Children With Dyslexia Need Extra Effort To Excel, Says Expert

DYSLEXIA, according to Oxford Advanced dictionary, is a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters and other symbols, but does do not affect general intelligence of a child.

Learners in this category find it difficult to learn alongside their contemporaries. They have difficulties in spelling out words, reading, writing and even pronouncing words despite their normal intelligence.

Teachers, parents and even relatives who do not understand the challenges facing dyslexic children often consider them as lazy or dull.

But an expert has warned that dyslexic children are neither dull nor lazy but simply need strategic approach in teaching and learning.

The School Development Manager, Lekki British School, Dr. Dolapo Ogunbawo who recently retired from the Institute of Education, University College, London, urges teachers and parents to understand that children with dyslexia need extra effort and individualised instruction.

Although, she grew up as a child with learning difficulty, with her father’s consistent effort, she was able to get to the peak of her career as she has a solid and enviable track record in teaching and learning.

She said this was what prompted her passion for “special education needs” as it is one sure way of tackling the challenge. “I was the Programme Leader for National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), Leadership Pathways (LP) and Equal Access to Promotion (EAP), all of which are leadership development programmes for senior school leaders. My work had in-depth coverage of all London schools, local authorities and other agencies, while EAP had national coverage.

“I am somebody with special education needs myself. I grew up finding learning very difficult. I was smart, make no mistake about that, but smartness is not what it takes to learn. In every classroom, there may be one or two children who cannot learn at the same pace as the rest of the class. And at the time, I was in school; nobody knew anything about special education needs, not just in Nigeria, but globally. It would be either you are lazy or you are a dullard. And they would beat you and force you to learn, Ogunbanwo said.

She added: “But I had somebody in my life who believed in me. And that was my father. I would get home and tell him that my teachers were not happy with me… that they kept asking ‘what is the matter with you’? And my dad would tell me; ‘There is nothing wrong with you. You are the most beautiful in the world. You are the most perfect in the world. What you should know is that if there is somebody in your class who does well and studies for two hours, you may need to study for five hours. But don’t worry, I will sit with you and we will study together.’

“And true to his word, he sat with me, he taught me diligence, hard work, and perseverance. And that was why I dedicated my PhD thesis to him. I did it for him; I did it because of him. The day I got my PhD from the University of Ibadan in 1988, I handed my certificate to him and gave him a handshake and called him Baba Doctor.”

She regretted that hitherto, government was not showing adequate attention in that regard, adding that with adequate attention, schools, parents and even the society would have good knowledge on the challenge and be able to overcome.

“Later in life, I realised I had to find out what was wrong with me. So that is why when I went on to do my Master’s and PhD, my area of specialisation was Educational Psychology. Simply to understand why I found learning so difficult, and to be able to help children who, like myself, find learning challenging. And in every school that I have worked, I always made sure I established a department of special education needs.”

“By the time I began, my PhD I knew what was wrong with me. I am of the autistic spectrum. And I knew that what is wrong with me is likely to be inherited by any child I might have, because it is genetic.