Struggling with my dyslexia &amp; the idea of teaching.

OP

Thanks for your input. I've been listening to Dyslexia Is Our Superpower Podcast, and one of the gusts is a teacher and talked about it (students correcting their spelling) as a test/ game, trying to get the kids to learn from correcting. So I think that might help. The class room doesn't scare me, its all the stuff that goes on behind the staff room / after the kids have gone that concerns me the most.

Original post by fallen_acorns

Get good at dealing with students who want to correct your spelling though..

Reply 22

username1156558

17

Original post by meaghan sharp

@BewareTomato Have you had the PST on the computer or paper? if you have had formal testing/ can prove with a diagnosis by a educational physiologist report you can get 25%- extra time and a paper test. (I assume this might already be in effect because of what you said)

I'm the same I'm having to retake the English and passed the math even though I was certain that I had failed. They said I was off by three marks for English and suggested I work on my spelling, which is virtually impossible for me. My mum and I spent years trying to get my spelling up to scratch.

I'm a mature student- having graduated back in 2011. So I don't have the same backing from uni going into SD. Are you going to apply for DSA? even if you are self funding you can still apply for DSA which can fund your external support, ie, extra mentors/tutors to help further your understanding.

I get a 25% extra time and a paper based test. I’ve taken my English twice now. I feel quite stressed about it. For me my weakest area is the comphrension I just can’t make sense of it. I was off by 4 marks last time.

I’m not sure I can apply for DSA I was recently diaganosed and I’m pretty sure I used all the money up on getting the report done and the software they provided me with. (I used to use free programmes to read etc)

Reply 23

fallen_acorns

Original post by meaghan sharp

Thanks for your input. I've been listening to Dyslexia Is Our Superpower Podcast, and one of the gusts is a teacher and talked about it (students correcting their spelling) as a test/ game, trying to get the kids to learn from correcting. So I think that might help. The class room doesn't scare me, its all the stuff that goes on behind the staff room / after the kids have gone that concerns me the most.

don't worry about the other teachers, its just like any other workplace, follow the basic rules of not getting involved with drama, being tough and standing up for yourself when you need to, and building relationships with those co-workers who show that they are willing to help/support/work with you.

As for correcting your spelling, it depends a lot on what your teaching - maybe you said it above and I missed it, but obviously if your teaching music/art, its a bit easier to work around then if you are teaching english/history or a heavily-writing based subject.

Encouraging them to correct you is good, to a point.. as long as you don't make too many mistakes, because then if they are correcting you all the time, it can really waste time in your lesson, which may not be a good idea, if your subject doesn't depend on spelling at all (a creative art etc.). If I were a music teacher I would probably just tell my teachers to ignore it and focus on what we are actually learning/needing to do for our course.

Reply 24

OP

@fallen_acorns

I'm hoping to somewhat specialise in year 1 or 2 Primary (so non-subject specific). I have been very clear with the people who run my course. We have talked about plans to "overcome" my disability, like having the electronic white board prepared and by having helpful hints/ al on the walls (disguised as tips for the children maybe).

Reply 25

OP

Original post by BewareTomato

I get a 25% extra time and a paper based test. I’ve taken my English twice now. I feel quite stressed about it. For me my weakest area is the comphrension I just can’t make sense of it. I was off by 4 marks last time.

I’m not sure I can apply for DSA I was recently diaganosed and I’m pretty sure I used all the money up on getting the report done and the software they provided me with. (I used to use free programmes to read etc)

I feel like its been luck of the draw with the comprehension section, sometimes its so confusing. For me if it has sudo-legal jargon I find it hard to decode, So some tests have been better than others. Have you been using any books to help you study, your local library might have a few that you can borrow? or just the online tests?

Where did the money come from, DSA? I'm no expert but I don't think they can say no to you if it is a new course, it may be reduced because you have the software/hardware already. I think that they would have to give you a new assessment as your situation is changing. You may be able to get a little bit only for extra tuition/tutoring, I think it would be worth ringing the DSA to find out especially if you are doing SD and your training school hasn't got a big student support service.

Reply 26

fallen_acorns

Original post by meaghan sharp

@fallen_acorns

I'm hoping to somewhat specialise in year 1 or 2 Primary (so non-subject specific). I have been very clear with the people who run my course. We have talked about plans to "overcome" my disability, like having the electronic white board prepared and by having helpful hints/ al on the walls (disguised as tips for the children maybe).

Ah, I don't know why I presumed secondary. Primary is a much easier situation to deal with for dyslexic people. A few years back I taught classes of kids aged 6-8, and my dyslexia never even came into the discussion at all. Simply because while my spelling/grammar etc. can sometimes be noticeably poor to a teenager, and significantly worse then some of the more advanced teenagers, even at my worst I am far above the level of a 1st or second year primary student.

Unless you are really really severely dyslexic beyond anyone I have ever met, the level of content you will be teaching within the first two years will be so low that I doubt your dyslexia will ever come into it, and with proper planning you will always know whats coming ahead, so anything you could slip up on, you can get straight before the lesson. You don't need to be amazing at english to competently teach 1st and second year english.. you just need to be very good at 1st/2nd grade english, which is easy for even dyslexic adults.

Whack a spell-checker on your phone, that you can easily use when handwriting feedback/reports etc. and then there will be no problems at all. Your co-workers will be supportive, and you may even be able to swing it as an advantage. It was a dyslexic teacher, who spotted my dyslexia as a primary school student, and who helped me get the support I needed to end up really loving english and studying it for Alevel etc.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 27

username1156558

17

Original post by meaghan sharp

I feel like its been luck of the draw with the comprehension section, sometimes its so confusing. For me if it has sudo-legal jargon I find it hard to decode, So some tests have been better than others. Have you been using any books to help you study, your local library might have a few that you can borrow? or just the online tests?

Where did the money come from, DSA? I'm no expert but I don't think they can say no to you if it is a new course, it may be reduced because you have the software/hardware already. I think that they would have to give you a new assessment as your situation is changing. You may be able to get a little bit only for extra tuition/tutoring, I think it would be worth ringing the DSA to find out especially if you are doing SD and your training school hasn't got a big student support service.

My local charity shop has a book and I bought it. It’s the orange coloured one... pass QTS literacy first time.

I find the paper tests on the website easier than the real ones.

I’m not sure I’ll double check that thanks for make me aware of it :smile:

Reply 28

tom_tom_tom

18

I’m a teacher ~4 years post PGCE. I’m also dyslexic and have dyspraxia.

Any questions let me know. Doesn’t get in the way of my day to day teaching at all. I find being open with students helpful. They correct my spelling, I correct their understanding. Allows them to see that teachers are human too.

Reply 29

username1156558

17

Original post by tom_tom_tom

I’m a teacher ~4 years post PGCE. I’m also dyslexic and have dyspraxia.

Any questions let me know. Doesn’t get in the way of my day to day teaching at all. I find being open with students helpful. They correct my spelling, I correct their understanding. Allows them to see that teachers are human too.

Hi!

Do you work in primary or secondary? And did you find the support sufficient during the pgce year?

Also do you have any tips? In general

Thank you

Reply 30

SarcAndSpark

I'm currently doing a PGCE and know a few people on the course with dyslexia. A lot of people have talked about spelling/writing, but I noticed you mentioned organisation too.

I am not the most naturally organised person, but I do think you need a level of organisation to get through the PGCE- there is a lot of paperwork (although at least a lot is electronic now, so harder to lose things) and there will be a lot of demands on your time.

What helps me is to write a to-do list at the start of each week (major stuff) and each day (everything), even down to emails I need to send or things I need to print. This means nothing falls through the cracks when I am more stressed and struggling to remember things!

You are expected to be proactive in seeking help, but there is no shame in struggling, everyone finds it tough at times. The sooner you reach out for help, the better IMO.

I'm happy to chat more about the day to day of being a PGCE student, especially the admin side, but I am secondary so in primary it may be slightly different.

Reply 31

tom_tom_tom

18

I am secondary.

I think it’s important to find a way that works for you in terms of your planning etc. Everyone will work in different ways so don’t feel you have to do the same as others.

In terms of the skills tests just keep at it. Learn the spelling rules if you can. I actually found it incredibly helpful doing the skills tests as I had not a clue about them prior to it.

Original post by BewareTomato

Hi!

Do you work in primary or secondary? And did you find the support sufficient during the pgce year?

Also do you have any tips? In general

Thank you

Reply 32

OP

Thanks so much for replying. My main concern is the Adult side of the job not the classroom interactions- by that I mean my ability to understand the paperwork. Complex documents with sudo-legal jargon are really hard for me to grasp. Do you find it hard to process any of the documents that you have to read or interact with on a daily basis? I mean I know that in all jobs that there is bound to be stuff that people won't understand. What I am trying to get at is the frequency and level of disruption it (your dyslexia/ how you process information) may have.

Is your school where you work in aware of your learning differences, how do they support you if at all?

Final question how did you find your PGCE, did you have DSA assistance, what support did you have that you would recommend to fellow dyslexics? I know we all learn differently, but it would still be interesting to hear. You never know it might help.

Original post by tom_tom_tom

I’m a teacher ~4 years post PGCE. I’m also dyslexic and have dyspraxia.

Any questions let me know. Doesn’t get in the way of my day to day teaching at all. I find being open with students helpful. They correct my spelling, I correct their understanding. Allows them to see that teachers are human too.

Reply 33

tom_tom_tom

18

I have no issue with any wordy complex paper work. There isn’t any complex paperwork as such. There is a lot of paperwork but it’s pretty simple to grasp. Well at least I think it is. You should be supported by a mentor (pgce and nqt) and HOD if there were any questions.

My school have no issue with my dyslexia. I’m very much a person that doesn’t let it get in the way. Only support from uni I asked for was extra time and consideration in my assignments. I had DSA for my first degree so apparently it is difficult to get it for a second one, so didn’t worry with the hassle. This could be wrong I didn’t look into it that much.

Original post by meaghan sharp

Thanks so much for replying. My main concern is the Adult side of the job not the classroom interactions- by that I mean my ability to understand the paperwork. Complex documents with sudo-legal jargon are really hard for me to grasp. Do you find it hard to process any of the documents that you have to read or interact with on a daily basis? I mean I know that in all jobs that there is bound to be stuff that people won't understand. What I am trying to get at is the frequency and level of disruption it (your dyslexia/ how you process information) may have.

Is your school where you work in aware of your learning differences, how do they support you if at all?

Final question how did you find your PGCE, did you have DSA assistance, what support did you have that you would recommend to fellow dyslexics? I know we all learn differently, but it would still be interesting to hear. You never know it might help.

Reply 34

SarcAndSpark

Original post by meaghan sharp

Thanks so much for replying. My main concern is the Adult side of the job not the classroom interactions- by that I mean my ability to understand the paperwork. Complex documents with sudo-legal jargon are really hard for me to grasp. Do you find it hard to process any of the documents that you have to read or interact with on a daily basis? I mean I know that in all jobs that there is bound to be stuff that people won't understand. What I am trying to get at is the frequency and level of disruption it (your dyslexia/ how you process information) may have.

Is your school where you work in aware of your learning differences, how do they support you if at all?

Final question how did you find your PGCE, did you have DSA assistance, what support did you have that you would recommend to fellow dyslexics? I know we all learn differently, but it would still be interesting to hear. You never know it might help.

If you want to get the PGCE, you'll be expected to read academic literature about teaching- but it doesn't really get more complicated than that. Most of the paperwork I have to fill out for uni is very easy to understand- there's no need for it to use complicated language.

Reply 35

OP

Thanks for the input. it is reassuring :smile:

Original post by SarcAndSpark

If you want to get the PGCE, you'll be expected to read academic literature about teaching- but it doesn't really get more complicated than that. Most of the paperwork I have to fill out for uni is very easy to understand- there's no need for it to use complicated language.

Reply 36

NMRD

3

Hi I am in a similar position to you, i'm dyslexic and accepted onto a schools direct programme and current revising for the PST. I've taken my maths twice already and both times 3 marks off.I have my Literacy booked for this coming Thursday, I find the comprehension part really hard, reading it on screen is difficult for me. What happens with the paper test? Did this make a difference for you?Thanks.

Reply 37

OP

Hi @NMRD , It made a huge difference to me. Specifically for the Maths test, in general it allowed me to underline the key information requests. I am happy with maths as a subject, when I can fully understand the fundamentals. But when it comes in a combination of English and maths I can get confused for example:

Question 3
As part of the numeracy work in a lesson, pupils were asked to stretch a spring to extend its length by forty per cent.
The original length of the spring was 45 centimetres.
What should be the length of the extended spring? Give your answer in centimetres.
Answer: _______________ cm

I find it hard to process the question. I often have to read the question multiple times. Underlining helped me define what information was needed. I often missed out on the section like "What should be the length of the extended spring?".

As for English, with the paper test you get spelling section first. This has multiple spellings for each word and you have to circle the right one (which I still struggle with to know what is correct). That section gets taken away once completed so you cant go back to it (just like the mental maths in paper form).

The only section I found more difficult with the paper format was the punctuation. It was hard to make the changes clear in the small space available. If I made a mistake and wanted to correct it. I would re-write the sentence or part of the sentence on the blank paper provided and make it very clear where I added punctuation, new paragraphs or capitals, by drawing arrows and witting "added full stop" or "New paragraph". Some times there were three alterations in the space of one blank space as well so very tricky to fit it all in.

Do you have any formal testing/ evidence to prove you have dyslexia? If so you can fill in a form and submit the evidence to get you either non-audio, extra time or paper tests. It does take AGES to communicate with the STA Support PSI, there are only two people in the country dedicated to Dyslexic/additional needs test. It has taken me a long time to re-book tests, the STA Support staff can take up to 10 working days to reply to you. So imagine you have an offer of a date to take your PST and you cant make it for what ever reason, it will take them another 10 working days to offer you another, and then another 10 working days to confirm that you have that slot booked in.

Have you been using the online versions to practice? when you go to https://practice.skillstestbooking.com there are tests like this
Practice 1.4 - Literacy Practice non audio 25% extra time (57 minutes) these are obviously not the same as paper versions but may be able to help you asses whether or not you need to push for the extra time/ non audio to help you pass.

Hope my comments help, happy to talk more about it if you have any more questions about my experience.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 38

NMRD

3

Thanks that’s really useful to know. Do they mark it there and then? I have two assessments one from when I was 15 and another from just before starting my degree. So hopefully that’s enough evidence. The whole process is so frustrating and feels really unfair. Just because I struggle with complex spellings and take longer to read doesn’t mean I won’t make a good teacher!

Reply 39

OP