If you’re looking to find out more about dyslexia, here are seven documentaries that cover all the necessary details of this learning difficulty.

Dyslexia documentaries

Dyslexia is a type of learning disability which causes difficulty reading and sometimes difficulty writing, and it is is just one of three different types of reading disabilities. Although dyslexia can prevent people from consuming written material, it doesn’t affect their intelligence, as they are fully capable of living successful lives.

Unfortunately, dyslexic children can experience serious emotional and mental trauma at a young age due to having dyslexia. This trauma can be caused by any number of factors from bullying from their peers to struggling to do well in school.

To end the stigma of dyslexia, we first need to raise awareness about the condition. One great way to do this is to watch some of the best documentary films about dyslexia. Here are a few we recommend!

Embracing Dyslexia

2013’s Embracing Dyslexia documentary is a must-watch for anyone struggling with this learning difficulty, as well as those who want to understand it better. Unlike most films about health, Luis Macias’ work shows us dyslexia from a high school dyslexic student’s perspective. Of course, it also adds interviews with parents, adult dyslexics, and teachers to inform us what it’s like to live with dyslexia from many different perspectives.

Here’s a link for you to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBIK0XVPbXo

Left from Write

In just under an hour, Left from Write successfully describes what it’s like being unable to read because of dyslexia. However, it never leaves its audience without hope, which is something similar documentaries often do. It instead depicts numerous strengths of dyslexics and shows us how it’s still possible to reach the highest heights even with a challenging learning difficulty like dyslexia or dyscalculia (the math version of dyslexia).

You can give it a watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPhV9SyVmwA

Journey into Dyslexia

It doesn’t get much better than HBO documentaries and TV shows, and the same goes for their 2011 documentary Journey into Dyslexia. Aside from exploring the mysteries and myths of this condition, the movie’s main strengths are its filmmakers Alan Raymond and his wife Susan. The Oscar-winning couple take dyslexia straight onto the red carpet with fantastic production and direction that will leave everyone in awe.

You can watch the full film online on HBO.com. Here’s the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyQxNuG2xg

The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia

Another great insight into what it’s like being dyslexic is 2012’s The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia. Although it describes the inescapable struggles of people with this learning difficulty, the documentary also provides fascinating facts about how many dyslexics are highly intelligent, like Richard Branson. It explains this phenomenon by pointing out that dyslexics are required to think outside the box, so they develop higher IQs than others.

You can check out the trailer right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1uPlM8ctI8

Dyslexia: Language and Childhood

Just like HBO in the United States, the BBC is the golden standard for documentaries in Britain and the rest of Europe. Their famous work Dyslexia: Language and Childhood is considered one of the best pieces of documentary work about this learning difficulty. Aside from usual stats and interviews, this film also talks about people being dyslexic in one language while being able to normally read others.

You can listen to it on the BBC’s website for free. Here’s the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct16c7

Dispatches: The Dyslexia Myth

Unlike other documentaries, Dispatches: The Dyslexia Myth isn’t concerned with interviews with children, teachers, and parents. Rather, it focuses on myths and misconceptions that most of us have about this learning disability. Moreover, it suggests how our misunderstandings of dyslexia and the current school system make things even worse for people struggling with it. It’s a worthy watch as it allows us to understand what we can do to help those in need around us.

It’s available in full on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lrAQedApVg

Dislecksia: The Movie

Lastly, we need to mention Harvey Hubbell the Fifth’s documentary Dislecksia: The Movie. It makes an interesting point about how dyslexia isn’t a difficulty or disability, but rather a learning difference. It features similar ideas to those of previously mentioned The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia, yet it also provides new notions and points of view. Billy Bob Thorton also appears in it, making it an essential watch if you’re a fan of his work.

You can currently stream it on Amazon Prime. Before you do, do check out the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqJZn4ugfas

FAQs

Do dyslexics have a higher IQ?

Despite struggles with reading written content, dyslexia doesn’t affect people’s IQ. Most dyslexics are of average to above-average intelligence, and just like the rest of the population, some have superior to very superior IQ scores.

Which of these movies dealt with the learning disability called dyslexia?

The film Taare Zameen Par (Stars Upon the Ground) portrays the difficult life of a child with dyslexia and his eventual success after his artistic talents are discovered by his art teacher at his boarding school.

What are red flags of dyslexia?

Red flags, or signs of dyslexia, in children may include:

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes or recognizing rhyming patterns
• Lack of interest in learning to read
• Difficulty remembering the names of letters in the student's name or learning to spell or write their name
• Difficulty reciting the alphabet
• Misreading or leaving out smaller words

What are the best resources for dyslexia?

Some of the best resources for dyslexia include:

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
• Headstrong Nation
• International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
• LD Online
• Lime Connect
• National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
• Neuhaus Education Center
• The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)

How does dyslexia affect the brain?

Dyslexia changes regular processing patterns, making the brain under and over-activated when it comes to reading and writing.

What is the definition of dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that prevents people from identifying speech sounds in letters and words.

What are some of the causes of dyslexia?

The exact cause of dyslexia is unknown. However, some studies suggest that it’s genetic, as people with a family history of dyslexia have a higher chance of inheriting the genes that impact certain parts of the brain.

What are some symptoms of dyslexia?

Symptoms of dyslexia may include:

• Confusing similar letters like “b” and “d”
• Struggling to write down answers while being able to speak just fine
• Switching the order of letters in words
• Slow reading and making mistakes when reading aloud

What famous dyslexic has been a success in life?

There have been many famous people with dyslexia! A few people who were successful even with dyslexia include:

• Leonardo da Vinci
• Walt Disney
• Orlando Bloom
• Albert Einstein
• Maggie Aderin-Pocock
• Charles Schwab