The Reality of Dyslexia - Millions Struggle - NYTimes.com "The Upside of Dyslexia," by Annie Murphy Paul (Sunday Review, Feb. 5), rightly points out that while all people with dyslexia struggle with reading, some demonstrate unique strengths. What this research does not underscore is the extent to which this learning disability negatively affects millions of lives. Nearly two million students in our public schools struggle with reading because of dyslexia. Learning to read with accuracy, fluency and comprehension greatly increases the likelihood of high school graduation, enrollment in college and career success. Dyslexia presents real obstacles to these students. Twenty percent of students with disabilities drop out, and only 67 percent graduate with a regular diploma. These alarming statistics reinforce the need for additional research to further our understanding of the neurobiology of learning, particularly as it relates to students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. While the research featured in the article is welcome, we shouldn't minimize the challenges that students with disabilities face every day. JAMES H. WENDORF Executive Director, National Center for Learning Disabilities New York, Feb. 6, 2012 The headline "The Upside of Dyslexia" raised my hackles, and I was prepared to attack what the author, Annie Murphy Paul, said in the article. I am the mother of a 12-year-old boy who is severely dyslexic, and this new wave of "dyslexia is a gift" drives me crazy. It's not a gift when my son goes to get a snack at a community pool and burns his hands because he cannot read the sign on the counter that says, "Caution: Hot." It's not a gift when after over $100,000 spent (and borrowed) to address his dyslexia, there are still days when he does not recognize the word "the." It's not a gift when friends laugh at his homemade sign on his door to keep his brother out: "Do not disterv." Nobody lives in his world, where his dyslexic demons play with his mind, making a trip to the movies stressful and doing homework an exercise in "how much more of this can I endure?" But after reading Ms. Paul's essay, I felt that she understood the complexity of it. Yes, saying dyslexia is a "gift" is patronizing and unhelpful, but it is also true that these children are gifted. I like this shift in thinking. Now if only my son can get through school with his heart intact and find ways to share his gifts with the world. Annie Murphy Paul highlights the exciting scientific research being done to change the way dyslexia is viewed. These experiments show that people with dyslexia possess learning advantages that go hand in hand with their learning difficulties. Perhaps these advantages help explain why, according to a 2007 study, 35 percent of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, a number far exceeding the 15 percent of the population thought to be dyslexic. It is imperative that we keep these learning advantages in mind, and provide students with a flexible and multisensory education that highlights both their strengths and weaknesses. At Jemicy School, we have long recognized the importance of art, math, science and technology to tap into the strengths that dyslexic students possess. Thanks to articles like Ms. Paul's, our society is coming closer to recognizing that learning differences are just that: not better or worse, just different. The writer is treasurer of the International Dyslexia Association and head of school at Jemicy School, which specializes in educating students with dyslexia. For those of us in the field of reading, "The Upside of Dyslexia" was not a surprise. We know many smart and talented people with dyslexia. It is time for the federal Department of Education to recognize dyslexia as a specific diagnosis instead of using the broad and misleading diagnosis of learning disabled. A diagnosis of dyslexia would pinpoint the problem and help children get the appropriate reading instruction to be successful in school. The article states that an estimated 15 percent of the population is dyslexic. That translates to more than 45 million Americans. It makes you wonder how many scientists, lawyers, doctors, engineers and writers we have lost because they failed early on in school and no one knew how to tap into their talents and teach them how to read. The writer is a reading specialist at a New York City public school.