Getting the label, so to speak, is a key moment for many students: many learners we work with feel a huge sense of relief after they are given a dyslexia label following psychological assessment, but of course, there may also be other feelings too.
If you would like to share your experiences, or perspectives on any aspect of your assessment for SpLDs/ Dyslexia, do please get in touch. Comments are currently turned off, but if you would like to add something or respond to one of the posts below, please get in touch via email h.cameron@sheffield.ac.uk
For now, though, here are three different students reflecting on their experiences.
Experiences of being assessed as dyslexic or as someone with
specific learning ‘difficulties’
A student’s experience of being identified
with an SpLD as a child
When I was in primary school I
struggled with English, but was really good at maths. The teacher noticed this
and thought that I may have dyslexia. If I hadn’t been so good at maths, I’m
not sure that my dyslexia would have been picked up. I was tested and found to
have dyslexia, but there wasn’t much help available then. Luckily, the school
had launched a volunteer programme and I was given a volunteer to help me. When
I was in secondary school I was tested again. This time I was given a note
taker, as well as extra tuition; I was also given coloured paper, which made it
easier for me to read. In fact, I was tested every year; all that happened was
that I got better at the test!
When I went to college, I didn’t
tell anyone about my dyslexia, which was a mistake because I got really low
marks. These soon improved when I told them about my dyslexia and got extra
help.
Finally, when I went to university
I declared my disability and I have done really well in my course. An early
diagnosis of dyslexia enabled me to get support from primary school, helping me
to improve my English skills. I would say, therefore, that getting a diagnosis
is a good idea for any student who thinks they may be dyslexic.
(Daniel, computer
science student)
A student’s experience of being
diagnosed with an SpLD at university
Looking back, I think my dyslexia
was an issue in school. Unfortunately, it wasn’t picked up. I was sometimes told
I was stupid, even though I got excellent marks in some of my subjects.
Interestingly, many people thought I couldn’t be dyslexic, because I got an A
in GCSE English!
In the end I was diagnosed in
college, almost by accident. My friend thought she was dyslexic and I went with
her for a screening test. I had a go at the screener and it showed dyslexic
traits, so I took the full assessment. The assessment was revealing, in most of
the tests I was either in the top two percentile, or the bottom two!
Being diagnosed meant I got access
to extra time in exams and one to one tuition with a specialist tutor, which
made a real difference. In fact, I don’t think I would have done nearly as well
in my degree without the extra support. As it is, I am in my final year and
have been accepted onto a PhD in plant science.
(Jenny, APS student)
A second language student’s experience of being diagnosed with an
SpLD
“My teacher at university suggested that I go for a dyslexia
assessment; she noticed that my written work didn’t reflect the quality of my
ideas. I was referred by my university and diagnosed as being dyslexic. I felt
a real sense of relief from the diagnosis because it meant I wasn’t struggling
because I was capable; it was because of a specific difficulty. I now had
something to work with. It made a difference to how I thought about myself and
my learning. Not only did the diagnosis help me to understand why I was
struggling, it meant that I could access lots of support. I was given more time
in exams and more feedback on assignments, to show where I was going wrong, and
help me improve my writing. I also received assistive technology; the Dictaphone
was especially helpful. I was given a
disability advisor to give me general guidance about things such has help at
the library, and a dyslexia tutor who worked with me to develop learning
strategies and improve my writing style. Together, we worked on my writing
style and it is now much more academic; I can understand what the tutor is
asking for and how I should answer assignment questions. I also feel much more
confident in seminars and have successfully given presentations. I now feel
confident that I can get my degree and achieve a good grade in it.”
(Elsa, working with communities student)
Taken from Mann,V and Wong, S (2013) The impact of a dyslexia diagnosis on a second
language student of higher education, International Students’ Journal, volume one, issue 2.
