Dyscover
Art
There’s a group of people out there who see words as if they’re jumping around. They constantly write letters in reverse, make tons of spelling mistakes, can’t remember new words, stutter when reading aloud, skip words or even lines… They get labeled as “lazy,” “careless,” or even “slow.” These are kids with dyslexia.
Dyslexia, or reading difficulties, refers to a condition where someone has normal or even above-average intelligence but struggles with reading and writing compared to their peers. Neuroscience has shown that dyslexia isn’t caused by poor parenting, bad teaching, or any social or psychological issues. It’s a unique physiological characteristic related to how the brain works. It’s not a disease and doesn’t need to be treated. In China, 8 to 10 out of every 100 school-aged children face reading and writing difficulties, yet it’s something not many people know about.
Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. While dyslexic individuals struggle with processing written information, they often have unique strengths in other areas. Kids with dyslexia tend to have remarkable abilities in things like music, storytelling, social interactions, spatial awareness, and creativity. This is what we call “dyslexic thinking.”
So what happens when kids with endless creativity and imagination channel their “dyslexic thinking” into art?
This summer, Dyscovery, the Learning Love Association, and the W.AWARDS partnered up to launch the “Dyscover Artist” campaign. Through the language of art, we’re giving people a glimpse into the inner world of kids with dyslexia. Two young artists, Luo Haoyu and Zhou Hongye, wowed us with their incredible creativity and won the Excellence Award. Let’s take a moment to admire their work!
Luo Haoyu’s Work
Luo Haoyu, who goes by the nickname “Brother Ma,” is likely the youngest kid in his class. He has ADHD and dyslexia, and he’s into painting, coding, building with Legos, astronomy, hiking, and climbing. Oh, and he’s a huge fan of dogs. Spelling words and memorizing Chinese characters are tough for him, but everything else? No problem. He often prefers to listen to books rather than reading them, and he’s got a knack for making things. The girls in his class are super envious of his “magic hands” that can make all sorts of things like handmade journals, laptop covers, macarons, and all kinds of knotted crafts. These little creations are a hit with his classmates!
Zhou is 8 years old, and his nickname is “Weekend.” He says, “I love playing so much that I’m always looking forward to the weekend!” He’s into painting, reading, crafting, and building with Legos. One of his favorite phrases is, “Trash is just treasure in the wrong place.” He can turn anything into something fun and useful. He also calls himself the “idea king,” always coming up with new and creative ideas. Can you guess what cool idea he has right now?
Zhou’s Work
Even though he has ADHD and struggles with writing, he absolutely loves reading. He’s into science, history, and philosophy books — those are his favorite topics. He could spend an entire day at the library, and his imagination knows no bounds. Lately, he’s been reading about the universe, and he can explain concepts like black holes, white holes, and wormholes in a way that makes total sense. He even makes up his own riddles! For example: “What’s the biggest eater in the universe?” The answer: a black hole. But when it comes to writing, he faces real challenges. In the first semester of first grade, the characters were simple, so it didn’t seem like a big deal. But by the second semester, while he could recognize the characters, he struggled with dictation. No matter how much time he spent studying the night before, the next day, it just wouldn’t stick. He says that sometimes his brain signals work, and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes he remembers how to write a character, and sometimes it’s like it just disappears. His teacher says he struggles in language class, but in science and hands-on activities, he’s a star. He’s super knowledgeable, quick to grasp new concepts, and his hands-on skills are top-notch.
Congratulations to Luo Haoyu and Zhou Hongye! Their award-winning pieces not only earned them honorary certificates jointly issued by the W.AWARDS, Dyscovery and Learning Association, but their artwork has also been selected as the special logo for the 2024 W.AWARDS Golden Net Awards final evaluation event. Their art will be showcased at the event and printed on limited-edition T-shirts as exclusive souvenirs for the guests.
Stories and workshops
