Wednesday 1 April 2015

a dyslexic with her nose always in a book

Books again!
When I was little growing up in Guernsey my mother was involved in the setting up of a mobile children's library called Bookworm mobile. If my memory serves me right this was
a converted van that was filled with wire shopping baskets of books. 
 It went round the schools delivering these , so that children constantly had new books
 to read and stimulate them. 
Because of this huge interest in book and reading, she twigged quite early on that I was dyslexic.  But at that point there was nothing set up in the island to test me or help me. 
When I was in the 3rd year of primary school, Mum spoke to the teacher and said
'This child is struggling to read, but the curriculum books aren't inspiring her either.'
(She was referring to the dreaded Janet and John books.)
'Could you let me have a term where I choose the books?'
And thankfully my teacher agreed.
So by Mums choice of exciting and stimulating books (with fantastic illustrations - she felt that was very important!) she got this dyslexic child hooked on stories, and if you are hooked on stories it motivates you to conquer reading, as you really want to know what happens next!
Now I am not claiming that she cured my dyslexia, far from it. But I learnt to love books. 
And my reading style is unorthodox, I think I speed read.  One time she was watching me read when I was 18 and commented that my eyes were zooming all over the page.  Oh well I don't think it matters, I am not proof reading, I am slowly sinking into another world.
So thank you Mum, a very generous gift that I will have with me always xxxx



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