Health experts share how people can help young professionals with dyslexia at the workplace

Darsheel Safary as Ishaan Avasthi in Taare Zameen Par. PIC COURTESY/YOUTUBE

For a generation of Indians, the first introduction to dyslexia came through Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par (2007). A young Ishaan Avasthi imagines letters and numbers flying off the blackboard, crawling out of notebooks; they're out to get him. "Many parents took interest in learning more about dyslexia in the years that followed the film," recalls special educator and mental health professional Kashmira Kakalia.

Speech-to-text apps can help individuals draft messages easily

This Dyslexia Awareness Week, we wondered how Ishan's life would have unfolded after the credits rolled. Did he go to college, or join the great job hunt on LinkedIn? Were his co-workers as accommodating as his dear art teacher?

Understanding the gap

Kakalia, who has decades of experience working in mental health and education, stresses on the importance of early diagnosis. With the Right to Education's no-detention policy that promotes students through early academic years, students scrape their way through.

Highlighting sections helps those with dyslexia read longer texts

"While high schools and colleges have provisions for those with learning disabilities, workplaces remain desensitised. When an individual ultimately steps into the workforce, these underlying issues become apparent, and overwhelming," Kakalia shares.

Signs in young adults include, but are not limited to:

>> Difficulty reading and writing clearly
>> Poor time management
>> Avoiding public speaking
>> Trouble understanding multi-step instructions

Kashmira Kakalia

Work it out

The expert shares how an employer, or a co-worker can make the workplace a better place for individuals with dyslexia
Tech aids: Employees can be allowed to use speech-to-text tools that help transcribe their thoughts without the fear of spelling words correctly.

Compartmentalise: Break down instructions into smaller blocks, and don't convolute processes
Make time: Share details about meetings and events earlier than usual
Write clearer: Colour code text material, share important sections in bold format, or highlight specifics

Mausam Shah

Sensitise your workplace

Counselling psychologist Mausam Shah who conducts corporate training as part of her practice shares a handbook for workshops in workplaces. An ideal seminar should take a three-step method: Awareness, empathy, and practical behavioural change.

>> Create a simple segment around the basics of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia
>> Start by busting myths around inclusion. Remind managers and teammates that making accommodations does not mean they are lowering expectations
>> Language training matters. Red-flag phrases include: You're overthinking this. It's a simple email. You're slowing the team down. You need to pay more attention
>> Remind managers about terms of disclosure and confidentiality. An individual might not always feel comfortable sharing about dyslexia. When it happens, managers must maintain confidentiality and share feedback privately

A positive environment can help ease anxieties around this learning disability. REPRESENTATION PICS/ISTOCK

Where to find help?

Given the variation in early signs, and the stigma around dyslexia, individuals might remain undiagnosed for years, Kakalia shares. If you or a loved one is experiencing this condition, get a learning disability assessment. Some of the institutions in Mumbai that provide it are:

>> Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion
>> BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central
>> KEM Hospital, Parel
>> Maharashtra Dyslexia Association, Deonar

The most important step, Kakalia reminds us, is to be patient and provide confidence through emotional support. Dyslexia is neither a measure of one's intelligence, nor a reflection of one's commitment to work.