Dyspraxic Adults

Hey everyone. I'm mark.

this is my first visit to this site. I'm so glad it's here!

Quick intro: I had the usual trajectory as a kid, couldn't learn to read until 11, was luckily sent to a special school--this was in the 1970's so they hand' figured out that dyspraxia was different to dyslexia back then. Managed to get through school and my first degree with mixed results, and even learn Korean. But when I tried to do an MA I just couldn't cope with all the essays and I finally got diagnosed in 2005. It was a huge reflex and lots of things now make more sense,and I really gained lots of self esteem back. Since then I have complete two masters and am almost finishing my PhD. I am really looking forward to becoming an academic. And now thinking, OMG, how am I going to cope as a dyspraxia lecturer!

Well, I figure we are brilliant peoples, I can't be the only person with dyspraxia doing a PhD or (aiming to be) working in academia. So I googled 'academic with dyspraxia' - I did find this site that way, which is cool. I didn't find any other dysprxic academics though.

Anyway I would love to meet up with some other dyspraxia or SpLD PhD students or researchers in Londnon. I want to set up a kind of 'mutual support and compare notes' group. Also, I really want to improve my practice as a dyspraxic academic and hope to find a mentor who already works as a lecturer who might help me think about how to develop my career.

so get in touch guys! :-)

Mark_KCL wrote:Hey everyone. I'm mark.

this is my first visit to this site. I'm so glad it's here!

Quick intro: I had the usual trajectory as a kid, couldn't learn to read until 11, was luckily sent to a special school--this was in the 1970's so they hand' figured out that dyspraxia was different to dyslexia back then. Managed to get through school and my first degree with mixed results, and even learn Korean. But when I tried to do an MA I just couldn't cope with all the essays and I finally got diagnosed in 2005. It was a huge reflex and lots of things now make more sense,and I really gained lots of self esteem back. Since then I have complete two masters and am almost finishing my PhD. I am really looking forward to becoming an academic. And now thinking, OMG, how am I going to cope as a dyspraxia lecturer!

Well, I figure we are brilliant peoples, I can't be the only person with dyspraxia doing a PhD or (aiming to be) working in academia. So I googled 'academic with dyspraxia' - I did find this site that way, which is cool. I didn't find any other dysprxic academics though.

Anyway I would love to meet up with some other dyspraxia or SpLD PhD students or researchers in Londnon. I want to set up a kind of 'mutual support and compare notes' group. Also, I really want to improve my practice as a dyspraxic academic and hope to find a mentor who already works as a lecturer who might help me think about how to develop my career.

so get in touch guys! :-)

Always nice to hear people with SpLD achieving academically, especially to doctoral level. It is us academics, really giving stereotypes the big f-bomb!

As I see that no one has replied yet, I may as well give my two pence on the matter.
Not exactly the same, but whilst I was at college, myself and my classmates were lab bunnies for a Psychology PhD student at Canterbury Christchurch called Mark Carew. He has cerebal palsy, which is a little different, but he's sort of in the same boat as you.

His diss was on attitudes to physical disability which must certainly add perspective with regards to dyspraxia.
His profile: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/social-and ... carew.aspx


Also, if it isn't private as of yet, what is your research paper/ subject?

Hi Mark. It's my first day on this site and I'm browsing through the posts. I've just started my first degree course, in Psychology,(so don't qualify as an academic, yet!),and don't live in the London area but would love to hear about your studies, what coping strategies you've put in place and what help equiptmentwise you've investigated. Ok, so I admit, I want to thoroughly pick your brains!

My thoughts on becoming a dyspraxia lecturer is that, with our alternative view of the world and the subject we study\teach, combined with a pathological aversion to route learning, is that any lectures we produced would certainly be unique, interesting and would make students pay attention, if even for the novelty of presentation factor!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

Sheryl

Hello,

It's very encouraging to hear that you are doing this.
I also did an undergraduate, which I eventually got through with tolerable results, after 5 years (instead of 3). I then tried to do an MA, but found it played to all my weaknesses and hid my strengths -- although this I think was a mixture of the subject and my dyspraxia. I was studying abroad and the environment was fairly hostile to such things. I'd be really interested to hear more about your experiences - coping techniques with the expected essay-churning and expectation to constantly publish academic written work on tight deadlines - and the atmosphere more generally at pHd level. Is it easier than at masters level in terms of dyspraxia (not academically obviously!)?

K

Dyspraxic struggling PhD student here. I work at a London Uni currently but live in Midlands - pretty busy staring at my computer and struggling to write up but a message to say there are definitely others out there! It is do able

Hi!
I'm so happy and glad to read your post. I've literally just been diagnosed after starting a masters degree in September! I have had a few anxiety filled days and reading your post has motivated me :-) I would also love to complete a PhD. I have lots of dreams but have no clue where to start! It's good I now know why after wading through my 1st degree and 1st term on my MA course. I live in Brighton but my course is in London. Are you still starting the group?

Hello,

Has anyone in this group started a PhD and taken a break? I had started research but took a break and now feel like I can't return. I don't know if I am not able to complete my work because of the dyspraxia. I just mess up courses even though I try really hard, my hard work does not pay off and I end up feeling a failure. Can anyone relate to this?

I am scared to go back and fail again.

Thanks for any help,

Sarah

Hi Sarah.

Welcome to our Forum

Sorry I can't offer any specific insight in respect PHD but hopefully someone else can offer some ideas.

Dyspraxia can and will complicate an already difficult undertakng but we are often very determined and will throw ourselves at the same problem the same way over and over again when their might be an alternative way through that might be less painful.

You aren't alone in how you feel.

Sarah wrote:Hello,

Has anyone in this group started a PhD and taken a break? I had started research but took a break and now feel like I can't return. I don't know if I am not able to complete my work because of the dyspraxia. I just mess up courses even though I try really hard, my hard work does not pay off and I end up feeling a failure. Can anyone relate to this?

I am scared to go back and fail again.

Thanks for any help,

Sarah

Hi Sarah,

I am a struggling dyspraxic PhD student in Canada. I feel the same way. Have you talk to your instructors about your disabilities? Specifically, could you prolong your research and ask for extensions in light of your disabilities? Because I have employed those strategies at the beginning in my career when I am not that confident with my abilities and only discovered my disabilities.

I think one of the major issue with exceeding in post-graduate level is related to your confidence. Specifically, this is not just being proud of yourself. However, but to develop the courage and confidence to stand criticisms and make light of silly errors they themselves made. Sometimes you just need to accept one imperfectibility and proceed on research even though your work is not what you have in mind. To me that is the only way to stop procrastination.

Hopefully you can overcome your problems and continue your research. Do keep us updated on your progress! I am sure we all have a lot to learn from each other hardships.

Hi guys!

I'm new to the forum and I'thinking about a career in academia. What are you guys studying?

Hello. I am a final year PhD student in the UK working on media arts practice and philosophy. I would like to meet online with other dyspexics tackling the thesis mountain.

I was diagnosed with dyspraxia / dyslexia at the start of my study.

The dyspraxia part has not made much sense until now, when it suddenly does.

I am faced with a huge amount of half finished text. I have the ideas of the PhD, the whole picture clear for my self but I am struggling to express it as a linear story.

I writing to see if how others have tackled editing long texts. Also if anyone is writing at the moment if anyone would like to form a writing group.

Shall we create a Fb group?

Yes a facebook group sounds good.

How do we go about doing that? And involving other people in this forum?

Hi Dani

I also volunteer as an Admin of a couple of groups on FB. I believe there are some Dyspraxia specific student groups, as well as many other non specific groups for Dyspraxic folk, some of whom may also be students. It would be worth doing some research and sending a private message on here to all those who have recently contributed to the thread. If on messenger too

Not all folk here are necessarily on FB, though it sounds like at least two of you here are. If/when you create a group I'd be happy to add it to the Directory I created in this Forum's Day To Day Living section.