speech about dyslexia - feedback please :)

crazy_girl

hi, im doing a speech at a book launch tomorrow. the book is about problems that may affect young people and where to get help with those difficulties and i have written two pages about spld's, primarily dyslexia. this is my speech, any feedback would be very much welcomed.....

Let’s face it; the English language is really hard to get your head around! Numerous words aren’t spelt how they sound and there are countless homonyms and homophones. There is so much irregularity in our written and spoken language that it’s not surprising that English-speaking countries have more dyslexics than non-English speaking ones.
There is no one, simple definition of dyslexia but dyslexic people share many similar symptoms. Dyslexia is not an illness, it cannot be cured and it is not due to low intelligence, poor teaching or lack of socio-cultural opportunities, though it can be exacerbated by the last two.
The simple explanation that I use is that words have two properties, their shapes and their sounds and dyslexia is primarily a dysfunction in connecting the two. This makes reading, writing and spelling incredibly difficult.
What dyslexia needn’t do is limit anyone educationally. At my first school, all I learned to do well was to get sent to the head teacher’s office which suited me fine as I could barely read reception age books at age eight and not being able to read and write properly affected my ability in all areas of the curriculum.
I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 20 and at university. As a dyslexic, I have had to put in double the work just to be as good as other students but I was determined to do this and managed to achieve a 2:1 degree and a PGDE.
Naturally, having problems with writing and spelling myself I was petrified of teaching adult learners incorrectly and writing nonsense on the board but my tutor put me at ease saying that the learners probably wouldn’t spot my mistakes anyway!
My wish for the book is that just one undiagnosed dyslexic, a young person struggling through school, convinced that they are thick or stupid, recognises their symptoms and seeks help.
Part of the work I do is performance poetry and I’d like to finish with the poem that is printed in the book. Thank you.

Savvy_Sue

I think that's excellent!

LameWolf

Hi there CG.

Ive been staying off the boards - long story, major self esteem probs.

But had to come on long enough to say great speech, and best of luck tomorrow.

crazy_girl

Hi LW I thought I'd not 'seen' you lately. Thanks for the encouragement, pm me if you feel like it. Hope you feel better soon x

Bennifred

Good speech!:T What is the title of the book, please?

crazy_girl

Things That Make Your Head Wobble Part 2

Invasion

That looks great to me LW, hope to see you back around soon xx

pink_numbers

hi, fellow late-diagnosed dyslexic here

just one suggestion, could you use easier terms in here: "and there are countless homonyms and homophones" - even with a master's degree, I haven't a clue what they are, and my brain refused to go on after encountering those words, so I had to come back and read it again later (now).
Your speech is brilliant and I whole hartedly support your cause, I would hate for those that come and hear your speech to miss out on the main points because of couple of words.

[Deleted User]

Well done CG, good speech.

Good luck for tomorrow.

pixieface_3

fantastic and good luck x

crazy_girl

pink_numbers wrote: »

hi, fellow late-diagnosed dyslexic here

just one suggestion, could you use easier terms in here: "and there are countless homonyms and homophones" - even with a master's degree, I haven't a clue what they are, and my brain refused to go on after encountering those words, so I had to come back and read it again later (now).
Your speech is brilliant and I whole hartedly support your cause, I would hate for those that come and hear your speech to miss out on the main points because of couple of words.

good point, thought the speech is for bods from education and the like....maybe i should change it to words that sound the same or look the same but have different meanings?