Artist's revelation: finding out he was dyslexic

Sought-after watercolour painter John Martin Borg said he "left school with two 'O' Levels and a bottle of arsenic," as he described his frustrating schooling years struggling with dyslexia.

He said he often felt looked down upon and was ridiculed in front of his classmates because he could not read well. But he went through life living with the condition and only realised he was dyslexic three years ago, when he noticed he could identify with the problems his daughter came across as a facilitator.

Only then could he appreciate what he experienced as a child. "However, I also understood that we all have abilities which surface according to our need," he argued.

To him, his dyslexia helped him develop as an artist. "Dyslexics are better visually and because I could work better visually, I could build a whole painting visually".

The topic was discussed at a seminar organised by the Malta Dyslexia Association last week.

The varied, interactive and practical lectures, centred on helping people with dyslexia, aimed to identify and develop their talents further.

"Dyslexics are making us recognise types of intelligence that were not recognised before," said Thomas West, world renowned dyslexia expert. He said most dyslexia success stories had a mentor who recognised the talent behind the struggle and helped foster it.

The association's chair, Carmen Muscat, acknowledged that a lot had been done in this regard but the educational system still had a long way to go to make the classroom more dyslexia-friendly.

"Exams especially should address these problems," she said, explaining that assessments could give more importance to verbal assessment rather than writing and reading.

The Prime Minister's wife, Kate Gonzi, who closed the seminar, highlighted the importance of research to continue to develop ways to help these children better and called on all the educators present to identify the potential in every child.