Tabla de contenidos para September 2023 en Dystinct Magazine

We often encounter frustration, confusion, and even heartache when raising our children. As parents, caregivers, and educators, it’s natural to want to shield our children from these challenges, make their path smoother, and ensure their success. However, the above wise words shared by Katryn Dougherty serve as a reminder that there are times when we must let them fail. In every setback, there is an opportunity for growth. When we let our children face their difficulties head-on, we empower them to develop resilience, determination, and problem-solving skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Being there for our children doesn't always mean shielding them from failure; it means standing alongside them, offering unwavering support, and encouraging them to discover their unique strengths and abilities. It means fostering an environment…

Lauren Hall, a remarkable 13-year-old student from Steubenville, Ohio, shares her transformative science fair project experience that’s changing perceptions and support for dyslexic students I am 13 years old and a Bishop John King Mussio Jr. High student from Steubenville, Ohio, USA. I play basketball and volleyball, and I have dyslexia. I was officially diagnosed and started receiving services at my school in second grade. I struggle, but I have come far thanks to my interventionist and some great teachers. At my school, all 6th and 7th grade students are required to do a science fair project. In my first year, I struggled with it. I had no interest in it and just didn't grasp the process. I dreaded doing it again in my 7th-grade year, but then my mom,…

A few years ago, I had my students write me a letter at the start of the school year. It was a way for them to introduce themselves to me. They wrote about their families, their likes and dislikes, favorite activities, and more. After the initial reading of the letters, I looked at them again, noting misspelled words, sentence structures, legibility of their handwriting, use of margins, and other writing-related features. As I made a list of the misspelled words, what startled me more than anything else was the number of students who misspelled 'goes.' My students were incoming fifth graders (ten years old). This is a word they had been using for years, and yet, 15 out of 60 students couldn't spell it. A look at the attempted spellings revealed…

According to research, the definition of Inclusive Education states that all students, regardless of any challenges they may have, are placed in age-appropriate general education classes that are in their own neighborhood schools to receive high-quality instruction, interventions, and supports that enable them to meet success in the core curriculum (Alquraini & Gut, 2012). For us to define a dyslexia-inclusive classroom, we need to identify the needs of the child. Typically, the primary characteristics of dyslexia are as follows: Poor decoding: Difficulty accurately reading (or sounding out) unknown words; Poor fluency: Slow, inaccurate, or labored oral reading (slow reading rate); Poor spelling: Difficulty with learning to spell, or with spelling words, even common words, accurately (Characteristics and Signs of Dyslexia, n.d.-b). SO, HOW DO WE REMEDY THIS? Language is comprised…

Amazing app! This app is really wonderful because it spreads awareness to the Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and Dysgraphia community. They share personal stories and artwork. By sharing those, it really helps people feel less alone and find similarities with others. Definitely check out Dystinct mag! So Informative and Uplifting Dystinct is a brilliant publication. It provides practical articles from specialists that inform and gives really positive insights into SLDs. The fact that it includes the artwork and stories of people with learning differences is so lovely. Great advocacy at work here. Dyslexia Informative, celebratory and up to date. A magazine worth reading for those living with dyslexia, for family members supporting and advocating, for educators and for those pushing for change. Fabulous platform-inspiring content Neurodiversity is every bit as important…

Illustrator Ava Eldridge Age 10 Dyslexia NSW, Australia Ava loves art, animals, cooking, her family, playing the piano and she really enjoys reading! Her newfound love of aerial acrobatics keeps her busy. Illustrator Celina Hamdani Age 19 Social anxiety disorder & ASD London, UK Celina is a self-taught digital artist. She studies art media and design at John Ruskin College, Croydon and is enrolled in an animation course with Danimation Entertainment, Burbank, USA. Her hobbies include listening to music and creating short animation videos. Her goal is to pursue a career in animation that will allow her to merge her love for art, storytelling, and technology. Illustrator Rachel Cyr Age 17 DCD, Dyscalculia & ADD Maine, USA Rachel Cyr is a 17-year-old artist with DCD Dyscalculia and ADD. A unique,…

Callisto Dougherty’s journey is a powerful reminder of how challenges can be transformed into triumphs. The 25-year-old found her early years marked by her parents' frequent relocations, a circumstance that would shape her life, instilling within her a profound sense of adaptability and resilience. Currently calling Guam her home, Callisto is working towards obtaining a B.A. in Fine Arts. Callisto’s family had a history of dyslexia, a challenge that would later become a defining aspect of her life. During her preschool years, subtle signs of dyslexia, including letter reversals and difficulties with phonics, began to surface. Callisto’s mother, Katryn Dougherty, noticed these early signs but hesitated to jump to conclusions, thinking that they could still be attributed to her daughter’s age and the learning process at that stage. However, as…

I am riding shotgun as Rachel is driving us to Waterboro, Maine, in the Northeastern U.S.A. We are pushing our way through hour nine of the 70-hour practice requirement leading up to her driver’s license test. Rachel has her eyes on the road and is focused on following the speed limit. She is singing along with Freddy Mercury, a strategy that I know keeps her anxiety in check. She has a great voice and sings with convincing expression, “Having a good time, having a good time…” I am practicing my favorite mindfulness strategies: taking and releasing slow, deep breaths, monitoring our surroundings, and providing coaching tidbits. This part of Route 202 is straight, and the driving is easy. I use my most neutral teacher voice when I urge her to…

Vocabulary plays a crucial role in reading and is important for both decoding and comprehension. Children with strong vocabulary knowledge can identify and remember new words more easily, and word knowledge enables students to understand the overall message of the text they are reading. Children naturally learn many common nouns, verbs, and other parts of speech by listening to the talk of their parents and caregiver; they don't need to be taught simple words like clock, bed, and sister. However, actively helping children, especially those with language-based learning disabilities, build a broad vocabulary and love of words cannot be neglected. Words – spoken and written – are all around us. Teachers and families have an important role in igniting their interest and love for how words can enrich our lives…

“Inclusion in education is about ensuring that every learner feels valued and respected and can enjoy a clear sense of belonging.”UNESCO, 2020 Inclusion in education means accepting and acknowledging the diversity within schools and ensuring the active participation of all so as to reach one’s full potential. This may involve removing barriers, enabling provision, and providing support so that children may learn together, irrespective of difficulties or differences. A child’s right to education or otherwise should not be subject to discrimination of any kind. Equitable access to whatever supports are needed in order to be meaningfully included and educated is of the highest importance for children who have additional needs. Otherwise, their disadvantages are intensified. In this article, I will take a close look at the common practices of Guided…

To an outsider, videography appears to be a field governed by precision, sharp visuals, and on-point storytelling. However, for RJ McLaughlin, the journey behind each video goes deeper. His diagnosis of dyslexia, OCD, and ADHD could have been seen by many as overwhelming barriers. Instead, for this rising talent, they acted as a catalyst that led him to his passion and purpose in life. With each shot he frames and every video he edits, RJ’s narrative is not only about creating visual stories for the world to see but also about overcoming personal challenges and using them as a unique driving force. The 20-year-old is a passionate content creator and social media influencer pursuing his studies in digital filmmaking at Ramapo College in New Jersey, USA. With his ventures in…