October Marks Dyslexia Awareness Month: Understanding the Challenges and Gifts

For many, reading this sentence effortlessly is a given, but for those with dyslexia, connecting letters to sounds and comprehending meaning can be a daily struggle. District staff and community members immersed themselves in that experience in a dyslexia “simulation station,” hosted in partnership with Dyslexic Minds 901.

Organizers brought exercises for participants to try, including one where they were timed and asked to read a list of words, and then asked to reread the same list only saying the color of the words. Another timed exercise asked participants to trace a star without lifting their pencil, and then trace a star using only the viewpoint of a mirror. As participants struggled with tracing the same shape with a reverse view, the reading and writing challenges associated with dyslexia became abundantly clear.

“This is something that affects all races, colors, creeds,” said Kelvina Hunt of Dyslexic Minds 901, the organization responsible for the simulation stations. “It affects 15-20% of the population. That means roughly 20,000 MSCS students are affected.”

Some students may deal with dyslexia among other challenges, thus highlighting the importance of having administrators who are fully understanding and equipped to help. 

“Dyslexics, actually, are average to high intelligence, the majority of them, but what we’re finding is that because these children are not having the opportunity to learn how to read at a very basic level, they are dropping out,” said Hunt. She also pointed out that when it’s time to switch from learning to read to reading to learn, students who deal with the condition tend to avoid those situations and could act out, sparking disciplinary issues.

“We’re grateful to partner with additional experts and instructors to shed light on an issue that impacts our students and families as we continue to focus on literacy,” said Emily Vuoso, who serves as Program Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Memphis-Shelby County Schools. In October, MSCS has partnered with the Bodine School and other organizations and departments to raise awareness.

The District’s Legacy University series, geared toward families, hosted a Dyslexia 101 session to kick off the month and give parents specific guidance on how to best support their students. Just before October’s Board Work Session, Vuoso handed out red ribbons, with red symbolizing the fight against the stigma that dyslexia can carry.

Dyslexia presents hurdles in reading, writing, and spelling, but it's important to remember that it also brings unique strengths. People with dyslexia often excel in creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, spatial design, and problem-solving. Organizations have often highlighted several celebrities and key figures who struggled with dyslexia and are thriving in many ways.

In 2016, Tennessee lawmakers passed the “Say Dyslexia” law, requiring school districts to screen students for dyslexia and provide interventions for those who need them, but Hunt says there’s still more work to do.

“You can petition the board, petition the District … they are very well-meaning people and they believe they are doing the right thing,” Hunt, who says she didn’t realize how much more work needed to be done on the subject until she experienced dyslexia-related academic challenges as a parent. By recognizing both the obstacles and the inherent gifts, advocates say we can collaborate to create a more inclusive environment for everyone.