Hi blog readers
Many of you will know that I am a firm supporter for the Social Model of Dyslexia. That I do not believe dyslexia to be a disability, rather it is a difference that represents the diversity inherent within humanity.
One of the reasons I set up Unique Dyslexic was to begin set up a coherent global dyslexic community focused on creativity and dyslexia / neuro difference.
The only way we are going to influence and work towards positive change for all dyslexics is to create a social movement that speaks with one voice.
We need to discard the medical model of dyslexia which has little positive to say about dyslexia, that basically says our brains are broken or do not work properly in some way.
We need to move towards a social model of dyslexia which basically tells us that dyslexia is a difference and that it is about diversity.
That it is society that disables many of us and this disabling begins in school where many of us a failed by an education system that singularly fails far to many of us.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FROM DR ROSS COOPER:
I am not saying I agree with everything below but its a start of a positive move to better the life's chances of all dyslexics out there.
A Political Agenda
Any social movement depends on solidarity. Dyslexic people have sometimes felt
‘special’, because their apparent ‘difficulties’ are not explained by
‘stupidity’- a source of great relief and empowerment to many of us. But this can also imply that other’s
difficulties could be.
We need to build
better bridges with all others ‘accused’ of learning difficulties (general or
otherwise). But the Bagatelle model underpins
a clear rationale for solidarity with all other specific learning differences. The ground work for this has already been
laid by organisations such as DANDA. To
become an effective movement for change, we need to embrace this solidarity. Together we represent over 20% of the
population.
Becoming a social movement involves making demands for a fairer and just
society. Where large numbers of us
process information holistically, we need to demand that we have the
educational and social opportunity to have information presented holistically.
This would transform the educational sector
and social relationships. In earlier
decades it may have seemed optimistic to develop a zero tolerance attitude to
sexism and racism, but it did not take long for this to become normal. We need a zero tolerance attitude to
sequential presentation of information in schools, institutions and media.
Why, for example, does Inland Revenue believe
that reducing tax forms to a long series of incomprehensible step by step
instructions simplify the process? We
need to articulate how such misconceptions disable and invalidate our
experience.
We also need to articulate
how holistic processing leads to excellence in learning and the development of
original, innovative ideas and solutions on which our world depends.
Some of these demands are already enshrined in law. The Disability Equality Duty requires that
educational institutions and employers are proactive in enabling people with
disabilities. Rarely has a new law been
so systematically ignored and unenforced.
However, we are also guilty of failing to make the demand that our
institutions and employers act within the law.
Unless we advocate for ourselves, no-one will advocate for us.
A Holist manifesto:
Principles
1.
We are all
neurodiverse.
2.
The
dyslexic experience is but one experience among many that have the same underlying
cause: a systemic intolerance to holistic.
3.
Without us
there would be an impoverished world for all (Newton, Einstein, Leonardo de
Vinci, Picasso, Churchill, Tarantino, Spielberg, Disney, Branson, Ben Elton,
John Lennon).
4.
We are
entitled to be different and to learn and work differently.
5.
All of us
with specific learning differences are disabled by an intolerant world. Changing it requires solidarity among us all.
6.
Changing
an intolerant world changes it for the better for all.
Demands
1.
There must
be no policies about neurodiversity, except those developed by and with those of
us most affected by the policy implementation
2.
There
should be no teaching intervention without representation- we have had enough
of the tyranny of ‘experts’.
3.
There
needs to be a zero tolerance to linear measures of humanity and the insistence
on linear sequential teaching and communication strategies
4.
The future
of the world depends on allowing us to be different and to learn and work
differently. This involves:
·
High
interest learning based on passionate interest, rather than an insistence on
learning ‘the basics’.
·
Flexible
teaching that values purpose and personalised timing, and ends the herding of children
together by age to ‘learn’ a national ‘curriculum’
·
Nurturing
the free association of ideas
·
Encouraging
problem solving, thinking outside the box, and the creation of solutions rather
than limit academic study to the critique of others’ ideas.
·
Giving
equal value to visual and verbal thinking
anyway many thanks for taking the time to read my blog
PS:
You are cordially invited to our Unique Dyslexic web site:
http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/
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