5.3 Intuition

Dyslexic sports stars use their intuition to get a sense of what will happen next and respond quickly.

They synthesise all the visual information around them in a split second and weigh up all the possible outcomes in a situation, then act fast.

   Tapping into our intuition

Timing: 3 minutes

In this video, Kate hears from gifted children, an educator and NFL star Rashan Gary about how dyslexics use their intuition on the sports field.

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KATE GRIGGS
The third reason why dyslexics make unstoppable sports stars is we tap into our intuition, the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Reasoning and Visualising. When dyslexics use their strong visualisation skills, this can translate into an uncanny knack of knowing how the game is going to unfold or where the play is going to take place, which often influences the results of a game. Children at Millfield School, which specialises in sport and dyslexia explain this here.
CHILD #1
It's like a superpower in a way, because you can see things that other people can't. You see the bigger picture.
CHILD #2
I'm better at hockey because I know where to stand in the pitch, because I understand the game better.
KATE GRIGGS
Josh Clark, Chair of the International Dyslexia Association and Head of the Landmark School in Beverly, Massachusetts, describes dyslexic children's intuitive ability.
JOSH CLARK
They could be the child on the sports field, seems to have this premonition of how things are going to work. The child that can predict where the ball is going to go or know to move left when everyone else moves right because they understand that that's how the play is going to come about.
KATE GRIGGS
This kind of intuitive skill leads to an ability to be in the right place at the right time, which can change the course of a game. Here's NFL star Rashan Gary, to tell us more.
RASHAN GARY
Something I'm big on and that I key on. It could be different formations, different personnels. I'm able to look at a guy having his foot dug in the ground a certain way or having someone's weight on the tip of his fingers from the opposition, and I could tell where the guy going, where the play is going to go, to help me play better.
KATE GRIGGS
Amazing. The dyslexic mind's ability to see what others miss, weigh up all the possible outcomes in a situation and act fast to capitalise on an opportunity. It's no wonder that Rashan Gary is such a vital member of his team.
Here are three key takeaways from this section.
1. Dyslexics are skilled in spotting details others miss and weighing up all of the possible outcomes in a situation, and all in a split second.
2. This leads to an uncanny knack of knowing how the game is going to unfold.
3. It helps them be in the right place at the right time, which can change the course of a game.
End transcript
 
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Here are three key takeaways from this section

Dyslexics are skilled in spotting details others miss and weighing up all the possible outcomes in a situation. All in a split second.

This leads to an uncanny knack of knowing how the game is going to unfold.

And helps them be in the right place at the right time, which can change the course of a game.

5.2 Spatial Awareness

5.4 Perseverance