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Module 12 – An Overview of Living with Dyslexia as an Adult

October 18, 2024

So far in this course, we have discussed dyslexia primarily in children.

However, we have also mentioned that dyslexia is a condition that lasts a lifetime. As this is the case, many adults struggle with the condition as they live and work, even though they left school many years ago.

Adults with dyslexia have different challenges compared to those that they may have had in school, and some adults with dyslexia do not even realise that they have the condition, as they may have never been diagnosed as a child.

This module will focus on dyslexia in adults, the unique symptoms that might appear, and how adults with dyslexia work differently to those without the condition.

11.2 An Overview of Living with Dyslexia as an Adult

Overview As we have already covered, in general, most people with dyslexia are bright individuals, but they often end up in jobs that are boring and not challenging to them.

They may have resentment or feel disappointed that they have not achieved goals in their personal or professional lives, or they may get frustrated with themselves or feel unhappy and blame others.

It is also common for adults with dyslexia to experience anger and depression.

We should all have the chance to reach our greatest possible potential, yet there are many adults with dyslexia who do not do so. However, on the other hand, many learn to overcome these difficulties and live very happy and successful lives.

Most adults with dyslexia have a number of behaviours and traits that are noticeable to themselves and others, and, in general, most adults with the condition will have a minimum of ten of these traits:

Behaviours and Traits Seen at Work

Here are some of the most common behaviours and traits of adult dyslexics throughout their career:

They choose a career that hides their issues with writing, reading or spelling.
They hide their reading, spelling or writing issues from colleagues.
They get frustrated or angry with ‘planning meetings’ or sequential tasks.
They become overwhelmed or frustrated with forms or anything that involves filling in information.
They often find work in a trade, the arts, sports, engineering or have their own business whereby they can have an assistant or secretary.
They often pass up promotions due to the fear of more administrative work.
They might have difficulty focusing on a single task but are willing to multi-task.
They often have difficulty with tests which might be used for career advancement.
They are often overachievers in tasks that do not involve writing, spelling, or reading.
They are often perfectionists and might overreact when mistakes occur.
They generally think ‘outside of the box’.
They can be controlling and stick to the rules.
They learn best by using hands-on methods or visual aids or demonstrations.

General Behaviours and Traits that Appear in Adults with Dyslexia

There are also some general behaviours and traits that may appear in adults with dyslexia. These include the following:

They can often sense other people’s emotions or energies.
They are known for being ‘streetwise’ and having good common sense.
They talk about their issues in school.
They are distracted or annoyed by noises or movements in their environment.
They often have dyslexic children or might feel guilty seeing their children struggle with reading, writing, or spelling.
They misuse or mispronounce certain words without realising it.
They may seem to ‘zone out’ or stare into space and lose track of what is happening around them.
They may not seem to listen during conversations.
They may have poor balance.
They have difficulty remembering certain things, including verbal instructions, names of people or directions but often remember faces or visual instructions.
They may have difficulty remembering a sequence of events or conversations.

Behaviours and Traits that Occur with Time Management, Maths, and Directions

The following behaviours and traits with regards to time management, maths and directions are often noticeable in adults with dyslexia:

They may be able to perform difficult maths problems but cannot show the calculations on paper.
They may be able to excel in maths but often rely on tricks for remembering formulae.
They may count on their fingers or use a calculator.
When paying for a product or service, they use cards instead of cash, as they do not want to count money.
They may have issues with left and right or with north, east, south and west.
They may not be able to read maps.
They may get stressed and anxious when driving in unfamiliar places, or they may rely on others to drive when possible.
They tend to be either really early or really late to appointments.
They have difficulty estimating time.

Behaviours and Traits that are Evident in Adults with Dyslexia when Reading and Writing

There are also behaviours and traits that appear in dyslexic adults in regards to reading and writing. The most common are listed below:

They prefer clear, large fonts or print.
They avoid reading in front of others.
They have tricks that they use in order to remember how to spell words that have the same sound, i.e. ‘hare’ and ‘hair’.
They often have to reread sentences, in order to understand them.
They quickly get bored or tired when reading.
They rely on someone else, such as an assistant or partner, to write correspondence.
They have uncertainty with regards to words, spelling or punctuation when writing and rely on grammar and spell checkers more than non-dyslexic adults do.
They often have poor handwriting, with inconsistent phrasing or spelling.
They use a lot of abbreviations, all capital letters, or they use capital letters where they should not be used.

Behaviours and Traits of Dyslexic Adults in Regards to Personality and Health

A person’s personality and health are often affected by dyslexia in adulthood. Here are some behaviours and traits that often appear:

They may be easily angered, frustrated, or annoyed, and they are known to have a ‘short fuse’.
They often have low self-esteem.
They are easily overwhelmed or stressed in certain situations.
They are afraid to try new things or go to places in which they feel outside their comfort zone.
They feel self-conscious when speaking in front of others.
They may leave frequent pauses when speaking, leave sentences incomplete or have noticeable trouble getting thoughts out.
They often lose or misplace objects.
They may have a compulsion for tidiness and get stressed by mess.
They can experience fatigue, confusion or other physical health issues when tasked with something that could exacerbate their dyslexic difficulties.

FACT

Dyslexia.uk.net

Some dyslexic adults feel unable to cope with their difficulties, whilst others have found ways to get round their problems, but changing demands at work or a new venture in life can present tough challenges.

Source: Dyslexia.uk.net

11.3 Managing Dyslexia at Work

Dyslexia at Work It can be almost impossible to find a job that does not require at least a small amount of writing, reading, and spelling, and many dyslexic adults also have issues with organisation and time management.

So what do they do at work? There are actually many things that dyslexic adults can do, to make work easier for them and to lessen the chances that they will feel stressed, overwhelmed or bogged down.

When a dyslexic person starts work and every time they enter into a new job, training should take their needs into account. This includes flexibility, the availability of information in more than one format, a learning approach that uses more than just one of the five senses, and more time to understand concepts when necessary.

11.4 Reading for Work

Reading for work often involves more pressure for a dyslexic adult compared to reading for pleasure.

At work, one must get their facts right, remember relevant information and understand what concepts are being conveyed.

Dyslexic adults reading for work should do so in a comfortable place that is quiet and well-lit. One method that can be used is the SQ3R method. This acronym stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review.

First developed by Francis Robinson 70 years ago, this reading method gives a step-by-step formula for readers to follow:

Survey – The reader should look through the text for any key words that stand out. They should also look for graphs, illustrations and diagrams, along with italics and words in bold.
Question – The reader should ask themselves what information they hope to glean from reading the text.
Read – The individual should then read the text thoroughly.
Recite – The reader should then write down the main points of the text.
Review – The final step is to read the text again, to ensure that it has been remembered correctly.

11.5 Writing for Work

Writing for work is much more common than reading for work, and it is probably one of the most disliked activities for adults who have dyslexia.

Different types of writing tasks require different skills, of course, but most can be handled with a bit of creativity from the individual.

For instance
Memos, letters, bills, invoices, orders and acknowledgements can usually be dealt with by creating a standard letter or template. It can also help to store frequently used phrases and words in a work computer or notebook so that they are easily accessible when necessary.

Some tasks, such as report writing, may be a bit more difficult, so, for these tasks, once again, it is best to follow a set of tips

Firstly, it is important for the individual to make a plan and think about what this task entails.
Next, they should create a deadline, or, in some cases, several deadlines, as there may be several tasks that need to be carried out.
They should then set aside time for tasks such as reading and research, revision, writing and printing. Planning for unforeseen events, such as a computer breakdown, is also a good idea.
Finally, organising the information can help, especially when writing a report. Usually, these have a specific formula, with an introduction, discussion, information about the facts and then the conclusion.

Those with dyslexia should know that, by breaking down a large writing task into smaller tasks, it can make the entire report easier to write. When the job is broken down into small parts, it is much easier to take things one step at a time. Even beginning with a single sentence that can be expanded on is a good way to start. Those who are writing should not worry about their spelling and grammar at this point, as it can always be checked later on. If a dyslexic adult has difficulties with writing, it can help to dictate the writing to a colleague or to use dictation software for a computer.

11.6 Using your Memory for Work

Memory Some people say that those with dyslexia do not necessarily learn more slowly than those without the condition, but, instead, they forget things quicker.

It is true that those with dyslexia often have a poor memory, and, when anxiety and stress factor in, this can get even worse.

Memory is a complex concept, and many people with dyslexia have a poor auditory memory, yet an excellent visual memory.

The following can help adults with dyslexia to improve their memory:

Many people remember things more easily during certain times of the day so these individuals should schedule tasks that require memory for those times.
Environment is important for memory and the best environment is one that is quiet, free from distractions and comfortable.
When trying to remember information, a dyslexic person should attempt to link it to what they already know. For instance, if they require a 4-digit PIN to log into the computer system at work, they may want to use the day from their date of birth, for instance, 24, and their house number, for instance, 15, to create a PIN of 2415.
It can be easier to remember information when it is broken down into smaller parts. For instance, if one has to remember a telephone number, instead of learning all of the digits at once, they can break it down into smaller sections.
Creating mnemonics might also help to make it easier for dyslexic adults to remember common language rules, facts or almost anything.
As it can be difficult to remember concepts that a person does not understand, it is worthwhile becoming familiar with the concept that they wish to memorise.
Studies show that it is easier for us to remember things that we believe are unusual, so, for dyslexic adults, it can help to try and find an unusual feature of whatever they wish to memorise.
As many adults with dyslexia are good visual learners, attaching pictures or colours to information can help to remember them. Using a diagram when attempting to memorise a concept will also help.

Another way to improve memory in the workplace is the use of mobile phones to store information, such as phone numbers, e-mail addresses and postal addresses. The use of calculators can avoid having to remember various aspects of maths.

11.7 Managing Time and Staying Organised at Work

As mentioned in this and other modules, it is difficult for those with dyslexia to manage their time.

Additionally, it can be difficult to remain organised at work. Here are some tips that might help an adult with dyslexia to cope:

Making lists is an excellent way for a dyslexic adult to manage their time and stay organised. A list should include all the things that they must accomplish on a particular day, and, if necessary, a work list and a personal list can both be utilised.
If making a list, it can help to prioritise. For instance, if a person has a meeting and that meeting is a priority, they should put a coloured mark next to it, to indicate that it is important and/or urgent. Tasks that are neither important nor urgent should not have a coloured mark next to them, as, if necessary, they can be pushed back to another day.
It is best for people to look at their lists at least twice a day and to update them and rewrite them if new tasks arise.
Crossing off completed tasks can be satisfying and helps to keep a person motivated, something an individual with dyslexia often struggles with.
At the end of each day, any task that has not been completed should be put on the list for the next day.
Diaries with appointments can also be very beneficial for those with dyslexia. All appointments, no matter whether professional or personal, should be written in the same diary. The individual should check their diary each morning and again at lunchtime.
If possible, it can help a dyslexic adult to have a planner or calendar in a prominent place in their work area. They should mark birthdays, holidays, meetings and deadlines on it.
Having places on a desk in which to put papers and files is important in terms of staying organised. The fewer papers a person has on their desk or in their workspace, the better. If possible, it is important for dyslexic adults to attempt to switch all paper-based information to electronic information.
If there is filing to do, a dyslexic person might try to put it off, but they should make it a weekly goal to have everything filed by the weekend.

It is not always possible to stay organised in a busy environment, and sometimes a person is simply overwhelmed by their work. This situation can be overwhelming for anyone, whether they have dyslexia or not. Those who do have dyslexia should not blame themselves when they have difficulties and, instead, should step back, evaluate the situation, and approach a friend, colleague or supervisor to discuss different coping strategies.

Assignment

Living and Working with Dyslexia as an Adult

Time: 15+ minutes

Set aside some time to work through this worksheet to test your knowledge on what you have just learnt.

Download the worksheet below, print out and complete.

Download Worksheet

Conclusion

Those who have dyslexia as adults have unique challenges in their lives and at work that non-dyslexics simply do not have. Therefore, it is important that they create constructive coping strategies, in order to deal with these challenges. By using the tips that have been presented in this module, it will be easier for these individuals to not only achieve what they need to, in both their personal and professional lives, but they can actually excel.

WELL DONE!

YOU HAVE MADE IT THROUGH MODULE 11!

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