Embracing Dyslexia: Jace's Triumph in the Speech Competition

In the bustling classrooms of Ontario, Canada, resides an extraordinary nine-year-old boy named Jace. Jace recently achieved a remarkable feat by winning his class's speech competition with a powerful discourse on dyslexia. Little did he know that this would mark the beginning of an inspiring journey, where his resilience and determination would propel him to subsequent victories. Jace's tale serves as a beacon of hope, showcasing the incredible potential that lies within those with dyslexia.

The Bright Side of Dyslexia

“What do Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawkings, Bill Gates, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, and me, Jace, all have in common? We are all dyslexic,” proudly proclaims Jace. From an early age, Jace's parents noticed his struggles with memory, spelling, and reading comprehension. He couldn't remember the days of the week, the date of his birthday or how to spell his own name correctly. However, these challenges became his motivation to explore the world of dyslexia and uncover its hidden secrets.

Jace acknowledges that reading can be an arduous process for him, and spelling presents its own set of hurdles. But he has found a remarkable tool to aid him on his academic journey: his trusty iPad. With its assistance, Jace has unlocked a world of possibilities. His iPad can read texts aloud and utilize speech recognition to answer questions, eliminating the need to struggle with spelling. Jace's iPad has become an invaluable ally, enabling him to navigate the challenges of dyslexia with greater confidence.

Jace fervently believes that individuals with dyslexia possess unique qualities that set them apart. He affirms, “People with dyslexia are very artistic, are creative, are strategic thinkers, and have excellent verbal communication skills.” Jace confidently states that dyslexia can be likened to a superpower, a gift that allows individuals to achieve amazing feats.

Triumph and Inspiration

Jace's awe-inspiring journey took him from his initial triumph in the class speech competition to winning his school's competition. Buoyed by his success, he went on to conquer the regional semi-finals, leaving audiences spellbound with his eloquence and charisma. Finally, he secured the silver medal in the city finals. Throughout his progression, Jace inspired countless individuals with his resilience and unyielding determination.

But Jace's accomplishments did not come without effort. His dedication to his speech preparation was truly remarkable. He invested countless hours, immersing himself in the world of dyslexia. With his Chromebook as his guide, he eagerly devoured educational videos on the subject, pausing to dictate and capture essential facts on his trusted iPad. As his speech took shape, Jace meticulously recorded it, immersing himself in its content by listening to it repeatedly through his headphones. Recognizing the importance of retention, he meticulously crafted memory cards to aid in his delivery. Jace's meticulousness and unwavering commitment exemplify his relentless determination to succeed.

Jace's remarkable achievements shed light on dyslexia as a learning difference that affects reading, writing, and spelling skills. However, Jace firmly believes that dyslexia also imbues individuals with superpowers, empowering them to achieve extraordinary things. Jace's story serves as a testament to the limitless potential that lies within each person, regardless of the challenges they face. It is a reminder that with the right tools, support, and unwavering determination, anyone can overcome obstacles and soar to great heights.

“Jace's remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to all, illustrating the transformative power of embracing our differences and transforming them into strengths,” says Alicia Smith, Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada. “His unwavering spirit shines as a beacon of hope for individuals with dyslexia, reminding us all that diversity should be celebrated and cherished.”

Let us learn from Jace.

Jace's Speech: What it’s Like to Have Dyslexia

What do Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawkings, Bill Gates, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, and me, Jace, all have in common?  We are all dyslexic.

My speech will be focussing on dyslexia.  I will explain what dyslexia is, how it can affect people, and how dyslexia is also a superpower!

For those of you who don’t know what dyslexia is, dyslexia is a learning difference that affects the skills you need to read, spell, and write.  Dyslexia is probably more common than you think.  It is the most common learning difference.  1 in 10 people have some form of dyslexia, whether they realize it or not.

So let’s get down to how our brains work.  Everyone has 2 sides to their brains.  The left side controls language, reading and writing.  The right side controls music, art and your creativity.  Someone with dyslexia uses the right side of their brain more than their left side, which makes reading harder.  But most people with dyslexia CAN read, spell and write - it’s just a lot harder. We learn in a different way than people who do not have dyslexia! 

I’m going to share some examples of how dyslexia affects me, which will help you understand more about this learning difference.  

My mom and dad always tell me funny stories from when I was little.  Like I couldn’t remember the days of the week, I couldn’t remember my birthday, I couldn’t remember the months of the year, and I couldn’t remember how to spell my name!  And the name Jace isn’t a hard one to remember!  It’s 4 easy letters.  I was convinced it was spelt J-E-I-O-U!  But of course it is actually J-A-C- E!  That’s because a sequence of letters or numbers or even days of the week, mean nothing to me.

For me,  I think I see in pictures.  I’m not sure if this makes sense, but when someone is explaining something to me, or reading something to me, I turn it into pictures in my head to understand it. I can memorize facts and stats, but not by reading them, but by seeing pictures and hearing someone read them to me.

Reading is slow and spelling is very hard for me.  But I am very good at all school subjects especially math.  For all subjects, I use my iPad.  My iPad can read text to me that I can’t read, and I can speak my answers into my iPad that I can’t spell.
So even though dyslexia makes learning a bit more difficult, it also makes us really good at some things!
People with dyslexia have a very cool ability to see things differently, and are fast problem solvers!  Stephen Hawking (a theoretical physicist who is known for his work on black holes and the Big Bang Theory), Richard Branson (self made billionaire, astronaut and owner of over 400 businesses), Thomas Edison (the inventor of the light bulb), and Albert Einstein (known for developing the theory of relativity), are all dyslexic!

People with dyslexia are very artistic, are creative, are strategic thinkers, and have excellent verbal communication skills.  Steve Jobs (the creator of the Apple phone in your pocket), Bill Gates (the creator of the Microsoft computer), Walt Disney (the creator of all of our favourite movies), Steven Spielberg (the director of even more of our favourite movies!) are all dyslexic.  

Those are some of the most brilliant minds in our history, and they are all dyslexic!  Dyslexia is kind of like a superpower if you ask me!

In conclusion, remember dyslexia is a learning difference that affects the skills you need to read, write, and spell. But it also means we have superpowers, and can achieve amazing things!