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her a disruptive creative streak, which can be harnessed for the good of society. The ideas we will discuss may end up being the foundation for a new ‘Center for Different Learning Abilities’ at Chapman — but in any case they will be stimulus for further conversations.” Sally and Bennett Shaywitz, Yale University physicians and researchers whose Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity is regarded as a leader in the field of “uncovering and illuminating the strengths of those with dyslexia,” are advocates for bettering the lives of people with dyslexia.
Among the many creative and successful people identified as dyslexic are, clockwise from top, Albert Einstein, Keira Knightley, Winston Churchill, Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Branson, Andy Warhol and John Lennon.
developed,” said Struppa, “so that universities will look at dyslexic students as an asset and not simply as a group that needs special accommodation. The summit will focus on the fact that the incidence of extraordinarily successful and creative genius is very high in the dyslexic community. “The fact that the brain of a dyslexic functions in different ways allows him or 18
CHAPMAN MAGAZINE
On a recent visit to Chapman, the Drs. Shaywitz met with Chancellor Struppa, Dean Don Cardinal of Chapman’s College of Educational Studies, the Bausches, Montgomery and others for a pre-summit conclave. “People with dyslexia look normal; they don’t wear a bandage or a cast, so other people don’t have a clue as to what’s going on inside their brain,” said Bennett Shaywitz.
Yet dyslexia is highly prevalent, the Shaywitzes’ research indicates. “If there were a way to evaluate every child, you’d find that one in five was dyslexic,” said Sally Shaywitz. “At first it was thought to be more prevalent in boys, but we found that the teachers were only identifying the most annoying kids in the class, who tended to be boys. Meanwhile the dyslexic girls were sitting there quietly, so many of them went unidentified.” The Shaywitzes found that dyslexia is often lumped in with general “reading disabilities” in school special-education programs. California, to cite just one example, doesn’t recognize “dyslexia” as a separate category. The Shaywitzes are out to change that. “If we carve out dyslexia from ‘special education’ in the schools, what’s left?” asks Bennett Shaywitz. “How do you reorganize that entire bureaucracy? That’s part of what we hope this summit will discuss.” The Shaywitzes have identified a plethora of creative, successful people who have been very open about the fact that they’re dyslexic. From Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, Henry Winkler, Wendy Wasserstein, John Irving and many others in the arts and literature, to scientists, engineers, medical doctors, CEOs and more, these leaders are role models for anyone, not just people with dyslexia. “What we want to show is that you can be dyslexic, identified as a ‘poor reader,’ and still have immense creativity and a very high IQ,” said Sally Shaywitz. A key reason for excitement about Chapman’s Dyslexia Summit “is that it will talk about how people with dyslexia have overcome the obstacles, and how that has made them stronger, more creative and more resilient,” Sally Shaywitz added. “We intensely, passionately want people to ‘come out’ and talk about their lives with dyslexia. Because then people will say, “Wow, he’s dyslexic? She’s dyslexic? They’re so successful — that’s a great group to be part of.”
SEEING DYSLEXIA AS A GIFT By Lisa Cupolo
“If they give you ruled paper, write the other way.”
JUAN RAMÓN JIMÉNEZ
no one understood her difference; other children made fun of her and she ur 8-year-old daughter Lila will tell you she’s dyslexic, usually felt alone. She came home in tears. I was in tears. Not one person suggested within a short time after meeting her. She’ll ask you if you’re she might be dyslexic. dyslexic too, hoping you’ll say yes. She is almost proud of it. At the end of first grade the principal told us Lila would do the state Proud because she knows that a lot of famous people she testing in the office so the questions could be read to her. “Where are the admires — like Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg and Keira Knightley — also are other kids taking the test?” I asked. “In the classroom,” I was told. My dyslexic. She’s almost proud because dyslexia is something she struggles daughter couldn’t read the questions. I was devastated. My husband, who with every day. Like many, I thought people with dyslexia flipped their letters raised five other children, was troubled, but imagined it would resolve itself around, and if pushed on the subject I might have said they were slow learners. in time. After all, he was very late to read himself. I was wrong. Now, I believe dyslexia is a gift. “Lila must be dyslexic,” I said, finally. Most dyslexic people possess average to above-average intelligence, and The school shushed me. They said “Don't say the word. It will go on a disproportionate number of entrepreneurs, innovators, artists, Olympic her record for life.” If she’s athletes, scientists and actors dyslexic, I thought, I want are dyslexic. Interestingly, it on her record for life. most of these people were After much struggle for unsuccessful or failed information, our friend, the completely in traditional Pulitzer Prize-winning writer school settings. Dyslexics are Richard Ford, who is also “outside the box” thinkers. dyslexic, suggested we find a My husband, Richard Bausch, school using a multisensory scraped by in high school, yet approach to learning. We he is an award-winning writer enrolled Lila at The Prentice and professor with a robust School in Tustin, for children international reputation. He with dyslexia. The visual and struggled with reading. To this auditory approach has saved day, he reads very slowly, yet her confidence and fueled her he has read War and Peace joy of learning. She’s in third five times. Dyslexia is genetic. grade and still struggles but When Lila was born is now reading at grade level. writer friends from around The school has extensive art, the country sent us gorgeous music and science programs children’s books, enough Lila Bausch, the 8-year-old daughter of Chapman English professors Lisa Richard Cupolo and because dyslexic children are to fill a small library. When Lisa and Cupolo-Bausch, Richard Bausch, struggles struggles with with dyslexia dyslexia every every day. day. But But aa visual visual and and auditory auditory approach has saved her confidence and fueled her joy of learning. often gifted in these areas. she was a toddler we had There is wide scientific tea parties at independent proof that people with dyslexia bookstore cafés and her room have a different neurological makeup, easily identifiable through brain scans had a reading nook. We assumed she’d be an early reader, a passionate reader and simple diagnostic testing. In fact, up to 20 percent of people are dyslexic. like us. She wasn’t. Yet, there is a universal dogma that if a child reads early she's smart, and In hindsight we did a lot of things wrong. We sent Lila to a private preschool of course this is indeed a marker of intelligence — but only if the child is in Memphis where local academics, doctors and businessmen sent their children. not dyslexic. I wish I'd known this. I want everyone to know it now. Lila was socially the most popular in the class, but the rigorous academics The hope is that society can get past measuring children’s success were difficult and even in kindergarten when she struggled, she felt stupid. by the grades they get and the potential money they’ll make. Fortunately, When we moved to California three years ago, we thought Montessori would it seems as though a new wave of teaching is emerging that honors all be a better fit for our imaginative, joyful, free-thinking girl. We thought she’d types of learning and thinking, and acknowledges that linear scholarship thrive and her creativity would shine. But at Montessori, in a class of 30 isn’t the only way to process experience. children, Lila used her smarts to hide her difficulty. Entrepreneur Richard Branson, of the Virgin empire, describes his She had tutors three times a week. Teachers told us to find books that dyslexia as his greatest strength. Being aware of the differences between interested her, as if we hadn’t thought of that. Lila didn't want to read books people, and embracing the diversity, whether it be racial, socio-economic because the letters made no sense to her. It had nothing to do with her or neurological, is the key to a successful pedagogical community. intellect or her phenomenal photographic memory. She hated school because
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Photo by Mary Platt
he conference — now in the planning stages — will showcase highly successful “outside-the-box” thinkers, including Jack Horner, renowned paleontologist, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and dyslexic; behavioral scientist Fumiko Hoeft, Ph.D., who will present on the “science of dyslexia;” and Intel Reader creator, activist and dyslexic Ben Foss, among many others. The conference is the brainchild of Chapman’s chancellor, Daniele Struppa, and Jamie Montgomery, managing director at March Capital Partners. Montgomery’s daughter Skye ’17, a Chapman student, is dyslexic. “What Mr. Montgomery and I want to highlight is the burgeoning new science of dyslexia that is being
SPRING 2015
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