Monday, 30 November 2020

We as dyslexics must lead the way and change how society views dyslexics negatively and fails to understand dyslexics across the world




#dyslexia positive
Hi blog readers hope you are all well

For decades we have had individual parents of dyslexic kids fighting our education system one at a time. Sometimes they win little victories and get support for their dyslexic kids. Most of the time they face long battles and get nowhere. 

My research showed only 19% of dyslexic adults were assessed while at school. This is simply not good enough.

We as dyslexic adults need to get together to build a social movement where we can work together. Work together to bring positive changes to the current education system that up to now is still failing too many of us and our children. 

Right now many of us are fighting for positive change from the bottom upwards. We have to influence those who are responsible for developing education policy. This can only be done if we work together and take this to those who make policy. 

There needs to be political will to make the changes to our education system that will enable our dyslexic kids to succeed is school. Right now there is no political will to do this. Only by working together can we influence those who run our education system.

We have to make a much more positive case for supporting our dyslexic kids. We have to move away from an old outdated medical model of dyslexia that basically tells us our brains do not work correctly. That somehow we are not normal. That we are broken in some way. 

What does this say to potential employers about dyslexics? What does this say to our dyslexic kids? Its a medical model that talks about dyslexia in terms of discrepancy, disorder and deficits. 

Its a three D model that's about as 3D as a blank sheet of paper. If puts a focus on dyslexics as being the problem and totally fails to recognise that dyslexics fail because our education system and society is dyslexia unfriendly.

I am not saying dyslexics do not need support at school. What I am saying is we need teachers in every classroom being trained to teach to meet the diversity of learning needs in the class room. To enable teachers to do their job of teaching our dyslexic kids together with their non dyslexic, neuro diverse or disabled peers in a classroom. All together living, learning and playing together.  

Every day I visit Facebook I read real life stories about dyslexic kids and parents battles to get what is a human right to a good education. Stories about dyslexic kids not wanting to go to school. About parents seeing their children crying and frustration and fear about going to school. This is just not good enough at all. 

I believe it is society that disables dyslexics and that's why I promote and support the social model of dyslexia. I am not saying it's a perfect model but it places the responsibility for the failure of our education to meet the learning needs of dyslexic kids where it belongs. 

Not on the shoulders of dyslexic kids and parents. But squarely on the shoulders of those who shape our education system and politicians why are responsible for developing and running an education system that fails so many of us. 

Dyslexics can and do succeed but many do so in spite of their education not because of it. 


photo above: we must enable dyslexic kids to fly and learn together with their disabled, neuro diverse and non dyslexic peers

We must change how we think about what it means to be dyslexic in a society that disables. We must change how we think and talk about dyslexia.

We have to challenge the current medical discrepancy of dyslexia. It is a model that has nothing positive to say about dyslexia or to dyslexics. It is a model that has only served to trap us behind a narrow one dimensional negative stereotype definition of dyslexia. A definition that totally ignores and stifles our potential and strengths.

That is why I support the social model of dyslexia. It talks about dyslexia in terms of diversity and difference and it recognises that it is society that disables us.

#dyslexia is a difference that reflects #diversity. We need to unleash and nurture that potential not remediate or stifle it.

What are your thoughts on this? please comment


Anyway that's enough from me apart to say my #dyslexia blog has had over 295.000 reads. Ta to all who read and contribute to my blog including guest bloggers. Hope you enjoy and share my latest one.

many thanks for reading and your support

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to all my blog followers and readers

Why not visit my Unique Dyslexic Eye podcast page and join fab dyslexia / neuro diverse clan.


Be seeing you there soon

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

Schools, colleges and universities should never have been opened during covid?

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Hi followers and readers hope all is well with you all

Schools, colleges and universities should never have been opened during this pandemic. I have one of my students living in a house where two of his housemates have contracted corona.

All the support I do is happening online, lectures are happening online. University students could have stayed at home and done their course there.

I have another student who is really struggling with mental health and well being issues. I am not providing learning support I am supporting student mental health and well being. Every body from colleges, schools and universities to parents and children are struggling to cope in the most difficult of circumstances.

I am not blaming anyone but the way governments are trying to get us through this is not working. At least I have faith and trust in Nicola. But Johnson and Tory party have failed us at every turn. His response to corona is no way good enough.

What are your thoughts on this?

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue dyslexia and inclusion specialist and founder of Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic

Saturday, 21 November 2020

Unique Dyslexic Eye Live and Unleashed


Hi all hope you are all well

This is a Unique Dyslexic Eye live and unleashed show from Facebook.

Unique Dyslexic Eye live and unleashed

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

Sunday, 15 November 2020

Dyslexia is not about discrepancy, deficits and disorder

 

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Hi blog readers hope you are all feeling fab


We need a coherent and globally united dyslexia community so we can fight for positive change for all of us. It seems to me we are all still stuck in a medical \ discrepancy model time warp. We are falling over ourselves trying to prove that dyslexia is a disability. That dyslexia is about discrepancy and disorder.

That is why I and my social enterprise support and promote the social model of dyslexia. Its a model created by dyslexics for dyslexics. It tells us dyslexia is about #diversity and difference. 

We have been trying to solve the issues we face using terminology and ideas that are embedded in medical modal thinking that in my view do not fit or work for us. The idea that dyslexia is a disability is imposed upon us by non dyslexic thinking.

We have to stop thinking in terms of disability and focus on the idea that dyslexia is about diversity and difference. If we are going to build a community do we want one based on a medical \ discrepancy model vision or social model of dyslexia vision?

What do you think?

Here is a link to my latest dyslexia / neuro diversity podcast

My latest Dyslexia / neuro diversity podcast

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all 

Steve McCue

Sunday, 8 November 2020

My Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcast show episode 5

 





Hi blog readers and followers

https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-necqr-f19972

Here is our latest Unique Dyslexic Eye show. We feature 3 new tracks from 3 talented dyslexic / neuro diverse musicians. 

Also includes articles on dyslexia / neuro diversity and mental health and well being. Also includes an update on our successfully completed Kickstarter campaign. 

Many thanks to all those who backed and supported our campaign. If you are a dyslexic or neuro diverse musician or poet please accept this cordial invitation to send me recordings of your work to feature on my show. 

Just email me steve_mccue@hotmail.com so that we can arrange it. If you have something to share about your experiences of dyslexia and neuro diversity please contact me. Please share, follow or leave a like.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all


Steve McCue


Sunday, 1 November 2020

Dyslexia Pathways CIC our response to Covid 19

 

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Hi blog readers hope you are all well

I founded my organisation Dyslexia Pathways CIC 12 years ago. We were the first dyslexia social enterprise in the world.

When Covid 19 hit all my dyslexia, neuro diversity and inclusion work stopped March 18th.

I had been thinking about starting a podcast for a while. So last year I took and HND in Broadcasting. My course was also impacted by Covid 19. So here I was no income and doing my course from home.

I set up Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcasting and Broadcasting as a response to Covid 19. The aim is to support and nurture the mental health and well being of the dyslexic and neuro diverse communities.

Here is a link to my 4th show

Unique Dyslexic Eye 4th show

If you a dyslexic or neuro diverse musician, poet or just have something to share with my audience please e mails me @ steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com or steve_mccue@hotmail.com.

Please give my shows a listen and leave a review of a like and share share share with your friends. 

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue

#PeaceLoveGroovyness logo