Neurodiversity Advent Calendar - Day 8

Day 8 - Dyslexia

❓ What Is It ❓

It is a learning difficulty that affects reading and language-based processing, such as reading, writing and spelling. People with Dyslexia have difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition.

Dyslexia is not a learning disability and has no affect on intelligence! It's about information processing and can also affect organisation.

❓How can this feel ❓

People with dyslexia may read slower and have difficulty with reading or spelling. It is also common to get confused over similar looking letters or words. Dyslexia can cause anxiety or frustration.

❓ What's the big deal❓

Working with computers now there are so many ways to support people with dyslexia but an overload of information can cause high levels of anxiety or frustration and this can, in turn, affect mental health.

It is important to allow extra time or you could provide text-to-speech software to help support them.

On the flip side, people with dyslexia tend to have strong verbal skills and are brilliant at problem solving. They can also be very creative.

🌟 Notable people with Dyslexia

Richard Branson

Jennifer Anniston

Lewis Hamilton

Walt Disney

Steven Spielberg

Anderson Cooper (News anchor)

Dyslexia does not have to be a barrier. With the right support and environment ANYONE can flourish

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) estimates that around 6.7 million people have dyslexia, that's around 10% of the UK population 🧮

Another UK study found that around 40% of self-made millionaires are dyslexic, and at least 25% of most CEOs are dyslexic 💪

Come back tomorrow for the next and see if you've heard of all 20!

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