Researchers explore unique aptitudes of those with dyslexia
Source: The New York Times, Child Development & Disabilities, Brain & Language, 2011 Bulletin of the Astronomical Society, Neuropsychologia
Dyslexia research has taken a surprising turn in recent years. Though dyslexia is often classified as a learning disorder, researchers are exploring the unique strengths people with dyslexia possess in comparison to typical readers.
In a variety of studies, scientists have found that people with dyslexia have sharper peripheral vision than typical readers, can rapidly take in a scene as a whole (absorbing the “visual gist”), are better at identifying the distinctive characteristics of black holes, and excel at picking up and making use of specific images and the information they provide.
Though researchers conclude that difficulty with reading still creates a handicap for those with dyslexia, they believe a focus on the unique aptitudes that come along with dyslexia will create more understanding and more effective educational processes.