Unleash the power within

There is an extensive body of research addressing dyslexia, the challenge of dyslexia in formal education, and corrective actions to enable a person with dyslexia to engage in mainstream learning. However, there is little commentary on the learning talents of people who think through the vision and creativity of the dyslexic. This paper will explore the creative talents and potential of people with dyslexia. This paper suggests that dyslexics are one of a range of complex intelligence types needing to be engaged equally in the learning process. By engaging complex intelligence types more effectively in learning would indicate our Celebration of Diverse Approaches to Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Education expressly has a mission in shaping community citizens. To be an active citizen is about developing the cognitive and social skills of participation in all aspects of our society. Yet learners with dyslexia often have negative experiences of education where they have to conform to a systematic method of teaching. This paper will challenge the notion that dyslexics are a marginalised group who need help to engage in mainstream learning. It challenges the conference to realise that dyslexic learners and teachers are a resource of creativity that demonstrate ‘another’ diverse complexity in teaching and learning. Therefore this paper will suggest that the dyslexic needs to be valued as a teacher, or a learner, with an alternative mainstream approach that should be celebrated as a learning diversity particularly in higher education. Two of the authors are diagnosed dyslexics working in Community Education and out-reach education work. They will present their case study of how they now celebrate their diverse approach to learning and they will propose to the conference the potential of those gifted with dyslexia