Question for dyslexics

[Jennifer]

Speaking of intelligence, or more specifically emotional intelligence, it never ceases to amaze me how an intelligent conversation so quickly can turn into personal attacks. :roll:

[livingart]

sorry jenniferh :oops:

[Jennifer]

sorry jenniferh :oops:

[Luke*]

Ngaru lu fpom srak?

da heck?

[stillnzcookie]

I've been following this thread and metaphorically biting my tongue, but, what the heck, here's my two cents' worth...

On a forum like this, as others have said, as long as you can communicate clearly, it probably doesn't matter if your spelling and grammar aren't perfect. I don't think we should ridicule others' mistakes, especially as we usually know nothing of their backgrounds.

However, it is to your advantage to use spelling, grammar and punctuation correctly wherever possible. Why do I say this? For several reasons, including those below:

You WILL be judged by people, and there are situations where this is important. For example, I was asked recently to assist in sorting through job applications and CVs. Any with multiple mistakes were immediately placed in the reject pile, without even looking at their qualifications or references. Showing that you understand the rules of the English language does say something about your intelligence and your ability to learn.

Practice makes perfect! If there are situations in your life (e.g. at work) that you need to use correct English, you are more likely to get it right if you try to use it in all situations. I'm not saying you should go and try to memorise all the basics of English grammar and punctuation in one go but, if you are made aware of something you get wrong, why not try to remember the correct way and use it in the future? After all, isn't that what we strive to do in other aspects of our lives (e.g. fishkeeping? ). Through learning from our mistakes (in all areas of life), we grow as people.

The English language is amazingly rich! It is far more interesting to read and use all the wonderful subtleties of our language than to be restricted in how we can express ourselves. Although you may be able to communicate the gist of what you mean, it is often possible to make the meaning clearer, or more emphatic, by rephrasing a sentence or two, and this may prevent later misunderstandings.

Correct use of written language is AN indicator of intelligence, but it is not the only one. There are many different types of intelligence and we all have strengths and weaknesses. Let's celebrate our strengths and improve our weaknesses to the best of our ability.

Oh, and a final note. Please do not rely on computer spellcheckers - they are notorious at making mistakes!

[SamH]

Oh, and a final note. Please do not rely on computer spellcheckers - they are notorious at making mistakes!

Really? I set mine to UK or Aus or something and it hasn't done me wrong yet. Added words like Glosso and Hairgrass though

[Ira]

And I don't think anyone genuinely expects an extremely high level of a grammar and punctuation. Messageboards are informal enough that if your post wouldn't make a 4th-5th grade english teacher flunk you then you're doing fine. I know mine certainly isn't perfect.

[livingart]

some of the people on here may never have needed a CV for a job applicarion or were not hired for their ability with the english language

i love the english language but realise there are others in this world who don't have the same love for it or "want" to use it correctly

i try to avoid making any judgement on people as i haven't walked in their shoes through their life experiences that have brought them to the people they are today

[Carlos & Siran]

I'm neither cultured nor overly intelligent.

I like my writing to mimic the way I speak, but I use the spell checker whenever I have to. Spelling errors happen and that doesn't worry me, but like others I dislike the purposeful misspelling 'liek dis', merrrgghh, makes the poster sound like a complete drop kick.

[bdspider]

Sounds like we're going around in circles here.

(Although I like Carlos' post & agree with the "Spelling errors happen and that doesn't worry me, but like others I dislike the purposeful misspelling 'liek dis', merrrgghh, makes the poster sound like a complete drop kick.")

[Caryl]

And a lot of it was not directly related to my original question to the dyslexics

[Cricketman]

Still say that as long as the correction is made with good intention, and not "haha you nonce, its spelt "You're", educate yourself fool!", then there shouldn't be a problem.

Sometimes, especially with me personally, if you want help, then speak to me in a semblance of english, I find it quite rude/ impersonal otherwise...

Just the way things are I guess. Someone always going to take offence to something.

[candy]

Note: I am Dyslexic ( Have my peice of paper to prove it).

Caryl : Thats paragraph is easy for me to read but I also spell phonetically.

I also have a slight issue with my short term memory. For example: You give me verbal directions on how to get to the mall. I will get there fine but won't be able to remember how to get home.

My biggest issue with my dyslexia is not the fact I struggle with spelling it's the fact I struggle to identify if the word is in fact spelt correctly or not. I will often 'correct' a word that is infact spelt correctly. For example right now I am wondering if I have spelt correctly right or not.

I have managed to pass four years of university and am now a qualified teacher ( No I don't and won't teach english).

At one stage in my life I struggled expressing myself through (is through spelt right?) writting. I know the words i can spell 90% of the time correctly and would only uses them to 'try' get my ideas across. What I was in fact (have i spelt in fact right?) doing was limiting my potential ( did i spell potential right?) ( at least I know how to spell right, right!). I am smart! I am intelligent! I am trying - At least I'm trying.

I know a lot of people belive that by the third time you have spelt a word you should have it correct. What that taught me was how to cheat on spelling tests; so i would not have to stay in at lunch time when i was 12.

I have not done a spell check on this for the people who wish to judge my intelligence on my ability to spell.

Oh Caryl, I'm a very good reader .

[livingart]

well done candy

[alanmin4304]

Love it. Your insight helps me to understand what is going on for you.

[stillnzcookie]

Thanks for that, candy. I found it interesting that you had no problems reading the paragraph, whereas my husband, who is not dyslexic, but who is a slow reader, could not make head nor tail of it. I wonder whether the real difference is between people who are "whole-word" readers, and those who are not?

[Caryl]

That "whole word" theory interested me. If I am spelling something I picture the whole word in my head. It never occurred to me others didn't :-?

Candy your whole post was interesting and thank you for your contribution.

[Luke*]

yea refer to my piece about NLP caryl.

candy just try memorise more words and once you stop drinking the short-term memory will come back too haha

[Nymox]

Mine effects me more when it comes to leaving my body, for example, school cert maths, 48% both years I tried. All my answers correct, the way id written down my working was wrong, most cases Id just put numbers back to front. My sirname is spelt Riedl, I often write down reidl, its not that I dont know how to spell it, something goes wrong on the way out lol. I have a piece of paper some where too, not the best confidence booster lol.

Good idea throwing this up Caryl, dyslexia is nothing to feel ashamed about, some of our greatest minds have been dislexic, its a different way of thinking, I think of it as a gift.

[phoenix44]

nymox you probably, like me, have dyscalculai.. luckily i was young when i got diagnosed with dyslexia, slightly older when i got told I had dyscalculai, and now i have none. well.. that's not entirely true, i read and write things normally but its different to how most people would read, write, and learn stuff off by heart.

[MarkLB]

I've heard that Dyslexics are often very creative people, artists and the like.

[Caryl]

This is true. So are many of us lefties.

I too have discalculia (a sort of numbers version of dyslexia) and it seems to be getting worse as I age. I am starting to have more trouble telling the time on digital clocks :roll:

Many learn to cope despite these problems and just learn to do things differently.

Like you Nymox, I could get a maths answer right but the workings wrong. One teacher asked me to solve a problem out loud so he could see what I was doing. He couldn't figure it out though as every step I did was wrong but I always got the right answer. He was fascinated but no help when it came to improving my maths skills. I still have none :lol:

I solved this problem by marrying a geek who can do maths easily in his head :bounce:

I do creative stuff for him and he does calculated stuff for me.

[phoenix44]

see i can't draw a straight line without mucking it up. but when it comes to numbers and learning stuff, my lecturers are bazoombled by the way i work.

for eg. i had to solve this finance question that was about 2 pages long with calculations. we were given 5 options to what the answers could be - each option was likely to be the answer depending on what variable was used in the equation, but only one was correct.

everyone in the class started solving the q to get the answer, and as is the norm we got 5 different answers from the class. I on the other hand, started with the answers, worked backward, until I got the same numbers that were in the Q. eliminated the "wrong" answers on that basis, and i was right. every one was highly confused, but my working made perfect sense to the lecturer... eventually. he was rather upset that someone had cracked the code to multi choice questions. :lol:

then for wordy stuff, i learn colours and position on the page. I don't have to learn the words, but if i know (and i do learn this way) where the green ink on the page is and green ink is what i used to write the basel II convention for eg. I can actually visualise the writing, and write it down without thinking at all. then i have to read what i have written to see if it makes any sense.

when someone says something and i have to remember it, i make up a joke in my head, or associate an unforgettable word with that chain of thought and then when im in an exam hall i remember the joke i made up or that "unforgettable" word, and the rest of the idea that was verbally expressed immediately comes into mind like watching a movie. i actually day dream about what exactly i saw, the time, the sounds around me, and what was being said -just like a movie - and i can write everything down.

Then more of then than not, while im thinking along one chain of thought, i suddenly write something else down, or move to another question that is totally unrelated, and just come back to the q that I had left before.. the worst part is when im in my "daze" and the examiner taps me on the shoulder and says "you should be writing, not day dreaming" :evil:

they know to leave me alone now haha. but when i write, its at blitz kreig speed, and neat as ever. if its not neat, i have to start over until it is neat.

[SamH]

see i can't draw a straight line without mucking it up.

Really? That's different, good thing you're not an architect then

[stillnzcookie]

I am finding this fascinating reading - thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences. I am a violin teacher, and every so often I get a pupil who really struggles to read music. Usually they are not good readers either, whether or not they have been diagnosed dyslexic. I have tried different methods of teaching - getting kids to colour the notes in different colours, create "maps" of the music, draw a picture of the music, tell a story about the music that describes what happens, or even "act" out part of a piece (eg crouching down for low notes, stretching up for high notes), with varying degrees of success, so I'm always on the lookout for new ideas. It saddens and angers me that kids like this often get labelled "stupid", especially when they can be so talented in other areas.