Dyslexia, social model or medical model? Which model is for you?

 

I am a unique dyslexic, every dyslexis unique

Hi everyone, hope you are all well

The social model of dyslexia states that reading differences become a disability only when society creates rigid and unaccommodating reading standards. Dyslexia as a natural variation in the human brain rather than a broken or diseased mind.

Society disables us not being dyslexic. Dyslexia brings with it many strengths, including:

Key Dyslexic Strengths

Creative Thinking ability
Big-Picture Strategy
Visual-Spatial Reasoning
Pattern Recognition
Empathy and Communication
Resilience and Grit

The social model enables, the medical model disables

The medical model of dyslexia tell us dyslexia is about, defecit, disorder and and discrepancy. It tells us we are the problem when the truth of the matter is tha society disables. This disabling start from day one at school with an education system that does not work for us.

I was one of those dyslexic kids who left school thinking I had no academic abilities at all. I stopped going to school when I was about 15 because of this. I went back to school as an adult and went on a day release course from an employer. It reignited a thirst to learn. By the time I completed my career as a student I had a myriad of certificates I never thought I would ever had when I left school, including a BSc in Georgraphy, a PGCE in Inclusive eduation and many dyslexia specialist qualifications.

When I started the day release course, I had no plan to to do this. I just took the first step. I have so many different people to thank for enabling me to achieve.

Any way, thanks for reading #PeaceLoveGrooveyness from me

Steve #UniqueDyslexic McCue

A guest blog from a much missed friend who was also dyslexic.

 

This is my personal fave artworkfrom Kathy Thompson

Now I want to introduce Kathy Thompson and her guest blog

I thought I would share a short guest blog with you all from my good friend Kathy Thompson dyslexic artist / thinker. She got involved with Dyslexia Pathways CIC Unique Dyslexic campaign in 2014. She sadly passed away age 56 a couple years ago.

Take it away Kathy

Three or four years ago I started painting for the first time , I am 56 years old. At the time I was going thru a lot of anxiety and questioning everything about my own self.

Never knew there was a creative side to me. I was looking around the internet and facebook trying to find a group or just anything I could identify with when I came across "Unique Dyslexic Get Creative".

My interest immediately peeked, being blown away by tapping in to my own creativity for the first time and having a brother and daughter who are dyslexics.

I began to share my art with the group, it took a lot of courage to do that, thru the acceptance and encouragement I gained there , I now have the courage to keep pursuing my art passion , and the confidence to share publicly.

I have sold five paintings and given away around eleven, been invited as an art vendor to local events.Most recently I posted a few on facebook for sale. I doubt I would have the courage to post publicly had I not found the "Unique Dyslexic Get Creative " group.

I suspect i am dyslexic. But atypical or compensated , i think i am a good reader , my writing is not legible. As for reading. I read a lot but don't retain a lot. Just bits and pieces.

This is my personal painting by Kathy

If there is anyone else who would like to write a little guest blog just send me an e mail or leave a message here.

So as usual its #PeaceLoveGrooveyness, Steve #UniqueDyslexic McCue from Glenrothes, Fife in Scotland.

Steve McCue

Always nice to get positive feedback on my dyslexia and inclusion work

 

Out on the town with my missus and beard lol

Hi all,

I got some feedback today from one of the students I have been supporting over the last couple of years: It always fab to get feedback.

"I finally want to thank my dyslexia and inclusion specialist, Stephen McCue. I started working with Stephen in my second year at Heriot-Watt University. At this time I was very unsure of my future. Then I started working with Stephen. And I cannot express my graditude enough. Stephen you have honestly changed the trajectory of my life, both academically and personally. Thank you".

It been a tough few months what with my mini stroke and cateract operation etc. 

This feedback cheered me up no end at I time when I was feeling low..

#PeaceLoveGrooveyness from me

Steve #UniqueDyslexic McCue

Dyslexia and neuro diversity: It's a nature nurture thing.

 

 

The nature nurture of being dyslexic or neuro diverse

My initial design for the Unique Dyslexic logo, I wanted the U to intertwine with the D to show uniqueness and dyslexia go hand in hand. I did knock up a version on a 3d printer but it broke

Hi blog readers and social media followers hope you are all well.

As a dyslexic I have been thinking more about dyslexia as a life experience. 

I experience and make sense of and understand the world through my dyslexic prism. Being dyslexic through eyes, thought processes, decision making and dyslexics senses. There is not a blob in my head that is dyslexic and the rest isn't, it is much more complicated than that.

All of us have different lives have different life experiences as children and adults which can impact on how we manage our lives as a dyslexic.

It's a nature nurture thing. I was born dyslexic no getting away from that thank gawd that's the nature side of dyslexia. 

Then there is the nurture side. Our experience with family, school, friends etc. The nurture side is ongoing and shapes us and who we are through our lives.

Our dyslexia unfriendly education system, simply fails to nurture us. As a result can leave many dyslexics with feelings low self esteem, self confident, self worth and even long term mental health issues and trauma. But we can all overcome these issues. For me personally relationships with friends, reading sci fi comics and books, becoming a musician and computer game player etc all helped me to overcome theses issues. 

But most importantly I had a dyslexia assessment at age 35. Only a dyslexics can comprehend how liberating the realisation of this can be.  

This assessment enabled me to make sense of my inability to succeed at school. It enabled me to realise I was not as thick as a brick at school. Society disables us, only 19% were assessed as dyslexic while at school. 

But so many dyslexics never receive an dyslexia assessment. Nobody really knows how many un-assessed dyslexic adults are out there. But I think this number is very high. 

That is was our dyslexics a unfriendly education system that failed me not myself. 

But the effects of experiences at school can still come to the surface. I can still experience periods of low self esteem and depression etc. I can still scold and berate myself for being an idiot. I can say things about my self to myself that would never say about anyone else. 


It's no wonder that so many of us hate being dyslexic, can feel ashamed of being dyslexic. Many will never know the answers to why they feel how they feel. To why that have struggled all through their lives. 

Question to you all:

How do you feel about being dyslexic / neuro diverse?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section of this blog.

Anyways that's enough for this blog

Peace love and groovyness to you all

Remember dyslexia is about diversity and difference, its what makes us unique. Humanity and nature have thrived because of diversity and difference.

I know it seems nuts to many dyslexics because of their negative experiences at school but I love being dyslexic. I would not have it any other way.

Thats #PeaceLoveGrooveyness from me 

Steve #UniqueDyslexic McCue

A short podcast about setting up my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic Eye Campaign.

                                                     One of my Unique Dyslexic Eye broadcasts

 A short podcast about setting up my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic Eye Campaign.

Any, thats enpough from me today. Have a good week, stay safe and remember always take time out to nurture yourself.

Steve #Unique Dyslexic McCue

Dyslexia, Cateract and other news

 

Me 6 weeks after my cateract operation, no smile, you have to keep a straight face

Hi everyone, hope all is well

Gawd, I dont know how I do it, that's another pair of over the ear headphones gone up to that great studio in the sky. Dont know how I get through them so quickly

I have applied for a disabled rail pass today. Going to visit my brothes in Lonon with Anne in a few weeks. No poinnt in taking the care all that way. Maybe we will hire a care or just use public transport or taxis.

You can see my eye has recovered from the cateract operation. There has been such an improvement in the sight in my right eye. The specialist has cleared me fit to drive. Which is good news. I will get the cateract removed from my left eye as soon as I can. I know I will never see 20 / 20 in that eye but removing the cateract will help me see a litte better.

The stroke and cateract has really impacted on my business, which is a real pain. I have been thinking about closing Dyslexia Pathways CIC and retiring. Mainly because of changes in the tax system. Not made my mind up yet. I am 68 years old now so I could just retire and write my memoirs lol. But I know me, I would just get boared with nothing to do.

Might go to Business Gateway to look at offering trining on dyslexia and neuro diversty etc either in person or via computer..

thanks for reading my blog,

#PeaceLoveGrooveyness to you all

Steve #UniqueDyslexic McCue

Dyslexia, music and me.

 

Me in our old jammimg room with the drums

Hi Blog followers and readers I have always been fascinated by making music, ever since I was a young kid. I remember my primary school gave me a violin to play at a Christmas event when I was around 6 or 7 years old. They lent it to me. I learned to play Good KIng Wenselass Just pucking strings, not using a bow. I broke a string and felt so guilty I gave it back.

I play bass and six string guitar, keyboards and drums etc. Played in a good few bands.

I bought myself a new music app the other day. Its called Scape and is a generative music app from Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers. You dont have to be a musician to use it, its quite easy to use.

For me as a dyslexic I have always found music and making music fab for many reasons from helping me develop my concentration to my sequencing skills and relaxation etc. All of which could benefit any dyslexic like myself. Its an app for Ipad and a fab tool for creating ambient music with art. I have been a fan of ambient music since 1975 and even create my own now and again. Wrote a whole album of ambient stuff a while back.. Ambient music and this app will not be for everyone, I enjoy exploring them. I give it a ten out of ten and advise you all to investigate ambient music. and generative music apps.. Always try a free version before you buy any of them.

Music is good for the dyslexic mind, great for mental health and relaxation.

This link will take you to a you tube video of the app

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PennXD3SGmI

Ok, its not brilliant but music creativity, like any form of creativity as good for dyslexic and neuro diverse minds, as well as fab for the mental health

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all from me,

Steve #UniqueDyslexic McCue