Supporting Dyslexic Adults in Higher Education and the Workplace

Nicola Brunswick

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781119944614
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Pedagogía
• Subtopic: Dificultades de aprendizaje

Supporting Dyslexic Adults provides practical advice in supporting dyslexic adults in education and employment, and guidance on the latest research

• Provides an important overview of current research and practice in supporting dyslexic adults in education and employment, deftly combining academic understanding with everyday issues
• Contributors possess a wealth of practical experience in the field which provides an indispensible guide to the subject
• Case studies are included to capture the immediate experiences of dyslexic adults in education and at work to highlight prevalent issues
• Offers practical advice to adults with dyslexia, from how to disclose their particular needs to employers and colleagues to legal aspects of dyslexia support
• Highlights to employers the particular skills and strengths that dyslexic adults can bring to the workplace

1

Dyslexia in UK Higher Education and Employment

An Introduction and Overview

Nicola Brunswick

Middlesex University, UK

The number of dyslexic students entering higher education has increased over the last few years as a result of government efforts to widen access and participation. These efforts include the introduction of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act, which makes it unlawful for higher education institutions to:

discriminate against a disabled person¹ [i.e. to treat him less favourably because of his disability] in the arrangements it makes for determining admissions to the institution; in the terms on which it offers to admit him to the institution; or by refusing or deliberately omitting to accept an application for his admission to the institution.

(Department for Education and Skills 2001, Section 28R (1))

Between the years 2000 and 2004, spanning the introduction of this Act, figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that the number of dyslexic students entering university increased by almost 100% (Higher Education Statistics Agency 2006) although the actual numbers are still fairly low at around 3.2% of all UK students (Higher Education Statistics Agency 2010). It is, of course, possible that this number underestimates the true figure, as around 43% of dyslexic students are identified as being dyslexic only after they have started at university (National Working Party on Dyslexia in Higher Education 1999).

However, gaining a place at university is only one step of the dyslexic adult’s journey. As Osborne (2003, p. 18) points out:

Improving access is one thing, but ensuring progression both within and beyond higher education is another

and evidence regarding the progression of dyslexic university students is mixed. While some researchers have suggested that dyslexic students are more likely than non-dyslexic students to withdraw from their studies during the first year (Richardson and Wydell 2003; Stampoltzis and Polychronopoulou 2008), others have shown that dyslexic students are just as likely to pass their first- and second-year exams and to progress through their studies as are non-dyslexic students of the same sex and age (McKendree and Snowling 2011).

For those dyslexic students who do complete their degree courses, their chances of graduating with either a first class degree or an upper second class degree are lower than those of their non-dyslexic peers. Figures of 41% versus 52% (National Working Party on Dyslexia in Higher Education 1999) and 44% versus 54% (Richardson and Wydell 2003) have been reported. These figures highlight the need for good, evidence-based dyslexia support to be provided to dyslexic students in higher education to give them the best possible chance of achieving completion rates and final degree results that are equivalent to those of non-dyslexic students.

Of course, the difficulties of dyslexic adults do not stop once they leave university, and the need for appropriate support continues into the workplace unless the individual chooses to enter a career that minimizes the need for reading and writing. For example, dyslexic adults who become teachers will face difficulties every day relating to their impaired literacy skills while those who become professional athletes are likely to face no such difficulties. This consideration may guide the career choices of many dyslexic readers. As Maughan and colleagues noted in their study of poor readers from adolescence to midlife:

At the time they entered the labour market, childhood poor readers were … much more likely to have obtained jobs with limited literacy demands.

(Maughan, Messer, Collishaw et al. 2009, p. 895)

An interesting study of the occupational choices of 365 adults with and without dyslexia was undertaken by Taylor and Walter (2003). In line with Maughan et al. (2009), they found that adults with dyslexia were less likely than those without dyslexia to work in science/computing, management or business/finance (with their heavy reliance on the written word), and more likely to enter ‘people-oriented professions’ such as sales or nursing.

The potentially large numbers of dyslexic nurses (although the actual figure is not known – Wright 2000), and the fact that around 80% of clinicians in the UK are nurses (Jasper 2002) has led to a large body of research being undertaken with this occupational group. Much of this research has focused on the difficulties that dyslexia might cause in terms of patient safety. Studies with dyslexic nurses, for example, have highlighted concerns regarding the ‘potential to confuse medical terminology or drug names’ (Wright 2000, p. 39) and the ‘presumed or potential risk to patient health and safety posed by dyslexia-induced performance error (e.g. problems with drug administration)’ (Millward et al. 2005, p. 341).

Such concerns lead some nurses not to disclose their dyslexia to their employer or colleagues for fear of discrimination and ridicule (Morris and Turnbull 2006). However, evidence suggests that such fears are largely ill-founded, and that, where appropriate support is provided, dyslexia poses no risk in terms of effective nursing practice (Wright 2000; Shepherd 2002; Millward et al. 2005), and no barrier to career progression (Morris and Turnbull 2007).

Once again, however, the provision of appropriate support depends on individuals disclosing their dyslexia to their employer and colleagues, and this disclosure being met with understanding of the nature of dyslexia and the strengths and difficulties that it can bring.

What Is Dyslexia?

Developmental dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that affects between 5 and 15% of speakers of English (Pennington 1991; Snowling 2008). It is characterized by problems with reading and spelling (the word ‘dyslexia’ comes from the Greek words dys – ‘impaired’, and lexis – ‘word’). However, it may be more accurately described as a collection of reading, spelling, naming, spoken language and memory difficulties. Combined, these difficulties render dyslexic readers relatively less able than non-dyslexic readers to do some of, or all, the following:

• read and spell words quickly and accurately
• read and write passages of text without missing out words, losing their place, and becoming distracted
• distinguish between similar-looking words such as with and which, lots and lost when reading and spelling
• comprehend written material without considerable effort
• hold verbal information, such as telephone numbers, people’s names or directions, in short-term memory
• learn sequences of things such as the months of the year, poetry, or times tables
• recognize common sounds in groups of spoken words, such as ‘sun, sea and sand’
• pronounce long words, such as parallelogram, quickly and accurately
• display a similar level of ability in their spoken and written work.

In around 30 to 50% of cases, dyslexia occurs with at least one other developmental disorder (Kaplan et al. 1998; McArthur et al. 2000; Kadesjö and Gillberg 2001). These disorders include problems such as poor handwriting, difficulty remembering numbers, and problems with balance and coordination, specifically:

• impaired motor skills, balance and coordination (dyspraxia/developmental coordination disorder);
• poor hand–eye coordination, slow and messy handwriting, difficulty copying written text, and poor fine motor control of the hands (dysgraphia, although these symptoms might also reflect the fine motor difficulties of dyspraxia);
• poor concentration, inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder);
• difficulty with counting, performing mental arithmetic, understanding and applying mathematical concepts (dyscalculia);
• difficulty with processing visual information – individuals may experience visual stress (or glare) from reading black text against a white background, symptoms of fatigue when doing close work, and they may see printed letters that appear to move or float above the page (scotopic sensitivity syndrome or Meares–Irlen syndrome).

However, individuals differ in the severity of their reading difficulties just as non-dyslexic readers differ in their reading abilities. The specific difficulties of dyslexia may depend on factors such as family background (whether other close relatives also have dyslexia), educational experience (the level of support and specialist teaching provided), and the individual’s use of compensatory strategies.

Compensatory Strategies

Dyslexic readers can often apply skills, tactics or technical aids to help them cope with, or even hide, their reading difficulties (Lefly and Pennington 1991; Kirby et al. 2008; Logan 2009). Strategies might include avoiding situations in which reading or writing may be required; delegating to others tasks that involve reading and writing; using the spell-check and grammar-check facilities on a computer; using mind maps to organize ideas; having other people read through written work to check for errors; and recording lectures or meetings to avoid the need to take contemporaneous written notes.

However, even with the assistance of compensatory strategies, dyslexic readers often need to invest greater time and effort in order to complete a piece of work (that still may not reflect their actual ability). Furthermore, even the most seemingly-effective compensatory strategies are prone to break down under pressure, for example when the individual is required to read rapid subtitles on television, or to write quickly and accurately in front of other people (van der Leij, de Jong and Rijswijk-Prins 2001; Bartlett, Moody and Kindersley 2010).

Signs of Dyslexia in Adulthood

While dyslexia is often first identified in childhood, it is a lifelong difficulty. Some of the characteristic signs of the adult dyslexic reader are:

• poor spelling
• slow reading
• poor time management – often arriving late for appointments or missing them completely
• difficulty taking down messages, especially if these involve strings of numbers, such as telephone numbers
• difficulty with tasks that require sequencing, such as filing or looking up information in an alphabetized list or directory
• difficulty concentrating in a noisy environment.

Individuals may also show low self-esteem, lack of confidence, anxiety and frustration, particularly if their reading difficulties have not been recognized or supported properly.

A Legal View of Dyslexia

Some people have challenged the view of dyslexia as a disability, preferring instead to describe it as a learning difference (see, for example, Griffin and Pollak 2009; Hendrickx 2010). The UK Equality Act (2010), however, is quite unequivocal: dyslexia is a disability representing a:

mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

(Office for Disability Issues, 2010, Chapter 1, Section 6)

In this definition, ‘mental impairment’ specifically includes learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dyspraxia. The difficulties of dyslexia are more than a minor inconvenience – they either increase the time that might normally be required to perform an activity, or they prevent the performance of this activity altogether – and they last for at least 12 months. Finally, the activities affected include everyday aspects of life that depend on spoken and written language, memory and the ability to concentrate, learn or understand.

According to this legal definition, people with dyslexia cannot be discriminated against when they apply for or undertake educational courses or employment. This means that they cannot be denied a place on a course or an employment opportunity because of their dyslexia; neither can they be dismissed from a job or denied promotion because of their reading and writing difficulties. On the contrary, they are legally entitled to receive tailored support in the form of ‘reasonable adjustments’; these adjustments will remove barriers that might otherwise prevent these individuals from having equal training and employment opportunities with their non-dyslexic peers.

‘Reasonable Adjustments’ in Higher Education

The UK’s Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education requires that:

The deliv...