My Dyslexia Story - Amanda Evans
Tuesday 4 July 2023
I was told I had Dyslexia when I was 15, the year of my GCSE’s, I am 50 and it still challenges me every day.
At school I was fortunate to have been good at sport and looking back this really helped me in so many areas of my life, especially at school where I was really struggling and not knowing why, was I just stupid? Why do people laugh when I spell a word wrong? Im always at the bottom group however much I try, being called out last in test results and reading out aloud and being so much slower thank the other kids. I would look out of the school room window wishing for the time to go by so I could get outside and play sport where I was not at the bottom of the group.
“I always had an imagination where my mind can go off into different places and I learnt to write those thoughts and ideas down which included a dream of writing kids tv. I had lots of ideas and adventures.”
I went through life, doing other jobs, but I still really wanted to create a kids TV programme. I learnt over the years to bring a team of people together who have the skills to bring an idea to life. The key thing here is don’t ever feel you can’t ask for help, even now I ask my partner to check my emails for spelling when sending a very important email, it is ok to ask! Finding ways to adapt and finding solutions to different words to explain something if you can’t spell it or in a situation you can feel yourself become nervous.
My dream became a reality.
Obki has been my first aired TV programme, over a few years of development we had the opportunity to pitch to Sky Kids, which was a very nervous wracking moment. The Character Obki was developed based on the Ocean. I love open water swimming and I am very aware how important it is to keep our beaches and oceans clean. The first pitch to Sky Kids was about a beach clean-up and from that moment, we decided that Obki could become a Eco Alien tackling climate change topics in a fun and entertaining way, some episodes also encourage the kids to look at solutions and what we can do to make better choices and help the environment.
As someone who has struggled with dyslexia all my life, I feel I can share this and say you can achieve many things even if you don’t have the education, always put down your thoughts and ideas or drawings. We live in a very different world now, which is so great and there are many tools that can be used to help with dyslexia and awareness helps Kids with earlier diagnosis. Always believe!
My advice for someone who has recently been diagnosed with dyslexia:
Please understand you’re not alone, learn to adapt and always ask for help if you need it, don't be scared or feel you’re a pain. We have so much to give!