I would like to introduce you to Jennifer. Jennifer is in the eighth grade and earning good grades—no, she is getting great grades. According to her teachers she is a nice, compliant, intelligent student who is just a little on the quiet side. Her ideas are complex and interesting and she always wants to do her best.

So, why would someone like me write about Jennifer? I am interested in Jennifer because the effort it takes her to make all of teachers think she is an average to above student is probably two to three times that of her peers. Jennifer is a twice exceptional student, which means she has dyslexia (and dysgraphia) and is intellectually gifted. This means she does three hours of homework when her peers are doing 45 minutes. She writes the same paper three or four times before she lets anyone see it. She chooses smaller words when she is writing to avoid spelling mistakes and receives lower grades because she is unable to showcase her true vocabulary. While we might applaud Jennifer for persevering and becoming successful despite (or because) of her dyslexia, Jennifer would be more successful if afforded the accommodations she needs to level the playing field. Then she could demonstrate what she knows and understands versus what she can write or read in the conventional manner. Her passing grades and good performance does not mean she doesn’t need accommodations under IDEA and we need to think outside the box when it comes to how people with dyslexia learn.

Sustained Silent Reading Assessment

On the surface, it looks like Jennifer’s reading is fine and she doesn’t need help to access the curriculum, but if we take a deeper look, we will see the struggle. One way to collect data regarding reading fatigue is to have a student read a long passage at their current grade level for four minutes. After each minute, mark where the student is currently reading. After four minutes you should have a word count for each minute. In most cases of students with dyslexia, you will have evidence of fatigue that might look something like this:

Minute 1: 106 Correct Words Per Minute
Minute 2: 96 CWPM
Minute 3: 85 CWPM
Minute 4: 75 CWPM

Writing With and Without Assistive Technology

Jennifer will write a sentence like this, “I went on a trip with my mom and dad.” This might seem fine until you realize what she wanted to write was more like this, “Last weekend, my family and I visited the Grand Canyon. It was beautiful with deep canyons and breathtaking views. I enjoyed the time with my family and look forward to our next vacation.” How did I know this is what she really wanted to say? I knew because I compared her verbal ability to her written ability.

So, the second way to collect data regarding the writing challenges of a twice exceptional student is to have her write something on her own with no assistance. Then have her dictate something to you and you scribe what she wrote. Lastly, compare the word choice, grammar and complexity of ideas. Which one is more representative of her true intellect?

Accommodations

Now that we have established students with dyslexia—who happen to be also be intellectually gifted as well—are actually struggling, we can provide accommodations that will help even the playing field and allow them to put in the effort that is expected of their non-dyslexic peers. Here are some ideas for assistive technology that is easy to implement.

• Audio Books
• Speech to Text
• Livescribe Pen
• Keyboarding
• Notes provided
• Taking pictures of the notes on the board

Your Turn

Now I have an easy task for you. Take a moment to write a sentence about what you did this morning, but before you do that take a look at a few words you cannot use: a, the, of, and, is, or. These words should not appear on your paper anywhere. You have one minute. Then come back to this article.

How was it? Based on my experience with this simulation, I am going to propose the task was not easy, and I purposefully used the word easy as part of the simulation. I wanted you to believe this should be something you can do without any problem before you even tried it. I am willing to bet what you wrote was not an adequate representation of your intellectual ability. Imagine if you were graded only on what you wrote?

The reality is that our public education system does not have to make sure a student reaches her potential; they are only required to show educational progress. However, when students with dyslexia become frustrated with not being able to work to their potential, it wreaks havoc on their self-esteem. But it doesn’t have to, because now you know what it feels like and together, we can change the culture of silence about the dyslexic and intellectually gifted students. These students are not asking for more, they are asking for fair and we all know that fair does not always mean equal.

Kelli Sandman-Hurley (dyslexiaspec@gmail.com) is the co-owner of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She received her doctorate in literacy with a specialization in reading and dyslexia from San Diego State University and the University of San Diego. She is a trained special education advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan process. Dr. Kelli is an adjunct professor of reading, literacy coordinator and a tutor trainer. Kelli is trained by a fellow of the Orton-Gillingham Academy and in the Lindamood-Bell, RAVE-O and Wilson Reading Programs. Kelli is the Past-President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, as well as a board member of the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN). She co-created and produced “Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia,” is a frequent speaker at conferences, and is currently writing “Dyslexia: Decoding the System.”