AboutDyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning disorder often caused underlying phonetic or language difficulties. 1

It can also be due to how the brain processes visual input, sometimes scrambling or changing it just enough where the patterns that are so necessary for reading, are much harder to learn. It could be added “noise” or some people even describe it as shaking or moving letters

Another possible cause is a working memory challenge, having a problem keeping everything you are sounding out in your head long enough to get to the point of the sentence.

A lot of these causes can also show up as other comorbid learning disorders.

 Dysgraphia- relating to the challenge of handwriting.

Dyscalculia- relating to the problems with math

In short, it makes reading a big challenge to learn and even after it is learned the act of reading can still be hard work.

Interesting enough, these differences in the brain, whether it is visual interpretation or lack of phonetic understanding often coincide with increased creative abilities. One could argue dyslexics see the world differently.

Mr. E and Dyslexia
Mr E. has been diagnosed with all these learning disorders and a few other psychological orders like Oppositional Defiant Disorder, which makes it so he often refuses to cooperate with authority figures such as teachers.

This kid must blaze his own trail and learn in his own way.

So what does that have to do with Monsters?
Pre-writing and reading practice is scribbling. The act of scribbling prepares a child’s brain to accept written input. It helps them differentiate the line from the paper, and eventually the word from the background. 2

After Mr. E failed kindergarten, he spent 6-8 hours every day at the kitchen table all summer long, drawing monsters. He then spent the most of the next 8 years drawing monsters. He has been getting his brain to accept and recognize the drawn mark from the background noise. His brain eventually found the pattern of written letters and now he is reading some, and writing texts to his grandparents.

Notes/References

 * 1) Cognitive functioning and work success in adults with dyslexia by Leather, Carol https://bsu.mplus.mnpals.net/vufind/SummonRecord/FETCH-LOGICAL-e2841-69f33b4d008dbcd7b793c132688a896b45fce146fb7854be3a5d59dfd1caa4a43
 * 2) Sheridan, Susan Rich. “ The Neurological Significance Of Children’s Drawing: The Scribble Hypothesis.” Accessed 11 Nov. 2017.