realisedevelopment.net

Just another WordPress site

Right to Read

January 18, 2008 by admin

Right to Read

Right to Read is an excellent campaign being run by the RNIB.  Up to three million children and adults are being denied the right to read because they have a sight problem, dyslexia or another reading disability.  The RNIB are campaigning to put this right.

This sort of campaign can have a damaging effect on many potential entrepreneurs.  In the US around 35% of those starting a business describe themselves as dyslexic.  My guess is that people who struggle with numeracy and literacy are also over-represented in those who start their own business or become self-employed here in the UK.

Campaigns such as this can perpetuate the myth that unless you can read and write you can’t learn and you will never amount to much.  I taught in schools and  community homes (a wonderful euphemism for approved schools) for a number of years working with young people who struggled desperately with reading and writing. They often had real problems with concentration on such mundane tasks as studying.  These days we label them as dyslexic or having ADHD.  The one thing they did not lack was enterprise!

A study published by Simfonec, the Science Enterprise Centre based at the Cass Business School in London, found that entrepreneurs were five times more likely to have dyslexia than people in conventional management jobs. Business founders such as Sir Richard Branson, Sir Alan Sugar, Kevin Linfoot and Anita Roddick are/were all known to be dyslexic.

Instead of labelling weaknesses we should instead focus on the strengths.  Instead of saying that inability to read is a handicap we should ask people what they are good at.  Enterprise comes from strengths.

Filed Under: enterprise, entrepreneurship Tagged With: development, enterprise, entrepreneurship

Recent Posts

  • Hello world!
  • The Challenges of ‘Engaging Community Leaders’
  • Are rich people less honest?
  • 121s – The single most effective tool for improving performance at work?
  • Wendell Berry’s Plan to Save the World

Recent Comments

  • A WordPress Commenter on Hello world!
  • charles hapazari on Top Down: Bottom Up
  • Marvina Babs-Apata on The Challenges of ‘Engaging Community Leaders’
  • Steve Hoey on The Challenges of ‘Engaging Community Leaders’
  • Philippa on An imaginary open letter: To those who would ‘engage’ us…

Archives

  • November 2018
  • March 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007

Categories

  • Community
  • Development
  • enterprise
  • entrepreneurship
  • Leadership
  • management
  • Progress School
  • Results Factory
  • Training
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2023 · Enterprise Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in