Locating dyslexic performance: text, identity and creativity

Abstract

Historically, dyslexia research has focused on the literacy aspects of dyslexia on children, and more recent definitions of dyslexia have included the cognitive processing aspects of verbal language, memory and organisation. However, these neuro-cognitive accounts largely conceptualise dyslexia as a neurological dysfunction, with only a small body of work using phenomenology and social disability theory to focus on the individual perceptions of dyslexic learners. This article explores the experiences of adult dyslexic actors through the lens of Mearleu-Ponty's phenomenology of embodiment, discussing their lived experience of both verbal and written language, and the impact of dyslexia on their identity and creative process. Drawing on these experiences and also on neuro-cognitive accounts of dyslexic strengths, the article suggests that dyslexic learners have a different intentional relationship to verbal language which is created as a result of a dynamic brain–body–world interaction. It firstly outlines the behavioural characteristics of dyslexia and then discusses the potential role of reading and performance in constructing positive dyslexic experiences and identities. It goes on to describe some of the perceived strengths of dyslexia and the ways in which these might impact on performance.