<p>My boyfriend (a high school junior) is one of the smartest people I've ever met (and I'm not just saying that because he's my boyfriend). He studies his parent's textbooks and such (both in dentistry), he goes to the library to read about subjects such as logic and physics, he can explain things to me that I never knew existed, and he soaks up this knowledge like a sponge. But his GPA is around 2.5. It takes him a long time to read things (making him a bad test taker) and he can't spell to save his life. English is his first language but he's also been speaking Spanish his whole life. When he was younger, he was diagnosed as dyslexic but refuses to admit it, get retested, or get any sort of help/tutoring. His parents don't think it's a problem, and think he's just slacking off. Also, since he doesn't do well in classes, he can't get enrolled in classes like physics, his favorite subject, which makes him very angry. He gets angry with me when I mention dyslexia. We've been together for 2 years and I think it's safe to say that I know him better than anyone else. To me, when I watch him read and write, it's obvious he's dyslexic. I've done my research and I know I'm not a doctor or anything but he has all the signs.</p>
<p>I know he could do better if he just got some special tutoring. What can I do to convince him to at least get retested?</p>
<p>“When he was younger, he was diagnosed as dyslexic but refuses to admit it, get retested, or get any sort of help/tutoring.”</p>
<p>As the old joke goes:
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?
One, but the lightbulb has to want to change.</p>
<p>Until this young person comes to believe that tutoring will help him master his reading difficulties, he’s not going to do anything about it. If his teachers, guidance counselor, or parents can be convinced that he has a difficulty, then any one of them can call a meeting of the special education team at his school and draw up a plan of studies. However, if he’s been in denial since elementary school, it will be difficult to get his cooperation now. </p>
<p>Many times students are in denial about having a learning disability, but it can be wonderful to finally discover a reason why their work is harder for them than their peers. There are tutoring programs that CAN help him with reading, writing, and spelling and there are simple accommodations that can make things easier for him, like extra time or books on tape.</p>
<p>All I can suggest is to appeal to his intellect … wouldn’t he like everyone to know how smart he is? To be able to be in those classes in which he can excel? To end up spending his life using his talents?</p>
<p>My D#1 is both gifted and LD. She spent the first part of her life trying to prove she was smart and cover up her weaknesses. She was miserable in school, had some real academic failures and eventually was evaluated and found to have a LD. She eventually dropped out of HS, went to community college, transferred to a 4 year college, and is now at an Ivy grad school. So, it really is possible and never too late to make a change.</p>
<p>My D is unlucky, in that her LD does not respond to tutoring … dyslexia does. Please keep working on your BF … maybe point out all the really successful and brilliant people who have dyslexia. Good luck!</p>