Reading the signs for life
IT is one of the most misunderstood of learning difficulties, despite affecting in some way around 10% of the population. Yet for those managing their dyslexia every day, that is just one of the challenges they face. Here in Guernsey, thanks to a valued local charity now celebrating its 30th year, much work has been done to explode the myths surrounding the condition – a specific reading disorder, which can also affect numeracy but does not reflect low intelligence.
The Dyslexia Day Centre has also changed the lives of thousands of young children over the years by working to ensure help is at hand.
Without the service, set up in 1986, many primary school pupils would have been undiagnosed – left to probably struggle for years, navigating learning environments at school and work.
Even worse, they might have ended up completely unprepared to attain their true potential in life.
When you look at the indicators, which differ in number and severity between individuals, it is illuminating to see that many of us can display some of them ourselves – such as confusing our left with right, or failing to remember names.
Each personal profile is unique but, as some of the world's most successful and accomplished people – from Churchill to Richard Branson – have shown, being dyslexic need not be a barrier to success.
Now the team behind the service which works closely with Education to reach pupils most in need, requires help itself to relocate from KGV to new premises at St Andrew's in time for the new year.
Costs of renovating its future home have grown to £44,000, as ongoing work has uncovered more problems than first thought with the old school building.
Yet as a learning lifeline for around 180 youngsters – and potentially more as it works to expand its programme into secondary schools – being without the centre is not an option.
Supporting its appeal is about far more than drumming up cash for a new venue. As it looks to its next decade, it is about building on its legacy of early identification and appropriate intervention.
In short, it is about helping ensure we are doing as much as we can for those youngsters among us who simply just learn differently.
