Darren Clark: “I want everyone who has dyslexia to realize that they can learn a new language purely and I mean this from the heart.”

As our global society evolves, so too does our appreciation for the myriad ways in which people process information and acquire new skills. At the forefront of this shift is the recognition of neurodiversity, particularly in the realm of education.

Promova has taken a significant step in this direction by becoming the first language learning platform to introduce a dedicated Dyslexia Mode. This year, with the release of Dyslexia Mode 2.0, it continues to push the boundaries of inclusive education. To delve deeper into the implications of this innovative feature and its impact on neurodivergent learners, we spoke with Darren Clark, Promova's neurodiversity consultant, who has worked with major organizations such as Netflix and HSBC, and is also a global partner for the International Dyslexia Association and an ambassador for the British Dyslexia Association.

Understanding Neurodiversity and Dyslexia

Darren Clark explains neurodiversity as an umbrella term encompassing various neurological differences: "What sits underneath neurodiversity, you can have ADHD, dyspraxia, autism, dyscalculia, and obviously dyslexia as well". Neurodiversity recognizes that these variations in the brain are natural and contribute to human diversity.

Dyslexia, specifically, is a learning difference that primarily affects reading, writing, and spelling due to differences in how the brain processes language. Darren Clark emphasizes its variable nature: "Dyslexia is scalable. So not a single person has the same dyslexia. I can have dyslexia, and someone else could have dyslexia, but it could be severe dyslexia or slight dyslexia, and it can affect people in so many different ways." 

There's a common misconception that dyslexia is just about reading, or that words move around on the page, but that's not always true: "It can manifest in various ways, including difficulties with concentration, fidgeting, having trouble remembering things, or finding it hard to respond quickly to questions."

Personal Journey and Late Diagnosis

Darren Clark describes his school experience as challenging. He was often misunderstood and not given appropriate support: “I wasn’t allowed to sit mainstream lessons and spent my time in a unit for troubled children, where I mainly just colored and sketched. That was the kind of education I received.”

As a result, he left school at 16 without being able to read or write proficiently and with no qualifications. Despite these setbacks, Darren was determined to succeed. He found ways to navigate the workplace, teaching himself to read and write through various experiences.

Despite achieving success in retail and advancing his career, he wasn't diagnosed until the age of 36: "I always knew that I was different. I knew that I struggled with certain things… concentrating in class and certain facts and figures. 

The pivotal moment came when I was watching a news reportage, and a lady was being interviewed about her florist business. She was selling flowers, and I thought it was a segment about entrepreneurship, so I was very intrigued by what was happening. It was only a seven or eight-minute interview, but as the conversation went on, she kept saying the word ‘dyslexia’. Up until that point, I didn’t know what dyslexia was. She mentioned how she can’t spell the bouquets of flowers but can tell what they are by the colors, smells, and everything else. As she kept mentioning dyslexia and then went into how she sees the world being dyslexic, it was the first time I felt that someone had actually spoken to me and understood how I saw the world and how I felt."

Darren’s journey of self-discovery led him to raise dyslexia awareness professionally. Initially, he focused on inspirational talks about entrepreneurship: “When I left my senior position, I wanted to show that you could start with no qualifications and still succeed.” 

As he became more aware of his diagnosis, he sought to raise awareness around dyslexia: “I started to think about how I could raise more awareness. Society has changed to accept it a little bit more.”

Over the past years, Darren has become a prominent voice in the neurodiversity space, often calling himself the "original dyslexia influencer." He recognizes a shift in societal attitudes: “When I was invited to speak, many didn’t want me to discuss dyslexia because they thought it wouldn’t sell tickets.” However, his persistent advocacy and community work laid the groundwork for greater acceptance.

One of Darren’s significant collaborations has been with Netflix: “It began with a few individuals within Netflix wanting to raise awareness around dyslexia. We started with short talks. From there, it expanded into longer discussions, eventually involving more departments.” His work with Netflix has involved helping the company better support its employees and ensure inclusivity for their global audience, especially in terms of accessibility through fonts, colors, and designs.

Darren emphasizes that the model he uses for large corporations, such as Netflix, is similar to how he approaches smaller organizations: "It’s about starting conversations. Once that happens, it begins to expand. The project with Netflix lasted for several years, growing from one department to multiple countries."

Language Learning with Dyslexia

For many individuals with dyslexia, learning a foreign language can be particularly challenging. Darren Clark shares his deep respect for those who have mastered multiple languages: “I have immense admiration for anyone who can speak more than one language. It’s something I find truly impressive.”

Despite his challenges with language, Darren emphasizes his love for words and his constant desire to learn: "I love language. I love words. I absolutely take on board if I learn a new word, I'm obsessed by it. And I'm thinking, 'How can I use this in a different conversation?'" He describes himself as a sponge, always trying to absorb new skills or words to make up for the years of learning he missed in his youth.

Darren also reflects on the limitations of language education in his experience, noting that in the UK, foreign language learning was often treated as an optional subject with limited emphasis. He suggests that for many in the dyslexic community, learning a new language would be "like a gift." Despite these challenges, Clark acknowledges the advantage of being a native English speaker in terms of global communication, especially in his work raising awareness about dyslexia.

Looking ahead, Darren expresses a strong desire to learn languages. He sees it as an exciting opportunity, especially with new tools like Promova's Dyslexia Mode: "I'm truly saying this from the heart. I was truly truly shocked that I could have the opportunity to learn a new language," Darren enthuses. He describes this new possibility as "releasing a block" or "opening a door," and is eager to continue his language learning journey with these accessible tools.

Inclusive Language Learning Tools

Recognizing various barriers that neurodivergent individuals face, Darren has since dedicated himself to improving accessibility. He’s committed to raising awareness and crafting practical solutions that empower people with learning differences to thrive in educational and work environments.

Importance of Visual Design

Darren emphasizes the critical role of visual presentation in educational materials: "Anything that's blocked up, condensed, or suddenly throws in a capital letter can be off-putting". This highlights the necessity for clean and consistent design in educational apps.

He warns against the common marketing practice of using varied fonts to create visual interest: "So the hook that the headline that they would have would be in one font and then, possibly the actual blue over what they do, maybe in something else and then they might tweak it at the end. And I've seen this on many occasions, not just in marketing, but in apps as well. It just confuses the issue". Such variations can disrupt the learning process for dyslexic learners. "What we want to do is keep that level of emotion and understanding." So, while a consistent visual experience is important, it must also support comprehension.

Color and Readability

Darren Clark also addresses the role of color in enhancing readability. While noting that color preferences can vary from person to person, he shares: "I can't read anything in red. It just morphs into a blob, and I can't read it." This personal insight underscores the need for customizable color options in learning apps.

Consistency in Learning Experience

Darren stresses the importance of maintaining consistency throughout the learning process: "If we're understanding how we're learning a new skill, like a new language, and we know the tools to learn this language, but then the first couple of sections are in one format and suddenly switch to another, you're changing the learning patterns". This insight is crucial for app developers, highlighting the need for a cohesive user experience throughout the learning journey.

Repetition and Review

For Darren Clark, learning often requires multiple repetitions: "Whenever I'm learning something, I have to follow that pattern. Sometimes three or four times to really embed it, and then I can relay it". This highlights the importance of allowing learners to easily review and repeat lessons within language learning apps, enhancing retention and understanding.

Recognizing Good and Bad Days

Darren notes that the severity of dyslexia symptoms can vary from day to day: "The words moving around on the page, it doesn't happen to me all the time. It only happens when I’m really kind of quite tired, overwhelmed, or just overworked". This variability underscores the need for flexibility in learning tools. Users should have the possibility to adjust their pace according to their current state and needs.

One of Darren’s key coping strategies is recognizing when to take breaks: "What I've learned to do is if that happens, I'll shut my laptop and I'll turn off my devices and I'll go for a walk". This practice of taking "mental health breaks" is something Clark advocates for in both educational and workplace settings. This is essential in maintaining focus and productivity.

Promova: Dyslexia Mode 2.0

Recognizing these challenges, Promova has launched Dyslexia Mode 2.0, designed specifically to support learners with dyslexia in their language acquisition. This innovative feature embodies the principles Darren advocates for in inclusive design.

For many individuals with dyslexia, learning a new language has long seemed an insurmountable challenge: "I truly do believe that I want everyone who has dyslexia to realize that they can learn a new language purely." Darren emphasizes that Promova’s Dyslexia Mode has "really leveled the playing field".

The impact of this feature extends far beyond just language acquisition: "It doesn't just change the fact of learning language; it opens up the world for many different opportunities." This perspective highlights how accessibility in language learning can have far-reaching effects on personal and professional development for individuals with dyslexia.

Darren describes the experience of using Dyslexia Mode 2.0 as a paradigm shift for many learners. "It's almost like a block has been released. It's almost like you've had hypnotherapy and suddenly this block's come [off]." Indeed, accessible learning tools can have a liberating effect on individuals who have long struggled with traditional language learning methods.

Power of Inclusive Design

Promova's commitment to inclusive design is evident in the additional features introduced in Dyslexia Mode 2.0. One such feature is the integration of white noise. Clark praises it for its ability to enhance focus and concentration: "The ability to drown that out without having to buy really expensive, thousand-pound headphones. Have that opportunity at a flick of a switch? Is going to really kind of embrace their learning and go all in and keep you engaged".

Darren Clark enjoys working in a busy setting: “I love working in a coffee shop, seeing the busy staff going around. Visually. I'm happy to see it, but to focus, I need as much comfort and audio cover as possible. That’s why I do turn on white noise, especially when I'm flying—because of the constant humming. When we hear certain sounds, we fixate on them—a ticking clock, someone stirring a coffee cup, someone coughing, or it could be a zipper. These noises get magnified. So, if we took an environment where we're learning a language, it doesn't necessarily have to be a noisy coffee shop—it can be at home with the TV on. Or it could be other people talking."

Promova's white noise feature helps block out those distractions, allowing for better focus during language learning.

Safe Spaces and Sharing

While Dyslexia Mode 2.0 represents a significant advancement, Darren Clark emphasizes the ongoing need for understanding and support in educational and professional environments. He advocates for creating safe spaces where individuals can openly discuss their needs without fear of judgment or career repercussions: “It's making the environment a safe place for someone to be able to ask those questions. For someone to say I have dyslexia, I'm struggling. Can you support in this or are there ways of supporting in this and not finding the fear that they're now going to be categorized as they're not gonna be able to do their work or they're not going to get that promotion.”

Darren also emphasizes the importance of understanding how workplace environments can affect neurodivergent individuals: “The way that the company may be set up—with the strobe lighting, continuous noise, open-plan offices, or the fact that meetings are scheduled one after the other, where we have to put our cameras on—can sometimes feel stifling. We don’t always want to be visual. There are so many different things. And I think the biggest step we can do is just start by having these conversations.”

What’s more, Darren Clark highlights the importance of individuals sharing their stories and experiences with dyslexia: "I love that journey that people go on. If you can just inspire one person with your story or your understanding of how dyslexia, for instance, some of the challenges you face and you've overcome, it will act as a ripple effect, and you'll never know how many people you have helped because it will just continue to ripple out."

Looking to the Future

As Promova continues to refine and expand its Dyslexia Mode, the potential for positive impact grows. Darren Clark's insights highlight the importance of such innovations in creating a more inclusive world of language learning. By breaking down barriers and opening up new possibilities, Promova's Dyslexia Mode 2.0 is not just teaching languages – it's changing lives.

For those with dyslexia who have long felt excluded from the world of multilingualism, Promova's initiative offers a beacon of hope. As Darren so aptly puts it, “Find your community, learn languages, learn new skills, and really just embrace who you are.”