Richard Whitehead - Articles

 

I am Director of The Learning People and Davis Learning Foundation and have a wide background in education, ranging from classroom teaching to one-to-one learning enhancement programmes. My passion is the Davis philosophy that dyslexia is a form of intelligence; I specialise in ways of utilising the dyslexic thinking style as an immensely powerful learning TOOL.

Dyslexia in the Workplace: Disability or Talent?

In the UK, dyslexia is covered by the provisions of the Disabilities Discrimination Act, and meaningful protection is afforded to dyslexic thinkers through this means. However, is the disability framework for understanding dyslexia actually harming dyslexic interests rather than furthering them? This article argues for a reappraisal of what dyslexia is through a framework that honours the talents inherent in the dyslexic thinking style. Read

By: Richard Whitehead | 10/04/2008 | Business

Dyslexia in Learning: Don't Tell Us to Concentrate! Harnessing the Power of Dyslexic Creativity

There is a dirty word in the field of education which masks as a virtue. The word is "concentrate!" The assumption is, if a learner is failing, they just need to try harder. Yet generally speaking, nothing could be further from the truth. Read

By: Richard Whitehead | 02/04/2008 | Education

Dyslexics at the Back of the Class - Should They be at the Front?

The UK news has recently been awash with comment on a study published by Hull University suggesting that 55% of those failing standard assessment tests in school are dyslexic. The sad thing is that this is an entirely avoidable tragedy. Dyslexic thinkers are among the brightest in our schools; what's more, with the right approach, the dyslexic thinking style contains all the ingredients of academic success. Read

By: Richard Whitehead | 16/03/2008 | Education