Dyslexia

[Shady]

An O level in maths is bloody brilliant, sounds like you worked hard for it, you found your own way how to work it.

 

[Frideswide]

Yes, you are equating dyslexia with sloppy typing.

No, don't think that is so. The relevant quote is

We all show signs of dyslexia at some times, especially when we type too fast, or we are tired, but it is not the same as a true dyslexic,

which is accurate about everyone showing some of the signs sometimes, as well as that not being the same as being dyslexic.

Same as everyone showing signs (not symptoms) of autism - but that doesn't mean you are autistic

Frides

 

[AnonyJ]

An O level in maths is bloody brilliant, sounds like you worked hard for it, you found your own way how to work it.

Thanks! I had to realllly learn it all by rote, with not much understanding, and scraped a C pass. Geometry was the thing that made my brain hurt the most.

 

[Shady]

But you were determined, you were driven, you didn't give up, you conquered it, you should be proud of what you accomplished, sounds like you are the kind of person that lets nothing stand in their way.

 

[oxo66]

I do know that the pre-1970s attitude of "this child is retarded full stop" has become more nuanced.

THANK YOU! I was a child in the late 60s who couldn't read, when I should have been able to read...
Back then it was called 'slow' or 'backward'* or worse.

Years later I finds out that many people don't jump from one line to next/previous; read words or lines starting at both ends (was/saw is a particular problem) or get caught out with lots of letters that don't do anything...

*sometimes literally

 

[Frideswide]

I was in the Retards Class until about 6. Until my grandmother pointed out that I was reading LOTR to myself for bedtime reading.

 

[Coal]

I was in the Retards Class until about 6. Until my grandmother pointed out that I was reading LOTR to myself for bedtime reading.

I knew a girl at uni who was in 'special schools' until she was about 14, when a teacher held her writing up to a mirror...

 

[Frideswide]

So many stories of an adult having an epiphany about something. I had intellectually and artistically brilliant student who was about to fail all his exams because his handwriting and written work was appalling. Well, he wasn't my student but his form tutor asked me to talk with him as a last ditch attempt to think of something. Mid 1980s. Introduced him to word processing, and turned the screen glare right down, worked with him to find a background and letter colour that worked for him. He was severely dyslexic is all, and looking back I'd now suggest testing for problems with low muscle tone and dyspraxia.

Another example of dyslexia being a life changing diagnosis for someoine who would otherwise have been barred from higher qualifications and expectations.

 

[Mythopoeika]

I was in the Retards Class until about 6. Until my grandmother pointed out that I was reading LOTR to myself for bedtime reading.

I was in 'remedial' classes until my parents realised I was so short-sighted, I couldn't see what the teacher had written on the board.
When I was 7, the next-door neighbour's 17 year old daughter taught me to read in a day, pretty much. After that, I emptied out the local library.

 

[Frideswide]

That is BRILLIANT Myth! totally brilliant! :boozing:

 

[Coal]

The very dyslexic Mrs Coal spent her entire secondary education being told she was stupid by the headmaster...luckily such ignorance is rare now.

 

[Frideswide]

luckily such ignorance is rare now.

I really do think things have improved. With autism, early diagnosis means that people don't have to go through a lifetime of thinking they are stupid, too sensitive or just need to try harder and suck it up. Instead you can learn heuristics, tactics and strategies which let you excel in your strengths and be less damaged by your weaknesses.