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I only found out I was Dyslexic (and Dyspraxic and Asfedic - SSS)just before Christmas. It certainly explained alot. I had already failed a university degree, mainly because when I was in the exam, the words on the paper wouldn't stay still. Even when they did I couldn't work out what they said. When I mentioned this to my personal tutor, he dismissed it completely by syaing that I should drink less! Now I am back at university, doing an HND which is purely coursework based. My new uni sent me to be tested for a dyslexia test, I was very surprised when they said I was! So now I have a lovely new computer, with lots of helpful software. I get Dyslexic support, where a tutor will help me to go through any written work I have. Also all my teachers now I am dysleic, and are very helpful. Mind you as my course has one of the highest rates of dyslexic students on it, they have become very used to teaching in a different way! Over half of my course is dyslexic. Although we already new my brother was dyslexic, since discover ing I am as well, my sister persuaded her uni to get her tested. It was a surprise to everyone when we discovered she was as well. So in 1 familly, all of the kids are dyslexic! What are the odds of that!!! I am very happy on my new course, and as everyone else has said, use your strengths! I'm certainly using mine! (June 2003)

Found out that I was dyslexic a couple of years ago. It came as a huge relief as I had always considered myself to be stupid. I am at uni studying english (of all things!) as I love reading. It takes me ages to read and understand a book and my essay skills are not exactly brilliant but, i'm getting there. My older sister is the complete opposite to me. She was at grammer school at 9 and got A's in everything she ever did. It has been hard for me, I suppose I have alwasy compared myself to her. I find uni very hard as I spend most of my time worrying about what marks I will get for work I have done. The most important thing is that I am getting there though. I want to become a teacher. This is really important to me as it is all I have ever wanted to do. Hopefully I will achieve my dream. Dyslexia does make life hard but I am proud of my achievements. I have never got A's or anything but, just to get through life with dyslexia is better than getting a bunch of excellent results in exams. This is a really good site. I'm sure Barnaby will do VERY well in his future career! (June 2003)

At first everyone thort I was stupid apart from my family. Unluckily it runs in the family. The strange thing is that I'm good at Maths. Anyway in the year 2002 I got a place at a Dyslexic unit. My teacher has helped me a lot because thanks to her I can read and write quite well. I do not no my Sats results but I am hoping for the best. For all of you who are down hearted try your best and you will get there in the end. (June 2003)

I am a 26 year old Canadian, It was uncovered rather early in my scholastic life that I was dyslexic. I excelled in primary school because the marks were not based on writing abilty, and I have had an ability to remeber facts and recall them on demand. In secondary school things changed significantly, in that my writing and displaying logic on paper became the key to success for grades. Being different than the rest of the children I could not even find the lock let alone have access to the key. Secondary school was tremendously difficult as I was in the advanced academic classes and the special education classes. My peers gave me no grief on this, but teachers would coldly call me lazy in front of classmates, tell me that my lazyness would lead to my downfallas a person, even though they knew that I was Dyslexic their ignorance to the situation was unlimited. With great effort and even more tears I did complete secondary education. I recive athletic scholarship to University and found my pen voice as the professors understood that learning is more involved with what do you take with you as a student rather than what can you do for the teacher right now. Academically I have achieved three post secondary Diplomas and my Degree. I have created three thriving companies and current hold a lucritive coordination contract with the Heart & Stroke foundation. Not bad in my opinion for a guy of 26. On my journey of life it has always been upset with the term disability in assocation with dyslexia as I have never viewed it as a disability. I am sure that all with Dyslexia can attest we as a community can offer so much to society because we are different. We comprehend the world we live in, in ways that (non disabled) can not begin to comprehend. We have learned to thrive in the regular world offering tremendous insite to every facet of human experiance simply because our brains allow us to realise that "b" is not just "b" it is also "p,q,d" dif! ferent meanings but same value when we as a community apply this ability to the outside world the posssiblities are endless. I am happy to see this site celebrate the dyslexic ability and offer stratigies to excell in a world so myopic that "b" is only a "b" please feel free to contact me for my stratigies and experiences (June 2003)

I'm 16 and I've known I was dyslexic for 3 months. None of my teachers ever suspected anything as I've always been a good student but when I moved schools my new english teacher noticed I read a bit slower than everyone else and my maths skills had been dropping ever since I was about 12. At first I was devastaded by the fact I was dyslexic and therefore I would be given a label but ever since I've taken the test and I was told I've handled it well - despite the remarks by some people. I guess the worst was one of my best friends saying people would see me as stupid but I've learned to ignore them. At the moment I'm doing my GCSE's and having the extra time I'm given for my exams really helps. It was wierd at first and I was a bit embarassed about it but I'm not the only dyslexic in my year - there's about another 10 so I know I'm not alone. It's just a shame not many people really know about dyslexia and how anyone who is dyslexic can be given a label immediately. I'm just glad I've been able to handle it with the help of my friends and I'm hoping to carry on to college and then study journalism at university. The sky is the limit! (June 2003)

Hi, I like this website (especially the background changer. I am 23 years old and was only diagnosed with dyslexia 6 months ago. All through school I struggled with spelling, and my handwriting was terrible. The teachers always said that I was not reaching my full potential, but I knew that I was working as hard as I could. I did not read books and found it hard to remember things. My mum asked the teachers if i could be dyslexic, but they disuaded her from having me tested. I managed to pass my GCSE's, but found English particularly hard. I always found completing exams in the required time very hard because i often had to read through the question 2 or 3 times. I managed to get 2 A levels and went on to do a degree in Geology and I got a 2.1 (which is good). After finishing my degree I disided to train to become a primary teacher. You have to cover all the school subjects and again I found English very hard. I could not grasp phonics at all and really struggled to learn basic Welsh. One of my tutors jokingly said that I almost seemed dyslexic. So I decided to have an assessment. The test was very interesting and showed that I have a vertually non existant short term memory, but i have a very good visual memory. Finding out that I was slightly dyslexic was a big shock and also a relief. I am just coming to the end of my teacher training now and feel that my reading and writing are coming along in leaps and bownds. I hope that I will be able to use my past experiences and unique learning methods to help pupils with their difficulties. My best advice to anyone with dyslexia or a learning difficulty; is always work to your strengths and use any method you feel comfortable with to reach your goals. (May 2003)

Hmm where to start ... Okey, nobody thought I was Dyslexic at Junior school or at High school, they just thought as I did that I was a little slow. It was only while at college that a tutor surgested I be tested for Dyslexia. I laughed it off but took the test to prove the tutor wrong. I had many wrong impressions of dyslexia at that point. But the test proved the tutor right so I was given the extra help and time to do my written assignments. The test also revieled I was number blind as well as word blind. I appreciated the help given to me but not the lable. So I did a little reasearch and found out how wrong I was about Dyslexia. It was then I began to consider it a gift and not a curse. In fact I am slowly but surely compliling all my short stories into a novel, and though it will take me quite a while to write it, I know I can do it. I also feel I understand myself and my gifts better than I ever did at high school. It's neither an excuse for thing's gone wrong in my life or a curse. I am also recently a mother of one adorable baby boy. My father is Dyslexic also but out of his three children only I am dyslexic so I will have to wait to see if my boy is or not, either way if he is or isn't I will still be proud of him in what ever he chooses to do in life. But I'm in no rush for he's only Three month's old after all ;-) (May 2003)

Im 17 and although I've know I'm dyslexic since primary school its only now that I'm asking for help of people at college. That is because in primary school I was made to stay in at playtimes for extra help which made me feel left out. That changed went I went to high school becasue I didn't want the help and didn't go to the help lesson (my fault) but now I've just got 6 gcse's and I am studing childcare at college and with the help of my tudors I am on the way to becoming a childcare worker. (Febraury 2003)

Hi all Im a dyslexic 35 year old male and I found out I was dyslexic in 1995 11 years after leaving school. The relief to know after many years of wondering was tremendous. So to cut a long story short I now teach dyslexic children just like you guys. I guess what I'm saying is don't give up on yourself. Good luck everybody Regards Martin (March 2003)

When I just started school when I was 5, the teacher throught I was lazy and my parents throught I had speech problems and I did, my parents tryed to contact them and they said I have to wait for 3 years to go to speeh tepaly. My parents said that is too long. In the summer I moved to Ipswich and went to a new school called Rose Hill Primary School. The teachers there throught I was lazy, and I got no help at all and I got worse, so they contacted my partents and said your child is lazy. When I was 9 years old , My parents found my a sceep tepary place and they said I am dyslexic. So now the teachers know I am dyslexis , now I have help to catch up with my school work. In year 6 I had my sats I was very upset because of my levels I got. I was the worse person. My levels were Maths (didnt get a level) Englash and snience = 4. In beween the summer holidays my eyes sight was going wrong I couldn't see black on white and white on black, I became colour blind and now I have to wear pink glasses. In year 7 I had no friends they teased me all the time and wouldn't leave me alone. I told the teacher and it got worse, I was very upset. Then it was about the middle of Feburly a new girl came to my school called Stacie and she was teased a lot and she was dyslexic as will. We came best friends and we don't care what other people think about us. Now I am in year 8 I have been best friend with Stacie since and we both made lots of new friends. (January 2003)

Hi every one, i've been really lucky with my dyslexia as not only does it run in my family on my mums side (so my family knew the signs) but i was diagnosed at an early age. In Infants School i discovered other problems as well, such as binocula instability, dyspraxia and dyscalceia. My family has been really supportive got me statemented (I lost that in year 7) and now I'm in year 11 at Hamble Secondary School (now Hamble Community Sports College)and have found ways to correct my sight. I've now been wearing glasses for 10-11 years and hopefully be able to stop wearing them soon. I've recently achieved a distinction and pass (hopefully a merit soon)in I.T, so what ever you do DON'T GIVE UP! (January 2003)

Great site. I am dyslexic and was attracted to computers in the same way you were. Spell check and Grammer check are my best friends to this day. I had a tough time at school and at times I was called backwards and thick. When i was at school, people did not even believe dyslexcia even existed, but thanks to my parents helping me with reading and writing I managed to get better at spelling and grammer. I think dyslexia is not something that you fully get over, you learn to adapt your life to these limitations. It did one great thing, it helped me focus my energies on computers and software, thanks to that focus I now run my own company. My message to people with dyslexia is to never give up, you are not thick or backward, you are different. I fact most dyslexic people I know are really smart. (January 2003)

I have always found learning hard. i didn't learn to speak properly untill i was 11 and i couldn't write till i was 12. I was dignosed with dyslexia when I was quite young but the schools I went to didn't help me at all. They thought dyslexia was another name for being thick. It wasn't untill i moved to Oxford that they started to help me (and it did). I would like to thank them alot. I have done my GCSE and manly got C's (that was a shock to me). I am doing a AVCE in health and social care at the moment. (May 2003)

Hi i just wanted to say what a great web site i am a dyslexic i was diagnosed two years ago. i am 34 this month and i cryed when i found out i was dyslexic that was two years ago now i am a student at Sheffield Hallam. like all the other stories i to was told i was not accadenica at school. I also have four children all with dyslexia my eldest son had a real hard time dealing with the outside effect that dyslexia bring you all know what i mean. my next to eldest son came home with this web site address he is 11 years old and he loves the site. my two youngest children also visit the site it is in our favorits box. Mitchel my 11 year old has found so much comfort from your site thank you for thinking of the idea and sharing with my family.In our family 'reach far the stars' is our motto - you never know you might just reach them (May 2003)

I'm ten years old. I am dyslexic and very very bad at spelling. Just resently I took a spelling test with 100 words I was terrifid but to my surpris I got 73/100 & the pas mark was 60/100. I was very happy & releved. (May 2003)

Hello! At the moment Im a 21 year old University Student. I Study Mechanical Engineering, and was Diagnosed with Dyslexia last year. Since I was born I had many problems with Learning, from tying my Shoelace to attempting to write a poem. I am aslo Left handed, and have always thought my problems were simply because I was more artistic than litterate. Through school I was top set for everything apart from English, to which I was in set 4. My GCSEs came out as 7As, 1B, and 2Cs in English. Though I'd spent so long working so hard to acheive the passes in English... I couldnt of coped if I had to resit the English at College. I got through college fine: doing science/art subjects didnt involve any long essays :) At University, the work was a lot more detailed, and it took me more and more time to write the projects given. Eventually a good friend of mine was found to be dyslexic, and she had the same problems as me...though still I had doubt. Eventually I signed up for an Erasmus Exchange program in Germany. After spending the summerholidays in Germany, and starting to learn German properly, the problems came back, and it was the final straw... I arranged an assessment a week before I was due to Studying in the September, and ive never been more releived. It turned out that my high logical IQ had worked out patterns in language and other things for me to over come the lower Litterate IQ (if that makes sence?) Today Im still in Germany, with all my lectures in German. Ive Passed my exams fine so far (even manage to arrange the extra time too!) Just recently I recieved a placement at Volkswagen, meaning I can stay here another year :) I just wanted to say that if you really want to do something.. you can. Just dont give up! and if you have any doubt about being dyslexic, go and ask asap! (May 2003)

Hi I havejust found this web site and it is brilliant. I was told at the grand age of 17 years old that I have dyselxia, that was 6 years ago I have found it very difficult to write reports and structure sentences and since I left school I have had little help and had to work it out on my own. BUT I have become a sucessful individual with a good job and can not wait to go to unveristy one day, but all good things come to those who wiat. So those of you who are struggling with the classes at school or university take your time and it wil come okay in the end!!! emma (May 2003)

Dear Barnaby, one of my worst memories of school was in juniors, we had to write a short story. My teacher Mr Wilson said that he would read out the best stories in front of the class. He read a couple of other student’s stories; he then said that he was going to read out mine. I was so proud as I had but a lot of work in to it. He asked me to stand up in front of the class while he read it aloud. It was the most humiliating experience that I have ever had. He read the words as I had spelt them, rather than what they were meant to be. Some of the sentences were backwards, although the made perfect sense to me. I stood there while the whole class laughed. After I had gone home and cried I told my mam about what happened. She was horrified and went to talk to my teacher; he told me that he had been trying to embarrass me in to working harder. He felt that I was lazy and that I lacked concentration. I hated him. Education only started to get fun once I when to Art Collage. After one week my lecture was explaining my first project and how she would help me with my dyslexia and I was shocked it was the first time that anyone had mentioned it to me. After that everything just fell in to place. It was an amazing feeling to find out that I wasn’t stupid and no longer had to feel embarrassed. It was still hard work but I wasn’t afraid to stand out at the front of the class any more because I had support. Even though I needed help with the written side of my work (still do) I had found my place in the world of Art and Design and I found out that I was good at it. As for my art I went on to get a BA Hon Degree in Design a 1:2. I am now 26 and I work as a fabric designer, in an environment where the fact that I am dyslexic is considered a bonus. I see things differently to the people that I work with; so my ideas are thought of as unique (If they think I'm great who am I to tell them the truth ;o). Being dyslexic has given me a career and a lifestyle that I love. Being Dyslexic doesn’t have to be a curse, find out what your strengths are and use it to your advantage. By the way I bumped in to my old teacher Mr Wilson last year, and he remembered me. I told him that I was dyslexic and how he had affected my early life and he was horrified. He never realised how much hurt it would cause me. Mr Wilson apologised and I forgave him, life is too short to hate and I have better things to do than carry a grudge. (April 2003)

I wanted to let people know that just because you are dyselxic it doesn't mean you can't be an academic success. I am 26 and was diagnosed at the age of 21, althougb I always knew I had a problem. The reason why no one picked up on my quite severe dyslexia was that I often got high marks. People often don't realise that you can get high marks at school and still be dyslexic - it just means you have to work a lot harder! Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that I got 4 A's at A-level and went on the Oxford University where I got a 2.1 in English. I am now doing a PhD in English. If you want to follow an academic subject after school, don't let your dyslexia put you off - you can be a success at WHATEVER you put your mind to! (April 2003)