Strengths in higher level thinking processes

 

 
The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity laboratory, under the guidance of Dr Sally Shaywitz, Professor in Learning Development and Co-director of the center, has found that dyslexics often display a range of strengths in higher level thinking processes.


Strengths in higher level thinking processes include:

  • High learning capability

  • Noticeable improvement when given additional time on multiple choice tests

  • Noticeable excellence when focused on a highly specialized area such as medicine, law, public policy, finance, architecture, basic science

  • Excellence at writing if content and not spelling is important

  • Noticeable articulateness in expression of ideas and feelings

  • Exceptional empathy and warmth and feeling for others

  • Success in areas not dependent on rote memory

  • Talent for high level conceptualization

  • Ability to come up with original insights

  • Big picture thinkers

  • Inclination to think out-of-the-box

  • Noticeable resilience and ability to adapt

 
Reflecting these strengths, dyslexics are often high level conceptualizers who manifest “out-of-the-box thinking” and are frequently the ones who provide new insights. As a person who is dyslexic progresses and is able to specialize in an area, s/he may become relatively automatic in reading the vocabulary recurring in that area


Dyslexics are often represented at the higher levels of a range of professions and are frequently found as leaders in such diverse areas as science, medicine, law, business, writing/literature, poetry.

To find out more about her other areas of research click here.




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