People with dyslexia often struggle to organise their thoughts and visualise concepts. Using mind mapping software can help to structure ideas and organise writing in a more visual and colourful style of working.
What are the barriers associated with dyslexia?
Many people with dyslexia can have the following difficulties:
- Reading and Writing
- Retention of Information
- Structuring Thoughts
- Memory (Short-term and Working Memory)
- Organisation
- Concentration and Distraction
- Time Management
- Maintaining Attention
- Multi-Tasking
- Verbal/Written Coherency
- Many Other Neurological Processes
How can ideamapper help me overcome these barriers?
One of the many strengths associated with dyslexia is creativity. Many musicians, authors, actors, entrepreneurs and other creative people have dyslexia. So how can I use mind mapping to my advantage?
Simple! ideamapper software allows you to transform complex ideas into a visual and colourful arrangement of information. For people with dyslexia, using mind maps provides them with the structure and organisation needed to express and expand on their ideas. Using visual, organised and memorable diagrams to display information makes it much more likely to be retained and understood for someone with dyslexia. It utilises their strengths to their advantage and is a powerful strategy for learning and processing information effectively.
ideamapper can be used for a variety of situations. One great use of the software is for exam/revision purposes. People with dyslexia can struggle with memory and the retention of information – particularly if this information is in lengthy blocks of text! ideamapper can be used to help with exam revision as users can spread out their modules into creative maps, using colour and images to boost the likelihood of important information being retained. The branches and bubbles can be collapsed and expanded to test yourself, such as with keywords/definitions and questions/answers to exam questions.
ideamapper can also be used to help dyslexic people in the workplace. Many roles require a certain degree of creative thinking or project management. Someone with dyslexia may find it difficult to structure new ideas and communicate concepts in an organised manner. Using ideamapper can help someone with dyslexia to overcome this barrier by helping them to arrange their ideas into clear and distinct sections. Using the branches and bubbles to collapse and expand ideas can help with organisation and concentration, as ideas can be put to one side to clear-up thinking. Users can also transform their mind maps into a professional, linear report with the click of a button, should they need to display their work in a report-style format.
It is not the case that people with dyslexia have fewer ideas or cannot produce work to the same standards as those without dyslexia, it is merely the fact that they have different thinking processes. ideamapper is designed to use this different way of thinking to the user’s advantage, seizing on their creativity and visual processing skills. People with dyslexia who use mind maps as a way of working find that they can structure and organise their thoughts and ideas easily and efficiently, as well as communicate concepts clearly and creatively, often making them a highly productive and valued member of their team. Those who use it as a study tool find that it helps significantly with the retention of information, boosting their revision efficiency and ultimately their exam results!
