Like any other annual occasion, Dyslexia Awareness Week, which this year falls from 3rd to 9th October 2022, reminds me just how quickly time passes! For 2022 the focus of this worldwide event is on removing the barriers faced by those with dyslexia on a day-to-day basis, whether that be at school, work or in everyday life. Dyslexia can impact upon individuals to varying degrees, but people with dyslexia – as they get older – often find their own ways of coping with the difficulties they experience. This can include personalised strategies to support memory (for example, using visualisation techniques) and using assistive technology to help with reading and writing tasks. The law protects people with dyslexia too, as it is covered by the Equality Act 2010, and both educational settings and employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to support those whose daily lives are impacted upon significantly by dyslexia.
This week, to help you find out a bit more about dyslexia, its impact, and what can be done to support those with this specific learning difficulty, why not take a look at some of the links below, or better still, talk to someone you know who has dyslexia! With approximately 1 in 10 people experiencing it to a greater or lesser degree, you are almost certain to know someone who has dyslexia…so be brave, and ask them what it is like to be dyslexic!
As an associate assessor for the BDA I was interested to read about a new award-winning film called ‘Confetti’, described as ‘an empowering and uplifting story of one family’s journey with dyslexia’ to be launched later in the month, and there are several other events happening as part of Dyslexia Awareness Week…all listed on a freshly rebranded BDA website!
And if you are a parent or a teacher of a child who experiences low self-esteem as a result of their dyslexia, why not register for the free online webinar being held by the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity called ‘A big bowl of self-esteem – practical strategies to improve self-esteem of those with specific learning difficulties’.
For information about support and reasonable adjustments which should be made for individuals with dyslexia in the workplace, take a look at the legal information provided by Wollens.