If you cruise the internet for the word dyslexia you get an array of conflicting opinions about what it is, and what causes it. There are even people who disagree that it even exists. It can be very confusing to a parent just starting to deal with a child’s reading issues.

To help answer some of the questions parents might have, and raise awareness of dyslexia, The Reading Clinic is hosting a panel discussion and screening of the documentary ‘The Big Picture: Understanding Dyslexia’ on Friday evening.

The film includes personal and uplifting accounts of the dyslexic experience from children, experts and iconic leaders, such as Sir Richard Branson and Charles Schwab.

Amy DaCosta, Reading Clinic Reading Programme Coordinator, said some parents observe certain behaviours such as a child mixing up their bs and ds or mirror writing or struggling with spelling, and wonder if it is normal.

“It is difficult to say what is normal because everyone is going to have a different experience,” said Ms DaCosta. “Even when it comes to teachers, all teachers have different experiences in the classroom. If there is any parent who is concerned about their child’s spelling, I would look at age. If they are in primary one and they are having some struggles, a lot of times it would be okay to wait and see what happens as things go on, but keep in contact with the teacher. See what types of errors they are making. A lot of times people are concerned by b or d reversals. That is something that is normal in the early years. It is because they look similar.”

Ms DaCosta picked up a stapler on her desk. She said: “We tell children this is a stapler. Turn it over, what is it now ­­— a stapler. But if you did that with the letter b it becomes a p. This object permanence that we have been taught becomes really confusing when we start to read, especially as at the same time the child is learning other things like upper and lower case letters, and sight words, all at once. Sometimes it is just too much too fast.

“There are certain strengths and weaknesses that a person with dyslexia may or may not have. For the most part there will be spelling errors. If you have a younger child you might see they have difficulty with rhyming and sound awareness. They might have trouble separating sounds in words. If you want to know the first sound in cat, they might have a hard time saying it is ‘cuh’. That is a skill that develops through preschool age. They should be comfortable with it in primary one, but some children might still have difficulty with it anyway.

“Poor spelling is one of the key pieces. Often we look at the spelling more than the reading. There are other things that can impact the reading, but the spelling is more of an indication that the student can’t make the link between the letters and the sounds they make.”

Surprisingly, there are also some positive things associated with dyslexia. Some writers and researchers have gone so far as to call dyslexia a “gift”.

“There is a quote I like, students with dyslexia don’t think outside the box, they were never in it to begin with,” said Ms DaCosta. “There are definitely lots of positives as well. They are generally very creative and artistic. They can have good visual spatial skills. They can be really athletic. Some might have great mechanical skills. That’s not to say everyone with dyslexia is athletic or artistic, but many have a strong skill in a particular area.”

There are many famous and successful people who had dyslexia including Winston Churchill, Pablo Picasso, Cher and Alexander Graham Bell. There is some debate over whether Albert Einstein, one of the greatest geniuses of our time, also had dyslexia.

After the film on Friday there will be a panel discussion about dyslexia. Speakers will include former Premier Sir John Swan, who has dyslexia, Kimberley McKeown, Policy Analyst with the Ministry of Education; Psychologist Dr Janet Kemp; former Attorney General Kim Wilson, who is a parent of a child with dyslexia; and Holly Richardson, Principal of Port Royal Primary School. The panel will be moderated by ZBM TV news anchor Dianne Brewer.

Dr Julie Dunstan, Executive Director of The Reading Clinic, said: “We are excited to be able to bring this wonderful film to Bermuda. Along with our guest panellists, it offers an opportunity for people to learn more about dyslexia from those with first-hand experience and how, through awareness and intervention, it can be overcome and allow children to realise their full potential. It promises to be a fascinating and inspiring evening that will truly enable people to get the ‘big picture’ about dyslexia.”

The event is on Friday (November 22) at 5.30pm at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) with a cocktail reception in the BUEI lobby. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased from The Reading Clinic at 54 Serpentine Road, Pembroke or by contacting Carmilita Curtis on 292-3938 or ccurtis@readingclinic.bm. Free childcare will also be provided during the event. Please contact The Reading Clinic for details.

For more details about The Big Picture film, go to: thebigpicturemovie.com.