Something that may be self evident by now is the fact I can't spell to save my life. I mean that quite literally, if I was ever in a situation where someone had just spilled their entire plan for world domination and placed me on a conveyor belt heading slowly towards a circular saw and the only way I could stop it all was to spell out the word 'synonymous'. Ok, far fetched I know, but if that did happen, I would have no choice but to come out with a cliche like “Do you expect me to spell?” and brace myself.
I went to a state-funded school and was pretty much written off as 'being a bit dim'. We were once given a verbal reasoning test and I remember seeing the look on my teacher's face as she read my exceptional score. My parents were called in, 'words' were had and I was sent to an educational psychologist for an evaluation. She reported back that I'm not a little bit dim, I'm dyslexic.
The next few years were a complete nightmare, now you have to bare in mind that as a kid, anything that singled you out in any way was not good, the other children will pick on you. I had to see a specialist once a week, was given extra time during written exams and carried a spell checker with me to most classes. Sure, I took a lot of stick from everyone else but I knew I understood the concepts being taught and with the extra help was now more able to express that fact.
I'm very reluctant to use this as an excuse, in-fact the only time I usually mention it now is as a joke. But it's still there, I look at the screen and just can't seem to pick up misspelled words or errors that just jump out at others. I guess, over the years, I've just gotten used to it. I tell this to some of the teachers I know and they say I was very lucky to have this picked up at a very young age, most of the time it just gets ignored or the child is labeled as being a bit slow. The teachers I know seem to take a keen interest in their students and I do hope that's more the norm and not an exception. It's worrying to think how many children are sitting in classrooms with teachers who have given up on them. They may not realise their full potential simply because they think they are stupid and no one will take the time to reach out and show them they are not.
Also, I don't have an editor so these posts pretty much go out raw.
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10 comments:
I'm really glad you wrote about this Josh - a good friend of mine is dyslexic and he had a terrible time at school. His teachers didn't take the time to work out what was going on or help him, they just punished him for getting things wrong. He's a really intelligent, knowledgeable guy, but even as a 30 year old he still walks round thinking he's not very bright. It breaks my heart. Thanks for telling us about your experiences!
Well, it's not like you *never* pick up errors. Remember this tidbit from my blog?
Kia: And, forgot to say... asking a person with dyslexia to proofread by manuscript is just asking for trouble, isn't it? (Not terribly PC I know but there you go...)
Person-with-dyslexia: Did you mean "my manuscript" there? =P
Kia: Cheeky bugger
Person-with-dyslexia: You deserved it =)
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PS. And I didn't miss the cheap shot but then you knew I wouldn't :P
Some of us (me...) didn't get dissed in the lexic stakes and so have no excuse whatsoever for our sloppy spelling, poor grasp of grammar and shaky syntax.
But we still screw up time after thyme...
Editing won't help either, if there's nothing left once the chaff, the fat and the odd spelling error have all been trimmed away.
What you have to say -- and here you've said something honest, heartfelt and affecting -- is far more important than whether or not you can spell.
A single correction then, if you'll permit the impertinence, to what you've written today: 'bear' and 'bare' are homophones, but not synomyms.
One either shits in the woods or is also large and hairy but prefers his partners to be of the same sex; the other might explain why you sometimes feel you're going out 'raw'.
Best not to get these confused in any permutation, as the consequences could be unbearable...
Hatti:
I'm not usually one for sharing but I'm glad I put it all down, tho most posts are drivel, I'm finding the whole blogging experience quite therapeutic. Your friend's story does make me wonder just how common this is.....
Kia:
Cheap shots are all I can afford at the moment but bear (bare?) with me and I'll see if I can find something better for you. You've always believed in me and I'm very thankful for friends like you.
ER:
If your looking for a nice pair of homophones, I would recommend something by 'Shure' they do a great job and the quality doesn't diminish at higher volumes!
Thanks for the funny (and encouraging) comment.
Lastly, I had no idea that 'bear' was a slang term! Live and learn.
Poignant and lovely post. Don't ever worry about your spelling - you write funny and interesting posts which only ever have a few errors, if any at all - though it is sad to think of kids who are still written off as slow. Hopefully this will happen less and less.
PS Are you a 'bear' then, Josh?! I know you said you were hairy... (though I suppose that criteria would make me one too).
Sorry, Ariane, I'm not a 'bear' either. If we were playing 20 questions I think you'd be about half way through by now..... I'll give you a clue, I'm not vegetable or mineral.
I'm not quite sure where I said I'm hairy, I don't think I am.
Thanks for the comment.
I don't know why I thought you were hairy. I must have made it up in my head, or confused you with myself. Either way, I committed Hair Libel, and for that I am very sorry. I am vegetable.
Not to worry, I'll forgive minor lapses in hairiquette.
Vegetable eh? I'm going to guess artichoke.
That is, in fact, my favourite vegetable! How odd and spot-on. I like them fresh and hot with mayonnaise (none of yer tinned/oily rubbish). Mmmmm.
Well that's just uncanny! Although I spend most of my time avoiding vegetables I would probably make an exception for something loaded with mayo.....
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