You can’t be it if you can’t see it!
Inspiring Dyslexic Role Models – What Strengths Do You Have in Common?
Many schools we work with teach children with dyslexia, either in an alternative school setting or as members of mainstream classrooms. A common thread we are asked is how to support these young people to recognise that their learning difficulty can also be their greatest gift. This article outlines some ways to support them in embracing who they are, whilst educating others in the class about the challenges and gifts of dyslexia.
First of all, here are some facts to get us started. Dyslexia is now thought to exist in 10-20% of the population, with many people reaching adulthood before they are diagnosed. Dyslexia accounts for 80% of all learning difficulties, making it by far the largest single neurodiverse condition. It is not an illness but rather a difference in the way that people learn, making reading, writing and sometimes maths, challenging. Some common issues for those with dyslexia can include seeing words mixed up, with the words written backwards or muddled up. Sometimes the words on a page are spaced wrongly or may be blurred and difficult to read.
What is key is that speaking and listening skills are unaffected. A great example of this is Keira Knightley, the British actress. Knightley reports being seen initially as an amazing reader when she first started school. She could stand confidently at the front of the class and read out loud. It was only when she was given a new book that someone hadn’t previously read to her, when she and her teachers realised that she wasn’t reading at all but had memorised what she had heard.
Today, there are many ways to support young people in the classroom and www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk and www.bdadyslexia.org.uk have advice, training and resources for schools and teachers.
Three Key Ways to Support Young People with Dyslexia
At Amazing People Schools, we support young people with dyslexia by:
1. Providing children with dyslexia with examples of role models who have achieved great things – in spite of AND because of their dyslexia.
2. Helping dyslexic students to recognise the strengths that they have. This is a crucial step in building their self-confidence, resilience and self-esteem.
3. Focusing on the importance of oracy – listening and speaking skills. Dyslexic students who struggle with reading and writing can perform and communicate just as well as their peers.
Whilst all three activities support dyslexic young people, they also increase the understanding by all students of the strengths and talents that dyslexic people have.
Dyslexic Amazing People
You can’t be it if you can’t see it! Providing inspirational role models is useful for all students. It allows them to explore the stories of people, past and present, whose journeys and challenges resonate today. It also provides real-life examples of how different strengths helped people to overcome adversity and challenges.
For young people with dyslexia, it is even more important for them to have role models who have been diagnosed with dyslexia. Famous people with dyslexia include actors, musicians, entrepreneurs, athletes and scientists. Recognising that their dyslexia has not held them back can be motivational for young people.
Explore Amazing Dyslexic People With Our FREE Resource
Students can explore the inspirational people included in our Amazing Dyslexic People resource. You can download it here for free. Alternatively, older children are invited to research their own amazing dyslexic people.
Your students could:
• Research further details on their chosen inspirational dyslexic person.
• Discover if the person was diagnosed as a child or an adult.
• Explore the impact they think dyslexia might have on the person’s life.
• Find a positive quote from the amazing person about their dyslexia.
• Discuss what strengths you might need as a dyslexic person.
Invite students to take it in turns to tell the class or their neighbour about the person they have been exploring. Were they surprised by any of the people they found out about? Did they realise how many amazing people with dyslexia there are?
Explore the Strengths Demonstrated by Amazing Dyslexic People
Young people with dyslexia face challenges every day with their reading, writing and for some maths. Use these exercises to focus on the strengths that they and others with dyslexia have. Using our Amazing Dyslexic People resource or the list the class has made, ask them to consider all the strengths each person has. Do the same strengths appear in different people – actors? Musicians? Businesspeople and scientists, for example.
Creativity, reasoning and problem-solving are three areas that dyslexics commonly excel at. Can they give examples of using/practising these three strengths? It doesn’t need to stop at three – the list can be as long as it can be, but keep the examples focused and specific.
Use the Character Strength Definitions Chart – what strengths do they recognise from it that the amazing dyslexic people demonstrated? Can they give examples of these strengths in action?
Ask the students to look at the list and think of any strengths listed that they can also recognise in themselves. Can they draw those strengths in an image?
Develop Oracy Practice (Listening and Speaking Skills) – A Chance for Dyslexic Students to Excel
Listening and speaking skills are increasingly recognised as essential for future careers and employability.
As Voice 21 reports in a survey of over 23 000 employers, the key skills required were communication and interpersonal skills. Developing listening and speaking skills is essential for all students and can be a chance for those with dyslexia to excel. When creating opportunities for this practice, ask students to consider the four pillars of the Oracy Framework:
1. Physical – voice and body language
2. Linguistic – vocabulary, language and rhetorical techniques used.
3. Cognitive – content, structure, clarifying & summarising, self-regulation and reasoning.
4. Social & Emotional – working with others, listening & responding, confidence in speaking, and audience awareness.
These exercises provide a wealth of content for some fantastic oracy practice:
• Imagine and deliver a short assembly talk given by an amazing person with dyslexia, returning to their school. What would they say? What advice would they give to young people with dyslexia today?
• Role play interviews with any of the amazing people. Take it in turns to ask them questions and imagine their answers. When and how did they find out they had dyslexia? What did they think and feel when they found out? What advice would they give to children who are diagnosed with dyslexia?
• Imagine what a voice note might have said for a person finding out they were dyslexic as an adult. What emotions might they express? What difference do they anticipate it might make to them? What might they want to do to celebrate?
How Can Amazing People Schools Help Your School?
Amazing People Schools offers everyone the chance to try our learning platform and resources out for free. The best way to get started in to book a call with Selena Whitehead our Education Team Manager. Selena can advise how Amazing People Schools can support your school’s specific requirements. You can book a FREE 20-minute Teams call with Selena by clicking here.