#it's ironic the amout of times i wrote dyslexic or dyslexia wrong in this post

[moonslearningdisabilities]

what do u think good dyslexia rep looks like? i was thinking abt writing a story with a dyslexic character but idk how much i know

what are your experiences with it like?

Hum... hard question.

For representation

The first dyslexic character that comes to mind is Ryder Lynn from Glee. In my opinion the show deals with it in a very good way. He also happens to be the first dyslexic character I’ve ever seen. But his story did touch me a lot. What I like about his representation is that he isn’t dumb, he isn’t inferieur to the other characters he’s just slightly different. In the show we see him getting his dyagnosis, and that is a thing that always brings me to tears. Because seeing a character struggle with something and then realise that they aren’t dumb their just a little different is one of my favourit things.

I think the most famous representation is Percy Jackson, and I don’t know other people’s opinion on the representation that he brings. But personaly I don’t like it. Since the movie has come out I’ve had so many people ask me if letters dance around like in the movie. I don’t mind Percy Jackson being dyslexic, quite the contrary, so many more people are aware of it because of him, but just not in the right way. Yes letters dancing around can be a symptom of dyslexia, but not every dyslexic has that symptom.

I guess what would be the best way to make an accurate representation of dyslexia is to concider all the different way it could after someone, but also not make it the only thing the character is about. Unless you want to right a story specificaly about that stuggle(in which case go watch the episode of glee about Ryder Lynn’s dyslexia 4x07).

For my specific experiance with dyslexia here are a few of the ways my dyslexia shows up on a normal day to day basis:

1. Unless the information is concise and well presented, i have to read phrases multiple times to understand there meaning. Like it takes me a lot longer to read a plain paragraphe then a graph with the exact same amount of words. Visual support can be a great help to understand that words have a meaning. (this video by theodd1out really explains well the problem of understanding that words aren’t just there but that they also have meaning (time code 3:36) also watch the whole thing its really great)

2. Reading the wrong words. This is especialy a struggle when I have to read something outloud that I haven’t read before. I guess how I could describ it is you know when you think you see a shape but it turns out to be something else? well that but with words. and sometimes it can change the whole meaning of a sentance. It can really bring you out of what you are reading because suddenly your like: why are we talking about this thing?

3. Now I’m not sure if this is dyslexia related, or dysgraphia related, or ADHD related, but probably all three. I was a late talker. Now the thing you need to know is I talk a lot. I like to talk an have conversation. I have a need to fill the silance. But when I watch video of me as a very young child it’s creepy how much I don’t talk and rely on everyone else to just know what I need or want.

4. Because of my dyslexia I get discourage by reading very easily, especially with reading assignment in school. Image all the kids ligning up for a race and then the teacher blows the wisle to go. So you start running and you think your making good time, so you look up and no one is around you. A few have already finished and the closet student is still a few meters in front of you. You know you’ll never catch up, so what’s the point in running the race? And later on you find out you were running an obstical course and everyone else was just running in a streight line and it seems unfaire and now you know that there are ways to get over those obstical but you still associate running with that feeling of being behind on everyone so you never run again. Sorry that metaphore is a bit long

5. This just like number 3 is just a fact of being ND. Being told you could be great if you just worked harder, if you applied yourself more. I hate hearing that, I think everyone does. But what did it say in my report card every year? I’m gonna let you guess.

6. reading supports are a great help. computer voices that read what you write because you cant read it back to yourself to know if its right because you won’t be reading it right in the first place. Or audio book are also a great help and alternative to physical books, and screw anyone who says that reading an audio book doesn’t count as reading a book.

7. I have gotten used to reading and rereading directions and instruction. And asking for specification or repharsing just to be sure I read stuff right. but I do try my best to do as little reading as possible.

I’m not sure if I’ve answered you’re question, but I hope it helps. You can always send a new ask if I missed something you wanted to know about.