I also have a list of words, that I just never get right, some of them are really really easy, but there is something about them that doesn’t make sense, and the only way I can get them correct is to use a rhyme to remember the order of the letters. One is etc…I will often mostly write it ect…What is really annoying is when spell check doesn’t know the word Im trying to write! and I almost yell at my spell check “Oh come on Its so close! you must know what Im trying to say” It can take me a full 5 mins of trying every single combination of lettering until I give up and try to think of another word…People don’t understand its not that you can’t try or won’t its because its like being short sighted….telling someone who is short sighted to just try harder to see better, is ridiculous, just like trying to tell a Dyslexic to try to spell better. I have a blind spot….where the missing letters are…so I try to spell it the way I think it might be spelt..and hope for the best. Some words are easy..and I don’t know why? I think its because they make sense the way they are spelt, and other words don’t look anything like they sound, like Tongue normally I can’t spell that one at all…but I got stuck on it recently and for some reason I can spell it now sometimes…but really that shouldn’t say Tongue, it should say tung you…don’t you think? The other thing I get wrong is all the grammar, and apostrophes I can never remember where to put them! you would think you would remember something you have to write over and over….like your, you’re you are ect…and yes my teachers and mum all explained to me why they are written like that…but well..I still don’t get it..and you don’t want to ask why, and say “I don’t understand” in class all the time do you…so you panic..keep quiet…and don’t learn…

I think it would be cool if you could have a combined spell check with voice check, so when you are trying to spell a hard word and spell check can’t work out what you are trying to say you can say it out loud and it will help spell check a bit…

Its a shame you have no one that understands, I haven’t met many that do either…my son’s teachers don’t understand it either…

I have an idea of how to help kids in school but I don’t think anyone has done this yet. Its learning maths and spelling with rhyme or a song…I remember melodies and songs very very well, because the melody helps me remember…what if you could learn how to spell difficult words with a rhyme…or a short ditty. Maybe there is a program out there that can do that…but I haven’t seen one, most teachers just keep trying the same old techniques of reposition and explanation, as I said you can’t tell a short sighted person to keep trying sigh…

There is a program called “Ear Worms” its a way of learning languages through music and spoken word. You apparently just put it on…and don’t concentrate on it at all. You could have the music & words on your ipod and go for a walk, not really listen and you learn to speak Italian it just goes into your subsconcious..Well I have recently asked this company if they could think of a way of using this technique to teach maths or english to kids with Dyslexia, and they are interested in this.

Keep an eye out (or an ear out for “Ear Worms” I think you can buy the language ones on iTunes, I know there is a website. I think that one of the owners has Dyslexia in their family too. I think this program would be stunning for anyone with Dyslexia to learn. Repetition is so very hard to learn without some sort of link to music or Rhyme or movement, I’ve tried that with Times Tables…and it doesn’t work…but …I learned the alphabet from the little song from Sesame Street you know the one? I still use that song when I need to work out which letter comes next…for the dictionary or looking something up…Its so simple…but at 14 years old you should not be trying to work all this out yourself, its not fair. You do need to get a proper diagnosis, by a child phycologist, then once you have that, no one will question that you have it…then you need to go see someone who knows about Dyslexia with your Mum or Dad so that person can tell them why you can’t just “try harder”

I wish you well Amellia, Just think.. when you get sad sometimes…that well, lots of people live with Dyslexia and do really really well, look up all the famous people on the internet who have Dyslexia and have become famous or really really good at something. (I’ve done that )Its not easy for them, but lots of people aren’t smart either like you, and will never get really really good at what you want to be good at. Being clever will really help.

best Wishes Paisley

I am going to quote from an article I wrote:

“Until the focus has been changed, the learning style of dyslexics acknowledged and changes made to teaching styles, our dyslexic children will continue to be disabled.
Our aim should not be to further damage our dyslexic children by publicly labeling them “disabled” and thereby perpetuating the loss of self-esteem, feelings of failure and loss of hope for a positive learning experience and future career. A dyslexic has a unique learning style which deserves to be acknowledged, funded, and equal opportunities made available to access higher education.
Unfortunately, too many adults have been disabled by the system. The negative effects of their learning experience has been too great to overcome. Their potential destroyed, their self esteem in tatters and a sense of failure ever present and undermining their ability to be successful or happy. For these numerous people I would never presume I can label or define their experience into one word. All I can say is that I have a level of understanding as to the pain that is felt by those adults disadvantaged by the reading (or math, dyscalculia) problem of dyslexia and I support them in seeking appropriate representation and funding.
I consider myself to be a dyslexic (reading, writing and math) in recovery. For 8 years I have been healing my wounds, smoothing the scars and building my self-esteem. I consider myself a survivor not a victim. To treat me otherwise would be deeply wounding.
I understand some of the reasons to get dyslexia recognized as a disability. One reason is to access funding from an established source(depleted source). Another reason is to address discrimination for job seekers and employees in the work place.”
End of quote.

To add on: Funding in the disabilities sector is already spread very thin.
NSW has set up funding to train teachers in Autism and dyslexia. Unfortunately, the teachers that will be trained in dyslexia will still offer the same ineffective methods.

Thank you for adding your voice.
Regards, Brenda

I’d like my son to find help, but I feel its going to be too late, he is about to enter high school and so little is known about how to teach kids with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, by the time the Govt. gets round to treating it with some compassion, it will be too late for him.

Dyslexia in Australia needs to be recognised as a “disability” before any school side support will happen and it is not seen as such so there are basic reading classes…but nothing designed specifically for Dyslexics, who have a very unique problem not solved through repetition and explanation. Perhaps I need to write a letter to my member of Parliament…petitions have already been written but no one seems to be listening. I could move to the U.K if I was allowed, ( I doubt I would be allowed) he would get support there but my entire family is here.

I know the upsides of Dyslexia I truly do London..but the problem is the downsides here in Australia far out weigh the upsides because of the lowering of self esteem, that happenes when you are told you are failing over and over again by an education system that treats all Dyslexics as lazy or difficult, not unique. Paisley

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The only rules I learned for maths and grammar and spelling were done with creativity, rhyming rules etc..and there weren’t many of those. That way of learning has been thrown out with quisenaire rods and Abacuses. Luckily for us we chose a Rudolf Steiner School for my son and he has had access to many creative ways to learn, but they don’t understand his “specific learning delay” anymore than any other school does. there is no education for teachers about it at all. Its not just a process of practice…I’ve had a lifetime of practice..and I still can’t tell if its, etc…or ect…for e.g I have a blind spot.

Its too late for me, I’ve adapted. I just have to deal with my own insecurities and my concerns now for my son. I can’t teach him maths and english, only encourage him to read anything that interests him and encourage the things he is passionate about. I of course understand him better than anyone, and whilst it is a comfort of sorts to him, it breaks my heart.