disability. My friend who was deaf went there to study art and they gave her no support whatsoever and she had to leave in her first year.

Answer 2

I guess I need to know who diagnosed you. Dyslexia is a basket term for having a specific learning disability that affects reading and is thought to be language based. Getting this type of diagnosis really doesn't help you with

anything because it doesn't tell you the specific learning disability.

A learning disability is a neurological disorder. The person's brain is wired differently and though he or she may be as smart as anyone else, they have trouble with reading, writing, organizing and remembering.

Non-verbal learning disability is a neurological disorder which originates in the right hemisphere of the brain, causing problems with visual-spatial perception, intuitive, organizational, evaluative and holistic processing functions.

Here are some specific modifications from a document I wrote for teachers.

The Impact of Learning Disabilities on the Acquisition of Academic Information

Auditory Sequencing - Confusion with number sequences, lists or lists of directions. Hearing ninety-four instead of forty-nine. Provide written instructions as reinforcement of oral instruction. Use of visuals with lectures.

Auditory Memory - Difficulty remembering what was heard, difficulty remembering important items from a lecture. Spells poorly. Provide written instruction to look back on. Don't penalize spelling, just correct. Provide basic outlines of what is being presented.

Visual Sequencing - Problems in using a separate answer sheet. Loses place easily. Problems with reading. Reversing or misreading numbers of letters. Reading words incorrectly. Difficulty with equations. Read directions aloud. Provide oral instruction. Write on the overhead. Color code things written down. When writing questions on the board, change color every other question.

Visual Memory - Difficulty remembering what was seen. Reading comprehension. Difficulty with math equations. Poor recall of information. Provide handouts that are clearly written. Provide oral instruction.

Dysgraphia - Inability to form letters correctly-students cannot read their own writing. Oral tests. Tapes projects.

Visual Motor Integration - Mechanical problems in test taking. Difficulty copying from board or book. Spaces poorly. Poor written work. Unorganized. Allow use of computer. Tape recorder for lectures. Substitute oral reports. Provide individual written outlines so there are fewer steps to process. In math or science require answers only for calculations. Use graph paper. Have "note check". Provide note-buddy. Lower standards for acceptable writing.

Auditory Discrimination - Often seems to misunderstand. Trouble telling differences between similar sounds or words-seventeen for seventy. Seems to hear but not to listen. Written lectures to follow. Talk at a slower pace. Give one task at a time.

Auditory Figure Ground -Trouble hearing sounds over background noises. Sit student near you.

Visual Figure Ground -Trouble seeing an image within competing background. Picking one line of print from another while reading. Using an index card or marker when reading- to blot out distraction of other words.

Visual Discrimination -Seeing the difference between two similar objects Clearly spacing words/problems on a page.

Spatial Orientation - Loses materials. Late to class. Difficulty with oral reading. Unorganized homework. Difficulty judging time. Provide more time for assignments or shorten them. Encourage silent reading. Provide less reading material and more reading time. Provide help in organization.

Expressive Language - Difficulty expressing themselves. May sound "cynical". Provide opportunities for written reports. Allow adequate time to respond to questions.

Receptive Language - Appears to be "not listening". Incomplete work.Have students repeat directions back to you for understanding.

Organization - Incomplete assignments. Unorganized notebook/notes. Provide course syllabus. Provide calendar with weekly plan, include homework. Provide written detailed explanation for projects. For long term projects - have periodic checks (graded or non-graded). Show by example (ready made notebook).

As you can see, it is better to have a precise diagnosis so that modifications to your educational materials can be done correctly.

Yes, you can go to college. Your are entitled to the same accommodations and modifications to the college classrooms as you would be if you are still in high school. You can also become a self advocate and request what you need from the professor.

The final thing you might do is go to the Student Services at your college and ask if they test for learning disabilities. Also request advisement and describe your disability to your advisor. He or she will have some ideas for you.

Answer 3

Take things in small, manageable pieces.  It may mean that schoolwork takes longer for this person than for others.

Get a good phonics program, with a book and audio, so that this person can read the book while listening to the audio.

Answer 4

I would just say try your best and hope everything works out.

These people have or had dyslexia, they seemed to turn out okay.

Agatha Christie, English mystery writer

Tom Cruise, actor

Whoopi Goldberg, actress

Magic Johnson, athlete

Walt Disney, founder of Disneyland, cartoonist

Charles Schwab, founder of investment brokerage

Thomas Edison, inventor

Winston Churchill, former prime minister of Britain

Leonardo Da Vinci, Renaissance artist

Harrison Ford, actor

Jay Leno, comedian

Robin Williams, actor and comedian

Albert Einstein, scientist

Nolan Ryan, athlete

Harry Belafonte, singer, entertainer

Cher, entertainer, actress

Danny Glover, actor

Gustave Flaubert, writer

William Hewlett, co-founder, Hewlett-Packard

Andy Warhol, artist

John Lennon, musician

Ted Turner, media mogul, philanthropist

George Burns, actor, comedian

Alexander Graham Bell, inventor

Bruce Jenner, Olympian athlete

George Patton, U.S. general

Tom Smothers, comedian

Henry Winkler, actor

Billy Bob Thornton, actor

Nelson Rockefeller, former governor of New York

Woodrow Wilson, former U.S. president

William Yeats, poet

Hans Christian Anderson, author

Answer 5

Get a good handle on the disability rights law. You are going to have to be a great self advocate

Answer 6

Check out the video BEING IN CONTROL: Natural Solutions For ADHD Dyslexia and Test Anxiety. Also the CD ROM Anyone Can Improve Their Handwriting. There are natural relaxation and focusing techniques, accelerated learning strategies, and study strategies that made ADHD and Dyslexia easier.