Dyslexia is My Superpower (Most of the Time)

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There are rivalries in business as well as in politics. Last year Branson was caught up in a “battle of the billionaires” race to space with Elon Musk, but he insists they are on good terms now. “He’s a friend. When I woke up to go to space that day, he was there with his baby in the kitchen, which was very sweet. Rivals should be friends in the evening but competing hard in the day.” Going to space was, he says, “the most extraordinary day of my life, the biggest ‘pinch me’ moment. Every second was [the fulfillment of] a dream which I’d had since being a teenager, watching Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin and standing there, looking up at the moon, and realizing they were standing on the moon, as a kid it was just extraordinary.” D designer, teacher, carpenter, marine biologist, paleontologist, public speaker, veterinarian, lawyer, dancer, architect, and animator. Firm foundations: A parent’s guide to the skills essential for reading and writing, by Clare Welsh and Lynn Fallaize, published by Barrington Stoke No matter how many struggles people go through, without them they wouldn’t be the people they are. I know how it feels to get hurt or be embarrassed about something. As a result of this I’m very caring. When I leave school I want to work with youth centres or counselling. I want to make sure people get help and know where to find it.” Leah, 14 from London Despite an existing wealth of research around dyslexia, there is no reference to this within the book. We feel this would have been particularly helpful for professionals in understanding the diagnosis of dyslexia and guiding best practice. The international context of the book makes it more difficult to reference best practice as this can vary across the globe, but it does give an insight into what has worked well or what has been difficult for children and young people with dyslexia. It may have been more helpful if the interviews in the book had been contextualised with research or common themes explored more explicitly for the reader.

Branson credits his mother with nurturing his 'crazy ideas' rather than trying to curb them. Photo / Getty Images Reviewer expertise: Directly supporting families of children with learning difficulties including dyslexia. What is the book about and who is it aimed at?

Some of their superpowers: empathy for others, use of maps and pictures to solve problems, gift for connecting with animals, and amazing art, building, and visualization skills. Some of their career aspirations: Computer scientist, sound engineer, entrepreneur, gemologist, musician, actor, artist, This book could also be helpful for somebody with little or no experience of dyslexia and gives a flavour of both the “superpowers” and challenges that accompany it.

Branson admits that things could have turned out very differently. On the day he left Stowe—the independent boarding school he attended until he was 15—the head teacher told him he would either end up a millionaire or in prison. That turned out to be an accurate prediction. By the age of 22, he had not only set up his magazine but had also opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, and founded the empire that would make his name. www.parentchampions.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/parentDyslexiaSecondaryBook-v2.pdf - A guide for parents, carers and young peopleBy doing so, Rolls Royce ensures that every single applicant has a level playing field, allowing every single participant to show their skills fairly, neurodiverse or otherwise. This is just one of many examples of ways that companies are now recognising the need for neurodiversity policies. Dyslexia is My Superpower (Most of the Time) is truly a warm book with lots of character. It has changed my approach with the students that I work with and it has given me a fresh insight into such a complex subject. I highly recommend this book to all educators and parents of dyslexics. Far from considering dyslexia a liability, the Virgin Galactic founder and Virgin Group visionary credits his own dyslexia for his company’s success. Citing demand for problem solving, creativity and imagination in the jobs of the future, Branson hopes society will learn to support differences in thinking and celebrate neurodiversity.