The problems I see and the people I work with
The problems of being dyslexic are tied up in the attitudes that society applies to those with the condition.
It’s not a badge of shame. Dyslexia is what’s called a spectrum disorder, there is no correlation between dyslexia and intelligence. Dyslexics are not less smart than other people – they tend to be more creative. They ignore the barriers to their ideas, see the bigger picture and are motivated to achieve their goals. Given the right support, they achieve great things.
If you’re dyslexic, you’re in good company. Notable dyslexics include the likes of Tom Cruise, Whoopi Goldberg, John Lennon, Richard Branson, Orlando Bloom, Jamie Oliver, Jim Carrey, Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, Keira Knightly, Holly Willoughby, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, John F Kennedy, George W Bush, Steven Spielberg and Pablo Picasso.
Dyslexia is something to be proud of. But it can become a crippling problem. It can affect spelling, reading, maths, organisational skills, social skills, self-confidence, the ability to retain information (working memory), time management and a myriad of other areas.
The world is full of words and numbers. Traditional education can be restrictive as it tends to value certain limited academic skill sets. I believe that (from a very early age) we need to teach children how to access education on their own terms.
It’s important to realise that dyslexia can’t be cured - and nor should it be.
When we help children to understand their own needs, they begin to take ownership of their own education and therefore their future. This is called metacognitive thinking. You can find out more about this here.
We all learn in different ways. My job is to find out how you or your child best learn and to help the individual understand this too. For example, some people may need checklists for anything as varied as grammatical support or to remember a morning routine.
You never grow out of being dyslexic and the challenges are permanent. I’m passionate about offering lifelong support in order that people can access those parts of life that are literacy heavy, like applying for mortgages or form filling.
