[Futurework] working with learning disabilities

[Ed Weick]

The career section of today's Globe and Mail contains an article on people in the workforce who have to cope with learning disabilities.  This topic is of particular interest to me because two of my four kids, the eldest and the youngest were diagnosed with such disabilities.  When tested by educational psychologists, both proved to be very bright, but in the classroom, both had a terrible time demonstrating that brightness.  My eldest child did not finish highschool, but nevertheless decided to try university as a mature matriculant at age 22.  Something had happened to him in the intervening years.  He proved to be not only a good student, but a very good student, leaving university with an M.Sc. in geology.  My youngest daughter, now 18, had a very different highschool experience.  Because she was recognized as bright, her teachers had a lot of persistent patience with her.  It paid off.  She is now in her first year of university.  Unlike her older brother, she will never be good at science and math, but she will do very well in the arts and humanities. The article is rather long.  I've printed the first few paragraphs below.  The rest can be found at: http://globeandmail.workopolis.com/servlet/Content/fasttrack/20031001/CADISABLE01?section=HomePage Even if you do read the article, you may be interested in the list it contains of people thought to be learning disabled.  Here it is: Tom Cruise, actor (dyslexia) Charles Schwab, multimillionaire investor (dyslexia) Winston Churchill, politician, prime minister (multiple learning disabilities) Albert Einstein, mathematician (considered poor student, undiagnosed) Richard Branson, corporate executive (dyslexia) George S. Patton, general (dysgraphia) Ludwig van Beethoven, composer (poor reader, ADD) Werner von Braun, jet propulsion scientist (difficulty with math) John T. Chambers, corporate executive (dyslexia) Thomas Edison, inventor (considered a slow learner) William Hewlett, corporate executive (dyslexia) Fred Epstein, neurosurgeon (dyslexia) Woodrow Wilson, U.S. president (dyslexia) Alexander Graham Bell, inventor (considered a slow learner) Jay Leno, entertainer (dyslexia) Ted Turner, media executive (dyslexia) Leonardo da Vinci, inventor, artist (difficulty reading) Ed Weick What we all need to learn Until recently, most workers with learning disabilities have tried to cope on their own. But young people entering the work force are expecting the same help that they had in school. It's time companies recognize IAN SUTTON Special to The Globe and Mail Wednesday, October 1, 2003 A job's available at work -- a promotion you deserve. The boss hints that it's yours for the taking. But instead of going for it, you let the deadline pass and tell the boss you're happy where you are. Your expense account is due and you still haven't done it. You take it to the department secretary, promising to buy her lunch if she'll work out the numbers for you -- again. No matter how talented, creative and clever you are, you feel inept, stupid and isolated. You're under constant stress, afraid your colleagues -- or worse, your boss -- will discover the truth. Until now, most people with learning disabilities have struggled to cope at work on their own. But experts say employers have to start identifying and accommodating learning-disabled staff or risk losing out on a powerful resource. For much of Mike Hicks's working life, attention deficit disorder and total lack of skill with numbers and organizational abilities kept him from recognizing his abilities. He regarded aptitudes with music, writing and personal communication as "sort of second-class strengths." It didn't help that many of his jobs were organizational rather than creative. "I had responsibility for budgets and it was a real problem for me in all evaluations that were done of me. You didn't feel like you were worthwhile . . . I felt stupid." He consulted five psychiatrists over eight years to help deal with the depression that resulted from loss of self-esteem. He's not alone: An estimated three million Canadians suffer from learning disabilities. The most common of the 70 different types and sub-types are dyslexia -- which involves difficulty in reading, writing and spelling (dysgraphia) and math (dyscalcula) -- and auditory processing disorders. While some experts add attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), others don't consider them learning disabilities.