by Angela Lamacraft, Senior Acoustics Consultant, Chair of IOA's EDI group
This week is Dyslexia Awareness Week. Did you know, around 1 in 10 people in the UK have dyslexia?
Dyslexia primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. It is not linked to intelligence or poor education, it occurs regardless of gender, age, ability, or ethnicity and in all walks of life. In adults, challenges with reading, writing, and spelling may not be visible, as most will have developed good coping strategies. But tasks that require these skills, will require more time and effort than might be expected, and the impact this has on an individual can often go unseen.
But people with dyslexia often have a good ability to visualise or think laterally, and are often great with practical and problem-solving skills. Being able to see the big picture, high levels of motivation and persistence, and the ability to think “outside the box” are huge strengths in the workplace, resulting in innovative solutions to problems. People with dyslexia also often have good verbal communication skills.
For more information, visit the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) website:https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/support-us/awareness-events
To kick off Dyslexia Awareness Week, the Institute of Acoustics has created a Dyslexia Support Network on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9515265/). The group will remain private and unlisted, so only other members will know you are also a member. We hope that the group will create a safe space for discussion and provide useful support for our members.
