Why we must listen to young people with dyslexia

By Margaret Rooke, a guest contributor

It’s so important to listen to children and young people with dyslexia – and no one knows this better than the children and young people themselves

According to Anna, from the Scottish Borders, who’s 10, good listening means that, “A child can say what’s on their mind, and this builds trust.” She says that being heard can lead to being helped, so vital in an education system that doesn’t always cater for minds that work differently.

Anna gives an example: “If someone is bullied for their dyslexia, they can go tell the teacher. If they’re listened to well, the teacher can do something to stop it.”

Cameron, from Fife, who’s 12, has his own thoughts on why being listened to is so important. “It’s so we can tell you what the matter is and why we’re struggling.”

In his experience, teachers listened more when he was at primary school. Now he’s older, things are tougher. “Everyone’s talking to the teacher at once, and they never come to me because I’m at the back. When I’m not listened to, I get pretty angry. Then I don’t do the work, and I stop communicating.”

Both these children speak confidently and clearly. They are full of ideas. Given the chance, there are so many ways they could have an impact. In fact, I’ve used the words of Anna, Cameron and more than twenty other children to help create characters for my latest book for primary children, Meet the Dyslexia Club!

Here the characters talk about their skills and talents, their difficulties and their daily lives. They explain what we can do to help them, at school and home.

I’ve been listening to children, teens and others with dyslexia for ten years, giving them a voice in the books I’ve written. It’s clear that they know what works for them and need the chance to share this in an unpressurised way. For instance, in Meet the Dyslexia Club!, they say, “Give me time to do what I’m best at so I can get even better,” and “Have a good time with us so we can forget about school sometimes.” They say they want to be allowed to stroke their pet while doing their homework. They want to be asked to do just one thing at a time, or they’ll forget the rest. They want to practice reading the things that really interest them, from football reports to chocolate cake recipes.

Listening well increases children’s confidence and self-belief, showing them that their thoughts and feelings are valuable, and that we are on their side.
For all of us, listening is a skill we can perfect. Instead of giving our undivided attention to what someone is saying, it’s so easy to be distracted. We can feel impatient or frustrated if the person talking to us is being repetitive or doesn’t understand an issue.

We can think we know what someone is about to say, anticipating their response according to our own belief system. We can rehearse the response we think will work best while someone else is still talking, so we are not in fact listening but waiting for them to stop speaking. We can let hunger or cold or thirst divert us.

When we listen well, we gain crucial insights about the children we care for. I’ve used my books to show how much we can learn from children and teens with dyslexia. They know they face hurdles, but they also know there are ways to open their doors to a bright and successful future.