How do other people who are dyslexic or Dyscalculia cope?

carzony

I myself have been diagnosed with dyscalculia (basically dyslexic but with numbers) I find most things involving mathematics a real struggle and have even lost a job because I couldn't work on the till:(

I thought it'd be interesting to see how other people cope on a day to day basis in like college/work?

Karl Stein

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Dr Turk Turkelton

Charlie Rock wrote: »

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Thtsa ont ufnyn.

WilyCoyote

carzony wrote: »

I myself have been diagnosed with dyscalculia (basically dyslexic but with numbers) I find most things involving mathematics a real struggle and have even lost a job because I couldn't work on the till:(

I thought it'd be interesting to see how other people cope on a day to day basis in like college/work?

If they had allowed you a little longer on the till ...........

You heard about the sick barman that was caught with his fingers in the till?

He thought the change would do him good. Boom Boom!

Gamayun

There's a dyslexic friendly font called OpenDyslexic available here.

It's worth a look if you have trouble reading on your computer.

DoozerT6

I work with numbers on a daily basis (inputting onto a computer system among other things) and I have lost count of the number of times I have reversed various digits, sometimes more than once with the same set of numbers, haha!

I am also terrible at maths, anything more complicated than simple addition or multiplication and I just lose track. I have embarrassed myself more than once by being unable to do seemingly easy calculations or understand 'simple' concepts concerning numbers. I consider myself intelligent and articulate, and I am a bit of a spelling and grammar nerd (sorry!!) but maths just ain't my thing. Sometimes I wonder if I have a mild form of Dyscalculia.

krudler

I'm awful at maths, always have been. anything past really simple things and it just makes no sense to me.

pharmaton

myself and my daughter are both dyscalculia, it got in her way of applying for the particular course she wanted to do but she talked to her tutors and between them devised a plan to work around it which involved doing an extra year for credit to qualify for entry to level 6 course and this year she's going to resit her maths to qualify for level 7 & 8. She could still do the same work she just had to go the long way about it to get there. Fair play to her. (computing)

PhlegmyMoses

My missus is dyslexic and holds a senior enough position in a large multinational in what most would call a very good career path. She has worked very hard to make sure that she doesn't let dyslexia stop her from getting to where she
wants to be.

In a way, I often think that her concern for making sure that she doesn't come across as what she perceives to be "stupid" when writing presentations or communications to her team makes her worry less about everything else she has to do and perversely, it makes her excel even more.

She'll often send me documents or important communications that she needs to send out to make sure that she has everything right and that there are no obvious spelling or grammatical errors and she usually has it spot on.

I can't speak for dyscalculia as I don't know anybody that has it but there are ways around almost anything if you're willing to put in the work and accept that you will have to put in a harder effort than others in certain areas.

newmug

krudler wrote: »

I'm awful at maths, always have been. anything past really simple things and it just makes no sense to me.

Try this: 2 + X = 6. What is X?

ScumLord

I have mild dyslexia which isn't too much of a problem these days with auto correct. I'm pretty much out of practice with hand writing though, so it's a complete mess that look's like something out of a child that's learning how to write.

Not much good with numbers either, I try to break it down into easier maths or just remember what certain sums are rather than trying to figure them out on the fly. That's basically the way I cope with things I can't work out, just remember the answers.

Again maths aren't as much of a problem thanks to calculators. While it's handy to be able to do maths on the fly it's not necessary anymore.

LuckyFinigan

I'm severely dyslexic and all I can say is auto correct is a life saver, when I'm reading things I'm constantly miss reading them, sometimes the result is hilarious, especially when I'm reading stuff out loud. I'm really bad with numbers aswell, I've failed nearly ever maths exam I've ever taken. It's a serious pain in the hole. I find learning at my own pace and taking my time definitely helps but it's not always possible. I struggled through school and college and felt like I had no place in education, came close to giving up on so many occasions. I actually don't know how I made it this far.

tosspot15

I have discalulia. I'm literally not able to add, subtract, multiply or divide simple figures.

I dont know my times tables, none of them, and never ever learned them in primary school. Teachers would roar their heads off at me every single day because I didnt get them right. As time progressed there was just no chance of me catching up. Hell, thinking back to the stuff I did in primary school, I probably wouldnt know how to do it now even. Long division? more advanced fractions? nope.

Stayed in foundation maths all through secondary school, JC and LC exams. Got a C2 in my leaving cert I think.

I'm perfectly able to function and do nearly every job that isnt something like an accountant or maths teacher, but people dont see it that way. Apparently I'm not capable of doing any job or getting into any college course in Ireland because every single one of them has a minimum requirement of ordinary maths.

To be fair I probably would struggle at any computer course, so thats out of the question. I've tried to repeat my LC maths last year, and just hadnt a single clue in the class and eventually dropped out because I learned absolutely nothing in the 4 months I was there.

I need to go waaaay back. Perhaps to first year maths and work my way up from there, but thats not going to happen. I have no desire to do such a thing. I really...REALLY DESPISE MATHS.

ScumLord

tosspot15 wrote: »

To be fair I probably would struggle at any computer course, so thats out of the question. I've tried to repeat my LC maths last year, and just hadnt a single clue in the class and eventually dropped out because I learned absolutely nothing in the 4 months I was there.

I find computers fairly straight forward and always have. Computers are a system with their own language, you don't need to be that good at English or maths to use computers, you just need to good at thinking about how that system operates.

You shouldn't avoid them, being dyslexic usually means you've got a brain that's dedicated to be better at other tasks. Spacial awareness, systems thinking or even sport. Dyslexia isn't so much a disadvantage as it is a specialisation of the brain as far as I'm concerned.

Karl Stein

2 apples + 1 orange + 8 grapes + 1 pineapple

=

a fruit salad

pharmaton

ScumLord wrote: »

I find computers fairly straight forward and always have. Computers are a system with their own language, you don't need to be that good at English or maths to use computers, you just need to good at thinking about how that system operates.

You shouldn't avoid them, being dyslexic usually means you've got a brain that's dedicated to be better at other tasks. Spacial awareness, systems thinking or even sport. Dyslexia isn't so much a disadvantage as it is a specialisation of the brain as far as I'm concerned.

my sprog is purportedly gifted at coding and apparently it's due to her level of english, or so I was told. She writes it like poetry. She's also pretty creative and has a talent for art and design and stuffs. She completed one year in an entry level course and got distinctions in it which helped her progress to the next level.

micosoft

carzony wrote: »

I myself have been diagnosed with dyscalculia (basically dyslexic but with numbers) I find most things involving mathematics a real struggle and have even lost a job because I couldn't work on the till:(

I thought it'd be interesting to see how other people cope on a day to day basis in like college/work?

I have dyscalculia. And to answer your question, very well. Indeed am a senior manager in technical profession. The key thing is to identify your weaknesses and your strengths and focus on your strengths. I had to try harder to understand the concepts which meant I could explain complex technical terms to non technical people. I got so good at translating between the two sides that my career has done well.
- Don't try to fix or hide your weakness.
- focus on what you are good on and build on that.

Best of luck!

Capt'n Midnight

sorted

http://i.imgur.com/UCLxFJD.jpg

















:pac:

krudler

ScumLord wrote: »

I have mild dyslexia which isn't too much of a problem these days with auto correct. I'm pretty much out of practice with hand writing though, so it's a complete mess that look's like something out of a child that's learning how to write.

Not much good with numbers either, I try to break it down into easier maths or just remember what certain sums are rather than trying to figure them out on the fly. That's basically the way I cope with things I can't work out, just remember the answers.

Again maths aren't as much of a problem thanks to calculators. While it's handy to be able to do maths on the fly it's not necessary anymore.

Same, when I have to hand write it tends to start off neat and then gets sloppy cos I get frustrated I can't write a fast as I can type :pac: Rarely handwrite anything bat scribbling down stuff at work tbh

GoldenLight

I have dyslexic, and as far as I'm concerned, I just see things differently, or my brain process information differently. With the written word and spelling I put a visual contexts to it.

For example with the word "does" I think of two female deer

For a word like "information" I think of a mat being put down in early morning. (I find words that end in "tion" quiet attractive looking)

I see it as a strength and sometimes it can come up with some funny observations and actually helps me in my work.

Spell checker is god send as well.

tosspot15

ScumLord wrote: »

I find computers fairly straight forward and always have. Computers are a system with their own language, you don't need to be that good at English or maths to use computers, you just need to good at thinking about how that system operates.

You shouldn't avoid them, being dyslexic usually means you've got a brain that's dedicated to be better at other tasks. Spacial awareness, systems thinking or even sport. Dyslexia isn't so much a disadvantage as it is a specialisation of the brain as far as I'm concerned.

Eh, I had a go at an introduction class of maths for computing. It was to do with programming and I was pretty lost to be honest. It was only a once a week voluntary thing but I stopped going after like 2 months.

I dont think people who dont have these difficulties can understand what its like. Its hard to describe, but its like my brain literally refuses to intake information do to with numbers. You can show me all the formulas in the world, and explain it many different ways but my head just goes blank and I understand nothing.

Its extremely frustrating and is quite upsetting.
When I think I do understand it, I end up getting everything wrong and just being left confused as hell.

As I said, even simple addition is a bit of a difficulty for me. I've learned to get simple addition and stuff when in multiples of 10 etc fairly easy, but for example if somebody was to throw out "7+4=?" to me, I literally have to count 8 9 10 11 in my head or on my fingers to get the answer.

I really have a sickening hatred for mathematics. Even things like IQ and aptitude tests are ruined because of the problem solving crap in them.

When I was 17 or 18ish I went to an educational psychologist, and it hurts me to look back now (as an adult in his 20's) and read "tosspot has the mathematical ability of a child in their primary years scoring extremely low in all tests".

Its great and all that my brain works differently, but thats no good in a world where the student is supposed to adapt to the system rather than the system adapting to them.

TrustedApple

I have dyslexia of spellings myself and have been dealing with it since i was 8 years old so basically 13 years of dealing with it. At the moment i am a 3rd year college student who was to work extremely hard to try and pass stuff

Like spell checker is the best thing ever for me as it helps a lot but not all the time as i have a spelling age of a 6 year old and i can't sound out words and i don't know if a word is right or wrong EG mistakes in the spelling of it
I also get strongly confused with vowels as my mind thinks they all sound the same to me
And when i ask people to spell something for me they might have to repeat it 2 or 3 times before i would get in the full word and to be able to perdose it

But the internet and facebook of all things have been a life saver to helping me get better with spellings as sites like boards help me a lot with replies such as this

People make fun of people who have dyslexia when they have no idea what its like to live with on day to day base as still some days i wont to cry when i am trying to do tests when i know what the Ans are but i cant make them go on paper as i can't spell the words that i am post to put down.

A lot of people who have dyslexia it can lead to a lot more problems.

FiachDubh

I don't have a learning disability, however I cannot spell to save my life.
I devour book after book and love languages, Irish is my passion. I've managed to stay in honours English because the teacher is great to me and after every essay I hand up she writes out a list of words I've misspelt and tells me to learn them in my own time. I've kept my head above water in Irish because oral Irish is such a large part of the course and they're not so critical of spelling mistakes. In French though I'm in ordinary level and struggling, so many irregular verbs with crazy spellings.
My Da can't spell either, I find that interesting. I contemplated posting this without using spell-check but decided against if for fear of looking thick.

Menas

I have it with words but oddly have much better than average ability with numbers and pattern recognition. My poor spelling thankfully did not prevent me from getting a degree in electronics and holding a decent job. Spell checkers are a godsend for me.

Menas

There are some words that always completely get me. Eg anonymos. (see?)

carzony

Like you tosspot, I absolutely hate mathematics with a passion, so much so I have actually just gotten out of the habit of doing maths in my head and i'd need a calculator for the most basic sums.

Recently my little cousin had take away sums for homework and I was absolutely lost. there was a girl on the radio last week who claimed she can't even tell the time despite been taught it several times through her childhood.

GerB40

newmug wrote: »

Try this: 2 + X = 6. What is X?

X is the third to last letter in the alphabet. Next question.

krudler

Trigger Happy wrote: »

There are some words that always completely get me. Eg anonymos. (see?)

anything that "bility" at the end always makes me look at it and think it couldn't possibly be spelt right.

TommiesTank

Charlie Rock wrote: »

2 apples + 1 orange + 8 grapes + 1 pineapple

=

a fruit salad

Smoothie?

Menas

krudler wrote: »

anything that "bility" at the end always makes me look at it and think it couldn't possibly be spelt right.

And don't get me going on that e before I except after t crap.....

Elmo

TommiesTank wrote: »

Smoothie?

No you only get smoothies with Division!

I am dyslexic but was always good at maths. Took my mam to try to convince the teachers that I had dyslexia, I was at one stage put into the remedial class only to have the remedial teacher have me moved back because I was good at everything else, they ended up putting it down to slowness in reading and writing.

It can be frustrating when not even the spell checker can come up with a suggestion for how badly I have just spelt a word (is spelt a word? or is it Spelled?)

I hate when out of nowhere some grammar/spelling/punctuation nazi decides that they should comment on a post just to tell the poster that their English is ****.