This is International Dyslexia Awareness month. Out of interest how many people are aware of what Dyslexia is? Do our various societies have a good handle on it?
Now often called Specific Learning Disability in Reading. I am the Manager of a Student Accessibility Centre at a Canadian university. Many students have this diagnosis and we provide academic accommodations for the functional limitations they experience from this diagnosis.
Now often called Specific Learning Disability in Reading. I am the Manager of a Student Accessibility Centre at a Canadian university. Many students have this diagnosis and we provide academic accommodations for the functional limitations they experience from this diagnosis.
That is interesting. We don’t call it that over here because it is, as you know more than a reading difficulty.
My online university is the largest UK provider of higher education for disabled people and those with SpLDs (preferred language differs across individuals and cultures). Advice on dyslexia is provided for both students and academic staff and we have trained support staff to advise both. We have specific forums where tutors can get advice and training on accessible teaching, and as an EDI champion I am an enthusiastic promoter of accessible PowerPoint presentations for lectures and tutorials.
If a student registers their dyslexia with the university it is noted on their profile, alongside guidance for tutors and any adjustments. I contact all my students who register a disability and/or additional learning needs at the beginning of the academic year to invite them to discuss their individual requirements with me.
It's describable, but if you haven't got it yourself, I think it's hard to truly grasp the experience. Like a lot of things.
Yes, I would agree. I cannot truly understand what it is like to have dyslexia any more than other people can understand what it is like to have bipolar disorder. What matters is that we endeavour to be inclusive and accepting in our behaviour and facilitate others to reach their potential.
Back in my school days, we knew (in my impoverished part of PA) absolutely nothing about learning disabilities. It took decades for me to be diagnosed with dyslexia, and I had to figure things out myself. Reading, and other things, have always been slow processes for me, even though I love to read and always have. It seems to run in our family. I'm pretty sure that my mom was dyslexic. My daughter was diagnosed with that and several other learning disorders when she was about seven years old. Fortunately, by that time, the school system had developed ways to help. However, even with an IEP sometimes the accommodations are not always given as promised.
We don't understand this disorder, however, some really funny things can happen! When Mom and I or my daughter and I were on a car ride, we would very frequently see the same wrong advertisements on the billboards along the road. I guess that what happens when we try to read quickly! I never did understand why we would see the same wrong information. My friends have also been entertained by my incorrect reading of billboards when we travel together!
It's describable, but if you haven't got it yourself, I think it's hard to truly grasp the experience. Like a lot of things.
Yes, I would agree. I cannot truly understand what it is like to have dyslexia any more than other people can understand what it is like to have bipolar disorder. What matters is that we endeavour to be inclusive and accepting in our behaviour and facilitate others to reach their potential.
I agree. Some aspects of my sensory processing issues can overlap with those of dyslexic people, and I have dyscalculia and dyspraxia (which has a different name now but I prefer dyspraxia as I find it less stigmatising) so I'm also a member of Team SpLD - but I still can't truly understand what it's like to have dyslexia specifically (and indeed have hyperlexia). It's like trying to understand aphantasia as someone with hyperphantasia - it's just not part of how my brain processes information. But I can still be inclusive and help make life easier for people with other ways of processing information.
Comments
That is interesting. We don’t call it that over here because it is, as you know more than a reading difficulty.
If a student registers their dyslexia with the university it is noted on their profile, alongside guidance for tutors and any adjustments. I contact all my students who register a disability and/or additional learning needs at the beginning of the academic year to invite them to discuss their individual requirements with me.
https://icd.who.int/browse/2026-01/foundation/en#2099676649
We don't understand this disorder, however, some really funny things can happen! When Mom and I or my daughter and I were on a car ride, we would very frequently see the same wrong advertisements on the billboards along the road. I guess that what happens when we try to read quickly! I never did understand why we would see the same wrong information. My friends have also been entertained by my incorrect reading of billboards when we travel together!
I agree. Some aspects of my sensory processing issues can overlap with those of dyslexic people, and I have dyscalculia and dyspraxia (which has a different name now but I prefer dyspraxia as I find it less stigmatising) so I'm also a member of Team SpLD - but I still can't truly understand what it's like to have dyslexia specifically (and indeed have hyperlexia). It's like trying to understand aphantasia as someone with hyperphantasia - it's just not part of how my brain processes information. But I can still be inclusive and help make life easier for people with other ways of processing information.