What the participants say about dyslexia support training at SDU

In December, the SDU Staff Courses team had the pleasure of visiting the first class of dyslexia support training. Karna Kühnell Gautier, Head of SDU HR’s Working Environment and Development unit, participated in the visit and shared her thoughts on the importance of offerings for employees with reading and writing difficulties.

‘Equality and inclusion are also about equality for employees with disabilities. We must try to ensure that everyone has good conditions to thrive in their work. Unfortunately, I think that issues such as dyslexia can be still difficult to talk about openly,’ Karna said. She then asked the participants what had made them sign up for dyslexia support training at SDU, and what they have gained from participating in it.

The participants agree that a decisive factor for their participation was that the course took place during working hours. This allowed them to prioritise their development without having to worry about finding time outside their busy workdays.

‘When you have dyslexia, you often feel pressured by the fact that tasks can take longer to complete, and I never knew how much my computer could help me,’ said Jesper Majbom Madsen, who is a professor at the Department of Culture and Language and one of the first participants in SDU’s dyslexia support training.

Another participant added: ‘This initiative is just the thing we need. I find that I’m now able to do things that I couldn’t do before. It’s a fantastic course, and I’ve been delighted with it.’

‘The course has opened up a whole new world of resources designed to assist me. I wish I’d known this stuff 10 years ago. The initiative has made a huge difference for me. For example, it’s made my teaching preparation significantly easier,’ says Christian Lynæs, a PhD student at the Department of Psychology.

‘It takes effort from the participant to learn how to use these tools and tricks, but it saves time and energy in the long run, so it's well worth the effort,’ another participant said.

The positive feedback emphasises how important it is to offer dyslexia support training. It is first and foremost an investment in the well-being of the individual employee, but also in our shared workplace. When employees gain better skills, it contributes to both a better working environment and a higher quality of work.

The visit led to an open and honest conversation among the participants, the teacher and SDU HR. As participant Jesper put it: ‘It’s in my nature to worry about whether I might be rejected due to dyslexia, for instance in an employment situation. Fortunately, this has changed with the times we live in, which allow for more diversity.’
 
Dyslexia support training is an offer for employees with dyslexia at SDU. It is an opportunity to strengthen your reading and writing skills, gain access to software and learn how to use it to assist you in everyday life and increase your job satisfaction.

Dyslexia support training is currently offered in Danish only, but classes in English will be set up when at least four non-Danish-speaking employees have signed up for the training.

Read more about dyslexia support training at SDU and sign up for classes in 2025.
Sign up for our information meeting on June 16, 2025 to learn more about dyslexia support training at SDU.