Do most dyspraxics find the education system difficult

[Wobble]

I'm feeling quite down at the moment, as i can never seem to pass exams and misunderstand questions. I feel such a failure, and when i really try i still seem to get low marks or not pass! It's strange because the subjects are write a lot for and feel ive done really well are always the lowest marked ones and the one's im a bit misty on how ive done, i do better then i expect. I just need some encourgment to get me throught the next few months. It would be reaidiliy apprecaited.

[AlleyCat]

Yes, I think most dyspraxics find the education system difficult to some extent and are let down by it. You haven't said what it is you're studying, or at what level, but I think people who have dyspraxia need one-to-one support and need to be informed of how they're doing (and what they need to do to improve) on a regular basis. Often people who have dyspraxia (and/or dyslexia, for that matter) can seem very intelligent when they're talking about something, but are then let down when they have to put something in writing. With people who have dyspraxia, I think this is partly due to the amount of brain power which is taken up just by the physical act of writing. When I was at school, my presentation and handwriting were poor- I can only remember one teacher (my English teacher) who complained about it, but it was a shame that she didn't flag it up with my parents as being something of real concern.

I don't know if you're aware of this, but if you have a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia, you should be entitled to extra time in exams and possibly also the use of a laptop- I didn't have any of this during my school education or when I was doing my first degree, and I often think I could have achieved better results if I'd had these provisions. If you're in higher education, you could also seek advice on organisational and study skills from student (or disability) services. They might provide an individual tutor to support you.

[Wobble]

Thanks for the reply! Im fully aware of the benefits an official diagnosis which is the main reason i pushed forward to get a diangnosis whith my parents help. It was tough as i dont like reading pages and pages of my problems but it has helped me get the use of extra time a laptop so i should be grateful i suppose. Sorry to hear of you difficulties through school ... i can certaintily relate. When were you diangosed? I really do wish dyspraxia had more awareness as its equally as common as dyslexia which nobody needs expalioning for and 60% of the symtpoms overlap with dyslexia or something like that

[AlleyCat]

I was almost 25 when I was diagnosed. I often wonder what my life would be like if I'd been diagnosed earlier- about 10 years before that (when I was working towards my GCSEs), I'd ironically hit the nail on the head when I told my mother that I thought my 'inability to do practical things' was preventing me from fulfilling my potential at school. I had a list of examples I was trying to tell her about, but her response was to tell me to 'stop moaning'. Whenever I think of her dismissing my concerns like that, I feel angry and think about the various cock-ups in my education and employment which might have been prevented if I'd been taken seriously back then. I agree that dyslexia gets a lot more publicity than dyspraxia does- sometimes, I almost think it's 'trendy' to be dyslexic, as so many celebrities seem to have the condition.

[ALADDIN]

I would say, I did not perform to my potential.

I was never good at art/drawing. I was unhappy in my high flying private school.

The problems showed more at undergraduate level.

I had problems with revision, memorising large amounts of information. I studied half a Maths degree, the change between Maths at school and Maths at university was a problem, I think people had problems even if they studied Maths a single subject partly because Maths degrees are tough.

I am a visual/kinetic learner. This explains the problems I had with the Computer Science section of my degree.

I was unaware of my dyspraxia until after my education.

Postgraduate study was intensive, my problems were not having the correct prior background.

[Wobble]

Alley Cat and Alladin, i really feel for you both after reading your experiences. I believe often teachers can be cautiouis of labbeling a child due to the paossible impilcations later life, by not stating more problems occur for sufferer. Also people tend to generalise when someone says they have a "disorder" like theyre are varying degrees of a condition, like a response i got recently "oh that just affects your balance and cathing a ball" , which makes me want to scream as there of minor interferance compared to other areas!
Thanks for the responses

[Tim G]

Fortunatly my experance of secondery school and 6th form / A levles were ok as I was at a school for people with spechal education needs (dyslexicia, ADHD etc). I worked hard and with the right assistance I got the best grades i could.
However primary education dident go well and I was really dropping - I can't really give much of a view on this as my memory of this is vauge.

Unie was really when dyspraxicia impacted me and I dident sought the help I needed and wasent understood at all and it all got way too much and really everything caught up with me. - Basickly ending in a brake down, going back home and detaration of mental helth and the impact of dyspraxicia etc.

So really my view on this is yes dyspraxicis do find the education system diffcult and its made a lot worse if there is a lack of understanding and support.

About dyslexicia being 'trendy' I think that this has good and bad aspects - in some ways its helping to raise awreness of it and in turn this has the potenchal to rase awareness of dyspraxicia so thats good.
- Rasing awareness and help for dyslexicia is a real positive as well for thoes who suffer gratly with dyslexicia and have sufferd simmiler problems as a lot of us.

However if the term is over used then it can mean that it becomes a buzz word for underachiving but non ND people who are eaver just can't undertake or understand whats being asked or are lazy etc. - Therefor the digignosis is over used and / or used as a unessery excuess.

[Tim G]

Also Aladdin from talking you at the stake holders event last week in London you said that your a maths teacher (corect me if I am wrong) - what is your experance of the education system as a teacher.