PHYSICAL AND ATTITUDE BARRIERS IN DYSLEXIA
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PHYSICAL AND ATTITUDE BARRIERS OF DYSLEXIA
Overview
The purpose of this essay is to determine the effects of social barriers on people who have dyslexia. The study examines the influence of physical and attitudinal barriers concerning dyslexia and its control on the medical and social models. West (2014, p 78) dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulties in reading due to problems in identifying speech and relating letters and sounds. According to (Association, 2020) the number of people with dyslexia in the U.K. forms about 10% of the total population. This is about 6.3 million people, where 1 out of 6 adults has reading difficulties. There are no classic symptoms of dyslexia; hence experts rely on clues to identify learning impairment, especially in elementary school where kids are binging attending school. Children with dyslexia are often known to struggle with depression, low self-esteem issues, and problematic behavior at home and school. They appear less motivated and are likely to dislike school, which can jeopardize their success if the condition is not treated. Research has been conducted using a reliable online journal with up to date information on dyslexia. Dyslexia is a learning disorder in which careful analysis of barriers and ways to overcome them can make the condition manageable.
Physical Barriers
Physical barriers relate to how things are designed to enable dyslexic people to navigate as they carry out their daily routine activities. Structures such as buildings should be designed in a manner that is favorable for people with impairments such as dyslexia. When planning, building the architectural element should feature the needs of people with dyslexia in mind. For instance, dyslexia mainly struggle with reading and writing; therefore, it is vital for aspects such as indicators of location and direction inside a building to be structured in a way they can understand. They are also concerned with the ability of impaired persons to carry out simple tasks with efficiency. Independence is vital to ensure an impaired person can accomplish simple tasks effectively without the need to rely on others. It is imperative for impaired people to feel independent and in control because it empowers them as members of society and enables them to lead healthy lives (Education), 2020). The major problem faced by the disabled is lack of independence, which can bring frustrations and low self-esteem. Creating an enabling environment where they can go about their daily activities without help will change people’s perception of them and reduce discrimination. The physical barrier may also affect an individual’s ability to carry out daily activities such as socializing, work, taking care of children, and education. Areas such as the working environment, classrooms, and even homes need to be designed in a fashion that encourages independence on dyslexic individuals.
Societal Model
The societal aspect is demonstrated by a lack of knowledge about how to handle people with dyslexia. Training is not offered to guide people on the proper way to treat people with dyslexia. For instance, insignificant building a receptionist should have the necessary information on the disorder so that when someone with dyslexia approaches them, they can respond effectively and provide assistance. In addition to this, structures of buildings should be developed concerning people with impairments. This is, however, not the case in most places. Movement from one location to another for people with dyslexia is a challenge due to their inability to read accurately. For instance, most instructions in airports are in writing, hence require reading skills. People with dyslexia may find it difficult to correctly interpret information, which can be problematic (Library Home – University of Wolverhampton, 2020). It is, therefore, crucial for the transportation sector to consider individuals with reading impairment.
Medical Model
People with this kind of disability may face difficulties in initiating conversations with friends and family. This influences the medical model in that new development has been made to helping the assessment of anatomy, speech, severity, and capacity of the condition. There are also screening mechanisms that help impaired acquire treatment using drugs and therapy. Richlan, (2014. P, 347) Behavioral treatment is essential for people with dyslexia as it enables them to learn communication skills. This is because communication is one of the primary concerns among people with this kind of disorder. Many people with dyslexia have challenges identifying social cues and may be oblivious to the amount of personal space distance required when interacting socially. This makes them appear to be insensitive to other people’s body language, making them uncomfortable. The conditions also affect fluency in oral language skills, making people unable to communicate effectively. This aspect of the disorder can early hurt someone’s self-esteem if not well managed. However, through therapy, people can learn essential communication skills, which can boost their confidence and self-esteem.
Attitude Barrier
People’s perception of disability has dramatically influenced people with dyslexia. This is primarily due to the lack of information on the disorder. Historically there has been little awareness of the disorder, and not much has been done to help them. With increased awareness over time, people have become aware of the condition. (Disabled Children’s Partnership – Secret Life of Us, 2020) Through research, it has been discovered that people with dyslexia can effectively develop their reading and communication skills. Initially, people thought of the condition to be a personal problem, and nothing much was done to help people with dyslexia. It is only in recent years that people have taken the disorder seriously. Even though people are aware of the disorder, they have not been adequately trained to handle children and adults with this kind of impairment. The relationship between the teaching staff and dyslexics is usually strained. People still find it hectic to handle such people due to a lack of information and resources.
Medical Model
The attitude barrier is portrayed in the medical approach where a child needs to adjust to fit among their peers. Kids may be under pressure to change how they do things for them to become interact with other kids without the disorder. It becomes a difficulty for them to embrace their conditions for fear of stigma or being picked on by other children. This hinders the development of social skills, which results in low self-esteem issues. Besides kids, adults may also struggle with the condition but on a different level compared to kids as adults are expected to be mature and present themselves in a particular manner. There is always shame surrounding people with the disorder mainly because of their inability to express themselves with easy Norton, Beach, and Gabrieli (2015, p. 75). They are most likely to find themselves in an awkward situation that is not typical for other people without the condition. They end up being judged and treated differently because of their condition. They are forced to find tactics to hide and cope with the difficulties presented by the disorder.
Societal Model
The societal attribute, on the other hand, is shown by how society treats people with dyslexia. The general attitude towards disability is verge, and this is no different with dyslexia. People expect that with more awareness of impairment, people will change their opinion on the disorder. However, this has not been the case as society keeps treating such individuals as victims. They end up feeling secluded due to their condition, which is not empowering for them. The goal is to avoid any form of discrimination against them and make people aware that they can participate in any activity with the necessary structures in place (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, 2020). For instance, if people find the disorder a personal problem, they are likely to treat the individual as someone who needs special treatment. However, with a change in mindsets, people can comfortably accommodate such individual s in society.
Conclusion
The purpose of the study was to analyze the physical and attitudinal barriers associated with dyslexia. The physical barrier is mainly related to the design of structures such as buildings to enable people suffering from the disorder to carry out ordinary tasks. The study established that the barrier has influenced the societal model sue to a lack of support mechanisms to help people with dyslexia carry out everyday tasks. The physical barrier has also changed the development of screening mechanisms for disorders with treatment and therapy specific to the condition. Through this, a milestone has been achieved, allowing people with dyslexia to improve their reading and communication skills through treatment and behavioral therapy.
On the contrary, attitude influences the way people perceive dyslexia in society. People’s perception of the disorder often affects dyslexia, who are forced to hide or adopt a mechanism to fit in. The societal model is demonstrated by how people usually tend to victimize people with the disorder, which makes them feel insecure. Instead of focusing on their disabilities, society should find ways to empower them so that they can be fully integrated into society. On the other hand, the medical model can be seen where people are forced to adjust theirs to fit in. Discrimination and bullying have made it difficult for people with dyslexia to embarrass there condition publicly.
References
West, T., 2014. “Amazing Shortcomings, Amazing Strengths” Beginning to Understand the Hidden Talents of Dyslexics. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 1(1), pp.78-89.
Garner, P., and Davies, J.D., 2001. Introducing Special Educational Needs: A companion guide for student teachers. David Fulton Publishers.
Utton, N., 2011. Heading for inclusion: a head teacher’s journey towards an inclusive school. Education, pp.161-175.
Sarto-Jackson, I., 2018. Time for a change: local amendments to the medical model of disease. Biological Theory, 13(1), pp.29-38.
Ring, J. and Black, J.L., 2018. The multiple deficit model of dyslexia: what does it mean for identification and intervention?. Annals of dyslexia, 68(2), pp.104-125.
Norton, E.S., Beach, S.D., and Gabrieli, J.D., 2015. Neurobiology of dyslexia. Current opinion in neurobiology, 30, pp.73-78.
Richlan, F., 2014. Functional neuroanatomy of developmental dyslexia: the role of orthographic depth. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 8, p.347.
Csie.org.uk. 2020. Centre For Studies On Inclusive Education. [online] Available at: <http://www.csie.org.uk> [Accessed 18 May 2020].
Disabled Children’s Partnership. 2020. Disabled Children’s Partnership – Secret Life Of Us. [online] Available at: <http://www.edcm.org.uk> [Accessed 18 May 2020].
Education), H., 2020. Home – ALLFIE (The Alliance For Inclusive Education). [online] Allfie. Available at: <http://www.allfie.org.uk> [Accessed 18 May 2020].
Wlv.ac.uk. 2020. Library Home – University Of Wolverhampton. [online] Available at: <http://www.wlv.ac.uk/lib> [Accessed 18 May 2020].
Association, B., 2020. British Dyslexia Association. [online] British Dyslexia Association. Available at: <http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/> [Accessed 18 May 2020].