advice please re dyslexia

[paul269]

i have a date coming up for an assessment day for a depot driver. been practising for the tests but with regard to the written questions that go towards the interview i am dyslexic and my spelling isn't great should i let the assessor on the day know. does anyone know if there is anything that can be done to help me or should i just try my best just worried the spelling will let me down all help and advice will be much appreciated !!
many thanks

 

[wintonian]

Not my area railway careers and stuff but have you asked them if (possibly as a reasonable adjustment with regards to the Equality Act) they can produce the tests in a dyslexic friendly font such as 'OpenDyslexic' from dyslexicfonts.com?

 

[Dave1987]

i have a date coming up for an assessment day for a depot driver. been practising for the tests but with regard to the written questions that go towards the interview i am dyslexic and my spelling isn't great should i let the assessor on the day know. does anyone know if there is anything that can be done to help me or should i just try my best just worried the spelling will let me down all help and advice will be much appreciated !!
many thanks

Hi there welcome to the forum. I'm not an expert in dyslexia at all. You need to demonstrate that you can communicate clearly and effectively in an emergency situation. Spelling wouldn't be and issue but if you would struggle to communicate an emergency with the signaller or control it prob isnt the job for you. Apart from that I see no reason why you could not do the job. Good luck!!

 

[paul269]

thanks for the advice wintonian and dave. i have no problem communicating clearly, it is just spelling i have a problem with. All the practice tests im doing are going ok its just where i have to answer the questions which go to the interview e.g name a time when you worked on your own i feel i have the relevant experiences to write about its just the spelling just not sure wether to speak up on the day to the assessor or wether it would go against me. didn't mention dyslexia on application form because it only asked about disabilities which i dont consider it to be!

 

[Dave1987]

thanks for the advice wintonian and dave. i have no problem communicating clearly, it is just spelling i have a problem with. All the practice tests im doing are going ok its just where i have to answer the questions which go to the interview e.g name a time when you worked on your own i feel i have the relevant experiences to write about its just the spelling just not sure wether to speak up on the day to the assessor or wether it would go against me. didn't mention dyslexia on application form because it only asked about disabilities which i dont consider it to be!

I can't see it counting against you if you can communicate clearly. I would mention it as then you are not withholding any info to your assessors and it would explain to them why your spelling might not be great. A lot of drivers have appalling spelling so I really can't see it being a problem as long as any reports you wrote were clear as to what happened.

 

[paul269]

I can't see it counting against you if you can communicate clearly. I would mention it as then you are not withholding any info to your assessors and it would explain to them why your spelling might not be great. A lot of drivers have appalling spelling so I really can't see it being a problem as long as any reports you wrote were clear as to what happened.

thanks dave,

thats food for thought ?

writing reports would be a piece of cake. there are lots of ways to complete them with technology writing it out would be no problem.

its just hard when i'm put under pressure in a test room environment its crippling especially big words ? and time restraints involved.

 

[Dave1987]

thanks dave,

thats food for thought ?

writing reports would be a piece of cake. there are lots of ways to complete them with technology writing it out would be no problem.

its just hard when i'm put under pressure in a test room environment its crippling especially big words ? and time restraints involved.

Unfortunately that's the job at times. Occasionally you are put under a lot of pressure to deal with situations. That's why they put such a big emphasis on your experience in dealing with emergency situations, as to whether you can remain calm and do everything that you need to do in the right order. Sometimes you need to remember a rule you might not have used for ages but at that exact time you need to be able to remember it and abide by it.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Not my area railway careers and stuff but have you asked them if (possibly as a reasonable adjustment with regards to the Equality Act) they can produce the tests in a dyslexic friendly font such as 'OpenDyslexic' from dyslexicfonts.com?

Agree totally. Again not my area but as my username kind of gives away I am a disabled person and one of a minoritty (if the number crunchers are to be believed) who works and Wintonians idia or similar is most definately a reasonable adjustment. Good luck.

 

[paul269]

Unfortunately that's the job at times. Occasionally you are put under a lot of pressure to deal with situations. That's why they put such a big emphasis on your experience in dealing with emergency situations, as to whether you can remain calm and do everything that you need to do in the right order. Sometimes you need to remember a rule you might not have used for ages but at that exact time you need to be able to remember it and abide by it.

dave

its just a spelling problem my issue ? am able to concentrate or deal with major or miner rules or issues and or procedures my current job involves a lot of things also i work on my own and i have to think on my feet daily as well as write reports my memory is fine i just struggle when there's someone on top of me when i write out reports need to use my pocket size dictionary to write some words i can not spell thats all am worried about this new job i'm applying for.

 

[notaide]

Hi Paul
I went to an assessment with London Midland for ticket staff I told them I was dyslexic. They tested me separately I had to wait over 2 hours to do the test on my own, not good for for the nerves! I got an extra 20 % time so tests that were 8 mins I had 10 mins. They were very nice and made a real effort to put me at ease.

I understand what you are saying about when under stress making silly mistakes. I did that myself on the test(s) The first verbal comp I thought I was doing great then realised I was marking the answers in the wrong boxes! I managed to rectify that and came out with a borderline pass, the second test (the cashing up) I did well and the assessor was talking about offering me an interview. But I crashed and burned with the ticket test as I didn't see the extra box to tick of of peak tickets.

I'm going to try and give it another go, I won't be so nervous now I know what the tests consist of and because of that I won't make such basic errors, but I think the wait put me in a real tizz esp as I was so wound up about the assessment anyway.

But that is the problem with dyslexia the comprehension will trip you up when under pressure, it shouldn't be a problem once you know the job as you put the coping practices into place. You just have to work a little harder don't you? :roll:

 

[Dave1987]

dave

its just a spelling problem my issue ? am able to concentrate or deal with major or miner rules or issues and or procedures my current job involves a lot of things also i work on my own and i have to think on my feet daily as well as write reports my memory is fine i just struggle when there's someone on top of me when i write out reports need to use my pocket size dictionary to write some words i can not spell thats all am worried about this new job i'm applying for.

Cool I wish you the very best of luck then!

 

[ian959]

Dyslexia is considered a learning disability. If the application form asked for details of disabilities, it might have been prudent to disclose the fact. As a learning disability it could perhaps be considered relevant to the position applied for? So I would agree with Dave1987 in disclosing it to the assessors

 

[wintonian]

Have a read here it might help you to decide how you want to approach the issue.

 

[paul269]

Hi Paul
I went to an assessment with London Midland for ticket staff I told them I was dyslexic. They tested me separately I had to wait over 2 hours to do the test on my own, not good for for the nerves! I got an extra 20 % time so tests that were 8 mins I had 10 mins. They were very nice and made a real effort to put me at ease.

I understand what you are saying about when under stress making silly mistakes. I did that myself on the test(s) The first verbal comp I thought I was doing great then realised I was marking the answers in the wrong boxes! I managed to rectify that and came out with a borderline pass, the second test (the cashing up) I did well and the assessor was talking about offering me an interview. But I crashed and burned with the ticket test as I didn't see the extra box to tick of of peak tickets.

I'm going to try and give it another go, I won't be so nervous now I know what the tests consist of and because of that I won't make such basic errors, but I think the wait put me in a real tizz esp as I was so wound up about the assessment anyway.

But that is the problem with dyslexia the comprehension will trip you up when under pressure, it shouldn't be a problem once you know the job as you put the coping practices into place. You just have to work a little harder don't you? :roll:

hi notaide,

you know exactly where i'm coming from. sorry to hear your bad news, second time round you will kill it mate. (test i mean)

i'm really confidant about the tests it's self should be ok, working to a clock will be an issue but i think thats the same for every one on the test. its do or die


no special requests just going to ask if i can use a dic when i have to write my history of past experiences think they will be ok its not part of the test anyway ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Have a read here it might help you to decide how you want to approach the issue.

thanks for that

cheers
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Cool I wish you the very best of luck then!

cheers dave.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Definitely contact HR in advance, and mention it. However, I'm pretty sure that operational railway jobs are DDA exempt.

You will be presented with a lot of written information, on a day to day basis. You will also have to be able to write reports, or enter defects/ descriptions of traction faults in repair books. That has to be in a way that is guaranteed to be understood by others.

 

[lvaxb24]

Is your reading ok mate. You will need to communicate signal numbers, headcodes, read job diagrams, rules, sectional appendix etc on a daily basis.

 

[paul269]

Is your reading ok mate. You will need to communicate signal numbers, headcodes, read job diagrams, rules, sectional appendix etc on a daily basis.

hi mate

my readings fine.... not sure if the other on here understand i'm trying to explain my spellings a bit rubbish

not sure what the other guy's means about the DDA stuff ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
also if i do the train driver assessment test on the day and pass ? wouldn't that not mean i could do the job at hand ?


does anyone know of a current driver who's got dyslexia ?

cheers

 

[notaide]

Yes, my husband is dyslexic (retired) and I know of another current train driver who was very dyslexic. This was on the old BR days so it could be different now. But to be honest I don't think so, its the type of job that has always attracted people who didn't do so well at school.

Infact I remember several "second men" in the old BR days who couldn't have passed a drivers test in a million years who were train drivers and never had a problem. Some of these people were borderline normal IQ and none of them were "bad" train drivers.

I think with everything we standardize things, which makes them seem more difficult than they really are; keeping a level head, not getting bored easily and understanding the rules is all it is really about.

You might find this link interesting.

http://www.aslef.org.uk/information/107546/107576/107579/133618/aslef___dyslexia_is_an_issue/

 

[E&W Lucas]

hi mate


not sure what the other guy's means about the DDA stuff ?

DDA = Disability Discrimination Act. The railway is one of those jobs that aren't required to make allowances for people with a disability.

 

[paul269]

notaide

thanks for the link

nice to have some positive feed back. i'll give (HR) a call in the morning just so i can make them aware at least i'm not hiding anything from them with application

 

[E&W Lucas]

its the type of job that has always attracted people who didn't do so well at school.

It's also attracting the ones that did these days, and certainly none of the "borderline IQ" types any more. I know a few, and they've been found quiet little niches, to see out their days until retirement.

 

[Dave1987]

notaide

thanks for the link

nice to have some positive feed back. i'll give (HR) a call in the morning just so i can make them aware at least i'm not hiding anything from them with application

Good luck Paul!

 

[notaide]

It's also attracting the ones that did these days, and certainly none of the "borderline IQ" types any more. I know a few, and they've been found quiet little niches, to see out their days until retirement.

Yes, I realise that, but the point I'm making having dyslexia shouldn't make one a bad train driver nor should it affect you negatively when carrying out the job.

Of course things have changed but if the borderline staff coped a dyslexic with a good IQ should have no problems at all.

 

[paul269]

It's also attracting the ones that did these days, and certainly none of the "borderline IQ" types any more. I know a few, and they've been found quiet little niches, to see out their days until retirement.

because someone struggles to spell some words, but can read ok or they need to take there time to read info a bit longer than someone else , or complete a tests takes them a little bit longer then the average person or uses technology to help them write a report in my opinion does not equate to a disability not having a go at you but you sound arrogant to me ? and negative towards
anyone with a slight learning difficulty ? applying unless they've got (A) levels
to do the job at hand ?

 

[reapz]

Definitely contact HR in advance, and mention it. However, I'm pretty sure that operational railway jobs are DDA exempt.

You will be presented with a lot of written information, on a day to day basis. You will also have to be able to write reports, or enter defects/ descriptions of traction faults in repair books. That has to be in a way that is guaranteed to be understood by others.

A dude on my course had it , he did his tests 1 on 1 and had a special pen

 

[E&W Lucas]

because someone struggles to spell some words, but can read ok or they need to take there time to read info a bit longer than someone else , or complete a tests takes them a little bit longer then the average person or uses technology to help them write a report in my opinion does not equate to a disability not having a go at you but you sound arrogant to me ? and negative towards
anyone with a slight learning difficulty ? applying unless they've got (A) levels
to do the job at hand ?

Just recognising that it is an uncompromising environment at times, and rightly so.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A dude on my course had it , he did his tests 1 on 1 and had a special pen

I think you have provided us with the definitive answer.

 

[paul269]

A dude on my course had it , he did his tests 1 on 1 and had a special pen

its a reading pen ?