Dyslexia (why is it one of the hardest words to spell)
Reading Infront of classmates.
(Warning, please do not comment to tell me of grammar imperfections, Its not my thing and I might accidently bite of your head)
Reading aloud, oh my fucking god, kill me now. The class would all take turns reading aloud. Now number one, I could barely read and number two I was so painstakingly shy. I remember preying to a god. I didn’t necessary believe in God so I added a few extras, just to be sure. Dear God, Budda, Jesus, Mother Mary, Gaia, Ganesh who ever may be hearing this, please, please don’t make me read in front of the class. I will do anything I promise. I would repeat and repeat until it was my time to read. Dam it. There would be an awkward pulse, and all eyes on me. The words would move all over the page, and my brain would exit the building. Whatever chance I had to get through this had now gone. The teacher would accuse me of not knowing were we were up to and I would go along with this as it gave me more time, although of course I knew where we were up to. I had been preparing for this doom. Finally, I would speak, the room had been painfully quiet in anticipation. A tiny shaking mouse voice would express from my mouth. Not feeling I belonged to it and although so so quite it was so so loud. After a few sentenced of misery, the teacher could see that the student was not coping and get another student to smugly take over. I would be left violated, hollow, and exhausted for the rest of the day. People often ask me in clinic for tips for there dyslexic/neurodiverse children. I’ve listed a few survival moments below.
People will learn in their own time. We are not linear like our school system. We come in all sorts of glorious expressions.
“Life is not linear, it is organic. We create our lives symbiotically as we explore our talents in relation to the circumstances they help create for us.” Ken Robinson
Highlighters and colour pencils are invaluable tools. According to a review of research studies, colour can help with encoding (committing something to memory) and retrieval (the ability to remember that thing later, like on a test) (Side note, do not lend me a book if you don’t want me to return you a rainbow) For me to get through my adult studies, I would rewrite my entire textbooks into an order of understanding for my neuro diverse brain. I am not saying this will work for all, but for me it’s what I do to absorb information. I even reorder the books and rewrite their indexes into a user friendly Natalie guide.
Sticky notes to help you locate information faster. Also coloured to create categories.
Read with a ruler under each line or use your finger. I remember cringing when I was with my son in a prep reading group. His teacher was yelling at the kids, “do not to use your fingers”. Hmmm WTF.
Mind body the shit of information. I find the more ways I can take in the information in the better. Audio books, you tube.
Make use of diagrams, charts and mind maps to link information. Try to remember things by forming pictures in your head and try drawing pictures in the book margin rather than writing everything.
You could also convert what you read into a story or a film in your head. This would facilitate retention of information.
Use a Dictaphone (sounding old) hmm use your phone and record your story or essay and then write it out.
Side note, I taught myself how to read properly in my 30s. When my kids were born, I started reading them baby books, and as they progressed to harry potter so did my reading and for someone who hated school, I now can’t stop studying. It turns out I’m not stupid as school lead me to believe.
“When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
Always celebrate the great stuff and focus on the possibilities rather than the problems Because “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Plus I did not come up this the English language, if it was up to me we would communicate in pictures, singing and abstract dance
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