This newspaper article comes from the business section of the Toronto Globe and Mail in May 2007. The article as shown above can be found through the Lexis-Nexis Academic database. “Learning Disabilities: Play to Your Strengths” gives some success stories for people with learning disabilities and helpful strategies for the workplace. The article cites several prominent businessmen who have dyslexia, including Charles Schwab, who now runs a foundation to help parents of children with specific learning disabilities. The key to becoming a business leader, even with a learning disability, is to know one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Many of the Canadian business leaders with learning disabilities who were interviewed for this article indicate that the key to a successful business is to make sure that your staff has strong abilities in areas where you are lacking. The article gives many examples of common traits of people with learning disabilities. It describes the importance of routine. The author notes that many have very good speaking abilities but have problems with daily work. This can cause severe anxiety problems for people with learning disabilities. Disclosure can be a tough decision as well because many employers do not understand what it means to have a learning disability. The key the article reinforces in its conclusion is knowing one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Most of these claims about people with learning disabilities fit well into the characteristics we discussed as a group. Although we did not say anything about having better than average speaking ability as a form of compensation for poor writing and reading ability, this does make some sense, especially for people that have a drive to succeed. Rather than citing any research, the article quotes several business leaders who have learning disabilities. Since the article is attempting to provide tips for business success, this approach is useful. In my classroom, I can encourage students with learning disabilities to make good friendships and connections as well as to be positive about their own strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses.

 

Work cited:

Dube, Rebecca. “Learning disabilities: Play to your strengths.” The Globe and Mail

            (Canada). 9 May 2007: C1.