Dyslexics

Hmm, I'm not sure where to put this, so move me if I'm wrong.

I just have a question for dyslexics on the board - did you take up your disability allowance for uni/ going to take up allowance and what was the reaction of people around you?

When I got extra time in exams and the use of a computor, as i'm not obviously disabiled, and very obviously not entirely thick, people seemed rather shocked and some people made very misguided comments (not hurtful, juts rather misguided, such as "I'd like extra time, it'd give me more time to finish off essays" - hmm, not the point darling, i'm trying to get an essay that makes logical sense, not wanting to add footnotes and bibliography.)

Now I've got some things due to my allowance, my brother is being rather cruel saying that as I'm dyslexic that i'm "brain monged" (meant in jest, but still not nice) and that "if you can't write, don't do an essay subject." Tecnically, he is correct as it is a problem with neuro-transmitters, but has anyone else got stick off other people for taking up their allowance? Has anyone decided not to and for what reason?

Thanks for your thoughts. I apolgise for the length of the post.

Reply 1

Adaм

I am not dyslexic, but I do have a few opinions on the matter. Of course I sympathise with people who have reading problems, or learning difficulties, but I also feel that in some cases it is over simplified.

There was recently an article published in the Times Educational Supplement by Professor Julian Elliot (who I believe researches at Durham University) questioning the actual validity of the term 'dyslexia'. It seems anyone who has any form of reading difficulties can be classed as dyslexic. However, there is not even any evidence to suggest the problem is the same in everybody affected. The psychological tests involved to diagnose dyslexia don't actually diagnose anything in particular, simply that there is a problem.

I agree more with the theory that each case should be treated individually. There is no point in simply classifying a group of people with a word and then giving all these people support in the form of extra time in exams or laptop computers. Severity of reading difficulties differ; it is an over generalisation to continue with what is the current answer to such problems.

If I remember correctly, one in ten Britons are supposed to be 'dyslexic'. Think how many people that is.

Reading difficulties can also be attributed to more than just problems with neurotransmitters in the brain. A variety of different causes can result in the same symptoms. Of course, I do not agree with labelling such people with insulting names - that is just harsh! Nobody is perfect.

Reply 2

meepmeep

Miss Blue

Hmm, I'm not sure where to put this, so move me if I'm wrong.

I just have a question for dyslexics on the board - did you take up your disability allowance for uni/ going to take up allowance and what was the reaction of people around you?

When I got extra time in exams and the use of a computor, as i'm not obviously disabiled, and very obviously not entirely thick, people seemed rather shocked and some people made very misguided comments (not hurtful, juts rather misguided, such as "I'd like extra time, it'd give me more time to finish off essays" - hmm, not the point darling, i'm trying to get an essay that makes logical sense, not wanting to add footnotes and bibliography.)

Now I've got some things due to my allowance, my brother is being rather cruel saying that as I'm dyslexic that i'm "brain monged" (meant in jest, but still not nice) and that "if you can't write, don't do an essay subject." Tecnically, he is correct as it is a problem with neuro-transmitters, but has anyone else got stick off other people for taking up their allowance? Has anyone decided not to and for what reason?

Thanks for your thoughts. I apolgise for the length of the post.

I've got a good friend who was recently diagnosed as dyslexic and who takes his entitlement completely even though he has it fairly mildly. He takes the mick out of himself sometimes calling himself "dyslic" and we sometimes laugh about it together, but we'd never give him stick for it and wouldn't bring it up unless he does himself, as it's just one of those things. Maybe your brother doesn't realise how much he's hurting you when he says that kind of thing. Honestly, to not take up your allowance is to do yourself an injustice. Don't let the ignorance of others stop you claiming for something you are entitled to. :smile:

Reply 3

Lady Narcissus

14

One of top people at Hull has it.

Reply 4

Talya

16

I used to have it. But I had a really amazing tutor who taught me how to reorganise my brain and now I'm not!

It's hard to explain. I used to be crap at everything, now I'm not!

Yeah :smile:

Reply 5

Elles

17

Adam - i agree with your points about the merits of labelling, when the symptoms & causes underlying are so diverse...

Ada&#1084

It seems anyone who has any form of reading difficulties can be classed as dyslexic.

but - in clinical practise this just doesn't seem to be true. a diagnosis of dyslexia is normally defined as specific difficulties with written language, in the absence of any obvious sensory impairment or insufficient educational opportunity.

i.e. someone having problems reading because they can't see properly = not dyslexic

someone having problems reading because they've been taught poorly = not dyslexic

someone who's reading ability is similar to their general ability = not dyslexic

Miss Blue - i'm in a similar situation with exam concessions etc. though not due to dyslexia & i have had comments, of the annoyed/bitter/jealous type at 6th form (erm, yes, the point isn't that you only give "special" people who are in danger of otherwise failing their subjects concessions, it's on the basis of the disability - not their academic ability in spite of it! :rolleyes:

) although at university most people seem much more mature - if still envious.

& i did um & ah, but i suppose my eventually acceptance was on pretty self-focussed grounds = if they're offering would seem silly not to.. :p:

Reply 6

Miss Blue

OP

Thanks!

Maybe your brother doesn't realise how much he's hurting you when he says that kind of thing.

meepmeep, I'm pretty sure he does, but I think he says it because he's jealous I get things like a dictaphone and a book allowance as he doesn't see me as disabiled, but as simply stupid or lazy. I appriciate that dyslexia is an unbrella terms, and in that sense is very annoying, as one dyslexic can find fine motor skills problems making writing very difficult (I do, but it isn't the thing that worries me the most) whilst another may have memory problems which affect the ability to make cogent arguments and complex instructions (a problem which does affect me on a day-to-day basis).

It's wierd. Sometimes I wonder if theres a reason why I need extra help, then other days when I'm getting increasingly fustrated with small everyday things I realise that I do. hmm.

Kavanne, can I ask you what exercises you did with your tutor to "cure" you?(or at least cope on the same level to your peers?) I'm going to start with tutors soon again, and wonder if there any particular tecniques you found that worked.

Reply 7

Adaм

Elles, I agree with the principles. If it were always like that, dyslexia be a more definative term! But I think too often people are diagnosed wrongly. What would be great is if there could be a way to, a lot more efficiently, diagnose dyslexia correctly and give help to those who really need it. The help could then be more individual and focussed, much like what Kavanne received.

Now the problem has been noticed, hopefully something will be done! However, I think there is strong opposition from teachers and parents that not all 'dyslexic' children are actually dyslexic. But at least progress is being made.

Reply 8

Draig

1

Dyslexia doesn't just mean you have one specific problem like reading or writing. If your various psychological tests gives a varied variety of scored then it indicates dyslexia. Someone who isn't dyslexic would get scores closer together in the various subjects you're tested on. So you may be dyslexic, but able to read fine and have a great vocabulary, and yet be poor at other thing such as Maths. Sure there are some more common aspects to dyslexia but most of the time that's all people think about when they try to judge you on how dyslexic you 'really' are.

Friends often poke fun at me for getting extra time in exams and for getting a Disabled Students Allowance, but generally I don't let it get to me much. All I know is that I have a slight disadvantage to someone without dyslexia and these allowances give me the chance to make it up.

Reply 9

Elles

17

Draig

Dyslexia doesn't just mean you have one specific problem like reading or writing.

*blinks* what does it mean then?
i'm not disputing there are often co-morbid conditions - oodles of studies have shown this.
but essentially the "Dyslexia part" is a specific written language (although i'd probably include maths in there too in terms of broad similarities in shapes representing concepts/constructs even if not phenomes exactly) disability in every definition i've seen..
if reading & writing scores are normal but other psychological test scores differ with them i think you'd get a differential diagnosis based on what those were testing & showing to be lower! e.g. a lower short term auditory memory score might --> Attention Deficit Disorder. a lower 'EQ' --> something on the Autistic spectrum etc.

Adaм - i'm interested in the "I think too often people are diagnosed wrongly" - is this based on what you've read in the media, or first hand experience..? :smile:

my comments were just based on working in clinics & from what i've seen thus far the diagnosis hasn't just been flung about.

Reply 10

Adaм

Elles

Adaм - i'm interested in the "I think too often people are diagnosed wrongly" - is this based on what you've read in the media, or first hand experience..?

Okay, admittedly that wasn't based upon anything first hand, but rather studies by some researchers. Not quite media, but no, not first hand either :p:

And Draig, if dyslexia is actually so varied, then that is exactly the problem. There can be no singular effective treatment for dyslexia if it covers such a broad spectrum of problems.

Reply 11

Draig

1

I don't know a lot about treatment for dyslexia, but it's certainly not just a case of going down the doctor and getting it fixed. I personally don't know anyone with dyslexia who has been completely 'cured'. Most effective treatments seem to be very new and revolutionary and available to very few people.

As for how to define dylexia, ADD can actualy be a symptom of dylexia. There are a lot of symptoms but nobody has every single one. It's a really touchy subject so I'm not gonna try and go into it too much. I'm just saying what i've gathered from my experiences being tested and haveing the results explained to me.

Reply 12

Elles

17

Draig

As for how to define dylexia, ADD can actualy be a symptom of dylexia. There are a lot of symptoms but nobody has every single one. It's a really touchy subject so I'm not gonna try and go into it too much. I'm just saying what i've gathered from my experiences being tested and haveing the results explained to me.

disagree with this! co-morbitities, yes, but i'm sure it can be more precisely clinically defined - even if the symptoms & underlying causes still then differ somewhat (it's a symptom rather than cause led name, as you guys have both commented on).

in the nicest possible way.. & appreciate if it's a 'touchy subject' for you. :redface:

but i suppose my perspective is entirely different & a tad more academic. so if you're going to make these bold authoritative sounding comments - could you back them up, please..? :smile:

Adaм - thanks for answering. & yes i read 'studies by some researchers' too & the attention grabbing headlines didn't really match what they were actually saying or providing anything more than anecdotes for.. :p:

Reply 13

El Stevo

11

supposedly lysdexia doesnt exist but covers many other learning difficulties. but thats by the by. me and one of my mates got tested and we both passed (ie, we are lysdexic) but on the second test i was borderline and he made sure he was 'lysdexic' he gets all the stuff but i don't, even in reality if either of us are lysdexic its me.

Reply 14

saz_1989

2

Stupid people don't get extra time in exams, why do dyslexics? Stupid people can't help being stupid either. Exams are supposed to be a fair test of your brain, and it's not fair on students who aren't dyslexic, but are simply incredibly academically poor.

Regarding the joking and light-hearted abuse, you just need to learn to get over it and have a few comebacks up your sleeve. Tease your brother about being fat, or stupid, or whatever his faults are. He'll soon shut up.

Reply 15

Elles

17

Lauren

. Exams are supposed to be a fair test of your brain...

precisely - they're supposed to test your 'intelligence'/knowledge/application of whatever the topic is.

few subject exams are aiming to directly test & measure your reading ability/speed/writing speed.. which is why your point doesn't quite make sense to me.

Reply 16

Draig

1

Elles

in the nicest possible way.. & appreciate if it's a 'touchy subject' for you. :redface:

but i suppose my perspective is entirely different & a tad more academic. so if you're going to make these bold authoritative sounding comments - could you back them up, please..? :smile:

I'm not trying to be authoritative about it. I'm simply repeating what I've been told. I have also looked up a few things to make sure I'm going in the right direction. It's hard to explain but it just seems that you don't need to have every symptom of dyslexia to be considered dylexic. The only reason it's touchy is because I don't know exactly everything. I'm just trying to answer what has been asked to the best of my knowledge, sorry if it came off a bit know-it-all ish which I suppose it does sound reading it all back.

Reply 17

Elles

17

Draig

It's hard to explain but it just seems that you don't need to have every symptom of dyslexia to be considered dylexic.

no, you certainly don't. :smile:

BUT, saying ADD is a 'symptom of dyslexia' is just wrong by every possible definition i can think of. co-morbidity as i said, undoubtedly.. plenty of people might have both - who knows, the underlying pathology might be very similar - but a diagnosis of dyslexia ('problem with words' or 'word-blindness') will be on a specific language basis, rather than attentional type problems - they have their own labels.. :wink:

this is just what i objected to. & i'm not saying i know everything about it all either - but i'd be able to provide papers & 'scientific evidence' rather than just layman-esque-explanation to support the comments i've made. as i said, my perspective is academic. :redface:

Reply 18

Draig

1

I did actually just read that ADD was a symptom on a website. Probably is wrong though, I think I actually misread since it was being mentioned on a site about dyslexia what it said about it but it seemed to make sense at the time.

Reply 19

saz_1989

2

Elles

precisely - they're supposed to test your 'intelligence'/knowledge/application of whatever the topic is.

few subject exams are aiming to directly test & measure your reading ability/speed/writing speed.. which is why your point doesn't quite make sense to me.

Sorry, I frequently don't make sense when am in work (and trying to TSR when doing a million other things).

My point is, they test how well you can answer questions in a space of time. Stupid* people take longer to understand the questions, and that's the way they were born, and it's the same with dyslexic people, although they take longer to understand for a different reason.

How can you determine that a certain candidate needs extra time? And how much time? Should those with a low IQ be given more time? High IQ less time?

I think exams should be a fair and equal test. After all, if you're good at a subject, regardless of how rubbish you are at reading and writing, you'll do well, because the exam is testing the way you think about that subject.

*I can't be bothered to be politically correct; please don't take offense, you know what I mean and I'm not trying to be nasty :smile:

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