Dyslexia won't stop you
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Jadean is an up and coming artist. Her passions for poetry and the performing arts haven’t been stopped by her dyslexia.
Deslecia? Dislecia? Dyslec...Dysleixia. No wait I got it - Dyslexia! A common running joke amongst us dyslexics. Why they chose to name it something so difficult to spell, we will never know. On a rainy friday afternoon (as it always is in the North), I found myself thinking - “how many people in the UK actually have dyslexia?” because in my mind it was few and far inbetween. I was left surprised after my trusty google search to discover 1 in 10 people in the UK are estimated to have dyslexia! So why on earth aren't more people openly talking about the fact they have dyslexia?
Well for one people may not be diagnosed or know they actually have it. I myself was only “officially” diagnosed in my 2nd year of Drama School, after a lovely tutor recommended I go and speak to the learning counselors and get tested. I honestly wish I would have known sooner. If you’re reading this and have an inkling that you may too have dyslexia, go get tested, you’ll feel a weight be lifted off your shoulders and gain methods to help you succeed to the potential you so rightly deserve!
Another reason people may not be open to speak about it is, they may be embarrassed, or ashamed of the fact they are dyslexic. If this is you, listen up! You have no idea how wonderful you are, and how much potential you hold.
Dyslexia didn't stop Pablo Picasso creating some of the most iconic paintings in art history!
Dyslexia didn’t stop Maggie Aderin-Pocock being a legendary female space scientist and space communicator!
Dyslexia didn't stop Jim Carrey from winning the golden globe twice for his leading roles in some classic must-see movies!
Guess what dear reader, Dyslexia will not stop you!
My relationship with Dyslexia
To give a bit of backstory of how I came to have such confidence surrounding dyslexia and how I will never let it hold me back. From as young as nursery I can remember learning my ABC, I remember so clearly getting my b’s and d’s mixed up. Then we move on to high school where the thought of reading out loud made my stomach do all sorts of flips and tricks, never mind the words on the page. The concept stuck with me that I must just not be very clever, nor bright.
I then started to find a home in the creative subjects at school, which is where I grew and flourished in confidence. In my high school, there was no support system there for me. I just got put in lower sets which then led me to be naughty and hyper in class. Getting distracted and eventually, daydreaming most of my education away. Everything that the teachers were saying did not seem to make sense. Well... they did to everyone else, but not me.
I found that within artistic subjects it was based more on visual & aural learning. I could look at other works of art for inspiration, I could listen to the piano to get the right note and that made more sense to me than anything else in the world. I could finally connect to something, learn and feel accomplished. This is why it urks me to think that non-academic subjects are considered by many people “Not as important as maths, or english.” when it really should not be the case, as a world without art would be a very boring place indeed!
Methods that help me:
- I work with a coloured overlay sheet on scripts, books etc. the one that works best for me is blue. Your school should be able to facilitate this, however, you can also buy some online. A pack of overlays, in an array of colours, which you can try at home and see which one works best for you!
- I take my time with things and go at my own pace without judgment. I think it's important to note that no-one is looking at the speed in which you work, (even if you might think they are). They are probably too busy focusing on themselves.
- I am no longer afraid to ask for help if I need it. For a long time, I was embarrassed when I couldn't spell something or I needed someone to look over my work. The biggest suggestion I would give to my younger self is own it!.... and get help.
- I read more. Yes, you heard it right! During the lockdown, I got through three relatively long books. Now, for me, that's a big achievement. It’s a bit of a myth that dyslexics hate reading, we might love it, but it just takes us extra longer than others. My tutor at drama school who also has dyslexia told me that what helped him was to read more every day. I think building back up our relationship with reading is very important because I know from experience - I have a very love-hate relationship with it.
Dyslexic, Poetry, Theatre and Creativity.
I hand on heart do not think I would be the creative I am if I did not have dyslexia! I have recently set up my own theatre company ‘Poetry Of Space’. The company is all poetry & immersive theatre goodness, which has a strong theme of women empowerment. For ALL women, of all shapes, sizes, skin colours and abilities! To all, we welcome you home.
Head over to our Instagram page to find out more about what we do @poetryofspace_ or on our website www.poetryofspace.com
We would love to hear from you if there are any dyslexic actors out there hit us up. We would love to potentially work with you (and just know, it’s a safe space for you to thrive).
I highly recommend anyone with dyslexia to explore their artistic side, because who knows what gorgeous work you could produce along the way. Whether it be dancing, acting, music or writing. Experiment, have fun and if ever you get a chance let everyone know,
“I am dyslexic, look how talented and wonderful I am!”
Dyslexia should be seen as an advantage - to see the world differently, to have patience with yourself and others and above all, be some of the most creative people in the world!
Throughout Dyslexia Week, we are asking people to sign our petition to increase access to assessment in schools. Join our campaign by visiting www.change.org/bdadyslexia