Charlie: The boy with learning disabilities

Charlie: A Boy With Reading Difficulties And His Dream

Everyone has a dream to become someone special when they grow up. Each of us has a talent and we need to explore it to its fullest no matter what it takes or how much work is required. Charlie, a nine- year old boy with dyslexia feels discouraged and happy when he has to read in school or at home. No one should feel defeated about learning and as an educator and reading specialist who worked with children with learning difficulties in reading, I truly know that everyone learns at their own pace and own rate.

Charlie had a dream like most children do. His was special and unique to him. Charlie loved writing poetry and kept a book filled with his poems and thoughts. He loved reading these poems and wanted more than anything to become a poet when he got older. But, Charlie had to overcome not only the fact that he had a learning problem in reading but also the cruel and uncalled for comments of the other children in his class.

Children can be mean and say things that hurt the feelings of others especially when the other child does not fight back or they do not really understand what is behind the child’s difficulty. Charlie hated going to school for that reason, but with the encouragement of his mother and his supportive teacher he managed to learn and cope with his problem and more.

When Charlie is approached by a group of boys in his class one young man named William comes to his defense and a true friendship is born. William not only helps Charlie with this reading but also encourages him to enter the contest in school in poetry. Even though all of the children are required to enter, Charlie is motivated to write the best poem that will reflect his feelings and learn to read it fluently in front of his classmates and their parents.

When Poem Week came Charlie felt apprehensive about reading his poem. Not only that, but his teacher Mrs. Jones found his book of poems and wanted him to read one to the class. She felt that he had real talent.

What happens when he reads the poem and everyone listens to his words will forever endear you to him and more. Charlie is an inspiration to all children who ever had learning disabilities and the author of this book has written a great story that every educator, parent and child should read. I am going to read this to my niece who has a learning problem in reading and get her a copy of it for herself.

Teaching reading to children with learning disabilities was what I did for over 20 years. The look on the faces of the students that were non-readers at the beginning of the year and could read on grade level and sometimes above at the end brought joy into my heart. There are so many Charlie’s in the world. There are so many that are often not properly assessed with dyslexia or other disabilities. Having nieces and nephews with reading difficulties and working with them and my students has taught me and I am sure the author a lot. Every child can learn. Never give up on your dreams. Parents need to encourage their children and children need to encourage each other.

The suggestions to parents and teachers at the end of this book are invaluable.