I
am a Dyslexic student who has struggled with reading, writing and
spelling all my life. I struggled through school with very little help
and recognition of the problems that I was facing. At university I was
very scared of the amount of reading and writing I was going to have to
be doing under pressure, but I found out quickly that the first time in
my life the difficulties I was facing were being recognised. After
filling out many impossible forms with lots of help from my mum, I had a
disability needs assessment where I talked through all the ways that
the university and disabled students allowance could help me. It covered
the costs of specialist software and equipment that would help me take
notes and organise myself at University, something I’ve always struggled
with.
It also payed for one-to-one tuition with a Specific Learning
Difficulties tutor. She was able to talk through essays, readings and
other parts of my course that with my dyslexia was near impossible for
me. Being a student very often means being isolated from support
networks like family and not receiving the support that could be given
in a workplace, and so having a person who completely understands the
difficulties you are facing and helping through them in a way, without
patronising, but practically and with an understanding of your needs of
you as an individual, made a huge difference for me.
I finish my degree in June with a high 2:1
and I’m absolutely delighted to be embarking on a masters at Cambridge
in the coming academic year. However, this is overshadowed by the fear
of not receiving the same help that I have done through my undergraduate
degree. With the current threat to Disabled Students’ Allowance,
someone in the same situation as me will not be able to get the
assistance that was invaluable in completion of my degree. If I were to
not receive the same support while doing my masters I’m sure that my
dyslexia would hold me back significantly. The problems I face are
particularly relevant to studying an academic degree and while working
in the student union I have had none of the same problems, and have been
able to progress through the year without being held back by the
difficulties. It’s obvious that supporting students who have specific
learning difficulties is vital for them to achieve what they are capable
of.
"Originally posted on www.dontcutusout.wordpress.
