Dyslexia Pathways and our new Unique Dyslexic Project

Dyslexia Pathways would like to inform you of our exciting new project, Unique Dyslexic. Above is our logo for this new project.

The aim of the project will be to produce a creative outlet for people who are dyslexic (or may be dyslexic). The aim will be fulfilled by 3 showcase events / master classes and the production of a website to promote the creative work produced from these events.

We will soon be seeking creative work from dyslexics, be it in the from of art work, creative writing, poetry, music and photography to take part in this project.

The events will allow participants to try different creative ventures in a supportive and informal environment to utilise or discover talents they may, or may not be, aware of.

There will also be an opportunity to provide comprehensive dyslexia screening for anyone who may believe they are dyslexic.  Marketing of the events will be carried out in such a way that anyone who has an inkling that they might be dyslexic will have the opportunity to take part.

The beneficiaries will be dyslexics or people who are aware that they are 'unique' in some way but may not have had the opportunity to be assessed.

It is envisaged that peer support groups will result from these events, as well as through the website. One of the objectives of the website is to become a hub for all things dyslexic and creative, as well as an on-line forum for discussions/information and sales.

Current research indicates that many dyslexics leave school without achieving according to their academic potential. Many dyslexics still leave school without being identified as being dyslexic. As a result they struggle finding and keeping employment, often ending up in low level manual employment or are long term unemployed. It is recognised that many dyslexics are creative individuals. This project's objective is to provide opportunities for these creative dyslexics to develop their talents and share their work, thus enhancing confidence and self esteem and building resilience. This project will also support them in securing employment and educational opportunities, and to succeed according to their potential.

Through these activities we aim to provide an opportunity to support the mental health, self esteem and confidence of dyslexics. We, at Dyslexia Pathways, do not believe dyslexia to be a disability. Rather it is society that disables us. This begins at school where many dyslexic children are not taught in ways that enable them to succeed in school. As a result many dyslexics fail to achieve according to their ability. We struggle with literacy, math and spelling. It is not that we cannot learn to read or spell we are not taught in ways that enable us to develop these skills. This can impact on their confidence, self esteem and mental health. This can continue into adult hood and impact on even the most successful of dyslexics. The Dyslexia Institute reports that many dyslexic adults have exceptionally low self esteem and often have harrowing recollections of school.

Of course many dyslexics do become successful and can achieve at the highest academic level as well as in chosen professions. Dyslexics are great problem solvers and communicators and can become successful teachers, doctors, architects, writers, artists and entrepreneurs.

 This project is about reaching out to the many that have been unable to overcome the barriers that society and dyslexia has placed in front of them by providing opportunities to develop their talents. It will also raise a more positive profile on dyslexia in the wider non dyslexic community. There is provision within the project to develop these skills through the master classes, show and share work on the website, and allow their work to be exhibited throughout Fife. The project will also give access to advice on opportunities to enhance their education and employment opportunities.

Wednesday's news from Dyslexia Pathways

Went to a great training event on Wednesday at Dundee University. The training was on resiliance and vulnerable or isolated people. The trainer was excellent, she was very knowledgible and enthusiastic. I learned some very useful stuff on ways to enable people to build resiliance. Have to say a big thanks to the Scottish Mentoring Network for organising the event

The training fitted in well with my new project which is about creativity and dyslexia. Training talked about how enabling a person to explore their talents and interests can enable them to become more resiliant. It enables a person to move away from just coping to being pro active.

Sombody mentioned that resliance like bouncing a ball one bounce back and then bounce forward. I recommend any dyslexic teacher / specialist should find out about this training and go for it.

I have been working with my web designers on the new project logo and have to say it looks great now. Very much as I had envisioned it The project itself is called Unique Dyslexic and I think the logo expresses that very well.

The basic idea behind the project is to enable dyslexic individuals to explore and develop their creativity and share it with the wider non dyslexic community. This can be in the form of artwork, photography, poetry, writing any artisitc medium. We are aiming to deliver a couple of master classes on various creative activites for dyslexics if Fife and we are particulalry seeking creative input from people in Fife. But anyone can send it their creative works grom anywhere in the world. . There is a lot more to this project than that though and I will talk more about it in later blogs. One of the main things i would like to do is to film it all if i can find the funding to do it.

Now all have to do is wait for the rest of the website to be built. I can say its going to be a very visual web site and its going to use mind maps to move around to the various sections of the site.

Lots of work to be done though. Promotional material has to be written, my lift pitch written, contacts with various organisations in Fife made, volunteers to be recruited, social media site stuff do be done and the list goes on lol.

Dyslexia Pathways updates

Spent the morning researching for potential funders for our new project. I will be announcing the name of the project in the very near future. The domain name for the project has been registered and an outline for the website has been agreed with the web designers, "With People". Have to say I am very excited about the design we put together and cannot wait for their interpretations of my logo designs.

We have to put together some promotional material for this project also. Once that is done I will go and visit ourganisations in Fife and other organisations in the UK and accross the world to raise awareness of this project and attract creative dyslexics to get involved and share their creativity through the project. Will see if i can get some radio air time with a fife radio station.

Have to sort out my life pitch lol. That basically means informing people about your project or idea in the time spent on a lift journey.

I have an idea that I would like to make a film diary of the project as well as set up a blog and social media ways to promote and record the project. Not only for myself but for anyone involved in the project.

I really have no idea if this project will succeed though. It could either crash and burn spectularly or be very successful. I personally have high hopes and expectations.

What I do know is I want to promote a more positive profile of dyslexia, promote what we do well and enable dyslexics to overcome barriers that have been placed in front of them by a non- dyslexic society. I want other dyslexics to be able to promote a more positive profile of dyslexia. This new project has the potential to do that.

I do not believe dyslexia to be a disability. What disables us is society that has little comprehension of what dyslexia is and mis information that surrounds dyslexia. This disabling begins for from day one at school where we are not taught in ways that enable us to learn effectivly. It begins in schools that are far from dyslexia freindly.

I think Ross Cooper says it better than I ever could:

A Social Model of Dyslexia

We challenge the deficit models of dyslexia in favour of a social model that maintains that we are not ‘disabled’ by our dyslexia, but by the expectations of the world we live in.  There is nothing ‘wrong’ with being dyslexic per se. 

We would argue that dyslexia is an experience that arises out of natural human diversity on the one hand and a world on the other where the early learning of literacy, and good personal organisation and working memory is mistakenly used as a marker of ‘intelligence’. The problem here is seeing difference incorrectly as ‘deficit’.

Put in practical terms, for example, it is disabling to expect that everyone:

• thinks in the same way as each other, when dyslexic people are more likely to think visually than verbally (or laterally than logically, or intuitively than deductively….)
• learns to read in the same way; reading is about accessing meaning, the rest is merely strategy and there is always more than one way to learn anything.
• makes sense of information in the same way (they don’t, which is why multi-sensory information is easier for everyone to understand).
• can take in multiple instructions.
• can learn to take notes while trying to listen.

We have learned to expect that definitions of dyslexia will focus on the precise nature of the difficulties dyslexics experience, rather than on the nature of the disabling expectations that lead to these difficulties. But the two cannot be meaningfully separated. For example, if we expected everyone to be able to think fluently in 3D as most dyslexics can, some other people would have difficulty with this.  We might be tempted to describe this as a ‘disability’ and even look for ‘causes’. But without this expectation, there is no difficulty.  So the difficulty can be recognised as a result of the mismatch between the person and the expectations, but turning this difficulty into a ‘disability’ depends on the social value given to the expectation (early reading, good memory etc).

We could begin to map out all the specific requirements that are likely to disable dyslexic people.  These might include requiring ideas to be expressed through linear writing, learning phonics, open-plan offices, using bleached white paper, sitting still while learning or working and so on. However, both ‘disability’ and identifying ‘disabling’ requirements are highly emotive terms.  In practice, almost any specific requirement might disable someone. We would prefer to promote the development of attitudes and strategies that are more inclusive and less likely to disable anyone.  In this way, we would argue that dyslexia-friendly is user-friendly, and values diversity and equal opportunities.  This is why we would endorse the Freedom to Learn Report conclusion, “An explicit dyslexia policy is needed…”

Nevertheless, traditional forms of education, work environments and social expectations continue to create unnecessary barriers and difficulties. Unfortunately, despite the many strengths and compensatory strategies developed by adult dyslexics, many of us become victims of educational and social expectations and systems, particularly if we are trapped at the level of our ‘disability’. The experience can lead to problems of self-esteem, and lack of confidence as well as limiting educational and employment opportunities. This is why it is so important that we have the protection of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act that requires proactive measures to avoid disabling people. 

Many of us who have been made to feel ‘stupid’ by these disabling experiences have adopted ‘dyslexia’ and ‘dyslexic’ as terms of empowerment that confront the deficit model, challenge disabling expectations and requirements, and promotes the many strengths associated with dyslexia such as visual thinking, entrepreneurial skills, vision, creativity, lateral thinking, as well as hands-on and artistic skills.   

Ross Cooper, January 2006

dyslexia: difference or condition?

 I do not see dyslexia as a condition to be cured. The whole medical model of disability / dyslexia does nothing for people who are dyslexic. Apart from tell us that our brains are broken or are not normal or that there is something wrong with us. It implies that dyslexia is something that needs to be cured.

Dyslexia is a part of me and has been an integral reason for my creative output in terms of music and writing. A crucial factor for my success in my teaching career and in my new career as an entrepreneur. Ok yes being dyslexic does impact on my ability to do some tasks well but it does enable me to do other tasks very well.

That is just the same for everyone both dyslexic and non dyslexic. I am not trying to be big headed here just honest and open. If I listened to all the negatives surrounding dyslexia I wouldn't want to get out of bed in the morning.

Society / the non dyslexic world is the main reason we fail at school and to achieve according to our potential. This begins on day one at school. Schools are still failing too many dyslexic kids and turning our kids off of learning. Dyslexics at university here in the UK are having to wait for up to 20 weeks before they gain access to assistive technology that enables them to work and achieve at university.

Nobody knows many dyslexics are dropping out and or failing at university because of this. Too many successful dyslexics succeed in spite of the education system not because of it. Too many dyslexics struggle and fail because of the education system.

specialist? hmmmmmmm not me?

When I first embarked on the social entrepreneur path with my organisation Dyslexia Pathways it was often pointed out by friends and advisors that I was not selling my skills and specialisms effectively. For example I never put my list of specialist qualifications after my signature. Even when I was a teacher I never felt comfortable the labels attributed to my work as an inclusion and dyslexia specialist.

When I first started teaching way back in 1995 I felt like an expert well qualified, knows everything there is to know etc. But then I actually started teaching and the more I taught the less I felt I knew lol. The more I worked with the students I worked with the more I learned about teaching, about the individual struggles and barriers people have to overcome etc.

The challenge is exploring of, and finding ways, that will enable an individual to communicate and learn as effectively as they can and achieve according to their potential. Whatever works for them as an individual.

When I first started working as an inclusion teacher I was given the opportunity and privilege to work with four 14 year olds. I hate to use the medical terminology but they struggled with tetraplegia. They all used an array of different methods to communicate but we are talking 1996 here when the tech was not so great.

The biggest problem I had was interfacing their technology to the computer systems within the college. I learned a lot from those students about communication and disability. The next issues was how to teach science, English, maths etc in ways that were accessible to each of the individual students. Here again I learned a lot from the students about how to do this effectively. I think what I am trying to say, in a not very clear way is this.

My qualifications may say I am an inclusion and dyslexia specialist. But I have never considered myself to be one because it is the individuals I work with who are the specialists I learn from them all the time.

News on the new project and other stuff.

Funding from the Fife Cultural Trust has been put into the company bank account. I have a meeting with the web site developers on Thursday. I have some rough designs for the logo ready as well as for the website itself.

I have book some training with the mentoring network which looks like fun in a couple of weeks. I have a meeting afterward to discuss an idea I have for mentoring dyslexic entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs.

I received some great feedback yesterday from a student I have been working with:

Stephen is extremely helpful, supportive and friendly. Over the past few months he has helped me to overcome many challenges which I have encountered whilst at university. I now feel able to approach my final year with confidence.

Always great to get good feedback from students and am very happy with the progress this particular student has made. He is a very bright individual and I wish him every success. Have to say I am very lucky because I love my work.

I was working with another student this week. He was originally assessed at 14 but was never given any dyslexia support by his school. All they did was put him into the lowest level class containing disruptive and disaffected young people.

Another student is still waiting for his assistive technology four months after his dyslexia assessment. Unfortunately he is one of many across the UK in this position.

proud of th welfare state

Am I the only one who is proud of our welfare state?

All the noise we are getting about the welfare state from the government is negative. Like it is something to be ashamed of rather than proud of.

The welfare state has provided support and help for millions of people since it was introduced. People who are working in low paid jobs would really suffer without help from the welfare state.

Low paid workers do not want to claim welfare from the state. They have to because employers are paying such low wages. I would have starved if I didn't have access to help from the welfare state when I went through my illness.

I have worked all my life and have and been happy to support a welfare state. A state that I helped to fund through my taxes and national insurance by the way.

The condems would have us believe that all millions of people do is take and take from the welfare state and never contribute to it. But this is untrue because all of us in work pay taxes, all of us in work contribute to the economy.

Yes fraud does occur but it accounts for around 1% of the cost of the welfare state. Tax evasion by some of the wealthy and by large organisation costs out economy much more that that. Yet we do not see them demonised like disabled people have been or people in low paid employment have been.

This current situation was created by banks fiddling the books chasing huge quick profits without any care of possible consequences. There has been mismanagement of our economy by our politicians over decades. Not people on low wages or disabled people.

Now we have a condem government who want to run this country for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many. We have a government and political class who have come from a position of privilege. Who do not have to live with the consequences of the decisions they make. They will not have to go without anything, they have their subsidised housing, subsidised food and expense accounts.

They will not be forced from their homes by the bedroom tax, nor will have to face the ATOS inquisition. Their children will never have to go without a meal or have to use the NHS because they all have private medical insurance.

In this country child poverty is rising, the gap between rich and poor is getting wider, social mobility is now an impossibility. Yet we have politicians slapping each other on the back congratulating themselves on a job well done.

Dyslexia Pathways news

Hi hi yes its me back again blogging about dyslexia life and the meaning of everything lol.

Had some good news the other day. For some time I have been putting together a new dyslexia project. Its rather a large project moving into a new area for Dyslexia Pathways.The basic idea is to reach dyslexics who, like myself, struggled at school and could not access any dyslexia support at school.  To do this i am going to recruit a small team of dyslexic volunteers to manage and run the project.

I am hoping to encourage dyslexic adults and young people to develop their understanding of their own dyslexia and to promote a more positive profile of dyslexia with them and for others.

This project will be aimed at creative dyslexics, creative writers, poets, artists, photographers etc and will create a forum where they can share their work, share their experiences, teach and learn from others about dyslexia etc. At Dyslexia Pathways we work with students taking degrees, masters and PhD. This project is aimed at the many dyslexics who may not have done so well at school, or be struggling with employment etc.

I am aiming to deliver series of master classes on creativity in one or two of the above areas and enable creative dyslexics to develop their creative skills. This depends on whether I can secure some more funding. Which I, and my new director, are in the process of looking for. We are in the process of puting together a Lottery fund bid.

The project will provide free screening for those who think they may be dyslexic. If i can secure more funding it could also provide some free dyslexia assessments.

It will also encourage and provide support for those wanting to go back into education, gain employment or find out about becoming an entrepreneur or starting their own business etc.

I recently secure a small grant of £1000 from the Fife Cultural Trust which I thank them for. Its only a small amount of money but it will allow use to get the project rolling. This money will enable us to pay for a web site for the project, one that we can add onto once we secure more funding. It will also pay for volunteer costs and office materials. What I would like to see is a web site that become a hub for all things dyslexic and creative. An accessible site for dyslexic and others with a neuro difference such as autistics and dyspraxics.

I will be looking for other Fife based organisation to get involved with this project soon.

I have designed a logo and have a project name and have an appointment with another social enterprise, With People, about the initial web site design.

Other good news is we have supported more students this year than we did last year and for a longer period of time. We have got a lot of positive feedback from dtudents who have access the support we have provided. I will share this with you at a later date.