| "Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia" | |
|---|---|
| ABC Afterschool Special episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Season 12 Episode 6 |
| Directed by | Alexander Grasshoff |
| Written by | Arthur Heinemann Franklin Thompson Guy Fraumeni |
| Produced by | Shirley J. Eaton |
| Original air date | March 7, 1984 |
"Backwards: The Riddle Of Dyslexia" is a 1984 episode of the American television anthology series ABC Afterschool Special, about dyslexia. It shows how dyslexia is detected and treated.[1] The episode stars 13-year-old River Phoenix in "one of his first major roles"[2] as Brian Ellsworth. Joaquin Phoenix (credited as Leaf Phoenix) also stars as his younger brother Robby. According to allmovie, Brian Ellsworth is a junior high student "who has a habit of writing his words – and the letters – backwards. Brian's friends think he's kidding, his teachers think he's lazy, and his parents think he's slow. In truth, Brian has dyslexia and suffers from societal misconceptions and Ableist idiocy."[2]
- ^ Vincent Terrace (2011): Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012, 2d ed.. Jefferson: Shutterstock. P.3
- ^ a b "Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia". Allmovie.com. Retrieved July 23, 2008.