My Journey With Dyslexia

Effort Was My Superpower

When I think back to primary school, it didn’t feel like a big struggle—not the way people often describe. I got by with a positive attitude, a constant smile and hard work. Sure, my reading and writing were behind, but there wasn’t loads of pressure back then. I think having a dyslexic dad helped too. He’d already walked that path, so when I started showing signs - mixing up letters, struggling with reading and spelling- getting assessed felt like a natural next step. If Dad had done well in life, why couldn’t I?

That said, there were definitely challenges. I remember one moment struggling when I couldn’t spell ‘Tuesday’ and being called out on it in class. Sadly, moments like that were when my self-esteem got knocked. But I smiled through it, worked hard and kept my head down. When I was finally identified as dyslexic, it was a relief. I had a reason for my struggles.

Secondary school brought its own challenges. I remember being sent to spelling intervention and feeling mortified. I was learning words other kids had nailed yearsago. I didn’t want to stand out, so I resisted the help at school. Instead I turned to my Mum. She helped me tackle words I couldn’t even pronounce- like photosynthesis. She would break them down into bite-sized chunks and help me to practice them over and over until they finally stuck. It was slow and frustrating at times, but it worked. I received extra time in my GCSEs and, back then if you met the criteria, spelling, punctuation, and grammar weren’t marked - this was a huge help - something students today aren’t afforded as it’s no longer considered a reasonable adjustment.

The further I progressed in education, the more I enjoyed learning. College offered fewer subjects, focused on areas I was genuinely interested in and provided more downtime, which made a big difference. At university, I chose ‘Psychology’ - a subject I was passionate about. Uni allowed me to complete assignments on computers with spell check and editing tools, which was incredibly helpful. As for reading, I refused to pick up a book until I was around 18—then someone handed me Harry Potter, and that was it. I’ve been hooked on reading ever since.

Effort was my superpower. I didn’t always get things right (still don’t!), but I kept showing up. That persistence shaped how I learn, how I teach and how I parent. I think my personality helped too—I was curious, upbeat, always trying. That connection with teachers made them look past some of my academic struggles. People saw the effort, even when the results didn’t quite match.

And I was lucky. My parents had belief in me and celebrated the gifts dyslexia gave me - creativity, determination, people skills and a knack for solving problems in unexpected ways. Dyslexia doesn’t mean you’re broken. It just means you think and process things a different way. And different can be brilliant.

This is my story - but it’s one so many people share. With the right support, time and a whole lot of patience, every learning journey can flourish in its own way.

These are my top strategies for meeting some of the challenges of dyslexia day to day

1. Get the job done!

With poorer working memory I forget things easily so I have a rule - if I can complete a task in less than 3 minutes I do it there and then, if not I add it to a ‘to do’ list.

2. Lists, lists and more lists!

Weaker executive function means I can be disorganised and forgetful so I have lists for everything. I use notes on my iphone, which is always to hand and there’s helpful tick boxes for when the task is complete. If I don’t create a list I can often feel overwhelmed trying to juggle everything in my mind - so it’s great tool for managing my stress levels.

3. Digital Calendar to the Rescue

Again to help organise my chaotic and forgetful mind, I use google calendar to remind me of my appointments, meetings or catch ups with friends and family. It’s on my phone - meaning I am unlikely to loose it and I can enter in any new dates straight away.

4. Making Space for Demanding Tasks

If I’m doing a more demanding task that requires my focus, like writing (which can even include sending a text message) I give myself the space and time I need without distraction. This is easier said than done - my kids are both grown up which helps. If I don’t wait for the right time, even the simple task of writing a text can become very frustrating.

5. Spelling Aid

Spelling can still be a struggle. Because I spell phonetically (as the word sounds) often predictive text just can’t work out what word I mean. This is where AI helps. I use co-pilot - I can type in my spelling attempt then add a brief description and it knows the word I mean.