1

Leonards
Rachael Leonards
Ms. Coco
Engl 1001
November 27, 2015
Parents who have dyslexic kids

Dyslexia the unknown

This second draft of my inquiry paper went a little smoother then I thought it would, but
there are still lots I need to work on. I think my ideas are there, but I am not sure that I
answer my inquiry question fully. I would say my strength in this paper is the personal
relationship and experience I have with this topic. The studies that were done I can use
my own personal experience in the paper to make it stronger, but I need to give personal
examples and experiences instead of just saying that I can relate. My weakness is I think
I need to expand on the idea about how kids in special schools tend to do better then
those in public. I also need a stronger conclusion or a conclusion at all; I dont feel like
my ending paragraph is much of a conclusion. I am really enjoying this paper, I am
learning a lot and its interesting reading these articles that I understand, but I think my
paper is not as organized as I want it to be. I dont think my focus is too far off from
where I want it, but I am just worried that my organization is not as good or strong as it
could be. It is difficult to try and organize my ideas with so much information that I have
and want to say.

2
Leonards
1

Dyslexia is a misunderstood learning disability that if not treated right when a

child is first learning, then it can cause the child problems later on. Many kids academic
problems stem early on in life due to the environment they are in. This is why children in
special schools with disabilities do better then kids that are put into public schools. I was
lucky enough that my mother knew early on I had dyslexia, so I was privileged in having
the proper care that I needed. Even though I was homeschooled through middle school
and attended a small private high school, I still had self esteem issues due to my
academic challenges. A dyslexic childs self esteem is highly affected at school where
reading and writing are their main problems (Brown 3). Those with low self-esteem are
seen unworthy and useless, this is why making sure a child is diagnosed and treated as
soon as possible to prevent future problems is so important, but how does dyslexia affect
a childs self esteem? If parents understood more about dyslexia they would be able to
identify signs earlier on, and get their child the proper care in order to prevent bullying
and self esteem issues.
2

Emily Lapkin defines dyslexia as a common condition that affects the way the

brain processes written language. Some doctors call it a reading disability, but dyslexia is
not a sign of low intelligence or laziness. People with dyslexia can still understand hard
concepts but require more time then those without the disability (Lapkin). This disability
within children has been led to self-esteem issues due to their inability to properly
express themselves through reading comprehension or dialogue.
3

Self esteem is described as, a multi-faceted construct, tapping into ones overall

self worth, social competence, problem solving ability, intellectual ability, and self
competence and worth relative to others(Brown 1). Dr. Gilda Palti says that for a long

3
Leonards
time researchers have been assessing the effects of dyslexia on an individual, and the
main problem is the adverse reactions and feedback the students receive from their social
surroundings because of their specific learning difficulties. A study done by Elly Singer
discussed the dynamics between dyslexia, being bullied and the relation between selfesteem, and psychosocial issues. The study used 60 Dutch children 9 through 12 years
old in mainstream schools all of which were diagnosed by certified psychologist as
having dyslexia. The study showed that children felt vulnerable in situations where they
had to read something out loud in class, or felt uncomfortable when they needed more
time on a test. The study also showed that children were affected by their disability by
trying to hide their academic problems by lying about the amount of mistakes they would
make, conceal all signs of sadness or disappointment, and they stayed distant from their
peers (Singer 418). This study was highly relatable in my life because I understood the
shame and embarrassment the dyslexic children felt in school, being around everyone
else that could do the things that I struggled with so easily was difficult. From personal
experience dyslexia affected my self-esteem by making me feel like I was not smart, or
not good enough. Michael Ryan states just a few ways that dyslexia affects a childs self
esteem, dyslexic children may tend to be socially immature due to their inability to keep
up leading to poor self image, and less peer acceptance. This can also cause social
immaturity, which leads to them being awkward in social situations. Another study done
by the research scholar department of psychology and Bharathiar University did a study
on the effect of poor self esteem in dyslexic students, and Dr. Monsy Edwards states that,
children with dyslexia that fail repeatedly lose their self esteem which gives rise to
secondary emotional and behavioral problems. The children will eventually start to

4
Leonards
avoid their homework because of their self-esteem issues, which causes problems on the
parents and teachers; this is why proper care needs to be taken for those with dyslexia.
4

There are things that a parent can do to help a child with dyslexia at home

improve and feel better about themselves. First the parent has to accept the disabilities of
their child, and not have unrealistic expectations because these will only be surpassed by
their inability to achieve their goals. Even though dyslexic children might appear lazier
because it takes them a longer time to understand something, they in fact tend to work
harder then most of their peers to try to keep up (Ryan). If a parent does simple things to
work with their kid such as, reading out loud to them, boost their confidence through
hobbies and afterschool activity, and most importantly focus on effort, not outcome then
the child will feel better about them self (Lapkin).

Lapkin, Emily. "Understanding Dyslexia." Understood for Learning and

Attention Issues. Web.

5
Leonards
Nalavany, Blace Arthur, Lena W. Carawan, and Lashaunda J. Brown.
"Considering the Role of Traditional and Specialist Schools: Do School
Experiences Impact the Emotional Well-being and Self-esteem of Adults with
Dyslexia?" British Journal of Special Education 38.4 (2011): 191-200. Web.
Palti, Gilda, Dr. "Social and Emotional Aspects of Dyslexia." Dyslexia. Web.
Ryan, Micheal, and International Dyslexia Association. "Social and Emotional
Problems Related to Dyslexia." The Educators Guide to Learning
Disabilities and ADHD. Http://www.ldonline.org/article/19296/, Web.
Singer, E. "The Strategies Adopted by Dutch Children with Dyslexia to
Maintain Their Self-Esteem When Teased at School." Journal of Learning
Disabilities 38.5 (2005): 411-23. Web.
T.j, Jesna T.j Jesna, and Dr. Monsy Edward. "A Study on Effect of Poor Self
Esteem in Dyslexic Students." IJAR Indian Journal of Applied Research
4.4 (2011): 527-28. Web.
50/50
Org. 2 / Focus 3 / Devel. 2 / Aud. 4 / Research 4