GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Until the end of the month, George Herald is publishing a series of articles written by dyslexia expert, Lynne Marshall, principal of The Gift Class.
For this last contribution, she let dyslexic children speak for themselves. Three questions were asked to 11- to 12-year-olds.
What would you like to tell others about dyslexia?
- Just because they are different they don't have to be treated unfairly.
- You must not doubt yourself because you have dyslexia.
- We learn differently so we like to use the computer to help us spell and read.
- Don't think you are bad at everything just because you cannot read.
What was it like in the classroom when you struggled to learn how to read?
- I did not speak in the classroom because it was too hard to tell people what I wanted to say.
- Words in readers got too hard and I didn't know what to do.
- People told me I was stupid because I could not read. Teachers had to write for me and so I got teased.
- In Grade 3, I was told I would never learn anything and that I was dumb.
- It was very scary when the class would just carry on and the teacher was forced to carry on but I did not understand the work.
What has it been like for you being taught differently?
- I feel like I can do better at school now. I have improved my Reading and Spelling. With the computer I can put more information down than if I write. I can give more details.
- I feel like I have more self-worth - I am not so sad. I have just been here for a year and now I can read.
- The computer helps me a lot. Sometimes I cannot write and when I try and write the word, I get it wrong. I swap it round and with the computer I speak it in and it comes out.
- I feel more confident about speeches. I now can speak better to my friends than before. At first I could not use the computer and it would not understand what I was saying, but now I like using it.
- I find the work a lot easier.
Hope you have enjoyed learning more about dyslexia and that when you cross paths with an adult or a child who has dyslexia, you will have a better understanding.
To quote the Narnia song, " There's a place out there for us, more than just a prayer, so when you feel like giving up, because you don't fit in down here - fear is crashing in, just close your eyes and take my hand, you can be the Kings and Queens of anything that you believe."
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