I have always had dyslexia, but it took till I was nearly 17 years old for any diagnosis or progress to be made.
Everyone with dyslexia is different, as we are all wired differently. Something that might work for me might not help you.
My year four teacher said it was my hearing and told my mum to take me to the doctor. She did, and there were no problems; that was the end.
Add another five years till year 9, when my English teacher saw something wrong. I was bright and worked hard, but what I said in lessons and my understanding was not always translated correctly on paper.
That's when the school did a test, and I was given some support for a few weeks but got it taken from under me as younger students needed it more. But I had never received help before; why should I be disadvantaged?
My secondary school was not helpful; there was no diagnosis or support. After taking my exams in a separate room for years, they decided in my GCSE mocks they would throw me back into the exam hall with no rhyme or reason. They treated me poorly; my mum and I had to fight for the primary treatment a student should get during exam season.
in the words of my mum
Anyway, it was not till I was 17 years old that I got diagnosed, and you can guess the lack of support from my school was… none.
These are my tips for someone who struggles with learning difficulties or neurodivergence, as ultimately, you are the only person who will stand up for yourself, and no one else will help you.
Work.
When it comes to your studies, especially at the university level, it's all on you. I would recommend that you have the financial means to get the form diagnosis, though they cost over 500 pounds out of pocket and have no financial support from the government. You will need to get anything from your university, then connect your chosen university and DSA to assess how the DSA funding can help you; take everything they have. It's mostly free, and you might have to contribute to the laptop cost, but it goes a long way. I asked not to get a Lenovo. I had one and had to send it back two times in the three years of my degree.
Get Grammarly Premium if you have issues with spelling and grammar. It is a lifesaver, and DSA provides it. It will also save you time on coursework. You can download it to your phone as well.
In Word, they have a system that reads your text. A lecturer who has dyslexia, too, recommended I do this. You can hear your mistakes if you read them in your head or out loud. You will likely add the missing words and automatically try to make them make sense when they do not.
Having someone check over your work is always good, though it would not be the best practice for the future as you cannot always have someone check.
I got a 2:1 in a law degree when everyone told me that I would not achieve it and that it would be too hard with my dyslexia. The only person you're failing is yourself, so if you want something, fight for it; I love to prove people wrong.
Awareness and openness will get you everywhere; do not be ashamed. It's just you are wired differently. It makes you unique but not stupid. Ask for help, inform lecturers, tell them what they can do, and hold them to that. Some teachers will be better than others, but do not let that stop you from receiving support. They cannot discriminate against you. It's against the Equality Act of 2010.
Find techniques that work, whether that's revision cards or posters. I found mindmaps too overwhelming and chaotic, so I prefer formal lists so I know where to start and finish. The best practice is to practice exam papers or questions, even plan questions, so you know your structure and get feedback. Practice makes perfect; you have to learn if it's a technique. I believe this is the best practice. It helped me immensely at GCSE, even in my degree and journalism training course.
As much as a personal battle of advocating for yourself, you can ask for Help University to have student support within. They will have trained professionals in that area. Do not worry if that is not helpful. I did not find it helpful because my degree was specific to certain criteria.
Specific requirements that might help: C-pen highlights text and reads it out loud for you. Read and write or any system that reads your text back to you. A computer for exams is helpful. The extra time allows you to plan and read through your work multiple times to spot mistakes. Readers are more challenging to get, but they read your work to you; however, new technology makes it more likely to be an electronic system so you can go at your own pace. Grammarly is a must. It has saved me so many times; I do not write an email or work without checking it.
I can only speak about dyslexia as it is the only confirmed diagnosis I have, as the system has let me down again. I cannot even apply for another diagnosis on the NHS or fork out thousands of pounds for one. But if you have issues surrounding friendship and neurodiverse, I have a post on making friends that might help. Transparency helps you stand up for yourself in all these situations.
My last piece of advice is not to give up. It does not control you.
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