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2. Theory of Dyslexia
This study tries to analyze the main character who is Percy Jackson. He has a dyslexia syndrome. The syndrome occurs since the person in the childhood
period, around kindergarten until junior high school. According to James and Philip in Dyslexia: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated
Research Guide to Internet References, dyslexia is one of the most serious conditions afflicting the termination of human developmental disorders which
ranges from childhood like the development of their language, learning progress, and attention 2003: 3-64. It means that the syndrome of dyslexia can be seen
when the children go to school around kindergarten until junior high school. Furthermore, the syndrome of dyslexia can affect human development disorder
such as their language, learning progress, and attention. According to Bonnie R. Strickland in Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology,
the definition of dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by significant dispar
ity between an individual’s general intelligence and his or her language skill which is usually reflected from the school performance
Strickland, 2001: 200. Strickland wants to say that the dyslexia can disturb attention and cause hyperactivity disorder and disruptive behavior disorder.
For further explanation, the writer collects some information about dyslexia. The researcher Hughes quotes of a variety of indicators of dyslexia in
adults in Living with Dyslexia 2009:24: PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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a. Difficulty with reading unfamiliar material
It means when we learn a new vocabulary or new word, we have the difficulty to learn it. For example, usually we read a novel or book with many pictures in the
book, but suddenly we read a novel or book with no pictures in that novel or book.
b. Slow pace of reading
It depends on the situation and the ability of the people, especially, the people who have the dyslexia syndrome.
c. Understanding more easily when listening than when reading.
The dyslexic has a lack of the ability of reading. They can better understand a story through listening than reading.
d. Underachieving at school, particularly in exams.
Usually, the dyslexic also has a bad score in exams.
e. Having close family members with dyslexia.
Usually, the dyslexic may have come from their family or their relative. For example, they have someone who has the dyslexia syndrome.
Teachers can find that there are many factors that are experienced by the dyslexic. According to Neil Alexander-Passe in How Dyslexia Teenagers Cope,
not only children but also adult is identified as a dyslexic. Because they have a difficulty in reading, they feel being excluded by their friends. Afterward, there
are feelings like lack of confidence, behavioral problem, self-doubt, school refusal and competitive disorder 2006:6. M. Thomson and G. M. Hartley in
Academic Therapy say that the difficulties that they often face are withdrawing PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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their emotion and even conversely becoming aggressive by obtaining the negative attention from the people 1980:19.
Moreover, the dyslexic that is obtained is not only the deficiency of characteristics problems but also positive site.
The factor of the successful of the dyslexic in teenagers were active, expressive individuals
…. were pro-active to overcome hurdles, which require high levels of self-confidence
…. encouragement of talents and hobbies and a search for self-worth
…. also found that persistence and stubbornness were assets Passe, 2006: 3.
Based on the quotation above, Passe shows that the people who have the dyslexia syndrome can survive and be successful in their lives. It can be seen
from the dyslexics’ persistence and stubbornness.
3. The Bad Treatment Facing Dyslexic
The dyslexics usually try to live this lives normally as they can. However, people in the society often see them as disturbing people who have to
be isolated from the environment. It is because, commonly, normal people do not like to see something that diverges from the norm. People often treat the
dyslexics inappropriately because they think that the dyslexics are the people who are different from them. This situation then triggers the bad and unhealthy
relation between the society and the dyslexics. According to explanation Dr. Michael Ryan in The International
Dyslexia Association IDA, many people that suffer dyslexia get depression and frustrated from their lives. One of them is who has parents having great hopes
for his children to be a successful. It becomes a source of depression. After that, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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