Does anyone else receive dyslexic support?

top_drawer_2

hi,

I get dyslexic support and I am finding it quite frustrating as the lady who is supposed to "help" me doesnt ...

In fact I think she thinks Im a bit thick, last week she wanted to go through an a huge set of powerpoint slides telling me all the basics of writing an essay ... she even did it like a lecture!! The constant hesitating over finishing a sentence was killing me.

This week she didnt seem to listen to a word of what I was saying, spent ages faffing around with the laptop we borrowed (she is rubbish with computer, an age thing I think...) as she couldnt get it to load the page she wanted, insisted on looking for a book which I had already looked up and found to be unavailable, seemingly to confirm to herself that I was not mistaken/too stupid to understand, she states the obvious so often it would be funny if it wasnt so frustrating because I was hoping for her to help me. I told her what the problem was that I was having but she seemed to prefer to work on other things!!


Its not relevant to MS but I but I dont know anyone else who gets this type of support and am looking for advice on what I should do/advice on guiding her/does anyone else have the same prob??

Jen

Lakelady_2

DD gets dyslexic support at uni. It has worked out well, she see`s an advisor weekly supposedly for an hour. Her advisor doesn`t try to "teach" her but does offer alot of support. She seems to try to find out what is stressing DD out and helping that way. For instance one week they spent a whole afternoon sorting out DD`s filing system. Another time DD just revised whilst her advisor did her own work but well outside her allocated time.

Now the overall system at the uni used to be good but this year has been rubbish, frustratingly so. As DD says what do you do to a dyslexic person? Send them on a paper trail :rolleyes:

Have you been assessed for suitable tech support, book allowances etc?
Also if your advisor is no good, speak to the coordinators - you deserve more appropriate help.

bitsandpieces

You should be able to have more control of what happens in the support sessions - the aim should be to help with what you find difficult etc. And the advisor should certainly be respectful/polite To be fair, part of this could just be misunderstanding - for example, the advisor might state what seems obvious if she is not clear how much you are following...

You could try (politely) suggesting that things should work differently? Or you might be able to see a different advisor? If your support is paid for under the DSA, you should be able to ask to spend it outside your uni, even, if needs-be (and if services are available elsewhere) - although it is well worth keeping your uni on side.

cadair

Out of interest, is it your disability support services or somewhere else? I work in a uni library at the minute, and they have a specialist librarian for disabilty students. If your university is any good, i would of thought they would have someone as well who might prove better then the person you are currently seeing.

top_drawer_2

Lakelady wrote: »

DD gets dyslexic support at uni. It has worked out well, she see`s an advisor weekly supposedly for an hour. Her advisor doesn`t try to "teach" her but does offer alot of support. She seems to try to find out what is stressing DD out and helping that way. For instance one week they spent a whole afternoon sorting out DD`s filing system. Another time DD just revised whilst her advisor did her own work but well outside her allocated time.

Now the overall system at the uni used to be good but this year has been rubbish, frustratingly so. As DD says what do you do to a dyslexic person? Send them on a paper trail :rolleyes:

Have you been assessed for suitable tech support, book allowances etc?
Also if your advisor is no good, speak to the coordinators - you deserve more appropriate help.

hi,

Yes the idea is that they help you overcome the difficulties associated with dyslexia ... and I said repeatedly that I was struggling to get my words on paper. I have had a year out due to illness and feel out of practise as well as being under a lot of pressure. She seemed to be more interested in finding me yet more journals/books on the subject when I had already read the majority on the set list and was getting no where as none of them seemed to answer the question.

Its all escalated now because I have barely nothing done and its due tommorrow, its only 1000 words but I just cant seem to get anything together... I have had to ask for an extension but I still havent cracked the problem I am having...

Jenny

top_drawer_2

bitsandpieces wrote: »

You should be able to have more control of what happens in the support sessions - the aim should be to help with what you find difficult etc. And the advisor should certainly be respectful/polite To be fair, part of this could just be misunderstanding - for example, the advisor might state what seems obvious if she is not clear how much you are following...

You could try (politely) suggesting that things should work differently? Or you might be able to see a different advisor? If your support is paid for under the DSA, you should be able to ask to spend it outside your uni, even, if needs-be (and if services are available elsewhere) - although it is well worth keeping your uni on side.

hi,

yes I agree that the student should have more control and on the surface of it she is ... but she doesnt pick up on hints/what I say so does as she wants I think... I didnt want to bother getting a laptop as I know how terrible she is on computers after a previous session, but she just sort of of said Oh well It will be best if we do... and off she went to get one!!

I have had this support for a long while and there is a huge difference in the quality of advisors and in what help they will offer... I had another lady in my first third year (I eventually chancged thankfully) and she was an absolute nightmare; rude, pedantic, did what she wanted too, refused to give me her phone number so I could contact her, preferred to sit in the office where she knew she couldnt hear me knocking on a locked uni building door knowing that there was no way for me get in touch with her... the list went on and on!! Sometimes they are more suited to certain types of students, like blind/deaf/low ability students rather than high ability dyslexic students like me who know the theory but struggle to get it onto paper...

If I cant find a solution then I will have to change advisor - I just feel that somehow I always manage to have a problem with them and the disability services staff must think its me, rather than them.

Jen

top_drawer_2

cadair wrote: »

Out of interest, is it your disability support services or somewhere else? I work in a uni library at the minute, and they have a specialist librarian for disabilty students. If your university is any good, i would of thought they would have someone as well who might prove better then the person you are currently seeing.

Hi,

Yes we have this but its not a problem finding the stuff I need or accessing it (like a blind or deaf student might have). I have read it and can talk about how it answers the question but getting it down on paper/computer is the problem ...

Jenny

cadair

If the library assistant is worth their salt, they will do everything they can to get you sorted. Be that help you find better and more accesible ways to express yourself or get you the equipment you so obviously need.

Try going to your NUS office. They should have an elected representative who is responsible for students with disabilities. My NUS was extremely supportive with me when i had problems and once you start getting them involved lecturers/staff really do take notice of problems you may be having.

Keep at it though. Dont let them get you down.

top_drawer_2

hi,

The trained library staff here are pretty good, unfurtunately its not her thats the problem... NUS is great but would probably send me onto the tutorial sessions that are offered which give (good) general guidance on note taking, writing essays. I am clear on the theretical writing of esaays; intro, middle and conclusion etc and sentence structure but find it so hard to express myself academically on paper. I have read all the journals etc and just cant get it to paper.

The essay is due tommorrow at 4pm (extended from 4pm today) and I honestly dont think it will pass. I hope it the same one you get to do for the retake as then I would have to do yet more reading to come up against the same barrier...

Any suggestions?

Jen

welf_man

Have you asked whether you could be given an alternative method of assessment? The University has a duty to make "reasonable adjustments" for you, so if there's some other way the dept. could test your knowledge, that might be a way forward.

Are you able to express yourself verbally? If so, then you could record your essay, or have an amanuensis to put your thoughts on paper.

If you're really struggling, you might need a further Needs Assessment too.

Good luck,

Mel.

GlasweJen

I didn't get on with my first advisor so i asked for her to be changed for someone else. Eventually i had to point out that the DSA money was actually mine to spend so i got a cheque for the remaining balance and hired myself a teacher from the local SEN school who taught english and managed to get some essential essay skills across as well as exam technique.

Eventually it got too much and now I don't get any lessons money as such, instead i got a proof reader so i write down the essay and she goes through and polishes my english. I found this works much better as i can email her my stuff and then we meet and have a chat on where i'm going wrong. Could you ask for this sort of arrangement instead?