Dyslexia: How to survive and succeed at work (Paperback)

~ Dr. Sylvia Moody (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Particularly thorough guide."  —Library Journal

Product Description

Dyslexic people face many problems in the workplace: difficulties with reading and writing, memory, organisation and time management, and a recent TUC report on dyslexia in the workplace estimates that 3 million people are affected.This guide is written by a leading expert in the field for people of all backgrounds and abilities and will help readers to master complex organisational skills, deal with a large workload and cope with the demands of deadlines. It also shows how to improve confidence, deal with stress, and build on the creative talent that many dyslexics possess. It explains what dyslexic and dyspraxic difficulties are; describes how they affect workplace efficiency; offers strategies to manage dyslexic difficulties and reduce their adverse effect on work efficiency; and, provides information about ways in which employers can help dyslexic employees.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Random House UK (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 009190708X
• ISBN-13: 978-0091907082
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #431,930 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dyslexia: How to Survive and Succeed at Work, January 26, 2007

By	Katherine Kindersley (London, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Dyslexia: How to Survive and Succeed at Work

By Dr Sylvia Moody

Published: Vermilion `Books that Change Lives', Random House 2006
ISBN: 009190708-X (From January 2007, ISBN: 13:9780091907082)
Price: £8.99


Here we have a gem of a book, just what was needed, written for all adults struggling with dyslexia or dyspraxia in the workplace. It is an excellent resource for the mentor, the specialist trainer and the employer. However, its real value also lies in the fact that it is written for and speaks directly to the adult looking for help. It is an essential handbook, full of practical ways of addressing and managing the difficulties. The adults I am working with have found it immensely helpful and I highly recommend it.

The book is divided into three sections. The first section, `Dyslexia Observed', explains the nature of dyslexia and how dyslexia and dyspraxia will manifest at work, using the illustrative cases of James and Gina. Dr Moody has an unusual skill in conveying complex theoretical issues in straightforward and clear language, something the adult with dyslexia will appreciate. The explanation of auditory memory is a good example of this and the adult is invited to complete two short tasks which demonstrate simply and effectively the functions of the memory `controller' and its two assistants, the storage systems of the `mindless' memory loop and the `thoughtful' memory box.

The first section also includes very useful checklists, `Workplace Dyslexia Checklist', `Visual Stress Checklist' and an `Everyday Dyslexia Checklist', helping an adult decide whether an assessment might be appropriate. Comments on the assessment process, both the diagnostic and the `Workplace Needs' assessment, provide an understanding of the nature of a well-executed assessment and how it might take the individual forwards.

The second section, `Improving Skills', provides chapters on Organisation, Reading and Understanding, Speaking and Listening, Writing, and Emotions. Each chapter explores the range of difficulties commonly met at work and provides practical strategies which can be adopted and used. Dr Moody makes the point that it is best for the adult to work alongside a trainer who is an expert in dyslexia, but even if the only help available is `self help', the book enables the adult to develop more efficient skills by setting out worked examples of how to manage an activity. For example, a case study illustrates how to make `order out of chaos'. In the section on understanding the content and structure of text, Dr Moody repeats her earlier description of auditory memory and invites the reader to experiment with different strategies: association, visualisation and dramatisation, in order to improve understanding and recall of writing. Dr Moody moves on to `Speaking and Listening', where she includes comment on interviews and the thorny issue of `disclosure', then to Writing' and the structuring of work documents, and finally to the chapter on `Emotions', where she gives guidance on how to deal with the difficult emotions that often accompany dyslexia: confusion, such as embarrassment, frustration, despondency, lack of confidence and stress. She suggests how a positive attitude can be cultivated and includes a useful relaxation exercise. Each chapter concludes with a summary of `Key Tips' for easy reference.

The third section `Help from the Employer' includes advice on how the employer and specialist training can support the individual. It includes a brief but effective guide which can be photocopied for the employer, and provides information on Access to Work funding and the Disability Discrimination Act with examples of tribunal cases.

A further section looks at items of equipment and specialist software which will support the adult at work. Finally there is a helpful list of organisations offering advice, specialist assessment and training for the adult.

This is the second book in Dr Sylvia Moody's adult dyslexia trilogy. The first book was `Dyslexia: A Teenager's Guide' (reviewed in Patoss Bulletin May 2005) and the third, for students, is to be published in April 2007.

Katherine Kindersley
Director
Dyslexia Teaching Centre, London