Happy dyslexic / neuro diversity New Year

 

A rare phenomena in the night sky will be seen tonight

Hello everyone

A very rare phenomena will be seen in the night sky tonight. Every planet in our solar system will be visible in the night sky. Happy dyslexic / neuro diversity New Year from me,

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

Steve McCue's Unique Dyslexic Eye Blog: A little story of #dyslexic success against the odds.

Steve McCue's Unique Dyslexic Eye Blog: A little story of #dyslexic success against the odds.:   You are not alone Hi blog readers hope you are all feeling #fab I was sent this message through my Linked In a while back . Its a little s...

A little story of #dyslexic success against the odds.

 

You are not alone

Hi blog readers hope you are all feeling #fab

I was sent this message through my Linked In a while back. Its a little story of #dyslexic success against the odds. I thought I would share it with you.

We tend to see stories of famous or rich dyslexics which is cool. But I think every dyslexic's stories is important and should be given a forum. 

I asked if it would be ok to share this in one of my blogs, she agreed and here is it:

"Good afternoon Stephen,

I suffer with dyslexia and I found it hard growing up.

In primary school  both my family and the school said that i was slow and lazy that was why I couldn't read faster than others or spelt simple words incorrect.

Through out high school my teachers turned a blind I to my asks of help. I would write in the margins of by book  that I was struggling with reading and spelling.

I was prodicted E's but I put in so much effort and extra time to complete my GCSE's i came out with C's.

It wasn't till Sixth form that I got some help, the teachers where amazing and helped me with out undermining me. I finally felt I was worth it and the effort I put in to tasks wasn't in vain.

I am happy to say that I am now a business admin. Doing an apprenticeship where I am not struggling and I openly ask for help.

I have wrote this message to say thank you.
I say thank you for being brave and making people aware of dyslexia.

I hope I can be as brave as you.

Thank you again

Kindest  regards

Charlotte"

If anyone else wants to share their dyslexia journey in my blog, anonymously or not, just email it to me as steve_mccue@hotmail.com. 

You can add photos but sent a little description of the photo .

I just think Charlotte had a great positive story to share and thank he for letting me share it here.

I kept the brave bit not because I think I am brave but because I thought she herself was being brave because it couldn't have been easy to share her story with me let alone let me share it in my blog.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic Eye McCue

Dyslexia, diversity, inclusion, neuro diversity and #vivaladifference

Picture above logos for Dyslexia Pathways CIC, Unique Dyslexic and Social Enterprise Scotland

 
Hi de hi blog readers. I hope you are all well and the world is being good to you.

Just a couple of little blogger hints from me here. I add captions to my photos for people who use text to speech screen readers to make my blog more accessible.

I only wish I could add a screen reader such as browse aloud but so far I have not found a screen reader widget or app that will work in blogger.

I also try and use a dyslexia friendly font. I used Verdana size 12 or 14 together with different background colours to again make my blog more accessible.

Here is a funny dyslexia short story lol I have been calling verdana veranda for ages and wondering why I was getting quizzical looks from people when I talked about fonts. lol.

I only wish I had the time and space to make more audio or visual blogs but they take me such a long time to produce. Its not really a techy issue its remembering a script lol. I think I will make a visual blog next week. 

Being dyslexia friendly can cost next to nothing and has many benefits

There are some easy things dyslexics like myself, people, parents and organisations can do to support people who are dyslexic that cost nothing or very little to  implement.

I personally find staring at a white computer screen and black text quite a strain on the eyes as well as difficult to read. So the hints below are good for all not just for dyslexics.

This includes finding a background colour which is dyslexia friendly. This is a bit trial and error because every dyslexic's dyslexia is unique to the individual so solutions are unique to the individual.

Personally I like the background colour to my blog page but I also like pastel colours like beige, blue or yellow.

Different colour printing paper is also helpful also not only for employees but for customers, clients and trainees.

Changing the font size is also a fabtastic strategy. Personally I like comic sans best but that has gone out of fashion so to speak so now I use verdana but ariel and century gothic are dyslexia friendly fonts. But its finding the font and solutions that work for you that are best and these can be found by trial end error.

Its good for dyslexic employees, good for dyslexic customers, good for business and good for inclusion and a companies reputation. A win win all round and it cost nothing or very little to implement.

It's Christmas so merry Christmas to you all

#PeaceLoveGroovyness from me, Steve #UniqueDyslexicEye McCue, to you all


Dyslexia friendly fonts

My social enterprise, Dyslexia Pathways Community Interest Company was founded in 2008

 

Dyslexia Pathways CIC

Hello there all

My organisation Dyslexia Pathways CIC is a social enterprise. Our social aim is to support and promote the dyslexic and other neuro difference communities. To achieve our social aims we have to bring in our own income through our business and enterprise work. We are non profit. Picture from our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Exhibition at the Rothes Halls.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

Please share or leave a like

The trauma from this COVID pandemic

 

My lovely wife Anne: the smartest, most lovely and supportive wife an man could wish for

Hi to you all

All of us will have to live with the trauma from this COVID pandemic for the rest of our lives. We need to invest in mental health services to support every man woman and child through this COVID. Nobody is talking about this COVID trauma we are all carrying.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

My social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways Community Interest Company

My Social Enterprise Logo

Hi all, hope everyone is ok out there.  

Hello, here is a link to my Dyslexia Pathways CIC web site. Founded in 2008 we are a, not for profit , Community Interest Company, ( CIC ).

Comments and feedback invited. If you would like to support our work there is a donation button. We would like to make the website more accessible.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

Welcome to a brand new series of my Unique Dyslexic Eye podcast

Unique Dyslexic Eye logo

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing away out there,

Welcome to episode 1 from the new series 3 of Unique Dyslexic Eye. Just click on the link to get to my Unique Dyslexic Eye podcast page:

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-93prz-13220f8

#PeaceLoveGroovyness

Please leave us a like or share this blog. Your comments and questions welcomed.

Steve Unique Dyslexic Eye McCue

I have a new mentor from the Impact and Performance Social Value Lab

 

My one in 10 people are dyslexic t shirt logo

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing away, as they say up here in Scotland.

This is not really something I am comfortable doing. Blowing my own trumpet that is. But I have just got a new mentor from the, Impact and Performance Social Value Lab.  Its all about showing the value of your work. So, I thought this might be a good start:

D wrote:

Just cried tons reading it... Very good to find someone that you can read! I wish everyone could read us as we read each other. I wish i could understand why the hell I decided to get a masters... (10 days to present my thesis and I just realize I can't write) sorry to bother you, but I just really wanted to talk to someone that understands me, and maybe give some tips? Hahahaha thanks man your blog is awesome

DT wrote:

Just watched your blog video well done, like yourself I am dyslexic, I started a Facebook page called the dyslexic teacher, a bit of a play on words as a dyslexic I wanted to help people with dyslexia using a system that works for me I own a small production company producing promos and commercials for people, which consists of myself and my wife who does the editing we both come from a TV and film background, dyslexia is very common in the television and film industry, by using speak to text On my Apple computer and now Apple phones or virtually any smart phone using the Siri system it writes for me life changing for me personally, I've been involved helping young and old dyslexics using this system for me it's ground-breaking at 65 years old I can now write to whoever I want to definitely a game changer for me and I've helped many people overcome some of the problems we have being dyslexic, if I can help anybody by producing a small Film Please don't hesitate to call me we have a round camera and we can help with the editing, I will leave my email address if anybody wants to contact me

KJD wrote:

Your post is so true, I will have to re-post this over on my twitter and facebook page. I had a raw deal myself in the 60s/70s at school. I did get a degree in my late-40s that I,ve written a book about my years in the wilderness branded a failure. Thanks for the post Steve. https://www.amazon.co.uk/DUNCE-SCHOLAR-DYSLEXIA-Road-University-ebook/dp/B01E2W50QA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470140374&sr=1-1

Unknown wrote:

yes the Dyslexic Prism idea makes a tone of sense no two dyslexic's see the world the same way, BUT unlike non dyslexic's we are able to understand each others view points, and even spot another dyslexic who may have been thinking themselves stupid or lazy because that is what non-dyslexic call people who are dyslexic. Its like with reading, some dyslexic's can deal with black font on a white background, but a number of us need colour overlays to make the text stay still or make it simply easier for our minds to read! and again no two dyslexic's will have the same colour overly, my partner has a horrid neon orange were I have an EVIL rose pink (I hate pink), but nether of us can read font via the same overly as easily. that's just a physical example. but mental well with out dyslexic's there wouldn't be e=MC squired Yes Dr Albert Einstein was a dyslexic so that alone should dispel the myth of dyslexic's being stupid. >:( the thing I really don't get is why suddenly Dr's want to dub it an illness!! yes sure it can be a disability if you never get the chance to be shown how to overcome its problems so you can fully embrace its gifts! but to dub it an illness ughh I wish they would stop looking for medical cures for everything and start finding practical work around like, oh I don't know teach ALL school children as if they were dyslexic so that none of them fall behind, But I guess that would be to much dyslexic common sense for non-dyslexic's in charge of the so called education system. :/

TE wrote:

Outstanding Steve I could virtually feel everyone of your highs of 99% and dreaded 1% low that fills me with self-doubt. I'm very interested in helping to find Free or inexpensive tools to help dyslexics realize their full potential.We should talk http://MyToolBoxToSuccess.com

Unknown wrote

Excellently written article, if only all blogger offered the same level of content as you, the internet would be a much better place. Please keep it up!.Great tips, I would like to join your blog anyway.Waiting for some more review.Thank you

Unknown wrote:

You are an amazing guy, Steve, we learnt so much from our recent meeting. Wow our brains were whizzing round over 100 miles an hour, lol. All very positive I must add. Now its time for me to rein in.........argh that is so difficult for me to do.....as you could tell from talking to me. However, I know how important it is to me to focus on one thing at a time to accomplish my goals. I will definitely be in touch with you very soon. Thank you so much for your invaluable time and support you gave us, we can not thank you enough. Watch this space....... !!! A very happy dyslexic :-)

Guitarist wrote:

thats a nice story steve, i too gave up school wen i was 14 if you remember, i brought a guitar wen i was 16 and tried to join my 1st band, of course i was turned down not good enough, so i went to guitar college for a couple of years, where i learned a fair bit joined a band, did a few things then we did a gig for a social club in 2004 where we were asked to be resident band for 2 years so.... theres a little story in a way a little like yours i gave up too, but eventually done something i always wanted to do, good on ya steve, if your ever in edgware look me up

Thanks for reading

Steve Unique Dyslexic Eye McCue

The last 64 years and state of our world and some news about my Unique Dyslexic Eye podcast show

 

My Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcast Logo

Hi everyone, just a few words today to sum up the last 64 years

I was born in 1958,

Experienced to hope of the 60's

A teen in the dark 70’s,

Saw the crude excess of the 80’s,

Shared the warnings of the 90’s,

Felt the expectation of the new millennium,

Witnessed the division of austerity,

I look at my country and wonder where, why and how

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic Eye

Some news on my Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcast

I am going to be running a series of podcasts about dyslexia. If you would like to take part just contact me. steve_mccue@hotmail.com or 078 287 414 73.

I have recorded a couple interviews already

My Breaking the Barriers of Dyslexia project

 

Do things stay the same?

Way back in 2000 - 2008 when I was managing the dyslexia department in a college in London. One of the first things I did was visit every staff room and spoke to as many staff about myself, what I was here to do and dyslexia / neuro-diversity. Believe me, many staff wanted to listen. They wanted to find out more, for themselves and students. 

It gave me the idea for a project, "Breaking the Barriers of Dyslexia. The basic idea was to open free to access dyslexia surgeries, provide awareness training and access to free screening and assessment. Have to say management listened but not much enthusiasm was expressed. 

I wrote an initial proposal and then enjoyed a fab journey climbing up the management mountain, eventually ending at the Principal's  office. I was given the task of writing the project proposal for the Learning and Skills Council of London. In my own time lol. This must have been 2004 / 5. 

The initial project was designed to last 6 weeks. The Learning and Skills Council liked the idea and fully funded the project to the tune of £50.000. Amazing how quickly senior management came on board when that happened. 

I run a number of open dyslexia surgeries for students and staff wanting to find out more about dyslexia. As it turned out a large number of staff and students took up the offer and came to the surgeries.  

Some just want some advice on ways to support their dyslexic student s more effectively. But others came because they either knew they were dyslexic or suspected they were dyslexic. 

All had some concerns that being dyslexic would hinder their career prospects and nearly all had not disclosed they were dyslexic.

The basic idea was to provide free dyslexia screening and assessment for as many staff as we could during the life of the project. We also wanted to provide training in dyslexia friendly work strategies and in assistive technology.   

The first priority was to find a suitably qualified dyslexia dyslexia specialist to run the project. We found a very very good one. Her name of Elizabeth Gentlecore, apologies if the spelling is wrong. She really put her heart and soul into the project. 

The project had an initial target to provide access to dyslexia screening across the college. I think we managed to screen over 400 staff and students. 

We had an initial target to provides 8 free dyslexia assessments. In the end we provided 23 free assessments together with training and support with applications for Access to Work. The Access to Work team also provided training in assistive technology.

We actually made the project funding to last an additional month. We did have plans to extend the project but other things got in the way of that.

However, at the end of the project, despite how well it went, 99% of those assessed still expressed concern about college management knowing they were dyslexic. 

My concern here is if dyslexic teacher are expressing concerns about disclosing. What does this say to dyslexic student.

Years later have things changed very much for the better?

I was talking with a degree student yesterday who I had been providing dyslexia support over the last semester.  A very bright student as well. He was expressing an interest in becoming a teacher but felt that it was not possible for him to become a teacher because of his dyslexia. 

He was expressing his concerns about telling any prospective employers about his dyslexia. That if he did it would adversely affect his job and career prospects. He would be a great teacher as well in my opinion

There is far too much focus on dyslexia as a negative condition that adversely impacts on our abilities to succeed academically and in the work place. That talks about dyslexia in terms of deficits, disorder and discrepancy. 

Let’s face it, what employer wants to take on a dyslexic who can't spell, has poor memory, a brain that does not work properly, who can't read well etc. The positives of being dyslexic are hidden behind an negative stereotype image of dyslexia.

Its not that our dyslexic brain is broken, it just works differently. 

This is what the average person in the street believes dyslexia to be. Very few mention any of the positives of dyslexia at all. So it is not surprising many dyslexics keep it a secret, including teachers.

For every positive single article on dyslexia there and 20 or more negative ones. If we are ever to change people's attitudes and perceptions about dyslexia we need dyslexic teachers who are comfortable disclosing they are dyslexic, neuro diverse or disabled in classroom. Teachers who are positive about being dyslexic and can act as role models and mentors to dyslexic / neuro diverse children.

In spite of the title of my blog and podcast I do believe attitudes and understanding towards being dyslexia are changing for the better. But there is a lot more work to be done.

If you have anything you would like to share on my blog or podcast please contact me: steve_mccue@hotmail.com. 

Be safe, #PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all.

Free suite of assistive technology tools are available; My Study Bar

Unique Dyslexic: Embracing Diversity Celebrating Difference

 Hi everyone, Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue here. Hope you are all well,

Assistive technology can be very liberating for people across all communities, including dyslexic, neuro diverse, blind, deaf etc. 

A note of caution before I go any further. Assistive technology is not a universal solution or panacea. For example, I find speech to text software impossible to use. It just gets in the way of the creative process of writing. The only way to know if assistive tech software is to try it out. That why I always advise using a, try before buy, option which many assistive tech companies offer.

I will put together another blog on support available for UK students and people in employment or seeking employment. 

What I will advise anyone who considers them selves to be disable in any way. If you are going to take a degree or HND or already taking a degree or HND ask your college of University about Disabled Students Allowance.

If you are in employment or seeking employment there is the ACCESS to Work Grant. Probably the least known about Government scheme disabled people in the UK. Below is a link to the Government  ACCESS to Work site. But, getting hold of ACCESS to Work can be problematic.

ACCESS to Work link

There is another way forward. Its called My Study Bar which is a suite of free to access assistive technology tools that can assist with Planning, reading, writing, speech recognition and vision based tasks.

Below is a link to the Call Scotland, My Study Bar site here in Scotland. 

My Study Bar Link

Why not click on the link and have a look at their site?

My Study Bar is a floating toolbar made up of 6 sections with over 10 apps to use.

• Planning
  • Xmind – mind mapping.
• Reading
  • T-Bar – to customise background colours.
  • Vu-Bar – an onscreen ruler to read single lines of text.
  • ssOverlay – coloured overlays.
  • ATBar – select text to hear it read aloud (also with font and background colour options).
• Writing
  • Balabolka – a talking word processor with options to save text to audio .

    • Balabolka can be slow in loading, please be patient.

  • LetMeType – flexible word prediction - over 30 topic dictionaries including; Ancient Rome, Cell Biology, Global Warming and much more).
  • Rapid Typing – learn to touch type.
• Voice
  • Windows Speech Recognition - speak to your computer.
• Vision
  • System Font Size Changer – customise font, colour settings in Windows.
• Help
  • Find out more on technology to support dyslexia.
  • Download the Scottish voices.
  • Download WordTalk.
  • Ease of Access Centre.
  • High Contrast.

Thanks for reading, your feedback, likes and comments are welcomed Why not subscribe to my Unique Dyslexic Clan? Let me know how you get on with My Study Bar please.

Please note: whether to download the software or not is your decision. 

#PeaceLoveGrovvyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic Eye McCue

A dyslexia vlog recorded at my allotment

Unique Dyslexic Logo

Hellay all, hope you are all doing away out there

Ok, here is a short vlog I did at my allotment during a very cold January day 2021. Just an update of my dyslexia work and also about wellbeing during COVID , 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L223mk7sGlU 

your feedback is invited,

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

I am a citizen of Planet Earth

I an a citizen of planet earth

Hi all, just a short blog from me today.

This blog does not appear to be dyslexia related, but it is.

Just want to say I wish the non dyslexic community had the emotional intelligence and empathy of the dyslexic community

I see humanity is rattling its nukes AGAIN, result:

Hello mushroom cloud, good bye humanity, cockroaches inherit the earth, what's left of it. I was a young kid during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 sheesh. I was 4 at the time and still remember it vividly.

Here we go again.

Yes, a happy blog lol.

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

As a matter of fact I am all dyslexic

#IAm Dyslexic and if anyone does not like that they can bite my ass

Hello all: Dyslexia

For me focussing only on literacy is a real issue that I have a problem with when it comes to dyslexia. Yet the vast majority of support just does that. The disability model of dyslexia say dyslexia is defined as: deficit, disorder  and discrepancy. I believe dyslexia is about diversity and difference.

A dyslexic student I supported said to me: "nobody likes to think they have anything wrong with them, particularly if its the brain." But that is what many dyslexic students are told. 

We need a whole person approach. Ok yes I missed words and lines etc when I read but at the time I just thought it was the same for everybody else. When I was about 8. I was reading books from Thomas the Tank Engine to War of the worlds.    

So many dyslexic kids and adults have issues with trauma, self confidence, mental health and coping with empathy and emotional intelligence from our schooling.

 When I started on my entrepreneur journey there was plenty of support for entrepreneurs and practically nothing for dyslexic entrepreneurs. Yet so many entrepreneurs are dyslexic

I was invited for an interview for a podcast about dyslexia, learning and trauma. After the interview I realised I was still carrying trauma from experiences at school. Here is what i mean about whole person approach. I kinda liked school up until I was about 12. My dad was chronic and spiteful alcoholic and my mum use to beat my brother and I all the time. Their marriage was a train wreck and for me school was a sanctuary up until the age of 14.

We need to work with the whole person, dyslexia is not a little blob in my brain, as a matter of fact I am all dyslexic.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

A request for support for my Unique Dyslexic Eye Show

 

My Unique Dyslexic Eye show logo

I am looking for a volunteer to build a site for my Unique Dyslexic Eye show. I have 2 on the go: https://stevemccue.podbean.com/ and http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/ neither work for me, I have no budget though so if anyone knows funding it would help, maybe a student project? #PeaceLoveGroovyness from me Steve McCue

Dyslexia Pathways CIC

Hello there all

My organisation Dyslexia Pathways CIC is a social enterprise. Our social aim is to support and promote the dyslexic and other neuro difference communities. To achieve our social aims we have to bring in our own income through our business and enterprise work. We are non profit. Picture from our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Exhibition at the Rothes Halls.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

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