Overcoming Dyslexia: The Reading Center spreads awareness to Rochester

(ABC 6 News) – Dyslexia is a language based learning disability impacting more people more than people than most of us probably realize.

It’s estimated one in ten people have it. Experts also believe that more than 40 million Americans have dyslexia. But only 2 million actually know they have it.

Dyslexia causes problems with word reading, word decoding, oral reading fluency and spelling. But there are a number of misconceptions.

The Reading Center Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota addressed some of the myths of dyslexia during a screening of a popular short film about the learning disorder.

“You will learn time management better than anybody,” Andy Wood, guest panelist “because in order to stay ahead, even as a C or B student, you got to work extra hard and you got to find that time.

“So your time management skills are going to be far better than someone who does not have dyslexia.

A group of panelists joined the screening, to be a reminder to their younger dyslexic friends, that they can accomplish anything they want to.

Among the panelists, was Reading Center Alumni, Sarah Zweber, who acknowledged that dyslexia is actually one of her strengths.

“When I was younger I used to see it as like, I’m never going to get past this,” Zweber said, “and now I see it as a really good strength, and now I want to become a special education teacher.”

On October 4th from 6-7 p.m., The Reading Center will host a free dyslexia simulation to show people who do not have the disorder, what a dyslexic person goes through on a daily basis.