Now an 18 year old college student, Bronte’s journey with dyslexia started early, from struggling with reading in Year 2 to receiving the diagnosis in Year 3 that finally unlocked the support she needed. Bronte has come to discover that dyslexia isn’t something to be tiptoed around – it is just part of how her brain works. In her own words, Bronte shares how dyslexia has shaped not only her challenges but also her strengths, including her talent for problem-solving and putting a positive spin on tough situations. Her message to others? Find what works for you and embrace your unique way of thinking.
I first noticed that I was having trouble reading and writing when I was in Year 2, when people in my class were able to read long books and I was struggling to get through one line without stumbling across my words and not knowing what half of them meant. I then got told I had dyslexia in Year 3, which then meant I could get some support in place, whether that was I had people read it to me or I got different books that were put in a way that I could understand the words and not thrown in at the deep end without any help. And it really meant that I had more confidence in what I was saying.
And I’ve realised that I don’t necessarily need people to tiptoe around me and it’s not a bad thing that I have dyslexia, I just need help in different ways, such as if someone tells me to figure something out, I need time to actually process what they say. So if you’re ever in a conversation with me, you’ll hear me go, pardon, even though I’ve understood exactly what they’ve said, my brain just hasn’t processed it yet. But I’ve also found I’m very good at putting a positive spin on different situations and I’m very good at problem solving.
Give me an issue, I’ll be able to turn that into a positive situation with a great outcome within about 10 minutes, which really makes me think, okay, my dyslexia has hurt me in some ways, but it’s also given me this great ability to make everything seem easy because I can figure out a problem. If there’s a problem, I can figure it out. And it’s also made me realise that as I’ve got older, I’ve found ways to work around it. So things I struggled with when I was little, I’ve found ways that work for me to make it easier for myself, so to all the younger people who are struggling with dyslexia – find the way that works for you, not the way that works for everyone else.
SPACE offers both dyslexia screenings and full diagnostic assessments for children and young people with our qualified assessor. As you would expect from SPACE, we offer supportive and impartial advice and are available to answer any questions you might have. If your child or young person is struggling with literacy and you are considering whether a dyslexia assessment is appropriate please contact services@spaceherts.org.uk requesting a free, no obligation conversation. Or you can go straight to booking an appointment for a dyslexia screening or assessment here. Please note these are paid for services.
