how far forward have we come with promoting a more positive profile of dyslexia?

 

 

Way way back in 2005 I did a little research on dyslexia and teachers and discovered that very few teachers told anyone about their own dyslexia. Many expressed concerns that being dyslexic would adversely affect career and job prospects. The research encouraged me to put together one of my early dyslexia projects, “Breaking through the barriers of dyslexia”. I was lucky enough to secure £50,000 from the Learning and Skill Council for this successful project.

Nearly 7 years later and things do not appear to have

changed much.

I was talking with a very bright undergraduate

student a while back who I have been providing

dyslexia support over the last semester. He was

expressing an interest in becoming a teacher but felt

that it was not possible for him to do so because of

his dyslexia. He was expressing his concerns about

telling any prospective employers about his dyslexia.

That if he did it would adversely affect his job and

career prospects. He would be a great teacher as well

in my opinion

There is still far too much focus on dyslexia as a

negative condition that adversely impacts on our

abilities to succeed academically as well as in the

work place.

Let’s face it what employer wants to take on a

dyslexic who can't spell, has poor memory, a brain

that does not work properly, who can't read well etc.

This is what the average person in the street believes

dyslexia to be. Very few mention any of the positives

of dyslexia at all. So it is not surprising many 

dyslexics keep it a secret, including teachers and

other professionals.

For every positive single article on dyslexia there and

20 or more negative ones. If we are ever to change

people's attitudes and perceptions about dyslexia we

need dyslexic teachers in classroom who are positive

about being dyslexic and can act as role models and

mentors to dyslexic children.

Here is some feedback I got from one very bright

student I supported. Most of it was very positive

apart from what he has written in the last paragraph:

Having left school with little or no qualifications and with

a real lack of confidence in terms of academic learning,

sport provided me with an avenue to realizes my

potential, on the sporting field and through employment

and education.

Through rugby I was given an opportunity to gain

coaching qualification and in turn gain employment. This

was my dream job which I never thought possible,

working as a rugby development officer within Dundee

I gain national recondition for development work I had

carried out within the city through the achievements the

club had made in volunteer and player development

within the sport.

After seven years working through my personally

perceived difficulties with dyslexia my confidence had

grown and I realized I can achieve just as well as anyone

else within the work place or other wise. I left my job to

do a HNC and HND in sports development which was

done in one year at collage and achieved A’s in all three

graded units. After this I gained direct entry on to BSc

Sports development (Hons) at university. Although at

this time I have only received grades for one assay

which was an A18 I feel I’m achieving far high standards

of work I had previously thought possible. With the

support and guidance Steve McCue has provided me

with.  

This has allowed me to focus my attention on strategies

best suited to my personally strengths and weaknesses.

Although dyslexia should not be a block to achieving

anything within the workplace or education I still feel

there are many negative preconceived perceptions of

individuals with dyslexia which can make life difficult.
This student was so concerned about this he didn't

want me to mention his name at all. He has since

completed his PhD.

 

Many thanks for taking the time to read my blog it is

very much appreciated.

regards

Steve McCue