When it comes to technology, learning how to best utilize its powers can be a challenge, but one that is well worth the rewards—especially for those with dyslexia.
There are myriad different kinds of technology designed to help detect and treat dyslexia, but which ones are actually effective? That question has no clear answer, given that each dyslexic is different and their struggles are unique. However, each person has the ability to leverage technology to help them succeed.
Lisa Shapiro, a writer from Wired, describes her life with dyslexia, and how she has taken advantage of the technology available to her in a recent article. Her story takes place in New York City where she lives and works, and has hidden her dyslexic condition from friends and family out of fear of being outed for being “unintelligent.” She considers herself lucky having known of her dyslexic diagnosis since grade school, enabling her to have access to resources and effective interventions. However, she was always advised against a literary career (which she now thrives in).
Shapiro speaks about the discovery of Grammarly, a tool she has found to be extremely useful in both her work and personal life.
“Grammarly always knew the right word…. It was only then, using something so seamless, that I wondered if technology could soon bring an end to my dyslexia as I knew it.”
In this quote, she speaks to the effortlessness of the software, but also her hope of possibly one day “growing out” of her dyslexia. As part of this journey to determine whether technology was the key to the post-dyslexia world (as she fondly refers to it in her article), Shapiro visits with different tech companies, endures a brain imaging test, and goes through an eye-tracking test for dyslexia. Along the way, she learned a variety of things, including that the human brain was not initially designed for reading and that the use of technology in no way negatively impacts one’s intelligence. These realizations put Shapiro at ease, who constantly struggles with coming out to others about her dyslexia condition out of fear they might think she is dumb.
In the end, Shapiro credits technology such as Grammarly and Lexplore as helping her “cheat dyslexia,” but discovers there is no post-dyslexia world. Rather than trying to overcome dyslexia, it should be reframed and embraced as a gift that allows dyslexics to think differently. Technology has undoubtedly started to close the gap that separates those with dyslexia from their peers, empowering individuals to use their dyslexic mind to achieve what others simply cannot.
Read the full article on Wired from Lisa Shapiro here.