Unique Dyslexic Eye: Twinkl's Top Dyslexia Blog

 

Hi followers, readers and subscribers

A while back I was contacted by Laura Millington  of Twinkl. Twinkl are based in Scotland and have a world wide reach. I guess you could call them a Scottish success story. 

She asked me I would like my Unique Dyslexic Eye blog to be featured on their top dyslexia / neuro diverse blogger list for 2021. 

We won this little award thingummy see above, I cannot spell rosette lol there ya go got it eventually. I am more chuffed than Thomas the Tank Engine.

Below is a link to the Twinkl Top Dyslexia blog page:

Top Dyslexia Blogs 2021 - Twinkl Blog

There are 9 other fab blogs there as well. I am chuffed to be featured with so many other fab dyslexia / neuro diverse bloggers I respect and admire.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue

PS Laura has written a guest blog at my invitation which I will be publishing soon.

Please share or comment and maybe subscribe to my Unique Dyslexic Eye social media

Dyslexia is not about deficits, disorder and discrepancy

 

#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. This fact alone show how we in the dyslexic community are failed by society.

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 We have to move away from an old outdated medical model of dyslexia that basically tells us our brains do not work correctly.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. That tells us dyslexia is about deficits, disorder and discrepancy. 

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 298.000 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.

Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcast Page

Be seeing you there soon

Steve Unique Dyslexic McCue

A short video presentation on dyslexia / neuro diversity

 

Reasons to be dyslexia positive

Hi blog subscribers, followers and readers, hope you are all doing ok.

Just posting a little video about my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways CIC / Unique Dyslexic. I did this couple years ago but its still relevant now as it was then.

I talk a little about what a social enterprise and our social model of dyslexia / social enterprise vision.

Anyway, enough of me prattling on. Below is a short video presentation on dyslexia:

As always please feel free to comment, like or ask a question.

Thanks for your time.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue, ( I am a dyslexic, dyslexia and inclusion specialist )

Being a dyslexic entrepreneur

Logo for my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways Community Interest Company

 

Being an dyslexic entrepreneur 

I read an interesting and relevant article to all dyslexic entrepreneurs.

"Professor Julie Logan’s research at the University of Bristol in 2001 reported that 1 in 5 of the UK’s entrepreneurs she surveyed was dyslexic, twice the rate expected for adults in the UK. Women’s Enterprise Scotland estimate that 60,000 women are registered as business owners in Scotland, which could equate to as many as 12,000 female dyslexic entrepreneurs, depending on how the term ‘entrepreneur’ is applied. It is generally accepted that around 35% of dyslexics are entrepreneurs.

In 2008 Professor Logan’s research at Cass Business School in London made business headlines when she reported that entrepreneurs with dyslexia make significantly different decisions compared to non-dyslexic entrepreneurs in two key respects: the number of businesses they choose to set up, and how many people they employ. Dyslexic entrepreneurs did significantly more of both. This means that the actions of this group are important for economic growth."

It is my view and experience the issue for many prospective dyslexic entrepreneurs and success dyslexic entrepreneurs is the total lack of dyslexia specific support available."

Lets just suppose there are another 12.000 male dyslexic entrepreneurs or potential entrepreneurs out there in Scotland. Yet many schools, colleges, training organisations fail to provide adequate support that will enable prospective dyslexic entrepreneurs so succeed. Yet many dyslexics still leave school without having their dyslexia assessed and as a result end in in low level employment, long term unemployed or worse still in our prisons. 

This is a waste of their lives, they become and burden on the economy and it is a waste of potential income for the Scottish economy. Dyslexics have to be seen as a potential untapped resource to the Scottish economy and provided with appropriate support in our schools and colleges. This support need not cost a lot of money. Indeed a few simple clicks of a mouse can enable a dyslexic to work more effectively on a computer for no cost what so ever.

I do not believe dyslexia to be a disability it is society that disables so many of us by not teaching us in ways we can access the learning in schools.

I am one of those male dyslexic entrepreneurs and before I founded Dyslexia Pathways over 13 years ago I had a career as a dyslexia specialist working with adults in colleges. I have to say that when I was starting up my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways I encountered is a total lack of dyslexia specific support for dyslexic entrepreneurs here in Fife and in Edinburgh. I went to many organisations for support and advice and not one of them any idea about dyslexia and how to support a dyslexic entrepreneur. Many organisations I went to were more of an hindrance than a help. I did meet with some supportive individuals who were very supporting and I have to thank them for their support with my own journey to becoming an entrepreneur.

One of the aims of Dyslexia Pathways is to create a new mentoring scheme for dyslexic entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs. To enable  them to unleash their potential and succeed in their chosen entrepreneurial path. Please read my blog if you would like to find out more about the work we do at Dyslexia Pathways.

Thanks for reading #PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue

Climate change to some its about another opportunity to make a profit for the few and the expense at the lives of many

Hi everyone, hope you are all in fine fettle 

To politicians like johnson, and his tory party, climate change is just another opportunity to make money, capitalism will never solve climate change issues because capitalism is all about profit for the few.

Thanks for reading

Steve McCue #PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Civics and autism: A question?

 

Hi readers hope you are all well

On one of my trawls through the internet I came across this a short video on civics and autism. Its from an American guy who I have a lot of time for, Beau of the Fifth Column. One of the things he does on his show is answer questions from his followers. He got sent a question about civics and autism from a mom who has a child who is autistic.

He makes a few interesting points about autism and academia and autism from an autistic perspective. I thought people might be interested in what he has to say.

Here is the link:

I would be interested in your feedback on what he says. All I ask is that you listen to the end of the short video before you give your feedback.

I would also be interested to know if you think what Beau has to say about about academia and autism can be applied to dyslexia and academia?

#PeaceLoveGroovyness

Steve McCue 

please share, comment or why not subscribe to my Unique Dyslexic Eye social media.

A Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcast: My Epigenetic me podcast: how society view diversity and difference

 

My Unique Dyslexic Eye show logo

Hi all hope you are all well:

Below is a link to my Unique Dyslexic Eye podcast called Epigenetic me. Just click on the link below:

Epigenetic Me: A Unique Dyslexic Eye Podcast

You are invited to comment or share maybe even subscribe

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue