Dyslexia Awareness Week
04 October 2018
Dyslexia affects around 1 in 10 people. This means a huge proportion of the population has dyslexia, some know it, and some don’t. the 1st – 7th of October is Dyslexia awareness week so we wanted to take the opportunity to squash the stigma surrounding dyslexia. Many people who have dyslexia are embarrassed to admit it and can often feel stupid or fear other people will think they are. In this article, we will be showing you signs of dyslexia, how to get a diagnosis, celebrities with dyslexia and that dyslexia isn’t something to hide or ignore.
Taken from www.succeedingwithdyslexia.co.uk each person with dyslexia will experience different difficulties but the following are common in each age range:
Indicators - Primary age
Has particular difficulty with reading and spelling
Leaves letters out of words or puts them in the wrong order
Confuses 'b' and 'd' and words such as 'no/on'
Has problems understanding what he/she has read
Takes longer than average to do written work
Surprises you because in other ways he/she is bright and alert
Indicators - secondary age
Reading inaccurately
Difficulties with spelling
Needs to have instructions repeated
Confuses places, times, dates and has poor organisational skills
Has difficulty with planning and writing essays
Has difficulty processing complex language or a long series of instructions at speed
Difficulties revising for examinations
Struggles to communicate knowledge and understanding in exams
Has poor confidence and self-esteem
Has areas of strength as well as weakness
Indicators - adult
Difficulties taking notes, planning and writing letters or reports
Struggles with reading and understanding new terminology
Quality of work is erratic
Feels that the effort put in does not reflect performance or results
Forgets names and factual information, even when familiar
Struggles to meet deadlines
Struggles with personal organisation
Only reads when necessary and never for pleasure
Develops work avoidance tactics to disguise difficulties and/or worries about being promoted/taking professional qualifications
If you relate to any of these indicators and your work/ school/ college or university life is suffering because of them you can get screened to give you an indication of whether you have dyslexia and then based on this you can have a full diagnostic assessment to diagnose you and make sure your school or employer provide everything you need to complete work without your Dyslexia holding you back.
Your school or work can refer you for a screening, a full diagnostic assessment, and a work-based assessment
Celebrities with Dyslexia:
Tom Cruise
Keira Knightley
Whoopi Goldberg
Steven Spielberg
Muhammad Ali
Jennifer Aniston
Dyslexia isn’t something to be ashamed of. It doesn’t mean you’re not smart it simply means you have to use different techniques to others to help you learn. It’s what makes you, you!
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