Dyslexia is one of three Specific Learning Disorders defined by the American Psychiatric Association DSM-5. In alignment with the Neurodiversity Paradigm and social model of disability, my preference is to refer to these as Specific Learning Difficulties.
Dyslexia is a lifelong specific learning difficulty that mainly affects the development of literacy and language-related skills (8). Primarily affecting skills involved in accurate word reading and spelling, it impacts at least 1 in 10 globally (1,8,12).
Common strengths for those with dyslexia include:
Practical, visual-spatial and storytelling skills
Pattern spotting
Big picture thinker and creativity
Qualitative reasoning
Common challenges for those with dyslexia include:
Reading and writing speed
Working memory, organisation, communication and self-esteem
Workplace participation and social interactions
Stress management
There are many fantastic tools out there to assist those with (and without) dyslexia. A significant amount of these tools and adaptations are freely available and easy to implement. I encourage you to take a look at the following:
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