Strengths and Interests: Maximizing a Dyslexic Child's Potential

Upon completion of this section, you will:

• Understand why it's important to help develop your child's strengths and interests

“Persons, children or adults, are interested in what they can do successfully, in what they approach with confidence and engage in with a sense of accomplishment.”

John Dewey, educational reformer, philosopher, and psychologist, 1913.

Why should I do this?

Most children with dyslexia are not confident in their academic abilities. This can lead to a poor self-concept and a sense of pessimism about school and the future. This does not have to be the case. Many children with dyslexia actually have high IQs, but they have not had the chance to tap into their inherent strengths. This essay is designed to give you, the parent, a rationale for helping your child with dyslexia to achieve her potential by cultivating her strengths and interests. You will receive some tips and tools for doing that both at home and at school.

As a parent, you have a tremendous amount of influence in developing your child’s strengths and interests. If you leverage these affinities and abilities you will find much more receptivity on your child’s part for addressing the weaknesses. You build rapport by taking time to get to know your child’s interests and strengths and convey that you believe in her. You will also have a fuller picture of your child by knowing not only areas of difficulty, but also areas where she excels. You can help your child to dream and to set goals for herself. It is when a child is vested in something that she likes, that she will be willing to work. Chances are she will persevere much longer and will improve her areas of weakness when her strengths and interests are included at home and in her curriculum. In this way, your child can learn how to learn, and will be able to carry over the strategies and skills she is learning into her everyday life.

The truth is we all learn differently. We all have unique experiences and affinities that help us to succeed and to share our individual voice with the world. Your child with dyslexia is simply wired a bit differently. This is, in fact, a strength! The only problem is that in many classrooms across the country, instruction is tailored for auditory/verbal learners. Most of the learning is mediated through text. This may not be a good match for your child’s learning profile. So, how do you unearth your child’s strengths and interests? How do you use her strengths to improve her weaknesses? Read the article, Successful Careers: The Secrets of Adults with Dyslexia by Rosalie Fink, listed below.