From a young age, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, making tasks like reading aloud or spelling nearly impossible. This diagnosis deeply affected my confidence in my writing skills, despite my educational achievements. I always dreamed of being an actress, but the fear of reading scripts aloud in rehearsals dissuaded me, leading me to pursue a non-writing field: architecture design. Throughout my studies, my dyslexia caused significant anxiety, yet my drawings spoke volumes for me. I focused on strengthening my non-writing skills, although I was often marked down due to my dyslexia.
When I moved to the UK, I aspired to work in a university setting. However, my perceived lack of writing skills, my non-British accent, and my less-than-perfect English were constant barriers. Here, one’s manner of speaking often unfairly categorizes them as less intelligent, a notion that I find frustrating. My Polish accent became another hurdle to overcome.
Learning another language with a dyslexic brain is incredibly challenging. I frequently forget words, stumble over pronunciations, and writing – let’s not even go there! Yet, I have come to understand that an accent is merely a language barrier, not a measure of intelligence or academic achievements. Fortunately, my dyslexia is hidden, allowing me to choose when to disclose it.
As Ade Adepitan wisely said, “If we give people the opportunity to shine…. the sky is the limit. What makes people disabled is not their disability… it’s society. Society is what holds us back.” This perspective resonates deeply with me and helps me connect with my students in the interior design and architecture courses I teach at CSM. Many of them face communication challenges as English is their second language. I reassure them that it’s okay not to be perfect and encourage them to describe their projects in their own words. As a tutor, I see my role as supporting and witnessing their progress, while encouraging them to be themselves.
My personal journey reflects the broader systemic issues faced by people with disabilities. For instance, the education system often fails to accommodate different learning needs, marking down students like me who have dyslexia despite their strengths in other areas. This systemic barrier prevents individuals from reaching their full potential based solely on their ability to conform to traditional academic standards.
Moreover, societal attitudes towards accents and perceived language proficiency can lead to unfair judgments about a person’s intelligence or capabilities. This is a significant barrier for many non-native speakers and those with speech-related disabilities, reflecting a broader issue of linguistic discrimination.
Like artist Christine Sun Kim, who uses a speaker to communicate because she refuses to lip-read and speak, I wish I had the courage to say, “I won’t write because it causes me so much trouble.” However, to work in higher education, writing is a necessary hurdle. In institutions like UAL, there seems to be little room for individuality with a disability.
Thanks to new technology, I can finally express my thoughts in writing. This is why I’m taking this course – to receive help in constructing grammatically correct sentences. AI serves as my echo, just as Christine Sun Kim’s speaker is her voice.
I understand how complex and unfair it is to navigate a university environment with a disability, especially since everyone’s struggles are different. This experience has fostered an even greater sense of compassion and patience within me towards my struggling students. Receiving a nomination for a teaching award this year suggests that my approach has positively impacted someone’s life.
Text written with help of AI
It is really insightful to hear about your own journey both as a student and working in academia, and how this has made you more compassionate and patient towards students. Being on the PG Cert course has made me focus in on creating inclusive spaces for students, but your post made me take a step back to realise that my peers and fellow staff with dyslexia or a Specific Learning Difference may encounter obstacles navigating academia and working at UAL, where as you mention ‘writing is a necessary hurdle’. I line manage a few individuals, and your post has made me evaluate whether I am doing enough to make our working environment accessible for those with a disability, and has made me realise that what I learn in this unit can be applied to many facets of my life to foster equity in the different spaces I find myself.
You mention that AI has been a useful tool for your own writing, which is a perspective I didn’t really consider in terms of the use of AI in education. I feel like I have been in countless meetings about AI and its implications for education and the fashion industry, but in most of them the takeaway is often negative and fear-mongery (e.g. beware of students using AI; AI is expected to replace many jobs in the fashion industry). For students with dyslexia or a Specific Learning Difference, I can now appreciate how AI can be a useful tool to aid in the writing process, just like many other tools students may already use (e.g. Grammarly, Turnitin, Cite Them Right).
P.S. Congratulations on the teaching award nomination!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and encouraging comment. I’m really glad to hear that my post resonated with you and made you reflect on inclusivity for both students and colleagues. It’s wonderful to know that you’re focusing on creating inclusive spaces at UAL and considering the diverse needs of everyone around you.
Navigating academia with dyslexia or Specific Learning Difficulties can be challenging, and writing often feels like a significant hurdle. Your willingness to evaluate the accessibility of your working environment is a crucial step towards fostering equity. By making small but impactful adjustments, such as providing accessible resources and being mindful of diverse needs, we can create a more supportive atmosphere for everyone.
Your reflections on AI are particularly insightful. While discussions about AI in education often focus on potential pitfalls, AI can be an invaluable tool for students with dyslexia or other learning difficulties. Tools like Grammarly, Turnitin, and Cite Them Right are already helping students, and AI can further enhance these efforts by offering personalized assistance and reducing the cognitive load associated with writing tasks. By integrating AI thoughtfully into our educational practices, we can support a diverse range of learning needs and help all students succeed.