Dyslexia is a very common learning disorder, but it may be holding you back from reaching your goals as a firefighter. The firefighter promotion process may seem daunting for someone with dyslexia, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to crush the promotional exam and get promoted with dyslexia.
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is “an unexpected difficulty in reading in an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader.” People with dyslexia are often quite intelligent and creative, they are just slower readers and have trouble joining letters and sounds making reading much more challenging than it is for someone without dyslexia.
Study Tips
Give Yourself Time
The biggest thing a person with dyslexia needs is time. Be sure you give yourself plenty of time to read your textbooks, take notes, and study. The second you sign up for promotion you must begin studying. It is so critical that you give yourself the necessary time you will need to prepare for the firefighter promotional exam because it will take a person with dyslexia much longer to read the necessary textbooks and materials than the average person, but you can still do it. Make a plan from the start and just dig into the materials.
Audio Books
One of the best tools a person with dyslexia may benefit from are audiobooks. Do your research when you start getting your materials ready to study and see if you can find audiobook versions of the textbooks you will need to read. Audiobooks can cut down on your time spent reading immensely. Not every book will be available in an audio version, but some will. It may also be beneficial to read the textbooks along with the audiobooks to increase comprehension. Reading the text along with the audiobooks may make it easier for you to read the actual exam on test day and make it easier for you to recognize familiar words.
Record Yourself
Another benefit of today's technology is the ability to record yourself. After you take your notes or study guides, record yourself reading them; most cell phones have this capability nowadays or you can just make a video. Recording yourself is a great way to review material without having to struggle to read a bunch of information. As a bonus you can listen to your recordings in different places without any hassle which will improve your recall of the information come test day and give you more opportunities to study since you likely have your phone with you frequently.
Advocate For Yourself
The best tip for a person with dyslexia who is planning to take the firefighter promotional exam is to be your own advocate. There are systems in place to help you come test day, don’t be embarrassed to use them, I assure you, you are not alone. It may seem embarrassing to ask for help but the resources are there to help you pass the firefighter promotional exam and reach your firefighting goals, not hurt you. These resources could be the difference between passing or failing your firefighter promotional exam for a person with dyslexia. These resources could include, someone reading the test questions to you, a longer amount of time to take the exam, a private room to take the exam in and so on.
The Takeaway
Taking the firefighter promotional exam with dyslexia may seem like an undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. Give yourself the time you need to achieve your goals and access the resources that are in place to help you succeed. Don’t let anything hold you back from achieving your goals.