Imperial staff have shared their experiences of dyslexia and other learning differences for Disability History Month.

People with dyslexia can often experience problems with timekeeping, taking notes, reading and writing and memory. Dyslexia affects one in 10 people in the UK and can often occur with related conditions, such as dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit disorder. 

"We need to consider the strengths associated with being dyslexic, which can include creativity, oral communication skills and an ability to think outside the box." Professor Sara Rankin Professor of Leukocyte and Stem Cell Biology

Imperial has a range of support on offer for staff who are dyslexic. This includes Dyslexia Champions – College staff who have been trained to provide informal advice and signpost colleagues who have questions about dyslexia and other processing differences. They can be identified by their green and yellow Dyslexia Champion badges. 

We caught up with Imperial staff who have learning differences like dyslexia, and some of the College’s accredited Dyslexia Champions. 

"I don’t see dyslexia as a weakness"

Anthony Marchant, Faculty Safety Officer in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, has dyslexia and mild dyspraxia. Despite being repeatedly tested for dyslexia, he wasn’t diagnosed until the age of 17.

“I had always found it difficult to concentrate at school, particularly in language based subjects,” he recalls. “Back then, dyslexia wasn’t very well understood, and one of the reasons it took so long to diagnose me was that I excelled at science and mathematical-based subjects.” 

Among his symptoms, Anthony experiences some difficulty with reading and writing, struggles with using his short-term memory and is easily distracted.

When he joined Imperial four years ago, Anthony informed his line manager of his dyslexia and was offered a screening by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre. He subsequently completed a Work Needs Assessment (WNA) so the College could understand how to support him. 

Anthony has received additional help through the College, including a meeting with the Dyslexia & Specific Learning Difficulties Advisor to identify ways of working, an online touch-typing course to help with spelling, and a software called ClaroRead, which reads text back to him and can be downloaded by all staff. By offering to proofread his work and emails, Anthony’s team have now started to provide feedback to one another - an example of how making work more inclusive can lead to improvements for everyone. 

He explains: “I don’t see dyslexia as a weakness as it comes with many strengths. I can be very logical, have a good long-term memory, high problem-solving skills, good collaborative working and soft communication skills. It can be challenging, but being dyslexic hasn’t stopped me from achieving my goals.”

During his time at the College, Anthony has also studied for the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) National General Certificate. The College provided him with extra time during his exams and the use of a computer for typing. Anthony recently got his results – he passed with a distinction and achieved one of the highest pass marks in the College. 

Dyslexia Champions: offering support for staff

"Becoming a Dyslexia Champion has taught me to be more patient with others as small changes in our approach can make a big difference for others.”   Emma Sharp Project Manager

Emma Sharp, Project Manager in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, has been a Dyslexia Champion for two years. “It can be easy to forget that people process things differently,” she says. “I received training to be a Dyslexia Champion as I had previously worked with colleagues who have dyslexia and was interested in learning more.

"As a Dyslexia Champion, I want to ensure that colleagues at Imperial have a safe space to talk about dyslexia or other learning differences that affect them. 

“A lot of people think that dyslexia is only related to struggles with reading and writing – but we should try and dispel that myth. Becoming a Dyslexia Champion has taught me to be more patient with others as small changes in our approach can make a big difference for others.”  

“Anyone who is dyslexic needs time and patience”

Peter Brown, Site Manager in ICT, was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 44 and volunteers as a Dyslexia Champion alongside Emma. He said: 

“I hope that other staff members who suspect they have a learning difference feel comfortable enough to speak to us. We aren’t experts, but we can signpost you to the right resources and give advice and encouragement. I received good help from Imperial and I want to help others in the same way.” 

Reflecting on his own journey, Peter explains that he did not consider dyslexia when he struggled with reading and writing at school. “I thought I was just different,” he says. 

“In 2012, my line manager at Imperial suggested that I have an assessment for dyslexia as he had noticed that I process things differently. After discovering I was dyslexic, Occupational Health were very supportive and a big help.” 

As well as having a helpful team, Peter works from home once a week in order to help him concentrate and stay organised. “Dyslexia isn’t just about being a poor writer or speller. It’s a myriad of things, such as having problems with concentration and memory. One of the ways you could help someone with dyslexia is by asking them what their preferred method of communication is. Personally, I prefer face-to-face meetings rather than emails as I sometimes lose track of long email threads. I think that anyone who is dyslexic needs time and patience.” 

Focussing on the strengths of dyslexia

Dyslexia Champion Professor Sara Rankin, of the National Lung and Heart Institute, has both dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Professor Rankin has been advocating for more inclusive teaching at Imperial. Earlier this year, she was part of a team that successfully bid for funding from the Excellence Fund for Learning and Teaching Innovation to deliver inclusive teaching for Imperial students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs). 

In addition, she was also a member of the working group that delivered a project to introduce new College-wide assistive technology (AT). This technology will promote greater independence for staff and students, enabling them to perform tasks that they might otherwise find difficult. 

Professor Rankin commented: “We need to consider the strengths associated with being dyslexic, which can include creativity, oral communication skills and an ability to think outside the box. I think my own success is down to my dyslexic strengths as I’ve applied these skills to my research, teaching and public engagement activities.”