Dyslexia doesn’t need to stop you achieving your goals!

 

When I was at school, I did NOT do well. I hated school and very rarely went. I found it hard to concentrate, found it hard to follow what the teacher was saying and I was unable to read texts as quickly as was needed or expected. This resulted in me becoming disruptive.

I would spend my time in class either doodling on a piece of paper or talking to friends. Which usually got me sent to stand outside the door. Eventually I just didn’t go. I would sneak out of school and go into town, or sometimes I’d just hide in the toilets or somewhere else on school grounds.

 

Related Article: How it Feels to be Dyslexic!

 

Needless to say, I failed.

 

I left school with no qualifications at all. In fact, at that time, I was convinced I must be pretty dumb. And I remained convinced of that for quite a few years.

But gradually as I got older and started to learn more about myself, I began to realise, I just might be a bit smarter than I once thought.

When I was 26, I gave birth to my first child, and as a single mother at the time, I decided I wanted to be able to provide for my son, so I went back to college.

I did English level 2’s in Maths and English Language. I also did level 3’s in Psychology, Sociology, History, Chemistry, Biology, IT and Academic Studies. whilst doing these subjects I began to realise that when I approached study from a different perspective, it became easy.

At college our essays were done at home, so I could read at my own pace, without any pressure. And class time was very interactive.

We didn’t sit and stare at a teacher talking or writing on a blackboard, we would discuss as a group and interact. On top of this we were treated like adults, which allowed me not to feel anxious or scared that I would get disciplined if I was unable to follow.

At college I excelled and achieved very high scores. I was accepted into every University I applied for.

From there I chose to go to the University of Derby to do a Law degree. Mid way through my first year there I was assessed for Dyslexia. And they discovered that I have a very specific type of Dyslexia. I can read and write and my spelling and grammar is pretty good.

 

Related Article: What is Dysgraphia? – Could Your Child Have it?

 

But I find it hard to put sentences together to make sense of them. Which is why it takes me so long to read and take it in, and why I struggled for all those years to listen and take in what the teachers were saying.

The University were fantastic. They gave me a dictaphone so I could record lectures and listen to them at my own pace afterwards. They gave me computer programs that would help, and most importantly I was given understanding.

With this support I managed to get a 2:1 LLB Law degree. Something I am very proud of. And the moral of the story, is that just because someone has Dyslexia, doesn’t mean they can’t do well, in education, in a career or in life.

They just need a little bit of support and understanding and they can achieve whatever they want to achieve.