Dec
14
Dyslexia and daily life
Filed Under Education, Fulfilling potential, Family
We discovered that my son had “specific learning difficulties” when he was in his 5th year at High School. This explained a lot about the reports we had had about him all through his school life. I knew that he was a very bright boy ( I am his Mum - I would say that!) but his school achievements really did not reflect that. It took his English teacher to realise that what he heard from him in class and what ended up in written work did not match. By that time my son had all but given up on formal education and - not surprisingly - was looking for a way out.
Once we knew what was going on he got support from school and I sat in with the home tutor for English we also engaged so that he and I could talk about his work until he got to exams. We know now that his specific difficulty is in processing what he has read and answering questions on or interpreting this. There will never be a prouder moment for me that when he got his results and he had got the grades which allowed him to go to University - something he had only recently started to consider.
He is in his final year now - reading ( yes reading) lots and writing his dissertation. This will be a huge challenge for him. he has received great support from the university. He is studying design and I understand that many design students have dyslexia.
Now I am aware that there is some dispute as to whether dyslexia actually exists. All I know is that once my son understood what made learning so difficult for him he was able to take action.
So when Dave McQueen mentioned xtraordinary people and Kate Griggs I checked her out at the website.
Just out of curiosity I took the dyslexia test on the site - not because I have any difficulties which would lead me to believe that I had dyslexia - but to see what kind of questions were asked. Some are obvious I guess - eg do you have trouble telling right from left, do you avoid reading out loud. But others give an insight to how not being able ( or avoiding) doing some of the things that the majority of us take as everyday actions could impact on life.
I am not a great fan of rolling out celebrity “sufferers” for any cause but in this case the range of people identified as living with dyslexia is very interesting - and if that inspires someone like my son to maximise their potential then so much the better.
I don’t really like the celebrity endorsement thing myself, but for a generation of youth who do take time out admiring these people it can be so inspiring knowing that others went through the struggles they went through.
I note that most girls who hear this about Orlando Bloom are quite reassured. Funny that!
I agree about the appeal! I think it is important to use the methods that work for messages like this.Just makes me a wee bit uncomfortable…that probably says more about me than anything else!