Dyslexia Myth
I know this may be a bit of a highbrow topic for a social board but what do people think of tis theory of dyslexia as a myth? Is there such a thing as a "dyslexia Industry"?
I saw the documentary on CH4 lastnight and felt it raised several key points about the social construction of this deficiency in reading ability but it lacked a lot of scientific foundation
Re: Dyslexia Myth
Does it matter whether dyslexia's a mental condition or a specific form of stupidity? It causes problems with people, and we (i.e. society as a whole) should be helping overcome these problems. Faffing about with classification helps no-one.
lanky | 10 Sep '05, 00:54 | X
I really wanted to watch that, hope they repeat it. What was the basic argument?
silence-r | 10 Sep '05, 00:57 | X
essentially the argument was that there is a negligible difference between sum1 labelled a dyslexic and a bad reader for their chronilogical age and that there is a part of the brain that has yet to be localised that is responsible for the defecits in letter and word recognition.
The chap also went on to explain how he believes the false "dyslexia industry" exacerbates the social construction that dyslexia is in his opinion.
HeartbrokenStar @silence-r | 10 Sep '05, 01:09 | X
I'd go along with that
My (older) brother has a slightly irrational loathing of the whole dyslexia idea. He believes it just gives less intelligent people an excuse/tag/whatever
And while I'm not entirely as blunt, I do kind of agree
Sticky subject though
dove_from_above @HeartbrokenStar | 10 Sep '05, 01:15 | X
That's not dyslexia, though. It's used as a blanket term for children with reading difficulties but an otherwise high IQ.
charlescharlycharles @dove_from_above | 10 Sep '05, 01:21 | X
Hmm, I really don't know enough about it but I think you're going to need more of an argument than 'my brother says' especially if his dislike of the term is 'irrational'. I mean, has he studied dyslexia, worked with dyslexics?
I've never even considered it to be a myth. I've known people who are dyslexic and never questionned them about it, but at the same time not considered it deeply either. Is this programme just sensationalising in it's title, but actually more balanced in its approach? Or is it trying to find a conspiracy where there is none?
I kind of object to the tag 'stupid' more - as if people choose to be shit at studying. Maybe all the difference between varying levels of intelligence is biological - you know, like memory skills and concentration.
silence-r @dove_from_above | 10 Sep '05, 01:30 | X
Yeah, I really don't know much about the subject at all, so it's a bit stupid of me to comment really. But seriously, his hatred of the term is at times frightening.
He's also like this when it comes to people referring to Andy Johnson as a great striker
But what I DO know is that there were a couple of people at my school that were proper shits, basically not giving a fuck and disturbing lessons etc. But then they were diagnosed as dyslexic, and the attitude of the teachers towards them was ridiculously more tolerant
These people are Reece Hicks, Perry Lawton and some kid called Sam who wasn't in my tutor group. And they're all cunts
dove_from_above @silence-r | 10 Sep '05, 01:40 | X
I was hoping you were going to say your brother was an expert and prove me wrong. I'd be interested to see what someone 'in the know' thinks.
The kids who were dyslexic at my school (who I knew) were largely not disruptive. In fact they were taught seperately in one of the spec-ed classes. One of the things I find interesting is the coloured glasses dyslexics wear - which I've been told by diagnosed dyslexics does improve with their ability to read.
*minus the 'with'
silence-r @silence-r | 10 Sep '05, 01:49 | X
Sorry to disappoint. But I'll suggest to him that he should take a course or something and let you know how he gets on
The dyslexic kids were only in my tutor group (about 15 minutes each day, registration etc) but they still managed to make their presence felt in a highly audible fashion
the coloured glasses are all part of this "dyslexia industry" where a wave of innovations, so called, have been brought in to assist with common problems such as letter reversal (the 'b' 'd' one being the most common example). There is however, little scientific proof that these coloured lenses have a truly determining effect in assiting reading,
They also hav the problem of social labelling-a kid in a class wearing glasses with coloured lenses is a soft target for abuse due to looking different.
I was under the impression dyslexia was partially a problem because words appear blurred and moving when dyslexics look at them on a page. The glasses help to make the page appear stationary.
But just doing a quick google (far from ideal) it appears this is only a kind of dyslexia 'visual dyslexia'. And that now there are better glasses than just the coloured ones in helping. This link* is good as it highlights the dyslexia-as-an-industry problem, whilst at the same time selling products. Look under 'What is Visual Dyslexia' and it goes into a discussion of the industry blanket marketing for all dyslexics - although this may be yet more clever marketing (don't buy blanket product X from them, buy product X+1 for individuals from our company instead). I can't really be arsed to read it all at the moment.