“The Lost Generation ” -
Two Million Undiagnosed Dyslexic Adults in Britain Today
New research reveals ignorant Britain believes dyslexics make ineffective workers
Worrying research released today from dyslexia experts The Learning People has shown there are over two million undiagnosed dyslexic adults in Britain today. The research highlights that only 5.8% of British adults are aware they have dyslexia, which is 4.2% under the widely accepted national average of 10%*.
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA), amongst other recognised bodies, states that typically 10% of Britons are dyslexic. Interestingly, The Learning People research confirmed this figure among the younger respondents while half as many of the older group accepted they were dyslexic. Although this clearly indicates that methods of catching dyslexia at an early age have improved dramatically over the years, it also highlights a staggering number of people who still struggle with learning problems into their forties, fifties, sixties and into retirement without ever knowing why and what they can do about it.
The research went on to show a worrying lack of understanding about dyslexia in Britain, but more importantly, that many Britons today have a very prejudiced view of dyslexia and dyslexics:
- Three quarters admitted to knowing little, or nothing at all, about dyslexia, yet two thirds still claimed that it is a life long learning disability, a view challenged by The Learning People and others working in the field
- A fifth of people polled think dyslexics just need to work harder to keep up with non-dyslexics
- And a quarter of Britons believe dyslexics are less able in the workplace – a worrying indictment of British working practices
“Britain needs an urgent wake up call,” says Richard Whitehead, founder of The Learning People which commissioned the research. “There are a staggering two million undiagnosed dyslexics in Britain. As people’s perceptions of what dyslexia is are so clichéd, and often simply wrong, it’s clear why so many cases have not been caught over the years. For instance, we were worried to see that over half of those polled thought dyslexia was simply getting letters back to front. Dyslexia affects people in so many different ways, and part of the education process needs to be simply explaining to people what dyslexia encompasses, so they can make educated decisions about whether they have dyslexia and act on them.”
The Learning People, which commissioned the 1,000-strong research, are a new national network of dyslexia trainers which launched today. They are the first and only nationwide provider of the Davis Dyslexia Programme, which has hitherto only been available via the local practices of individual trainers. In direct contrast to what it seems many Britons think, The Learning People see dyslexia as a gift. Dyslexics’ ability to think multi-dimensionally, and often visually, explains why so many are creative, offer unusual solutions to problems, are very intuitive, or have vivid imaginations. The Learning People’s highly trained network across the UK helps individuals discover and develop this innate gift. A typical Programme is a 30-hour, one-to-one experience with a trained and licensed trainer, lasting approximately one week in total.
The organisation is appealing for this ‘lost generation’ of two million undiagnosed dyslexics to seek advice and help if they believe they may have dyslexia. To support this campaign, The Learning People has released a “How Dyslexic Am I?” tick box list, accessible at www.thelearningpeople.co.uk. Unusually, it questions participants not just about dyslexic weaknesses but also about “dyslexic strengths” – which Richard Whitehead believes makes the list uniquely effective.
“Dyslexia is not a lifelong disability, but a thinking style – a form of intelligence – that deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” says Richard Whitehead. “Dyslexics struggle because of a mismatch between learning and teaching styles, not because they are innately incapable. Time and time again we watch our clients, children and adults alike build new skills in a matter of days that they had spent years vainly struggling to acquire.
“The tragedy is that the old ‘disability theory’ of dyslexia – which our research has shown still to be so widespread – puts adult dyslexics off from seeking help in the first place. Effectively, society is telling these people that there’s a bit of them that’s broken and can’t be fixed.”
“Although dyslexia recognition is improving, dyslexics are still tarnished with a ‘stupid’ brush, when in fact they can be the gems of any organisation thanks to their often amazing gifts,” says Richard Whitehead. “With some simple steps, Britain’s ‘lost generation’ could be the answer to many business problems.”
A recent BBC documentary entitled “The Mind of a Millionaire” found that 40% of British millionaires had dyslexia, and there have been many famous dyslexics who have gone on to succeed in the fields of science (Albert Einstein), politics (Winston Churchill and Michael Heseltine), business (Richard Branson), art (Pablo Picasso), and music (John Lennon) to name a few. Tom Cruise, Jamie Oliver, Jerry Hall and Keira Knightley are other examples of present-day celebrities who have proved that having dyslexia can assist you to succeed in your chosen field.
There is no consensus on the definition of dyslexia or its cause. The Learning People defines dyslexia as a profile of marked strengths and weaknesses that is unique in each individual but always stems from higher than average non-verbal, lateral and multidimensional thinking ability.
The research showed that an overwhelming 80% of Britons would welcome such an initiative as The Learning People launching in the UK.
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