Real experiences from parents and students

For my research, I talked to many different students and caregivers to see what their experience has been.

Some of the students I talked to reported that they used to cry a lot because  they felt as if they were “dumb” or “weird” but when they learned what it is and how common it is, it helped them feel much better.

Some students said that after getting the support they needed now reading which used to be super difficult for them. They find it fun while others still find it a challenge. 

I asked the students if they thought there should be more awareness for dyslexia. Most of them said yes here are some of the reasons they gave me. It's important to make students aware. One of them told me that a lot of people think that accommodations are a leg up or an advantage instead of the extra help they need. Others expressed to me the importance of making all parents and teachers aware. 

One particular student I spoke with was diagnosed very recently. She is older, around high school age. She had a very interesting experience. She had a lot of trouble with reading, and felt stupid because was struggling a lot more in school then she should have been. She was then screened but she told me she felt there was a "lengthened time of uncertainty” which was very difficult because she didn't know what was different about her both before she was tested and for a long period after. She told me that her diagnosis felt like a relief because it meant she wasn't dumb and even though she has had little time to develop a love for reading and it is still difficult she is now getting the support she needs and is able to be her best self. She said to me that she believes her dyslexia helps her to think outside of the box and have a creative perspective.

It was interesting getting to talk to her and another student her age who was diagnosed much earlier when she was in first grade. She said that she never experienced feeling like it was a bad thing and as always though it helped her have a different perspective. She told me about how she got the opportunity to go through tutoring and find the support she needed. And even though she can still struggle with things like spelling she is doing incredibly well and is even taking a foreign language which can be very challenging for many dyslexic kids. 

All the people I spoke to had both similar and very different experiences at the same time and it was very interesting to get to learn about them. Hopefully this helps other people learn more as well.