Dyslexia is a learning difficulty characterised by a difficulty with accurate word reading and spelling. It affects 10% of the UK population – that’s 1 in 10 people.
Dyslexics struggle to remember spoken instructions and processing information. It’s often seen as a debilitating problem.
But a huge number of artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, actors and architects have dyslexia, such as Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, entrepreneurial tycoon Sir Alan Sugar and scientist Albert Einstein.
20% of UK entrepreneurs are dyslexic according to a study by Julie Logan from the Cass Business School.
Similarly, 28% of art students at the prestigious Royal College of Art have dyslexia. This is three times the UK average.
Professor John Stein from the University of Oxford suggests that dyslexics have compensatory advantages for their slow processing speed.
In a dyslexic brain, nerves which are responsible for timing things are impaired and as a result nerves which are responsible for making longer range connections are more developed.
Theoretically, this means that dyslexics have a greater ability to connect ideas compared to non-dyslexic people.
A misunderstood condition
Dr Helen Taylor of the University of Cambridge suggests that dyslexia should be thought about from an evolutionary context.
Her research argues that the human species think in complimentary ways. This involves trade-off between using existing knowledge and exploring for new knowledge to survive.
Dyslexia is a way of thinking that involves using more exploratory ways of thinking.
Dr Taylor believes that dyslexia is critical for the survival of humankind because its more exploratory ways of thinking allowed us to adapt to change within our environment.
However, science can not always be proven. Professor John Stein admits that his theory is “plausible” but that there is no direct evidence to show dyslexia is the cause of more creative and innovative thinking.
“I mean there’s no direct evidence no, but I’m confident there will be”.
Does dyslexia even exist?
Professor Joe Elliot from the University of Durham suggest that dyslexia means “different things to different people”.
He believes that dyslexia is a “feel good term” but that “that is not a scientific justification to label anyone”.
“People who make the dyslexia case make reference to little Suzie who was nine and cried herself to sleep at night and then she got the label of dyslexia and she felt so much better about herself”
He argues that dyslexia is not a useful term because the treatment for dyslexia, which involves specialist one to one help, is that same for someone who is identified as a poor reader without a dyslexia diagnosis.
1 in 5 prisoners
Dyslexics often struggle within school. For those coming out of the education system dyslexia can be challenging.
1 in 5 prisoners is dyslexic and 2 in 5 unemployed people are dyslexic according to the British Dyslexia Association.
Dr Helen Taylor said that “we’ve created an education system that just crushes them”.
The Department for Education said they don’t collect info on the number of people diagnosed specifically with dyslexia, but the British Byslexia Association said that whilst 10% of UK population have dyslexia, only 2% of them are diagnosed in schools.
Professor John Stein said that “dyslexia is a disadvantage is modern schools”.
‘Teachers simply aren’t taught enough about it and its cruel”
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlineCity Investigates: Can dyslexia be a hidden strength?
Short HeadlineDyslexia: a hidden strength?
StandfirstResearch suggests that dyslexia could actually be advantageous and that it was critical to the survival of humankind.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty characterised by a difficulty with accurate word reading and spelling. It affects 10% of the UK population – that’s 1 in 10 people.
Dyslexics struggle to remember spoken instructions and processing information. It’s often seen as a debilitating problem.
But a huge number of artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, actors and architects have dyslexia, such as Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, entrepreneurial tycoon Sir Alan Sugar and scientist Albert Einstein.
20% of UK entrepreneurs are dyslexic according to a study by Julie Logan from the Cass Business School.
Similarly, 28% of art students at the prestigious Royal College of Art have dyslexia. This is three times the UK average.
Professor John Stein from the University of Oxford suggests that dyslexics have compensatory advantages for their slow processing speed.
In a dyslexic brain, nerves which are responsible for timing things are impaired and as a result nerves which are responsible for making longer range connections are more developed.
Theoretically, this means that dyslexics have a greater ability to connect ideas compared to non-dyslexic people.
A misunderstood condition
Dr Helen Taylor of the University of Cambridge suggests that dyslexia should be thought about from an evolutionary context.
Her research argues that the human species think in complimentary ways. This involves trade-off between using existing knowledge and exploring for new knowledge to survive.
Dyslexia is a way of thinking that involves using more exploratory ways of thinking.
Dr Taylor believes that dyslexia is critical for the survival of humankind because its more exploratory ways of thinking allowed us to adapt to change within our environment.
However, science can not always be proven. Professor John Stein admits that his theory is “plausible” but that there is no direct evidence to show dyslexia is the cause of more creative and innovative thinking.
“I mean there’s no direct evidence no, but I’m confident there will be”.
Does dyslexia even exist?
Professor Joe Elliot from the University of Durham suggest that dyslexia means “different things to different people”.
He believes that dyslexia is a “feel good term” but that “that is not a scientific justification to label anyone”.
“People who make the dyslexia case make reference to little Suzie who was nine and cried herself to sleep at night and then she got the label of dyslexia and she felt so much better about herself”
He argues that dyslexia is not a useful term because the treatment for dyslexia, which involves specialist one to one help, is that same for someone who is identified as a poor reader without a dyslexia diagnosis.
1 in 5 prisoners
Dyslexics often struggle within school. For those coming out of the education system dyslexia can be challenging.
1 in 5 prisoners is dyslexic and 2 in 5 unemployed people are dyslexic according to the British Dyslexia Association.
Dr Helen Taylor said that “we’ve created an education system that just crushes them”.
The Department for Education said they don’t collect info on the number of people diagnosed specifically with dyslexia, but the British Byslexia Association said that whilst 10% of UK population have dyslexia, only 2% of them are diagnosed in schools.
Professor John Stein said that “dyslexia is a disadvantage is modern schools”.
‘Teachers simply aren’t taught enough about it and its cruel”
