Scottish
Disability
Team
Guidance On Understanding Dyslexia
The Glasgow School of Art, revised edition 2007.
This article is available to read online or for download:
Legal Note
These Scottish Disability Team Guidance Notes are intended to provide general advice only, and are not an authoritative treatment of the law. Professional advice should be sought before acting on any of the material contained in these Guidance Notes as it may not be appropriate to your circumstances. These Guidance Notes are intended to relate primarily to the law as it applies to Scotland, however colleagues from other countries and elsewhere in the UK may find it useful to refer to the information contained herein.
Acknowledgements
Authors: Jill Hammond, Fabian Hercules, Ruth McPherson
With thanks to: Joan, Gaylie, Margaret, Kerry, Kate, Chris, Jane, Ken, Mogg, Mitxi, Evan, Anne, Paul, Jackie, Nick, Kenny, Alistair, Lynn, Wayne, Michael, and The Glasgow School of Art
Contents
- Introduction (this page)
-
Section 1: Common questions
- What is dyslexia?
- What makes me dyslexic?
- Why do I need to know about dyslexia?
- How does my report show that I am dyslexic?
- When am I 'dyslexic' and when am I not?
- I know other people who are similar to me and they're not dyslexic, so how can I be?
- What if I start using dyslexia as an excuse?
- I've heard that dyslexic people are creative - is this true?
- How do I know if I need help?
- What kind of help should I ask for?
- Is dyslexia just about reading and writing?
- I know I'm dyslexic and I'm doing fine - what use is the support at my college or university?
- Why didn't they know I was dyslexic at school?
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Section 2: What is dyslexia?
- Why do you need to know?
- What causes dyslexia?
- The characteristics of the dyslexic brain
- What are the consequences in practice of these cognitive characteristics?
- Functional characteristics - reading and writing
- Other important skills
- What are the secondary characteristics of dyslexia?
- Positive aspects of dyslexia
- Section 3: Experiencing dyslexia
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Section 4: Understanding your report
- Introduction
- How does the assessment report prove that I am dyslexic?
- How does it relate to you?
- What does it tell you?
- The language of the assessment
- Responses to having a diagnostic assessment
- Some considerations about using your report
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Section 5: Telling other people
- Tutors
- Parents, partners and family
- Friends
- Why you might keep the findings of your report confidential
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Section 6: Strategies for Higher Education
- What is the Higher Education context?
- Learning about learning!
- Why do you need strategies for learning?
- What is a strategy?
- So, what might be expected in Higher Education?
- Understanding the learning process
- Effective and less effective strategies
- Mind Mapping
- How to make a mind map
- Equipment
- Ways that other people can help
- Responsibility for your learning
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Section 7: Organisation for life
- Time Keeping
- Concentration
- Social Interaction
- Paperwork
- Routine
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Section 8: Stress and self-esteem
- Stress
- Self-esteem
- Stress and the Dyslexic Student
- Managing stress in the context of dyslexia
- Stress in context
- Section 9: Glossary
- Section 10: Suggested reading
- Section 11: Information and resources
Introduction
This guidance tells you about the benefits of knowing that you are dyslexic. You will find information describing the nature of dyslexia, how this is relevant to you as an individual and the way in which your assessment report shows that you are dyslexic. There are also sections devoted to making positive use of this information.
The questions you might already have and others you may have not yet thought of asking, are explored. The emphasis is on giving you essential information and providing a starting point for you to find out more. This includes understanding the context in which you are studying.
Knowing that you are dyslexic can mean making changes in the way you study. Included in this guidance are some useful tips about study skills and explanations about why some of the more traditional ways of studying may not be appropriate for you.
Ultimately, it is hoped that by using this guidance as a starting point, you will find independence as a learner and enjoy your time studying at college or university.