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Hilda Dicus

My name is Hilda Dicus, and I have always had a lifelong curiosity and love of learning. I studied education and intercultural studies in college, and did my student teaching at Northwest Cabarrus High School. I lived in Asia for 13 years, working with Indonesian and American college students in a Summer Abroad/Study Abroad program. I am enthusiastic about unlocking the hidden potential that every student has, and helping them overcome whatever obstacles may stand in their way. I also love how study of the English language facilitates connection between people. I am currently in training to become a Dyslexia Therapist and am passionate that every student graduate with the ability to read.


Famous People who have overcome Adversity in their Disabilities:

Nick Vujicic, a Serbian-Australian who was born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia, which results in the absence of all four limbs. In this video about Nick, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE) you will see that despite Nick's physical disabilities he is more like than unlike people without disabilities. Nick Vujicic helps individuals move beyond their disabilities to reach their maximum potential. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ0UFbU2tFU).

Consider the successes of the individuals shown in this video about famous people with dyslexia (a form of learning disability in reading) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoeZAXUZbqQ). For example, Charles Schwab, the ultra successful entrepreneur, discovered his learning disability in his late 50s. Despite his struggles with learning, he founded and serves as the CEO of Charles Schwab Corporation. Schwab also founded the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation for education. For more information about Charles Schwab and his work in the field of learning disabilities visit his foundation website or the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity.

As a high functioning person with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), Temple Grandin has been able to articulate how her perceptions differ from those of others. Among other things, she emphasizes how much she “thinks” in pictures. By volunteering to have neuroimaging performed on her brain, she is helping scientists to better understand neuronal under-connectivity, as well as why she and many others with high functioning autism have well-developed visual and spatial processing abilities and poorer social skills:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA4tE3_2qmI

The following are some of the more well-known cases of autism savant syndrome. As you’ll see, some are apparently born with the condition whereas others acquire it as the result of some kind of brain injury.