Case Studies

RachelConsider Rachel. Rachel is employed in County Durham. She is very bright and highly suited to her job which requires creativity, lateral thinking, problem-solving and sensitivity. She did, however, have extreme difficulty in writing reports, letters and e-mails. Her spelling is extremely weak and her reports had to be proof-read by colleagues and her line manager until they were acceptable - a frustrating and time-consuming exercise. She also has short-term memory problems which used to result in her sometimes forgetting to clock in and out of work. Courses were a nightmare for Rachel because she couldn't take notes and listen at the same time.

Rachel has all the typical symptoms of dyslexia.

Her employers were aware of her disability and wanted to support her but just didn't know how. They knew they should be trying to make reasonable adjustments - but what?

They contacted Dyslexia Action for a workplace consultation (Rachel had already had a diagnostic assessment for dyslexia) and, after observing Rachel at work, talking to both her and her line managers, the dyslexia specialist suggested strategies, reasonable adjustments and technology that both Rachel and her employer considered reasonable and workable.

Two months later Rachel’s line manager reported that Rachel was now producing reports faster than any of her colleagues!

Gill

We helped Gill, an administrator in the public sector, who uses complex systems to work out benefits. She and her manager streamlined her range of tasks and made her more of a specialist in her job. The management team at her organisation is now considering adopting this model throughout.

MarkThen there is Mark, a social worker, who is great with clients but whose problem is paperwork. He needed coaching in organisational skills and report writing. His manager agreed to provide a quiet environment for a few hours a week. Some dyslexic people find it hard to block out background noise and concentrate, and a quiet environment can improve performance dramatically.

Note: If you want an assessment of an employee's needs to assist you mainly for the purposes of an employment tribunal, disciplinary hearing or any other legal purpose, Dyslexia Action may not be able to assist you. You may be better seeking the advice of a solicitor or your own legal/HR department. Please note that Dyslexia Action is a charity which aims to support the needs of people with dyslexia.