Dyslexia is a subject extremely close to my heart. Not only do members of my immediate family have it but members of my extended family too. So when I write about this subject I am writing from the heart as I know the difficulties it can come with. Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that does not affect intelligence but does impact on daily life and especially schooling.

Charlie has not yet been assessed he is currently working 4 years behind academically due to school trauma and I do not know how they will ever assess his learning needs as the demand to learn is so overwhelming for him.

Dyslexia is so much more than not knowing how to spell and is classed as a disability. No two people will have the same strengths and weaknesses with dyslexia just like with autism so it is irrelevant if someone you know has dyslexia, their experience isn’t the same as another person’s experience. For eg, your boyfriend having dyslexia is not the same as my sister having it, hypothetically speaking. Exactly the same as with autism and dementia. They are all brain functioning conditions and we all have a different brain!

What is Dyslexia? - The Dyslexia Association -The Dyslexia Association

What isn’t helpful is suggesting someone use apps like Grammarly, yes they can improve some writing skills but it is not the solution. Grammarly isn’t compatible with Mac for example so will not work. It also uses American English as it is an American company, so that is definitely not helpful if you want to proof read a job application for example. People with learning difficulties already have to navigate huge barriers in the employment world giving them advice that might hinder them further could be particularly detrimental to them. The article below shows the difference between premium and the free version of Grammarly and the premium is $29 a month so not cheap in the slightest.

Is Grammarly worth the money (greatbritishmag.co.uk)

Instead there are other helpful apps and training that you can attend to extend your knowledge on dyslexia as seen below. I will definitely be looking more into this as it is present in our family.

8 Useful Apps to Help with Dyslexia | Supporting Learners (highspeedtraining.co.uk)

I’m sure this is not the last time I will write about this subject.

Remember, don’t mock people’s spelling it’s a learning difficulty and a disability if they have a diagnosis of dyslexia. If you do mock, then it really does say more about you than it does about a person who is attempting life through disability and trying to climb inaccessible mountains. Correcting their spelling is not helpful and pointing out their disability is ableist and discriminative. Do better, educate yourself and support others. Just be kind.

Georgina x