It is important to remember that a dyslexic person may experience increased anxiety at a meeting due to insecurities about the how they absorb and verbally respond to information.
When planning and undertaking a meeting it is vital to:
• Provide clear directions and instruction on the place and time of meeting. Dyslexic people often forget dates and times of appointments and therefore need a written and/or verbal reminder
• Use a quiet space to help maintain concentration for the individual
• Keep the language simple so that additional energy is not wasted unnecessarily on just trying to work out what is being said
• Invite questions to monitor full comprehension
• Allow additional time for the processing of information
• Encourage the use of the tape recorder if the individual would like to use one
(adapted from An audit and guidance tool for accessible practice within the framework of teaching the learning, SWANDS, 1992 – 2002).
For further information to help support students with dyslexia or specific learning disabilities or for information about how to recognise the signs the dyslexia follow the links
A dyslexia guide has been produced by a nursing student to help cope with the placement environment whilst managing with a disability. It is a helpful guide for staff and students and can be found at: Link to Louises report................
A useful link to help understand the issues surrounding dyslexia when on placement is available.