I recently attended a Dyslexia Seminar for teachers, parents and students. The seminar was presented by three experienced Psychologists who treat Dyslexia. I learnt the following things during the seminar:
1. What is Dyslexia?
2. How to tell whether a student has Dyslexia.
3. How to teach children diagnosed with Dyslexia.
4. Experienced how Dyslexic people read, learn and write.
The psychologists got us to complete various tasks from a Dyslexic student’s perspective. It was an overwhelming, frustrating, sad, heart breaking and the most upsetting experience I have ever encountered. I nearly broke down into tears because I could feel how frustrating it would be to live with this disability. Having Dyslexia feels like you are living in a foreign country where you need to guess your way through each day and need to visualise and memorise everything. You need to work triple as hard to complete simple tasks such as reading the menu at McDonalds or identifying street names.
1 in 10 people have Dyslexia and it is a disability that needs to be recognised in order to get government funding or be included in private health covers. Treatments cost thousands of dollars and not all families can afford the treatment. We are allowing our talented students, our future leaders deal with Dyslexia alone. Continued research on brain plasticity and the brain’s ability to change quickly means that Dyslexia is no longer a life long disability. It can be modified relatively quickly in three months. I urge all parents and adults with Dyslexia to seek treatment as soon as possible. Don’t face Dyslexia alone! Having studied the subject Neuroscience during my Science Degree, I realised that “understanding the brain” can help open new pathways to develop new teaching methods to assist students in their music lessons.
It has been scientifically proven that early childhood music education can help reduce the symptoms of Dyslexia.
Many children who have been diagnosed with Dyslexia develop strengths in many other areas in their lives.
Dyslexia affects all aspects of a student’s life and will affect the student’s self esteem, confidence and judgement if left untreated.
Students with Dyslexia see words and characters with uneven spacing.
Students with Dyslexia see letters flipped around and mix up the orientation of letters within words.
Since students have to work twice as hard to complete simple tasks, their brains are relatively larger.
Famous people who are Dyslexic
Students and adults living with Dyslexia still manage to pursue any career they desire by developing other strengths to compensate for their weakness in reading and writing.
I recognise my student’s strengths during their early stages of music learning and tailor a music program that shows their strengths, while continuing to strengthen their weaknesses every week.
I hope our LMH teachers can help all students enjoy the benefits of music.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post about Dyslexia. I hope we can all work together to help build awareness internationally about Dyslexia in order for students to not feel ashamed of this disability. Don’t face Dyslexia alone – it can be treated.
I hope our LMH teachers can help all students enjoy the benefits of music.
I hope our LMH teachers can help all students enjoy the benefits of music.