“Aisha, it’s your turn to read the second paragraph,” Miss Eman said softly, her eyes scanning the class as everyone shifted in their seats.

Aisha’s heart raced as she reluctantly stood up. Her hands shook as she held the book. “One… su… summer, alo… along 1909, the… fa… father…” she stammered. The words seemed to jump all over the page, making it impossible to read.

The class burst into laughter, their giggles filling the room.

“Enough!” Miss Eman called out, slamming the duster on the whiteboard. The noise silenced everyone immediately. “Aisha, I want to see you after class,” she said gently.

Being different makes you unique

Aisha’s face turned red with embarrassment. “Yes… ma’am,” she whispered as she sank into her seat.

After the bell rang, Aisha slowly made her way to the staffroom, dreading the conversation. She knocked on the door softly.

“May I come in, ma’am?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, come in, Aisha,” Miss Eman replied with a warm smile. “Please, sit down.”

Miss Eman looked at Aisha kindly. “You’re a bright student, Aisha. You do so well in everything except reading. What’s going on? The words in the book are simple, but I see you struggling.”

Aisha looked down at her hands. “Ma’am, I have dyslexia. The words … they jump around when I try to read, and it’s really hard to focus.”

Miss Eman’s face softened with understanding. “Aisha, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You don’t have to hide this. Being different just means you learn in a special way. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’ll bring some special reading material to help you,” Miss Eman said.

“We’ll work on this together, okay?”

Aisha smiled, feeling hopeful for the first time.

The next day, during break, Miss Eman handed Aisha a bag full of special books and worksheets. “These are from a reading centre. They’re made for students with dyslexia. Let’s see how they work for you,” Miss Eman said.

Aisha took the bag gratefully. “Thank you, ma’am.”

In the weeks that followed, Aisha used the materials Miss Eman had given her. At first, it was tough, but slowly, things started to change. The words didn’t jump around as much anymore, and reading became less scary.

Once during break time, Miss Eman called Aisha to her desk. “Aisha, I’m really proud of your progress. How do you feel about joining extra reading classes? With a little more help, I know you can do even better.”

Aisha’s eyes brightened. “I’d love to, ma’am,” she said.

“We’ll need to ask your parents for their permission,” Miss Eman said with a smile.

That evening, Miss Eman called Aisha’s parents. She explained the extra classes and how they would help Aisha improve her reading.

“I can see how much Aisha wants to improve and I believe these classes will really help her,” Miss Eman explained.

“If Aisha is willing to work hard, we fully support her,” her father replied.

Aisha was overjoyed. She was grateful to have her parents’ support and Miss Eman’s help.

For the next few months, Aisha attended the extra reading classes. Miss Eman encouraged her every step of the way, and the special books made reading much easier. Slowly, Aisha’s confidence grew.

When the time came for the reading test, Aisha was nervous, but she knew she had worked hard. As she started reading the passage, she noticed something amazing, the words didn’t dance or jump anymore. They stayed still and clear. Aisha smiled to herself as she finished the test.

A week later, when the results were posted, Aisha was stunned to see she had scored 40 out of 50. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she raced to Miss Eman, throwing her arms around her in a tight embrace.

“Thank you, ma’am! I couldn’t have done this without your help!” Aisha exclaimed, her heart swelling with gratitude.

Miss Eman smiled warmly, her eyes shining with pride. “You did this, Aisha. Your hard work and determination brought you this far.”

As Aisha looked around the room, she noticed her classmates watching her with admiration. Even those who had once laughed at her were impressed by her success.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 23th, 2024