Me

[mrtom]

I found out i was dyslexic 2yrs after i had left school, whilst at school i was picked on for being stupid, and because i didn't know i was dyslexic, i didn't get the help i needed, and as a result my GCSEs are really poor, so went back to college to try re-sit them, and actually got kicked out of college because they said the work was too intense for me!

From a very young age though i had always wanted to join the armed forces, so thats what i went an done! i joined the Royal Navy with no help! passed all of selection, all the academic tests, during me time at HMS Raleigh i was there TWO DAYS an they picked my dyslexia up straight away and were brilliant! helped me better than anyone ever did!

Finally i had a really for struggling at school, i wasnt stupid i just wasn't being taught in a way i would remember! I think the teachers were c**p because they obviously couldn't find a way that i would learn!

Currently i am no longer in the navy, i am going to college in september to give me the qualifications to goto university an train as a paramedic!

[RATTER15]

Hey, great news in the end, I wish you every success for the future.

[bumblebee57]

What a brilliant outcome for you, well done. Im dyslexic and didnt find out till I was 50!! (54 now) Id struggled through school and no one noticed I had problems, except me. I suspect I may have dyspraxia too.My co-ordination is rubbish and I dont understand things like written instructions. Ive never been able to do a jigsaw!! I dont know how Id get tested for dyspraxia tho. I got tested for dyslexia while at an adult learning course. Good luck with your future

[kerbside]

Good news has reminded me of my past at school fifty odd years back this computer age will help I am sure .Only now finding out how to sent messages to others that can be read .Keep at it and good luck

[mrtom]

Thank you for the messages i really appreciate them! all my life have felt alone an like i would do nothing eith my life, but it's people like you which makes me go for it anyway! Thank you

[Hidden]

Thanks for sharing your experience. When anybody makes contact with me I try to keep in mind that it might be the only time that somebody takes a detailed look at their (or their child's) difficulties and strengths, and I try to produce advice that will foster independence and create a 'level playing field' for instance by recommending exam arrangements. So hopefully the people I deal with will have a better experience than yours at school, though it is still up to school whether they accept the advice from an external specialist.

[dawnie660]

Hi, Well done!!! it is so great to hear of peoples sucesses, I too found out at 40 that I am dyslexic, I can't really blame my schooling as dyslexia was not really known about, I was thought of as being thick, so I bunked off school when times were hard and hated it when I was there. But now I have been to university, and have a teaching position and I really try to help children who are either showing dyslexic traits or have been assessed as being dyslexic. ALL children need help at some point. I am really proud to be dyslexic and so pleased to hear stories of those that have achieved so much like you have well done, youve done us proud!!

[mrtom in reply to dawnie660]

Thank you for your comment i really appriciate what people say! And with your dyslexia too and going to university, with me wanting to go to ubiversity you are an inspiration and has gave me the boost i need to actually think its possible for me to do it!!

[friendlylion]

Great to hear you are finding yourself doing what you want to do after experiencing a lack of support from those who seem not to understand the concept of 'education'.

I was particularly surprised to hear that the Navy were great.

A friend of mine recently retired from dyslexic support in colleges and said that the 2 areas that it was still impossible to disclose one's dyslexia was 'the armed forces and medicine'.

She suggested that they were highly competitive areas and so any perceived 'weakness' would led to rejection e.g at interview at the first sift.

("Even though any successful team will have one dyslexic person for generating outside-the-box ideas and one Aspergic person for concentrating on fine detail on it.")

I generally advise congruence, but you might want to bare the above in mind re medical in the future.

Sadly some colleges/ universities seem to be 'going backwards' in terms of diversity awareness and their obligations to work with your abilities.