Another Celebrity with Dyslexia – Steven Spielberg

Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia and/or ADHD:  “Don’t let it hold you back,” says Spielberg

When we think of Steven Spielberg, we think of ET, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park, to name just a few of his films. Spielberg is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards for Best Director How did a kid who read two grade levels behind his classmates and still takes more than twice as long to read a document as the average reader become one of the most successful celebrities in film making?

Diagnosed with dyslexia at 60

Though Spielberg had obvious talents, they did not include school or sports. First diagnosed with dyslexia at age 60, Spielberg recalls that this diagnosis was “the last puzzle piece to a great mystery that I’ve kept to myself.” Once he learned that he struggles with dyslexia, Spielberg recalled being bullied by his classmates. He finally understood why he feared being called upon to read aloud and therefore dreaded going to high school.

From school to film making and back to school

By age of 12, young Spielberg began making movies. In 1968, Universal Studios offered him an internship, so he dropped out of college to become a filmmaker. He returned to college when he was in his 50s because he wanted to set a good example for his children and felt strongly that “when you start something, you should finish it.”

Caring Parents

Though he had to overcome the many challenges associated with dyslexia, Spielberg says he “never felt like a victim.” Spielberg was fortunate to have caring parents – a mother who was involved with English and a father who was involved with math and history. “But they were both really really caring parents in terms of my keeping up with studies.”

Slow and steady – the key to successful reading for Spielberg

As recorded in an celebrity-with-dyslexia, Spielberg said: “I’m in business right now where learning to read is very important. It’s of critical importance to me that I read books and scripts. And I’ve been able to overcompensate, and I’ve basically—never feeling ashamed of myself—will take 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours to read 120 pages. It takes me about two hours and 45 minutes to read what most people can read in about an hour and 10 minutes.

I just know that I’m still slow at reading but I’ve learned to adjust.” Though it takes him more than twice as long as anyone else to read a document, Spielberg claims this slow pace enables him to absorb the contents more thoroughly. “I retain almost everything I read,” says Spielberg.

A simple message for a complex challenge

Steven Spielberg’s message for people with dyslexia is simple. “You are not alone, and while you will have dyslexia for the rest of your life, you can dart between the raindrops to get where you want to go. It will not hold you back.”