Dyslexia is a learning disability characterized by difficulty in reading and writing, but also by a high level of creativity and ability to analyze the general picture. Dealing with dyslexia is a big challenge, but it's not impossible; with the right attitude, tools, strategies and help you can not only manage the problem, but also have a productive and successful life.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Get organized
Step 1. Use a calendar
It represents one of the best tools with which dyslexic individuals manage to organize themselves. Whether it's a large wall model, a pocket diary or a mobile app, a calendar helps you remember important deadlines and dates, as well as use your time efficiently. Don't just write down the date by which you have to complete a task, but mark the starting date and all the milestones in between.
Step 2. Plan your day
This strategy is related to the use of the calendar and allows you to use the time available efficiently, which is rather difficult for people suffering from dyslexia. Think about the quickest and most logical procedure for doing something; by doing so, you have more time left to devote to those jobs where you are a little slow.
- Organize commitments according to priorities to make the best use of time; evaluate which ones are urgent, important or unavoidable, also taking into consideration which ones take up more hours.
- Make a plan to guide you throughout the day. Try to reserve the tasks that require a lot of concentration for the times when you are most productive.
- Remember to take a few short breaks to allow your mind to "recharge" and refocus.
Step 3. Make a list
Dyslexic people often have difficulty remembering things; a list helps to be more organized and reduces the number of tasks to remember, allowing the mind to turn only to the tasks that require more attention.
- Write a list of what you need to do, remember, take with you, and so on.
- Consult it throughout the day - the list would be of no use otherwise.
- If you feel the need, make a summary of the other lists and refer to them often throughout the day.
Part 2 of 4: Leveraging a Support System
Step 1. Believe in your abilities
You are your first and foremost source of support for dealing with dyslexia; remember that you are not stupid, slow or unintelligent, but you are gifted, creative and know how to think outside the box. Identify your strengths and exploit them. Whether it's a sense of humor, optimism, or an artistic mind, use these qualities when you have to tackle difficult tasks or feel frustrated.
Step 2. Use technology
There are numerous technological and assistive devices that are specifically designed to make life easier for dyslexic individuals; thanks to these tools, you can be more independent.
- Smartphones and tablets are perfect for calendar, reminder, alarm and more.
- Use online spell checkers when writing.
- Some people with the same problem as you find dictation programs and devices very useful.
- Try audio books, speech synthesis programs and applications, or scanners that "read aloud" text written on paper.
Step 3. Rely on friends and family
People who love you encourage you and help you with the most complex tasks. When faced with a particularly difficult task, reach out to them and ask them to read aloud for you and check your spelling; share difficulties and successes with them.
Step 4. Trust a professional
Speech therapists, reading specialists, and other teaching and language professionals have the skills and abilities to deal with dyslexia; don't be ashamed to use these important resources.
- A professional helps you organize and make changes in your usual habits to make your life easier.
- By consulting these people, you can learn new strategies for dealing with the disorder.
Part 3 of 4: Studying and Completing Homework
Step 1. Give yourself enough time
Dyslexic people need more time to read and write. Set a sufficient number of hours to complete an important job; estimate the duration of each task and plan accordingly.
- For example, if you know it takes about five minutes to read a full page of the textbook and you need to read 10, spend at least an hour doing this.
- If necessary, ask the teacher to quantify the time other students typically spend on that particular task; consider doubling, or at least increasing, the value it communicates to you.
- Don't delay before starting homework. The earlier you start, the more time you have to finish them; if you wait, you may not be able to complete them or you may be doing a bad job because of your rush.
Step 2. Get away from distractions
All people, not just those with dyslexia, easily lose focus when more interesting things are happening nearby than the task they have to perform. Eliminating these sources of inattention allows you to focus all your concentration on the jobs that require more mental energy.
- Turn off the ringer of electronic devices, TV or music.
- Make sure friends, colleagues, and family know you are studying and therefore avoid interrupting you.
- Keep on hand only the items strictly necessary to do the job; put away everything you don't need.
Step 3. Break down tasks and commitments
Instead of tackling the job all at once, break it down into smaller tasks; this technique helps to focus on specific goals and makes work less overwhelming.
- For example, if you need to read twenty pages, plan to read five at a time, scheduling short breaks to internalize the content.
- If you need to write a report, break up this effort so that you have a draft on the first day, complete the introduction on the second, write a section of the body text on the next day, and so on.
Step 4. Take a break often
Stop for a few minutes between one work session and the next; by doing so, you can assimilate the information you have read and relax from the commitment you have just completed. The mind regenerates and is fresher for the next session of the task.
- After reaching an intermediate goal, reflect briefly on what you have learned or reviewed to make sure you understand the text or consider whether you need to study it again.
- Take a minute or two to clear your mind before getting back to the books.
- Make the breaks only last a few minutes - if you linger longer, you don't use your time wisely.
Step 5. Study in the evening
You may be able to concentrate better before bed, when your body and mind are a little quieter and there is less confusion around you. Try studying the most important subject you need to review in the evening.
Step 6. Don't overdo it
By accepting more assignments than it takes to increase the amount of work you feel you need to do, you increase the time it takes you to get the job done. This way, you expose your brain to more information than it can process and organize.
- This doesn't mean that you are performing poorly, just that you don't have to make the job more challenging or harder than it needs to be.
- For example, if you have to write a report on Plato, do not turn the poem into a study of the Greco-Roman era.
Step 7. Consider alternatives to harness your strengths
Whenever possible, use the other talents you have available in the job; this allows you to reduce the amount of reading and writing you have to do. Use artistic, speaking, or musical skills to make the task a little easier for you.
- If you are a student, consider modifying your work a little with your teacher to be able to rely on skills other than reading and writing; for example, you can make a poster, a comic, a model, a video or a model.
- If it is a business task, try to incorporate more visual elements; for example, use tables, charts, illustrations and / or models. Alternatively, give a speech without having to read the text.
- Insert your alternate skills into the study to make it more interested and easier.
Part 4 of 4: Improving Reading and Writing Skills
Step 1. Practice decoding words
Dyslexic people often find it difficult to decipher words and put so much effort into this task that they forget what they have read; By improving this, you can read more fluently and understand the text better.
- Use flashcards regularly to familiarize yourself with frequently used words and letter combinations.
- Read "simple" poems just to practice decoding; see if you can reduce the time you spend reading a page of text.
- Read aloud often; since you have a hard time deciphering the written word, reading aloud is difficult and sometimes embarrassing.
Step 2. Ignore the spelling and worry about it later
When dyslexic individuals have to write, they are often so focused on spelling that they lose their train of thought. Try not to think about how you spell words as you draft; focus only on the content and then re-read the document to make corrections.
Step 3. Use templates when writing
Given that many people with dyslexia have a hard time remembering the correct structure of letters and numbers, it is worth having a reference image or someone who writes the most problematic characters to refer to in times of need.
- A discreet tool of this type is a card on which uppercase and lowercase letters are handwritten, as well as numbers.
- Flashcards play the double role of showing the shape of the letters and remembering their sound.
Step 4. Organize and review the documents you write
Think about what you want to communicate before starting work, so that you can concentrate better; this technique is also perfect for managing time. Rereading the essay helps you spot any spelling, grammar and other errors.
- Think about the main thesis, the details that support it, and the conclusions you want to reach.
- Read the text aloud; this makes it easier to find errors.
- Ask someone to review the document so you can hear the flow.
Advice
- Remember that you are not alone.
- Know that you are not stupid.
- Don't be afraid of making mistakes or being different, work hard and do your best!
