by Matt Zahn
The following is a college application essay written by Stern Center alum, Matt Zahn, that talks about his struggles with dyslexia and his determination in finding his own success:
Life is full of ironies. Throughout childhood kids are constantly seeking to be like everyone else. They long to be part of a larger group where they can identify and blend, such as the soccer team, scouts, band or the local ballet troupe. Groups offer a comfort and stability from the angst of youth. Before long, high school, senior year and college applications roll around. Suddenly kids must stand out from the crowd. They can no longer afford to blend in. Young adults must stand on their own two feet, advocate for themselves and navigate the college admissions process. For most this is a dramatic and uncomfortable change; for others, however, being different has been a way of life.
The scene: a Norman Rockwell classroom, the sound of children running by laughing candidly, the raw warmth of recess-sun-kissed skin, the smell of Fritos hanging in the air. This is my life in third grade. The matronly teacher, Mrs. McCloud, herds the children into the circle of chairs to read Dr. Seuss’ I Wish That I Had Duck Feet. Everyone follows along with their fingers, each taking a turn to read paragraphs rhythmically. It’s my turn to read. Letters float off the page before me.
Iw ish
thatI haddu ckfeet
An dIca nte llyouw hy.
Youca nspl asharo undin duck feet.
Youdo n’tha vetok eepth emdry.
Suddenly, I’m sweaty and fidgety. I lean back on my chair so far I fall over. The class erupts in ripples of laughter. All order is lost. Phew.
Brain Teaser:
This one has caused a lot of debate! What do you think?
Take a new test aimed at the world’s English Language Learners. Wondering how your English skills stack up? Try the sample questions at the end of the article on testing ELL students and see how you would fare. Do you agree or disagree with the answers?
Interesting Literacy and Learning Links:
This is awesome! Through Your Child’s Eyes. It’s one thing to read about how a learning or attention issue can affect your child. It’s another thing to see it through your child’s eyes. Experience firsthand how frustrating it can be when your hand won’t write what your brain is telling it to write. Find out why it can be so hard to complete a simple task even when you’re trying to pay attention. Experience it yourself. National Center for Learning Disabilities.
by Blanche Podhajski
I love literacy because of precious memories. My mother and big sister worked in beautiful stone buildings that housed the libraries in my home town. I remember them bringing home treasures of books they would read to me as a preschooler.
That’s probably where my love of language began. Curious George, Madeline and Babar became as close friends to me as Ruthie who lived down the street.
Learning to read when I entered Kindergarten couldn’t happen fast enough. But I was disappointed just reading sight words like run, jump and Spot which characterized instruction in my educational era. I was so much more excited when Miss Avery taught us about “magic e” in first grade and then showed us how to rhyme by changing initial letter sounds. I was off and really reading!
I remember curling up into a chair a few years later with the entire Freddy the Pig series. I felt especially proud that I could decode the title of Freddy and the Ignormus. I enjoyed talking at the dinner table about what an “ignormus” might be.
by Suzanne Loring
When your child is diagnosed with a learning disability it can be very overwhelming. Concern about school, worry about how your child is fitting in with others and questions about the future arise. Will they be successful? Will they go to college? What am I supposed to do? At the same time there can also be a sense of relief having finally figured out what the problem is that is holding your child back. Now you can get help.
However, we must be sure to not forget the child throughout all of our worrying. Not unlike you, your child has also likely gone through many of these emotional ups and downs: discouragement, fear, failure, relief, more fear. And, they have been struggling with these emotions while trying to keep up in school, keep up with friends, keep up with expectations and they are failing. So, it is very important to recognize that your child needs your support throughout this process.
