Dyslexia: the three Ds

My Unique Dyslexic logo

Hi blog readers I hope you are all feeling fab. Yeah I understand things are tough for us all. This is certainly the toughest life has been for me in my lifetime.

A short blog this time...……………..

Being #dyslexic isn't about hidden disability. It's about a society that cant see our abilities and a Dyslexia unfriendly society that marginalises us .

An education system that's is so focussed on a negative medical model of dyslexia that can't see, or does not want to see, our abilities. A medical model of dyslexia that can only see us in terms of discrepancy, disorder and deficits.

Its about a society that cant get its head around the idea that dyslexia is about diversity and difference not discrepancy, disorder and deficits. I call the medical model of dyslexia the three d model lol its about as three d as a sheet of blank paper.

thanks for reading

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all.

Steve McCue 

Hi from me lol

Bits and Bobs

 

My Unique Dyslexic Eye show logo

Hi hope you are all well

A while back I was informed my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways CIC was being considered for the 2020 / 21 Scotland Prestige award for the category, Dyslexia Support Service of the Year. I have now been informed that we are the 2021/22 Prestige award winner in that category. I have not mentioned this before because I thought it was a scam but apparently it is not. I am chuffed.

We all know Richard Branson is dyslexic. I think most of you will know I have been interested in outer space all my life. Its the dyslexic dreamer and curiosity in me. BUT. The billionaire space race is on? How many will die from COVID while they have their little jollies in space? This will add nothing to our understanding of space at all. All it takes is one bad COVID mutation and it could be hasta la vista humanity.

Priorities guys the needs of the billionaires don't out weigh the needs of humanity.

Teacher training does not prepare teachers for inclusion in their classrooms, does not prepare them to teach disabled, dyslexic, disabled kids. Teachers are not given the funding, time and resources to create inclusive teaching environments

One of my Unique Dyslexic Eye blogs has been selected to kick off the Disability Unions Disability Pride Month, I am chuffed: https://disabilityunion.co.uk/we-need-to-change-the-way-we-talk-about-dyslexia/… Please support #DisabilityPrideMonth #UniqueDyslexicEye #DisabilityUnion

This week we saw racism raise its ugly head again after England's loss to Italy. Bigotry and hate knows no logic.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve Mccue

https:/

Me and dyslexia: An enigma to myself

 

Logo for my Unique Dyslexic Eye Show

Hi blog readers hope you are all well and feeling #fab. 

To those not feeling #fab about being dyslexic for whatever reason, and there are a lot of us feeling like this, I send positive vibes to you all.

I am not a person with #dyslexia, I don't suffer with #dyslexia I don't have #dyslexia. 

#iamdyslexic😎. 

I am very happy that I think, feel and see the world through a #dyslexic prism. #Dyslexia is an integral part of me. It is a part of my identity of who I am.

For a long time I was an enigma to myself, and to my teachers I think. I felt just as smart as other kids but somehow I couldn't show it in my school work. School became a place I didn't want to be in.

As many will know I am very positive about being dyslexic.


However, i was not always so positive about being #dyslexic. I'd actually didn't know I was #dyslexic until I was assessed as #dyslexic when I 35 years old. My assessment for  being #dyslexic was the first step to becoming more positive about being #dyslexic. It enabled me to put my experiences of school into perspective.

It was the starting point of my journey into understanding the enigma that was me.

But I also know there are so many #dyslexics out there who are not happy to be #dyslexic. Their life experiences of being dyslexic at school, in work and training have been so negative it eats away at self confidence, self esteem and erodes mental health well being. 

I know this because that's what my negative life experiences of being an un-assessed and unsupported #dyslexic did to me. I know from first hand experience that being #dyslexic can be a bit of a nightmare. I know this because of all the other dyslexics I have supported as a Dyslexia specialist.

I am often asked why I do my #dyslexia work. I often ask that question myself. I guess my answer is, "I don't feel I have a choice". I believe many of us have strong sense of injustice as a result we stand up and battle against it. I think this may be because so many of us experience injustice when we are at school because our education system fails us.

I did some research on when adults were assessed. Only 19% of adult #dyslexics were actually assessed at school. Many #dyslexics go through their whole lives without ever being assessed. Without even knowing they are dyslexic.  This is simply not good enough.

We must change how we think and talk about being #dyslexic and about dyslexia in general. We must move away from a medical discrepancy model of dyslexia that basically traps us behind a negative stereotypical, one dimensional image of dyslexia. It's a model that has nothing positive to say to #dyslexics or about #dyslexia. Its a model that has been imposed upon us by a non #dyslexic society that quite simply fails us.

That's why I founded Dyslexia Pathways CIC as a social enterprise. That's why I support and promote the social model of dyslexia. That's why I chose to found my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways CIC. Simply because I believe the social model of dyslexia together with social enterprise is an empowering, positive and inclusive way forward. More to the point I saw it as a dyslexic / neuro diverse way forward.

Thanks for reading

Peace love and groovyness to you all

#PeaceLoveGroovyness

Steve McCue

Dyslexia Pathways CIC: "Leading the way for social inclusion".

 

My social enterprise logo

Hi blog readers and followers hope you are all well

I was recently researching internet marketing and internet tools. One of those tools we were introduced to was Google Alert.

So I put in a little google alert on Dyslexia Pathways CIC and discovered we had been given a mention in an Erasmus academic paper.


Here is the specific passage that mentions my organisation, "Dyslexia Pathways CIC".

"There are numerous CICS who have succeeded in providing an intermediation function developing pathways that assist individuals with disabilities to access support to engage in academic courses and vocational qualifications. These include Dyslexia Pathways CIC, All Inclusive Disability Consultants CIC and Acute Need CIC who have all led the way for social inclusion for those within the disabled community looking to access support to enhance and develop their skillset."

To say I am chuffed would be an understatement but hey to read that we at Dyslexia Pathways CIC have been, "helping to lead the way for social inclusion", who would not be.

Thanks for reading my blog #PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue, I am a dyslexic dyslexia and inclusion specialist

 

Unique Dyslexic #vivaladifference

Revision Bah Humbug lol 

I have spent a lot of time working with a lot of students revising for exams. Blimey I remember my own experience of exams and not much of the memories are positive. On my degree my course work grades were As and high B grades but my exams were C grades if I was lucky. I really worked hard at revision...if only I had me teaching me back then what I now know today about being a dyslexic doing exam revision lol. 

I met with one student who I have worked with a couple of times before. Last time we met I had suggested she try using mind maps to help her with revising. The student came for their dyslexia support today and showed me her revision mind maps. They were a peice of art work in their own right. Great use of imagery and colour on a large piece of art paper. Fantastic stuff..........

I had another student who has only been assessed as being dyslexic a few months ago. He is still trying to come to terms with it and how it has impacted on his life in the past and today. He is one of the reasons why I believe all dyslexia specialists should all be trained counsellors. He has a lot of self erected barriers to break down as well as issues with his confidence and self esteem. Had a great session with him that day though.

For some time I have been thinking about writing a book on dyslexia based on my own experiences as a dyslexic trying to survive in a non dyslexic world. I have been writing bits and pieces here and there but lacked focus for a book. Today I have been trying to  think of a book title which, I hope, will enable me to focus on writing this book.

I am hoping to find new directors for Dyslexia Pathways. If I am to take Dyslexia Pathways any further as a business I need to have others on board who have the time, expertise and commitment to enable me to take Dyslexia Pathways CIC further. 

If interested you can call me on 078 287 414 73 or email: stephen.mccue@dyslexiapathways.co.uk. 

Ok #PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all  

Steve McCue founder of Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic Eye

This blog is about you and your experiences of being dyslexic / neuro diverse

My Unique Dyslexic Eye Logo

Hi blog followers and readers, hope you are all well,

I have put together a little questionnaire for dyslexia and nuero diverse readers of my blog to complete. Its totally anonymous. If you can send your answers to my pm box here or to steve_mccue@hotmail.com

1) When were you assessed as dyslexic / neuro diverse or have you not      been assessed yet but believe you are dyslexic or neuro diverse?

2) What was your experience of the assessment process good and bad?

3)  What issues did you experience before your assessment?

3)  Did this change after you were assessed?

4)  What support was offered to you, if any, afters you were assessed?         (all levels), further   education and/or      work?

5)  Was the support offered helpful or not?

6)  Have you one piece of advice have you to share with readers and           followers of my Unique Dyslexic blog?

Many thanks for your time, I will be sharing results and answers with my readers, listeners and viewers, as I said its all totally anonymous. 

One last question: Have you any feedback on this questionnaire you would like to share,  Good and bad and be honest. 

It would be helpful if you would share it  please.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue 

What do you think of oyr logo?

Tablets, tablets everywhere and all of them to take, (an update lol)

In the college broadcasting studio presenting my first Unique Dyslexic Eye show

Hi everyone hope you are all doing well:

This is basically an update of a blog I wrote in 2014:

Well today I have my first session in the gym as part of the recuperation process after my heart attack a few weeks ago. ( I have since survived 3 more heart attacks, my last being around 4 years ago)

Sigh this will be fun lol. I have my sounds ready on my I pod, got my shorts and plimmys ready. Eeeep feels like I am back at school again. (As it turned out it was fine I enjoyed the gym.)

When my thyroid went squwiff, hmmm maybe 25 years ago now, it turned me from a 10 stone pretty fit person who walked lots, gigged regularly very active etc. I did a lot of physical geography as part of my degree so I climbed mountains, went pot holing etc.

I turned into a 19 stone person who could not walk to the bus stop. I have a genetically inherited thyroid condition called Hashimotos disease which is rife on my mum's side of the family.

I remember thinking to myself when the docs eventually diagnosed, me hmmm trust me to end up with a disease that sounds like some weird Japanese manga video game. That process took a year to complete.

Another thought that sprang to mind was, "ahhh I am finally in touch with my feminine side" lol

Hashimotos disease, basically means my auto immune system is treating my thyroid as an enemy and so is attacking it. Arrrgh life long taking of thyroxin tablets lol.

Then about maybe 10 years ago my autoimmune system stared attacking my pancreas and I went type two diabetic. Ohhhh the joy of it all more tablets lol.

I have been asking for help from the doctors with my weight for years because I knew my weight was the real problem here and how it could impact on my heart. But it was all to no avail lol.

I did manage to get myself down to 17 stone and got myself back into a reasonably fit state again. But it took a lot of hard work but no matter what I did I could not lose any more weight.  

Of course no where near as fit as I was. Anyway the doctors were no help at all.......One doctor said to me, "well you carry it well", another said, "we cant do miracles.  Another said, hmmmmm well having hashimotos and type two diabetes makes losing weight very difficult.

I was going to go for one of those surgical cutting you tummy in half operation when I lived in London. But then I moved to Fife and that is not offered here. Ohh the doc said I could go to a group of patients having this operation in Dundee but I couldn't have the operation......hmmmm bit pointless that.

Then the event happened that I knew was inevitable I had my heart attack. Now I had gone into hospital the week before with chest pains, had all the tests and they said everything was hunky dory ,that I was experiencing acid indigestion lol. YAAAAAAA! yet more tablets to take along with statin tablets and daily asprin lol.

Then exactly one week later boooom heart attack. The hospital informed me it was a mild heart attack. It was not until a couple of weeks later I discover from my GP that it was right ventricle was 99% blocked. I am very lucky the rest of my heart is fine and all I needed was one stent fitted. But oh joy and rapture what do I get to take? More tablets lol. (I have since had 3 more stents fitted.)

So now after I have had the heart attack and nearly popped my clogs I get help with my weight sigh. (I am down to 16 stone now by the way)

Anyway I realise its not exactly a dyslexia related blog but thanks for reading. However, I do believe all the stress and anxiety of living in a dyslexia unfriendly society had its part to play.

As of today I am feeling fab, I don't do the gym anymore because I get my exercise from running my allotment. This is my third season doing that. 

Many thanks for reading

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue (I am a dyslexic, dyslexia and inclusion specialist, social entrepreneur, blogger, podcaster and broadcaster)

Tablets, tablets everywhere lol