Introduction
The filmmaker, James Redford, describes how dyslexia has impacted several families around the world. He devotes much of the production to children who suffer from this condition and utilizes the works of two healthcare professionals, Sally and Shaywitz Bennet (HBO Documentary Films, 2017). Notably, this film surpasses the contributions of other productions concerning this mental disorder. This essay reviews as well as reflects on the contents of the movie.
Review
In addition to using the experiences of students at different levels of schooling, James Redford interviews powerful public figures, such as Richard Branson and Charles Schwab, who suffer from this reading disability. By utilizing these individuals, the film describes their difficulties and the mechanisms they have employed to cope and succeed in their lives. For example, the audience learns that Richard Branson could not distinguish between ‘net’ and ‘gross’ principles in elementary bookkeeping. Thus, the filmmaker tries to demystify that this learning condition is a rare medical phenomenon; one in every five individuals in the global population suffers from it.
One of the strengths of the movie is the incorporation of medical professionals, Sandra and Bennet, who work at the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, and they bring the positive aspects of the mental disorder to the public. These two experts explain dyslexia using research findings in a sophisticated way that drives home the fact that this disorder has several sides, some of which the public does not know (HBO Documentary Films, 2017). For example, a significant number of people think that dyslexics combine alphabetic letters and, consequently, cannot read or write properly. Although this could be true, it is a generalized assumption (International Dyslexia Association, n.d.). Bennet’s research shows how affected brains work, unraveling the processes of interpreting letters and words as well as their related sounds. Therefore, dyslexics can also excel in creativity, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Reflection
Reflecting on the film, dyslexia is a common learning problem that affects many individuals in the population. There is credible evidence in the production that dyslexics can be renowned intellectuals who succeed in other fields in life (HBO Documentary Films, 2017). For instance, Richard Branson is a powerful businessman who has a chain of successful organizations across the world (HBO Documentary Films, 2017). What people lack is evidence-based information about this disorder. Parents should be encouraged to know that if their children are dyslexics, they can emerge victorious in the future. Individuals should not be held back in their lives by this mental reading disability. Redford has highlighted many ways of helping children living with this condition to improve how they learn to read. One of the best strategies to assist a suffering child is the use of the Orton-Gillingham approach, which has proved useful in the recent past (HBO Documentary Films, 2017). Although the majority prefers the Wilson method since it incorporates current information, it is limited in the utilization of the whole language principle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia is a unique film that provides critical information regarding the reading problem that many children face. The filmmaker has done a commendable job of offering credible and evidence-based facts to prove his assertions. Apart from using powerful personalities, the production also contains narrations from experts in this mental condition. Many individuals will benefit by applying what they learn in the movie.
References
HBO Documentary Films. (2017). The big picture: Rethinking dyslexia [Video file]. Web.
International Dyslexia Association. (n.d.). Dyslexia at a glance. Web.