Here are some ways to help dyslexic staff.
Some people may not realise that they have dyslexia; here are some key behaviours that might be caused by this condition:
- Performance not reflective of potential
- Written work seemingly careless or poor
- Takes time to learn new skills
- Deadlines not met
- Forgetful
- Disorganised
- Stressed or anxious
- Low self-esteem
Get confirmation from an occupational psychologist; once assessed they can work to their strengths if supported by their employer. Do not generalise about provision for dyslexic staff, the condition is complex and individuals’ needs vary.
Support
- Assistive technology: voice-activated software, text-reading software
- text-to-speech and scanning tools
- organize their workstation to improve the reading of their VDU with appropriate fonts and colours
- help on a one-to-one basis setting realistic deadlines, organising workloads, clearly marking deadlines etc.
- They may have problems remembering a list of verbal instructions, so write lists
In general workplaces should develop dyslexia-friendly practices in all areas, particularly communications. A more dyslexia-friendly print layout could include:
- Bullet points
- Left-justified margin
- Sans-serif typeface, no less that 10 pt
- Off-white or pastel-coloured background
- Increase spacing between lines
- To accentuate words, use bold not italic
It is good practice to increase the understanding of all staff about this condition.
There is a lot of useful advice helping dyslexic staff on the Dyslexia Action website.