When What You See and What You Think Don’t Always Align

Anri Louwrens
3 minutes ago
2 min read

Some experiences are universal.

Like reading a paragraph

and realising your mind wasn’t really where your eyes were.

You’ve seen the words.

But the meaning stayed just out of reach.

Most people have felt that.

For some learners — especially those with dyslexia —

that experience can happen much more often.

Not because of effort.

Not because of intelligence.

But because of the way perception and reading interact.

When perception shifts while reading:

Letters and words can feel less stable
They may blur
They may appear to move
They can become harder to hold attention on
Instructions can seem to disappear between one line and the next

From the outside, this can look like:

Distraction
Disengagement

From the inside, it can feel:

Confusing
Frustrating
Especially when the person knows they are capable of understanding

This distinction matters.

It changes how we interpret behaviour and effort.

It helps us see that:

Difficulty with print does not mean difficulty with thinking!

Many dyslexic adults describe themselves as:

Strong verbal thinkers
Imaginative
Good with ideas
Inventive
Perceptive in ways that don’t always show up in written tasks

This does not contradict their struggles with reading or writing.

It exists alongside them.

When we understand that perception plays a role in learning:

Conversations become more useful
Assumptions about effort begin to shift
Parents, educators and learners move toward a clearer understanding of experience

The documentary

Who Knew? Dyslexia is a Way of Thinking

explores these ideas through personal stories and reflection.

It offers an opportunity to:

Step back
Consider dyslexia from the inside
Look beyond the outside appearance of learning

Over the coming days (19th & 22nd of February 2026), NeuroNavigators is hosting special screenings of Who Knew? for those who would like to explore this perspective further.