Adult Dyslexia: A Guide for the Workplace [Hardcover]

"…I recommend it as essential reading for practitioners…" (The Occupational Psychologist, December 2002) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

"…I recommend it as essential reading for practitioners…" (The Occupational Psychologist, December 2002) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

In the workplace, dyslexia can be the root cause of under–performance that manifests itself in ways other than those typically associated with child dyslexics.

Adult Dyslexia gives practical advice about identifying and helping adult dyslexics in ways that are relevant to the workplace and suitable for adults, rather than being adaptations of methods used with children.
∗ Written by an experienced occupational psychologist
∗ Includes a practical question/answer section and screening tools
∗ Emphasises that dyslexics have strengths as well as weaknesses
∗ An invaluable tool for managers to help develop dyslexic employees

Dyslexia is a condition that is widely misunderstood in the world of work.

Adult Dyslexia: A Guide for the Workplace shows why small and large employers should be aware of European laws on anti–discrimination and dyslexia. It provides practical advice on how to identify dyslexics in the workplace, how to create the right environment for them to thrive and how organizations can make the transition from a framework that perceives dyslexia as a problem to one that perceives it as a solution.

Throughout the book, real–life case studies illustrate the points being made and a number of invaluable practical resources are available including an appendix of useful organizations, an adult dyslexia screening check list and a seven–step procedure for counselling adult dyslexics.

Gary Fitzgibbon and Brian O′Connor have varied and extensive experience of both advising organizations on adult dyslexia issues and providing assessment, counselling and training services to adult dyslexics. Their book is an essential resource for disability specialists, occupational psychologists, counsellors, HR managers, teachers/lecturers of adults and importantly, dyslexics and their families.

PREFACE

This book is written for employers, psychologists, trainers, human resource personnel and all professional people who have an interest in, or a responsibility for, adult dyslexia in a work-related context. We decided to write this book because, as practitioners with substantial experience of both advising organisations on adult dyslexia issues and providing assessment, counselling and training services to adult dyslexics, we are very aware that the condition is widely misunderstood in the world of work.

Our background of working in commercial, industrial, educational and public service organisations, together with the special expertise we have developed in adult dyslexia, enables us to describe and explain the problems adult dyslexics face in workplaces and to identify possible solutions to those problems. We have seen many examples that confirm that dyslexics can be very successful in the right environment and that they can fail to realise their potential in the wrong environment. In this book we provide practical advice, for both individuals and employers, concerning what constitutes the right environment, how to create it and how organisations can make the psychological transition from a framework that perceives dyslexia as a problem to one that conceptualises it as a solution.

Although aimed at employers and professionals involved in supporting adult dyslexics in (and into) work, this book will also be of interest to adult dyslexics themselves. By improving personal understanding of how dyslexia manifests itself in workplaces, dyslexic people can encourage, work with and assist their colleagues and employers to understand that dyslexics have a wealth of talent to bring to the world of work. Increasing understanding is a key to the process of creating a more efficient and effective work environment, one which, in all probability, will benefit everyone who uses it.

In writing this book, we gratefully acknowledge the encouragement, help and support we have received from many colleagues and friends. We are particularly indebted to Vivienne Young, Dr Tessa Adams, John Emery, Sarah Douglas, Alison Little, Joseph Fitzgibbon and Vanessa Taylor-Brown, as well as the many adult dyslexic clients who agreed to allow us to describe their experiences to illustrate various points we wanted to make. However, it should be noted that throughout the book the names of the adults have been changed to preserve anonymity. Any resemblance to real persons is a co-incidence.