Do you think being dyslexic is an excuse for poor comunication skills?

kjl · 30-07-2010 9:05pm

Gyalist wrote: »

Received is spelled incorrectly.

Dame it! Stupid spell check I missed that one.

Malice · 30-07-2010 9:11pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

A dyslexic walks into a bra....

Dyslexics of the world - untie!

kjl · 30-07-2010 9:11pm

MCMLXXXIII wrote: »

In the US they have started to teach kids to read differently. They now look at each word more as a picture. They memorise the word based on how it looks, and they do a few words per week. That's in Kindergarten. Once they get to grade 1, then they begin to teach the kids how to write, etc.

I'm not dyslexic, so I don't know if this would actually help or not...it just seems weird though.

Anyway, I don't think using the wrong "two/too/to" or "their/there/they're" is acceptable under dyslexia.

This is how I taught myself to read. Nowadays the only time I get stuck is with newspaper articles spacing and the use of a dash to separate a word on to the next line. It's so bad that sometimes I have to ask someone what it says.

kisaragi · 30-07-2010 10:08pm

genericguy wrote: »

umm, no. there is indeed a molecular basis for the condition (i'm fairly sure it's a VNTR), but a good few paper disputing its prevelance, fcuked if i'm going hunting for them, I'm on a career break.

at any rate, there's fcuk all medical science involved in diagnosing children with ADHD, especially in this country - I know 2 in my extended family (both in the same nuclear family, what a coincidence :rolleyes:) and I'm aware of three in the estate in which I grew up, all of whom were given drugs after a brief consultation with a doctor.

"what's that johnny? you threw your lego at the teacher? here, swallow some of these"

I'd contend that well over 90% of these cases are false, and are the result of lazy mothers trying to find a substitute for effort in a little plastic bottle.

the balance of probability says if your child 'has ADHD' you're a bad parent. that's what your GP will be thinking anyway.

and OP, fair play to you, sorry for the OT.

Ok, fair enough, but poor/over diagnosis doesn't take away from the problems that people who truely have the disorder have...

Also back on topic... no I don't think people with dyslexia use it as an excuse for poor communication skills...

Millicent · 30-07-2010 10:15pm

kjl wrote: »

Dame it! Stupid spell check I missed that one.

Just as a tip kjl, Google Chrome has a spell checker on it which may make life a little easier on internet fora.

Dudess · 30-07-2010 10:15pm

bluewolf wrote: »

After watching louis theroux and america's medicated kids, I think add is probably severely overdiagnosed "little johnny decided he doesn't like his shoes today so we're going to increase his dosage" (I'm not kidding:mad:) or "I like my daughter better when she's drugged up, she's less annoying" but that doesn't make it nonexistent!
Just like annoying people moaning "I'm depressed" when they're not, doesn't mean depression isn't a problem!

+1. To cite the cases of misdiagnosis as proof it doesn't exist sets a dangerous precedent IMO.

byhookorbycrook · 31-07-2010 9:10pm

There are varying degrees of dyslexia. I teach children who have very mild dyslexia and some children who have very severe dyslexia.One of "my" children summed up dyslexia very well. "I'm not stupid, I have dyslexia, it means I have to work harder than other people in my class to get the same results." She sees it as a challenge, not and excuse. And ot the poster who said they were "crap at maths", did you ever hear of dyscalculia?

http://www.learninginfo.org/types-of-dyscalculia.htm

IzzyWizzy · 31-07-2010 9:27pm

genericguy wrote: »

there is no such thing as ADD. I've always fancied being a primary teacher for one day so I could tell the mothers of 'ADD sufferers' that their kids are simply pricks that need a slap.

There is, it's just very different to what people think it is. I have no idea how it became a synonym of 'being a little ****.' I have it and I was an impeccably behaved kid, but my concentration was woeful. My mind used to drift off in all directions during class and I just couldn't follow a lesson unless it was really, really captivating. My teachers used to shout at me for being rude and not listening, but I genuinely couldn't help it. I've only been able to sit through a handful of movies in my life. I'm 25 now and I can't sit and concentrate on one thing for longer than a few minutes. I'll write a paragraph and then get up and wander around the room and sit back down. I'll be talking to someone and randomly change topic in the middle of a sentence when a new thought pops into my head. But I've never used it as an excuse to behave like a rabid animal. Now, I'm aware that what I have is ADD, and relates to inattention, whereas other people apparently have a hyperactive element as well, but I think an awful lot of people use it as an excuse.

tfitzgerald · 31-07-2010 9:29pm

yse

endurodave · 31-07-2010 9:46pm

genericguy wrote: »

there is no such thing as ADD. I've always fancied being a primary teacher for one day so I could tell the mothers of 'ADD sufferers' that their kids are simply pricks that need a slap.

Wow that is incredibly offensive!

As for dyslexia its not right to use it as an excuse and by the time your leaving school you should have developed the skills to work with it to minimize the negative aspects of it.

Chuchoter · 31-07-2010 10:09pm

Theres no excuse for spelling in this day and age when we have spell check.

The bigger problem I have is the spelling and grammar waiver in schools. I have a friend who has very mild dyslexia, and she gets the waiver on her Irish and German. Now the Irish JC is 80% grammar and 20% content and vocabulary, so I don't know how it works, does she just get that 80% by default? Same thing with the foreign language, she got an A and she said if you put that down word for word you might have got a C, that it was a great points spinner for her. I mean if you can't speak a language you can't speak it, the Germans trying to talk to you/read something you wrote don't care if you've dyslexia. I think the waiver should be done away with altogether and just do another option like an extra science or something.

I used to think ADD was fake until I did work experience in a first class. I was minding the kids who didn't speak English/ had some kind of learning disability and the boy with ADD was trying so hard but he just kept drifting off to look at the wall or play with a pen every time he finished a question. It definitely wasn't just him being an asshole.

coffee_cake · 31-07-2010 10:22pm

crayolastereo wrote: »

Theres no excuse for spelling in this day and age when we have spell check.

Tbh the problem with an over-reliance on spell check is that people won't know how to cope without it. We use computers a lot, yes, but sometimes handwriting is called for. It's a bit like saying we don't need to know how to do sums because we have calculators.
I also think spell check doesn't always know what you're trying to say...

YFlyer · 31-07-2010 10:23pm

rednik wrote: »

On.

ko :rolleyes:

31-07-2010 10:31pm

kjl wrote: »

But what really grinds my gears is people who use dyslexia as an excuse for literacy skills. Things like "your" instead of "you're" or "then" instead of "than", this has nothing to do with dyslexia This is simple laziness.

Can I add one to your list?....

It's LOSE, not LOOSE. :mad:

Chuchoter · 31-07-2010 10:31pm

bluewolf wrote: »

Tbh the problem with an over-reliance on spell check is that people won't know how to cope without it. We use computers a lot, yes, but sometimes handwriting is called for. It's a bit like saying we don't need to know how to do sums because we have calculators.
I also think spell check doesn't always know what you're trying to say...

Yes but whereas with handwriting maybe I could excuse it, but when a computer is telling you the right spelling most of the time its just laziness that you didn't hit the edit=>spelling and grammar button.

MCMLXXXIII · 03-08-2010 2:52pm

kjl wrote: »

This is how I taught myself to read. Nowadays the only time I get stuck is with newspaper articles spacing and the use of a dash to separate a word on to the next line. It's so bad that sometimes I have to ask someone what it says.

Ugh, I hate that. I'm not dyslexic, but I still get caught up by the dash-next-line wording in the papers!

On another note, I absolutely think ADD and ADHD are diseases. However, I think they are extremely over-diagnosed. All you need to do (at least in the US) is go to the doctor and say "I have a hard time concentrating" and they give you the pills. People do this so they can sell the pills for $5 each AND have an excuse for their parents if they score poorly on an exam.

Or, some people do it just to get the pills for themselves during exam week. It's like steroids for the brain - you will score better after studying while taking adderall (or even ritalin). Other people really do need the medication though.

Saila · 03-08-2010 2:55pm

fo coiurse nit

starlit · 03-08-2010 2:59pm

no its not an excuse but dyslexic is still a learning difficulty which may or may not ever be overcome only with the help of education can that learning difficulty be less of a burden. Its quiet common and people should acknowledge it, colleges, employers alike should treat people fairly regardless of the level of dyslexia the person has. Poor communication is more than just having a learning difficulty poor communication is brought on by a persons personality and how they were raised and the evironment they grew up in not because of poor eduction/learning difficulty. Its a lot to do with confidence and self esteem and self worth if they are all lacking poor communication can be a usual factor.

mach1982 · 03-08-2010 3:16pm

I assume that you are taking about written communication, as my verbal communication is excellent .I'm dyslexic,( on a scale of 1-10 ,I would be about a 3) but my parents kept it from me , as they were afraid that I would us it as an excuse, as I can be lazy. I will admit that when I found out I did use it as excuse once or twice especially on broads like this. I was lazy, but now if writing some thing I take my time and concentrate. This reply has taken 15 minutes to write .

toxicity234 · 03-08-2010 3:20pm

I am dyslexic, I find it hard some day. Cause i'm a bit useless. My interperson communication skill are good(i think). But in the past i would do everything i could to avoide writing letters or e-mails. it stills takes me 10 mins to write a text message on a bad day.
It was when i got to college that it was spotted.
I think about school now and think how frustrated i was at times. My teachers would move me ever couple of week cause i was too bad for higher level and to smart for pass. end up learn nothing. English was hell for both me and the teachers.
I was a bored or frustrared teen.
Aw well, No point in look back too much, the future is alway better.

Snowie · 03-08-2010 5:48pm

storm2811 wrote: »

Is art and dyslexia associated somehow?
I know a few dyslexics who are amazing at art.

Yep well not so much associated generally Dyslexic people are very creative they think out side of the box, because we have to learn in a different way we think differently we see things from other perspectives, So when it comes to anything creative...

We take different approaches may not be the normal approach but we get there.

Personally speaking I make an effort with spelling and grammar.. I know people who are well able to spell, but don't bother. :mad:

Deano12345 · 04-08-2010 12:55am

storm2811 wrote: »

Is art and dyslexia associated somehow?
I know a few dyslexics who are amazing at art.

Just read through the thread and saw no one answered this, but from what I know (I'm no doctor or anything) people who have dyslexia do tend to be quite skilled at practical things (like art)

Edit : Completely missed Snow Monkeys post

ScumLord · 04-08-2010 10:23am

bluewolf wrote: »

Tbh the problem with an over-reliance on spell check is that people won't know how to cope without it. We use computers a lot, yes, but sometimes handwriting is called for. It's a bit like saying we don't need to know how to do sums because we have calculators.
I also think spell check doesn't always know what you're trying to say...

I wouldn't agree with that, not the bit about it not knowing what your trying to say, as sometimes it's just way off. But having the spell checker constantly correct you on words you eventually learn the word. It can be harder for a dyslectic to learn all the words though, as it's been said already we're remembering the word as a symbol.

vard · 04-08-2010 10:26am

You spelled received wrong.

Couldn't resist, sorry.

Do you think being dyslexic is an excuse for poor comunication skills?

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