S4E21: The Myth of Slow Processing in Dyslexia

In this conversation, Juliet and Brent discuss the concept of word blindness and dyslexia, particularly focusing on the processing speed of dyslexic individuals. They explore the common misconception that dyslexics are slow processors, arguing instead that they process information differently and often more richly. The discussion delves into the complexities of dyslexic thought, the role of imagery in processing, and the cultural and gender perspectives that influence how dyslexia is perceived. The conversation concludes with a call for more understanding and dialogue around dyslexia and cognitive processing.

 

Chapters

 

00:00 Understanding Word Blindness and Dyslexia

03:03 The Processing Speed Debate

05:57 The Complexity of Dyslexic Processing

08:59 Exploring Perspectives on Processing

12:01 The Role of Imagery in Dyslexic Thought

15:03 Cultural and Gender Perspectives on Processing

18:09 Concluding Thoughts on Dyslexia and Processing

 

Transcript:

00:00:07:00 - 00:00:22:23

Unknown

Okay, so we're having a bit of a debate here on word blindness. So I'm going to say the word word blindness because last time we did it and I kind of liked that. But I'm not going to go into our regular stuff. So we're having a debate on the processing of a dyslexic. I saw a clip and I was like, oh my God, that's totally me.

 

00:00:23:01 - 00:00:42:05

Unknown

If so, are you going to play that clip? So everybody has understanding of what this clip is. You know what? I can put it in the show notes, but I can play it right now. And can you hear it? So the the listeners can understand instead of us kind of debating off of what. So it's someone that we've had on the podcast, Doctor Jacob Santos and I love all of his stuff.

 

00:00:42:05 - 00:00:59:11

Unknown

It reads great job. He does a great job, you know, communicating, expressing some great things. Yeah. Anyway, that's one. So they have the understanding of this. Yeah. Okay, so I hope you guys can hear this, but then put the mic to the mic. I'm going to but I don't know if it's going to be when it plays back.

 

00:00:59:11 - 00:01:30:00

Unknown

If it's going to be quiet then you can hear it then you know put it in the show notes for the show notes. Yeah. Okay. Look at you. Okay. Ready? Yeah. Hold on. And talk about dyslexia. People often talk about dyslexic individuals as being slow processors. But I don't actually think that's right. NS part of the reason I don't think that's right has to do with one of the things that dyslexic individuals tend to be really good at in that is remembering or interacting with information in a way that's incredibly rich in it.

 

00:01:30:06 - 00:01:54:07

Unknown

For example, if I ask you to think of a boat, do you immediately begin to think, oh yes, a boat is a vessel or it's a craft. It's something that you get in, that you sit in on the water? Or does your mind begin to play through maybe all of or at least several of the last boats that you've seen, or maybe boats that you've written in or like experiences that you've had related to boats.

 

00:01:54:09 - 00:02:13:22

Unknown

Because so often for dyslexic individuals, what our brains do is they begin to just play all of this information out in front of in front of our minds. I think I'm seeing all of these different things in. So answering the question, okay, what is a boat isn't just simply, oh, it's a thing that you sit on in the water.

 

00:02:14:00 - 00:02:39:07

Unknown

It's okay. I have to take all of that information and decide what of this just incredible, vivid imagery I want to try and express. And that process can take a little bit more time. And I think that's why people often say, well, dyslexic individuals are slower processors because maybe it might take us another second to answer. But the reason it takes that extra second is because we're drawing from all of this information.

 

00:02:39:09 - 00:02:59:00

Unknown

And that's why I would argue, you know, we're not actually slow at all. In fact, it's incredibly fast. Like the speed at which you can process all of that information is kind of remarkable. Does it result in maybe responding slightly slower sometimes? Oh, absolutely. But it's not actually that it's a slower processor. It's just processing more information. People off.

 

00:02:59:00 - 00:03:20:23

Unknown

Okay. Can I go first, please do. Okay. So I 100% agree with him. So when he I someone says a word I do have this. Like I think of a word in many different scenarios. So like a boat when he said that I was like on a boat now I was like in the end in the Mediterranean, in Italy, I was thinking about details of a boat.

 

00:03:20:23 - 00:03:39:10

Unknown

I was thinking the size of the boat. I was thinking how fast it's like, ooh, a fast boat. So I like and I don't know if that can be considered attention deficit going off and like, not discussed, like not answering the question because I'm like, oh, now I'm in imagination world. But so I liked what he said. I was like, oh yeah, that's me, that's me.

 

00:03:39:10 - 00:04:05:22

Unknown

Right. It's not that I'm a slow processor. I have more details in my brain that to go through those details, to shift, sift through, to get what the question is might take me a longer time. So I really loved how he and especially, you know, said about it. And that's like my favorite thing. So when I asked you, I know I hate boats, you know, you just he just complicated things more.

 

00:04:05:22 - 00:04:32:08

Unknown

For what reason? The key to the point the key to the point was, you know, we're not slow processors. But he said just that the and he said still might take us longer to process the information to get it at all. You muddied all the water for no reason. No, because I think he I think nothing. What he was saying is we are not slower to get to the answer.

 

00:04:32:08 - 00:04:50:02

Unknown

It might take us longer to speak it because we're processing, but it's it's so it's the definition of slow processing. It's not slow processing. It might be slow. It's like processing. I'm processing a million things in my head at once. That's so. But that's not slow. So the word slow is missing the car. You're missing the point. No.

 

00:04:50:02 - 00:05:11:12

Unknown

So I think you're missing the point. No, it's still takes us. It's still. It's still takes a long time to get the answer out. Right. Yeah, but but that's not that's that's that's not the question. That's not the question. So this is where the money this is where the waters are muddied news. I think it's slow to answer, but answer the question not process the question.

 

00:05:11:12 - 00:05:33:23

Unknown

So and don't you want they want the answer right. So slow process it takes us time to. And he said on there to answer the question right. Who cares. Had. Well because it's hard to answer. It's not slow to process slowly know so you can go we can process. We can not process. We can do whatever in our heads.

 

00:05:33:23 - 00:06:00:09

Unknown

Never, never understand it. You just muddy the water for long. You just muddy the water more for non dyslexics. See, I, I totally I totally disagree with you there. Oh I like this. We never really disagree. I like this because no it's so slow to answer and slow to process or two different things. So if the question was are you slow to answer yes, maybe someone's floating answer and is it because you're slow processor?

 

00:06:00:10 - 00:06:26:03

Unknown

You're honest answer such a slow process. No, because you're in your head. You're going fast. Your fast processing. You're just not getting it out. Who cares what's in our head? Well, but I think for a definition it does. You know, I mean, definitions are going back from your time to the non dyslexics. No. So a non dyslexic but a non if you say slow process a non dyslexic might be like oh they're just sitting there in blank world being like here.

 

00:06:26:05 - 00:06:47:01

Unknown

And like now it's like they're thinking of a million things about a boat to get to the answer that needs. So that's not a slow process. They're fast processing through more information. I didn't think morning by boat and so I hated it. Not after that that I lost a right was which is interesting. So that's like I would love for because I totally was like, oh my God, I love this.

 

00:06:47:01 - 00:07:03:11

Unknown

Like I sent it to you right away. And I was like, I want to know what your thoughts are. I kind of knew that you were not going to agree. But this is where just like, this is where the brain is so complex. This is where it's so beautiful, and it's also so interesting about the range of dyslexia.

 

00:07:03:12 - 00:07:22:05

Unknown

Like, I would love to now get like a doctor on to talk about it. Is it is that a dyslexic thing, an attention deficit? Is it more you know, how we talk about the different spectrums like right. Like maybe I'm more ADHD. So that's why I'm like, oh, I'm on a boat now in Santorini of all where Santorini.

 

00:07:22:07 - 00:07:39:05

Unknown

Was that a dream? Anyway, I'm not I don't go to the Mediterranean. I don't go to Santorini. I'm. I go to Florida. That's going to be torture enough as it is. I know you not like the warm, That's why you're wearing no shirt. And it's like degrees. Americans think it's cold, like it's, you know, it's T-shirt weather.

 

00:07:39:05 - 00:08:08:09

Unknown

Come on. Yeah. Now, when it snows, I actually think it's not as cold, but it is. I mean, for, you know, it is, it's it's cold, but maybe you're you're you're built different. You're Canadian. Different, different. Different for temperatures. Now, do you get extra hot when you're in the hot, like, do you get hot faster or like, do you think you overheat more and feel the heat as like because you don't feel the cold.

 

00:08:08:09 - 00:08:26:08

Unknown

So do you feel the heat more? I rather being cold all day long because then I think, oh, Elizabeth's like you're a furnace. Yeah. So you are you you're you run a hot. It's a guy you should. Well, I know when you get up, you know, in the middle of night. I know when you get up because my furnace has gone like this, but.

 

00:08:26:08 - 00:08:46:16

Unknown

So that's the thing. So you you run hot. That's why you prefer the cold. I think people that it's probably colder than it was on Sunday. You know, it's, you know, it felt like -70 a whole and was was like, hang on a second. Your mom is taking the dogs for a walk. I'm like, yeah, it's only -70.

 

00:08:46:18 - 00:09:06:00

Unknown

She probably took them on a 2 or 3 mile run, isn't it? Doesn't. They're like poor little nose, like frostbite. And my boxer gets a jacket. Come on. This thing is she's outside for like, two seconds in her paws in here. And we we do not know if you're lucky enough to get her pee. Then she ain't poop.

 

00:09:06:00 - 00:09:27:10

Unknown

And she finally find her closet. Yeah. This is the guy I don't like. Well, but that is it. Do I mean, people do build up, like, you know, when when people that are down south do they do it? Just become a pussy. Okay. Or you could say that. Okay, back to processing. No. So I, I mean, I think it's different.

 

00:09:27:10 - 00:09:52:18

Unknown

I think it's I wonder if it's. Yeah. Again, the spectrum thing or we are saying the same thing. And so some process is slow. They automatically think you're answering slow. Right. And we don't process slow. That's his point. It doesn't matter what we do. This is for, you know, a non dyslexic right. We know what you know we already get frustrated enough now you just frustrated them.

 

00:09:52:23 - 00:10:09:14

Unknown

Now you confuse them even more okay. So now I disagree with you again. So I would love after this that first goes out I would love for someone that's a non dyslexic. If they're listening to now, because I think it's actually helpful for them to be like, I didn't process any of that. I'm like, all right, I hate boats now.

 

00:10:09:15 - 00:10:28:06

Unknown

Like ones. This actually kind of annoyed me. As long as they went, the more I know. Annoyed I got was, do you think that's just because it's you know, or do they? I would, because it took so long for him and he lost me with so many of these details and, you know, it, it sounded like again, he's he's awesome.

 

00:10:28:06 - 00:10:51:15

Unknown

What he what he does, he made it sound, like, you know, like a left ring person and friends, you know, we process your information for, you know, slower, right? That's our heart. And that's our our hardest thing, you know, now he's you lost me when the holy dragon. And on and on and on and on. You say I loved it.

 

00:10:51:18 - 00:11:12:18

Unknown

I shut it off, fully formed four words in it. So then maybe you didn't hear what he was saying. Oh, I was bored. I'm like, oh my God. Well, no, because you got a boat. And, what kind of boat or vessel? Who cares what it's because it's explaining. So instead of someone thinking like when a dyslexic is sitting there.

 

00:11:12:18 - 00:11:36:21

Unknown

So it basically is saying in my how I took it. And this is why I liked it is like some people will say, write a dyslexic. I mean now we know. And we, we talked about this a million times. A lot of dyslexics have higher accused, but people that don't know about dyslexia. And you say you're dyslexic, you know, we've gotten people like, you know, someone on the airplane, oh, you don't seem like there's something wrong with you.

 

00:11:36:22 - 00:11:57:15

Unknown

I'm like, oh, excuse me. Okay. There's oh, I don't I mean, okay, I guess we can go deep down into your pockets and, and, exit aisle. So maybe there was some, so and that's, that's not true. So everyone's like, why did you do that? No, I that was not true. But my whole point is someone that maybe doesn't understand will be like, oh, okay.

 

00:11:57:15 - 00:12:22:18

Unknown

So it's not that they're slow to process. They're actually going through many more details then a left brain person. They're going through more details. So they're slow to answer, but they're in their brain. The processing is not slow. It's actually faster. So someone being like, oh, I understand because when you say slow to process, when someone says slow, I think of someone running, you know, the kid that you're like, run around the track and they're like that.

 

00:12:22:19 - 00:12:42:01

Unknown

You're like, I don't understand, what are you doing in there? They can't run like they're so slow. And you're like, so weird. I don't understand when you when you talk to someone that is actually not mentally altogether, that's more slow. You think of that when you use the word slow. To me, slow is negative. Unless I'm like, I'm slowing down my morning and I'm meditating.

 

00:12:42:01 - 00:13:05:16

Unknown

So hard right now since now. All right, that's positive. But the majority of the word slow, unless it's used in a positive can. When you say slow, I think negative like, oh, you're slow okay. That's a slow one. You know that to me. So like for being okay with that I am okay. That's you. That's why you might be annoyed at that.

 

00:13:05:16 - 00:13:29:09

Unknown

Right. Like you're I don't I don't want that. I don't want that. No I don't want people to think I'm slow in the brain. All right. So I would like someone to, like. I would like people when. What's your face? Oh. Oh, I miss Kiwis. Getting a little little tree, chief. Slow some days or some days. Okay.

 

00:13:29:11 - 00:14:03:17

Unknown

Right, right. But no, I so I'm very curious of what people's thoughts on that. And then I know you said you think it's, you know, anything that gets dragged out, it loses me, right? Right. You know, it's I was like, holy. A vessel who uses the word vessel. Because there's many different kind of boats. There's vessels, there's barges, there's yachts, there's speedboats, there's there's a lot of different kind of boats who have are who cares on all those.

 

00:14:03:21 - 00:14:22:12

Unknown

I like anybody who? Everywhere. Oh, are you on a vessel? Are you on a barge? Which one are you? Well, because if you know someone's on a barge, you know they're working a vessel. I don't know that they're working. Oh, I could actually go. And I like this guy. Go. So, you know, there's a lot of context to it.

 

00:14:22:14 - 00:14:40:19

Unknown

So that's what I'm saying. I understand where he's coming from on this now. It's because I'm interested. I like boats, I like to think of like, I, I like, but only boat I would like is one with concrete boots where I can jump in and not come back. I know you know, you don't like one, right? Or that's not right.

 

00:14:40:19 - 00:15:10:10

Unknown

Yeah, I know you. We're very opposite in this one. You don't like boats. So if someone said a different kind of word, if he used. Red bull. Would you start? And there was a question with Red bull. What would you think of a thousand different Red Bulls, like all the different flavors and the ones that you like? Oh, I wonder if that's a man thing.

 

00:15:10:12 - 00:15:27:13

Unknown

Well. Or are you just fucking. Here's my water. I was actually going to say I'm very proud of you, but I didn't want to. I was like, oh my gosh, he's drinking water. I'm so proud of him. I actually went and got my own water bottle and I've been drinking a lot of water. I'm very proud of you.

 

00:15:27:13 - 00:15:46:03

Unknown

I didn't want to pointed out because it's like, well, what do you do? It? You're hydrating, which you should have been for 30. Yeah. Oh yeah. Last what, ten years? Well, I'm just saying I don't like your question when I think Red bull, I do not think of anything but. But what? The word. Oh, you said Red bull.

 

00:15:46:03 - 00:16:06:00

Unknown

Okay. Done. Okay, so when someone says tree to you, do you picture the word tree or the an actual tree. Oh, tree. Not the word right. You don't think the word right? Because, I mean, most dyslexics think of the picture right now. Do you think like I go through and I'm like, oh, there's the birch. Then there's the pine.

 

00:16:06:02 - 00:16:28:12

Unknown

Nope. Okay. I actually would like, Is Elizabeth around? Because I actually want to know. Okay. Sure. Okay. Can can issue camera ready or. No. Yeah I just she's I don't know. Yeah. Yeah okay. Well can she get close enough that I can that I can like that. She can, I can, she can I can listen to her in the microphone because I can't hear.

 

00:16:28:14 - 00:16:50:14

Unknown

She's right here okay. So Elizabeth, if you, if someone says the word tree or like the word boat or whatever a word, do you think of the actual letters of the word or a picture? I think the picture trees and. All right. Okay. Now that protects trees. She does think, did she just say I think of different types of trees?

 

00:16:50:17 - 00:17:10:05

Unknown

Thank you. Arboretum. Oh yeah. Yes. Okay. So okay, so I don't know if this is a man woman thing that. Thank you Elizabeth. That's my point. Like when you think of boats, do you think of like like all different kind of boats, right. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, Brant, things on, you know, like. Yeah. The picture like a visual of it.

 

00:17:10:06 - 00:17:27:15

Unknown

Yeah. And then you think of, like all the visual learner. Yes. I mean I don't know. Then her. Well that's what her point was that I think of and you know, this kind of boat then I think of that kind of boat and then I think of more I think I've got so and I think about me getting on a boat and then going to Santorini if you see the bird now.

 

00:17:27:18 - 00:17:45:20

Unknown

Oh my goodness. She thinks a very kind of bird and bird and how they sleep and how they, how they may. Oh she does it all. Oh yeah. Yeah. Okay. So I do the same. So now this is the other question I don't know. Thank you Elizabeth I appreciate it I don't know if that's a female thing versus a male thing.

 

00:17:45:20 - 00:18:06:17

Unknown

And that's obviously Elizabeth's not dyslexic now she has ADHD. So she's still you know she's got one of the five D's. So now I would be very interested. And my husband's not around because I would be calling him up. You know, I, I'm sure Dan wants to walk into this. You'd be like, oh, for fuck's sake. But that is like, to me, very fascinating.

 

00:18:06:17 - 00:18:35:05

Unknown

And I think that helps the left brain person that doesn't have any of the D's be like, oh, interesting. Okay, so they're just not thinking of, like, you know, when someone says boat B0808 for a second I was like, you fucking misspelled that. That's embarrassing. So I don't know. So I that's my whole point is I liked Jacob's thing because it made me think, and I like to think, so I but again, I don't know.

 

00:18:35:05 - 00:18:53:23

Unknown

It's now we need we need to I need we need to ask this question and then have another follow up conversation on, because I'm pretty sure I know what Dan's answer's going to be. And because we've had certain things like, oh, do you think of it, what's the I don't think of that when you come back. But I think that's a more of a also a man thing.

 

00:18:54:01 - 00:19:15:09

Unknown

But Doctor Jacob's a man I know. My brother thinks and like, I know he. But he's also could be, you know, has both of them. Also, I have some of the five DS, so I need to find someone. We need to find someone that doesn't have any of the five DS. Oh, we can ask Brian McDonald because that's an engineering brain.

 

00:19:15:11 - 00:19:35:17

Unknown

Yeah. Or we can ask Clay, but yeah, but he's you know, he's on the, does you get five DS. Oh you're right. Right, right. Okay. Yeah. So okay. Ryan McDonald I don't think there's any of the five days. I don't think he's going to get a nice voice note today. Oh, boy. I feel sorry, Ryan, to just give her a heads up.

 

00:19:35:19 - 00:19:55:03

Unknown

Us 15 long, 15 minutes. Very voice message from Julia. I'd say keep you prepared. Be sitting down when you get this one. I've been snowed in for a little bit. I mean, I, I talked some yesterday and like, they had like 6 or 8in of snow, it's again, it's not another day in Indiana. No. Yeah. Yeah. So I've been in is my point.

 

00:19:55:03 - 00:20:14:05

Unknown

So I've had some a little time on my hands which is and then I was sick. Might be this morning however I'm a little bit more time on my hands. So I have I have some conversations I want to get into and no one in my house is. Everyone's finished with my conversations. Oh, I cannot blame them. Take your put your Curious George shirt on.

 

00:20:14:07 - 00:20:34:19

Unknown

I go watch your neighborhood and go walk the neighborhood right? That could be a good set of questions. So yeah, like the interview. Well, I mean, it's like in the neighborhood, you know, don't get me wrong, it's a progression. I don't need to add anything else. Boys can be boys. Girls can make girl. That's an episode of Mr. Rogers.

 

00:20:34:19 - 00:20:58:05

Unknown

I designed it, yeah. Making the shoe off of the sweater, he said. Yeah, Mr. Rogers is an interesting one. I actually, I think I enjoyed some of Mr. Rogers, neighborhood. So you also said because we have this, like 20 minutes, we could end here or we could in less, etc.. What? It don't get snippy. You you.

 

00:20:58:06 - 00:21:23:22

Unknown

Before we started recording, you said I had something interesting and then you're like, just hit record. And I was like, okay, I'm going to. But like, I don't know, cool. I. So so it was not that interesting. I'm teasing. It was zero clue. Okay. I all right. I even you know what else? I think that's cool.

 

00:21:23:22 - 00:21:47:11

Unknown

What and what the what what it was. Do you want to do you want to hear a little bit more depth about the boats? When I even think of, I think of like, if there's rocks in the area, like the depth and like you have to be really careful. Yeah. Oh, and I have a whole picture on my other screen here of like a beautiful water with rocks.

 

00:21:47:11 - 00:22:06:22

Unknown

And I think about like a boat trying to maneuver here to get to the what there's like, what do they say if you look at water? Yeah, like 15 minutes every day you extend your life or at least it's under a relaxing it. Oh my God, I can't relax. So shoot. So shoot me. Well, but you have trauma around what?

 

00:22:06:23 - 00:22:34:12

Unknown

I'd rather look at farmland all day long. Yeah, I know that. Like, I could look at a dirt field and feel calm. Right. Thursday we're going to Saint Louis, and that's one of my most favorite drives from Chicago and Saint Louis. That's more farmland. See, that's great. But you know where you can, like, find peace. Yeah, yeah, but you also have trauma around water.

 

00:22:34:14 - 00:23:04:04

Unknown

Yeah. I peed the bed last night. You you was drowned. Rounds. That's a whole other issue now because you're drinking water. Oh, you're right. And she didn't get my. Depends. She forgot to get my diapers. Oh, bring so bone. All right. So we're going to leave it at that. Thank you for joining another episode of Word Blindness Dyslexia Expo.

 

00:23:04:06 - 00:23:39:02

Unknown

Don't forget to rate, review and send to your friend because this is actually an interesting conversation. I'm very interested in the non dyslexic thoughts about this. So you can also find us. So Bowl foundation.org. There's emails that you can get there. You can also email be sober and sober foundation dawg. Or you can email me at info at I am Juliet hon, but we, I mean, there's these are kind of conversations that are important because people can get in our brains a little bit for.