What do Richard Branson, Delia Smith and Tom Cruise have in common? And no, this isn’t the start of a bad joke. The connecting link is that they are all dyslexic.
According to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), around 10 percent of the population is thought to be dyslexic. The condition, which is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder, mainly affects reading and writing skills, but can also affect information processing, memory, coordination and organizational skills.
Dyslexia is considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and as such individuals can expect “reasonable adjustment” in education and the workplace. Here, experts unravel the myths about this condition.
People with dyslexia are just lazy readers and have to try harder
“People with dyslexia or reading difficulties are very hardworking,” says Dr. Nadine Gaab, associate professor of education at Harvard University.. “But the usual manner or intensity with which they learn to read is not enough to turn them into readers.”
For someone with dyslexia, it is not a matter of not wanting to try, but of having different needs and an alternative way of doing things. “All people with dyslexia or reading difficulties can learn to read, but it requires evidence-based intensive intervention (which varies from person to person) and a dedicated team to reach the same level as typically developing children,” explains Dr. Gaab.
Dyslexia is a sign of low abilities
People still seem to think dyslexia is a sign of low intelligence, says Jemma Zoe Smith, an Oxford graduate, private tutor and education expert. “As someone with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, a master’s degree specializing in human genetics, and a PGCE in secondary sciences with a scholarship from the Royal Society of Chemistry, I’d like to think I’m proving that misconception wrong.”
Smith wasn’t diagnosed with dyslexia until her freshman year of college and found that a diagnosis helped put things into perspective. “My teachers took me aside to explain that my oral answers did not match my written work. It was my teachers who recommended that I have a dyslexia examination.
“Looking back, I remember having to take handwriting lessons in fifth grade and struggling to write essays, but since I took three subjects and A-level maths, writing essays wasn’t much of a challenge. big problem.”
You should wait until children are older to screen for dyslexia
“Earlier diagnosis can provide a number of benefits,” says John Gabrieli, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the Harvard-MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
“We know that dyslexia is genetic – it often runs in families and a few risk genes have been identified. It is therefore ideal to screen children when they go to school for the language problems that lead to dyslexia.
“Here in the United States, almost all states in recent years have mandated screening in kindergarten (which begins at age five). This is important because the educational interventions that best help children are known to be effective in the early years, and less effective after the third or fourth year.”
Dyslexic people need a lot of support at school
Dyslexia can manifest itself in many different ways, from delayed language development, to speech, to problems with listening skills or processing. A few small adjustments to the way dyslexic children learn can make a big difference, notes Dr Stanbridge of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Educational and Child Psychologists (DECP).
“Information already available in most classrooms (phonics checks, teacher ratings, etc.) can help identify children who are not making progress in literacy and specifically which aspects of literacy they need support in” , she notes.
Assistive technology, such as speech recognition software, audio players and graphic organizers, can also make a big difference and help dyslexic students access education, Dr Stanbridge adds.
Dyslexic people are more creative
“This is a benign myth, although there is evidence that a higher proportion of students with dyslexia do better in arts subjects,” explains Dame Uta Frith, emeritus professor of cognitive development at University College London (UCL).
“Perhaps this is because they are turning away from more traditional academic subjects and naturally gravitating toward and cultivating the subjects they are better at.”
Adults with dyslexia may have difficulty with further education
“Higher education institutions and universities are actually very well equipped for dyslexic students,” says Dr Debbie Gooch, lecturer in developmental psychology at the University of Surrey.
“There is actually a huge amount of support for dyslexic students at universities and higher education institutions. Universities usually have one [disability and dyslexia] department on hand and are obliged to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that the student has all necessary support.”
For example, at the University of Surrey, all students have a personal mentor who can refer them to the university’s disability and neurodiversity service for assessment and support if necessary.
“There are a number of things we try to do as standard in our education to support all students, including students with dyslexia or other learning needs. For example, lectures are recorded so that students can listen to them later, and slides, materials and handouts are provided in advance,” says Dr. Gooch.
Students seek a diagnosis to gain extra time for exams
While it is true that having a dyslexia diagnosis can have a number of practical benefits, including access to disability benefits, many of the benefits of having a diagnosis are mainly psychological.
“A diagnosis can help explain long-term problems with a range of tasks. This is often a relief to the individual and can have a positive impact on their self-esteem and self-confidence. It can also be a huge help to them in understanding their strengths and challenges and giving them ideas for support that can make a world of difference,” says Lynn Lovell of the British Dyslexia Association (BDA).
Alison Davies, learning disabilities lecturer and assessor at Individual Assessments, added: “The most important thing is that for the people I work with, including adults, a diagnosis allows them to work at their own pace.
“Learning at a pace that ultimately builds confidence and means that an individual will be more willing to try new and different things, and have a positive outlook.”
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