....when you turn the ordinary into something extraordinary!
Try it the next time you write something. It doesn't matter if you write a blog, a note, something on facebook, an essay, an article, a poem, or even part of a novel.
Writing something extraordinary can include a simple word. Use the synonym feature in a word processor to expand your vocabulary.
Writing something extraordinary can include a name. Names can open the door to a different time and place. For example, using any of the mythological names can bring up a new image in the reader's mind. Be like "Athena". Did you know that Athena was not only the goddess for creativity but also the goddess of duality? The duality found in almost any person. The duality of good and bad, the dualtiy of abiltiy and disability?
Turning writing into extraordinary writing can include many more things....more to come on the blog soon.
Do you think that a person with a disability, such as dyslexia, writes differently from others? I live with someone dyslexic and his ability to solve puzzles is amazing even though he does them completely differently from the recommended or traditional way. Have you seen any of your dyslexic students approach writing a story or essay differently than your other students?
ReplyDeleteA. Cruz
For a dyslexic, the extraordinary is ordinary. The extraordinary, the outside of the box thinking, comes easily and by nature. This gift of dyslexia can be seen in the work of Pablo Picasso, Da Vinci, Agatha Christie, Charles Schwab, and many more artists, writers, explorers, and leaders.
ReplyDeleteHowever, for a dyslexic the ordinary, the recommended, and the traditional becomes a challenge. In writing, following the structure, spelling, and grammar rules are a challenge while writing creatively, innovatively, and extraordinarily dominate.
Metaphorically, if you tell a dyslexic to go from point A to point B, he/she will tend to go from point A to F, to H, to Z, to C, to P, and then arrive at point B.
Why? Because it is the more natural and creative way to go!
Not only is the path of a dyslexic more "extraordinary" (from the perspective of a non-dyslexic person) but also the speed and life energy at which a dyslexic takes this path; a reason why so many dyslexics are misdiagnosed as having ADD.
Our Learning Disability ebook below discusses some of these topics in more details. To assist dyslexics following the traditional standard of writing step by step, we designed The Essay Writer writing software.
We appreciate you sharing your experiences and are looking forward to a continued discussion about the extraordinary/ordinary and about the creative mind....
ON BEHALF OF K. Krey:
ReplyDeleteGerman students who are diagnosed with dyslexia have to face, of course, the same reading and writing challenges when learning a foreign language. From the little experience I have gained as a high school teacher, I can observe the following: Their speaking competence is usually above average and when it comes to creative tasks they excel at coming up with original ideas. However, it seems to me that their writing products are less well-structured and less coherent. All in all I have the impression they proceed less analytically and more out of gut feeling… Furthermore, as a teacher it is sometimes hard to decide if the language mistake is caused by dyslexia or simply by not having learned the words and grammar properly, e.g. if the student writes something like “I buyed” than it is clear that he or she did not learn the irregular form of “to buy”; but what about “ I bouhged“ or I boght”?
Last but not least I want to point out that I (the person who corrects and evaluates the paper) always have to remind myself that language mistakes should not interfere with my “objective” grading of the actual content.”
When teaching or living with a dyslexic, it is helpful to understand that a dyslexic person processes and stores information differently.
ReplyDeleteA dyslexic might learn that the proper past tense of buy is "bought" but that information will not get processed or stored as in a non-dyslexic person. The student will most likely have studied the correct form “bought” but will not have processed/stored it for future usage. Have you ever heard a student saying either “I didn’t know we had to study it.” or “but I did study it!”?
For the dyslexic, teachers, parents, and friends this different way of processing/storing information can become quite frustrating. The book What’s the Deal with Learning Disabilities (see below)discusses some of these important topics. Understanding the dyslexic mind can make a big difference for parents and educators.
Grading a dyslexic person for something he/she has little or no control over, is perceived by many dyslexics (subconsciously) unfair and affects his/her attitude towards learning and writing.
Unlike the past, however, we have many more tools today that support both the creative side of writing as well as the traditional aspects of writing. Using word processors is beneficial in regard to grammar, spelling, and vocabulary expansion for all students. Software programs like The Essay Writer (see below) provide a clear structure for the writing process. With word by word and sentence by sentence guidance, both dyslexic as well as non-dyslexic students can simultaneously be creative and master the structural aspects of many writing tasks.
Please let us know if you find any other software programs that support writing and the creative mind………