Dyslexia Is Not a Measure of Intelligence

As we near the end of Dyslexia Awareness Month, there is one message I would love more people to understand: dyslexia is not a sign of poor intelligence or lack of ability. It is a specific difficulty with reading and spelling. That's all.

Too often, children and adults with dyslexia begin to question their intelligence because they find reading, spelling or writing harder than their peers. Sadly, our education system places a huge emphasis on these skills. Even subjects such as history, geography and science require pupils to access information through reading and demonstrate their knowledge through writing.

The problem is that intelligence is so much more than reading and writing.

Psychologist Howard Gardner proposed that there are many different ways of being intelligent. Rather than viewing intelligence as a single score, he suggested that people have a range of strengths. Some individuals excel with words, whil

e others shine in areas such as problem-solving, design, music, sport, understanding people, understanding themselves or working with the natural world.

This idea resonates strongly with me because dyslexia runs throughout my family. My dad, my brother, my eldest daughter and I are all dyslexic. Yet none of us are lacking in intelligence or ability.

In fact, my dad is one of the cleverest people I know. He is an engineer, an inventor and someone who can always find a creative solution to a practical problem. He was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child and has always found reading and writing difficult, but that never stopped him succeeding.

My brother is at the top of his field in IT and is regularly sought after for his expertise and specialist skills. I have a psychology degree, a postgraduate teaching qualification and a Level 7 qualification as a dyslexia assessor. My daughter is an incredibly talented designer and is currently achieving highly in her college course.

Growing up with a dyslexic father who was successful, capable and endlessly resourceful gave us something invaluable: a belief in our own potential. We saw first-hand that difficulties with reading and spelling did not define what we were capable of achieving.

I often wonder how many more dyslexic children would thrive if schools took a more strengths-based approach. Imagine if we measured what people could do, rather than focusing so heavily on the areas they find difficult. Imagine if creativity, problem-solving, innovation, practical skills and resilience were valued as highly as reading and writing. For many dyslexic individuals, it would be a game changer.

For now, I hope to play a small part in helping the young people I work with see beyond their difficulties. Dyslexia may make reading and spelling harder, but it does not limit intelligence, talent or future success.

To every child with dyslexia: keep going. Your difficulties do not define you. Your strengths, interests, creativity and determination matter just as much. And with the right support and belief in yourself, you can realise your full potential.