Actress discusses dyslexia

If your child has learning disabilities, you might want to mention that actress Keira Knightley, currently starring in an adaptation of the very literary "Pride and Prejudice," has talked in interviews about her dyslexia. She was moved to overcome the disability when she wanted to start acting as a child, and her parents wouldn't let her audition until she brought her grades up in school. The story of someone who battles against anything that gets in the way of her dream can be an inspiring one for learning-disabled kids, and the fact that it's a hot young star doesn't hurt. On the other hand, Knightley admits to having dropped out of school at age 15, when she was getting steady acting work, so maybe not so much with the role modeling. It's worth thinking, though, about what your child might want to do badly enough to motivate school peformance.