Tabla de contenidos para July 2024 en Dystinct Magazine

Saffi Vette’s words above capture a common thread I’ve noticed in conversations with many inspiring people with learning difficulties over the years: Once you’re past the hard years at school and begin to realise the true potential within you, you see that being different isn't just okay—it’s something to be celebrated. As parents, it’s easy for us to fall into the trap of doubts, wondering if there’s more that could be done to make our special children fit in a little bit more. But Saffi’s words serve as a gentle reminder that those differences make your child special. They bring a fresh perspective and creativity into the world. Teachers, too, can take this message to heart. Every student you encounter brings something different to the table. Seeing and valuing these…

As a child born in the late 60s, I was considered a little thick (unintelligent). I was at the bottom end of most classes and hated reading. I learnt strategies, like reading the first and last pages of every book along with the description on the back page, so I could write my book report by blagging. In fact, I only read one book from cover to cover in my childhood – 'The Mouse and The Motorbike', yet my reading log was always up to date and full. I eventually got kicked out of the French class when I got 6% in an exam. My final years were filled with disappointment when my own friends would ridicule me for not achieving much. I ended up with one O level and…

Saffi Vette, poised for her Olympic debut, has overcome school bullying, the loss of her beloved father, and funding challenges to earn her spot on the New Zealand team for Paris 2024. Despite a packed schedule as she prepares for the global stage, Saffi is committed to inspiring the next generation by sharing her journey, encouraging young people to overcome obstacles and believe in their potential. Saffi now trains on the Gold Coast in Australia, where she finds the best opportunities to improve her skills. But her heart is still in Gisborne, New Zealand. "I grew up running around a one-way road on Makorori Beach," she shares. "I spent most of my younger years there with my family on a block of land that’s been in the family for four…

Origins Hello, my name is Lisa Kucaj. I'm 22 years old and live in Belgium, near Brussels. I have many passions in life, such as photography, drawing, painting, travelling, baking and shopping. I have dyslexia and dyspraxia. I was diagnosed at the age of 16, which is a bit late. I've had to fight hard to succeed, even today… I also suspect that I have Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder. I haven't been diagnosed yet, but the result of my testing a few weeks earlier shouldn't be long in coming. I had a walking delay when I was little, so I walked on my tiptoes for a while. I could recognize store logos even though I couldn't yet read them. I remember almost everything from when I was…

Rachel Beckwith, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, is a school-based clinician who works in a rural yet diverse area. She works primarily with upper elementary students. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and her master’s degree from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Rachel has been an SLP since 2004 and has experience in a multitude of settings. In 2023, she obtained her board certification in childhood language and language disorders and her state teaching license in English as a Second Language (ESL). Rachel also has three children who keep her very busy.…

Amazing app! This app is really wonderful because it spreads awareness to the Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and Dysgraphia community. They share personal stories and artwork. By sharing those, it really helps people feel less alone and find similarities with others. Definitely check out Dystinct mag! So Informative and Uplifting Dystinct is a brilliant publication. It provides practical articles from specialists that inform and gives really positive insights into SLDs. The fact that it includes the artwork and stories of people with learning differences is so lovely. Great advocacy at work here. Dyslexia Informative, celebratory and up to date. A magazine worth reading for those living with dyslexia, for family members supporting and advocating, for educators and for those pushing for change. Fabulous platform - inspiring content Neurodiversity is every bit…

I know firsthand that growing up with a learning difference is a journey fraught with challenges. It influences academic outcomes and can profoundly shape a child’s self-perception, belief, and worth. As I navigated the childhood complexities of dyslexia in a mainstream school environment, I also grappled with a relentless inner critic who told me, despite how hard I worked, "I'd never be good enough." The reality is that there’s a bottomless impact of growing up with a learning difference on a child’s emotional well-being that, for many, will remain long after they can read and write proficiently. For me, I had horrendously low self-esteem, lacked confidence in my abilities, and developed a fixed mindset that assured me I would never be smart like my peers despite any success I had…

https://www.youtube.com/@daringdyslexic https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-haigh https://www.instagram.com/daringdyslexic https://www.facebook.com/daringdyslexic https://open.spotify.com/show/13ipSqcRcJkHBNvAweyCyW?si=0945e40d31f948db https://www.daringdyslexic.com.au/ Bernadette founded Daring Dyslexic, a social enterprise with a mission to transform how children feel about themselves and dyslexia. Drawing from her experience of growing up with dyslexia and as a mother to a son with multiple learning differences, she infuses her work with empathy and insight. At the core of her approach lies the cultivation of confidence, self-esteem, and a growth mindset—key to academic outcomes and life-long resilience. Bernadette’s podcast, 'Doing Dyslexia Differently,' is a powerful platform where she shares strategies and support for parents and educators. It’s a space that fosters a community celebrating learning diversity. In addition, she is currently authoring her first book on dyslexia. She hopes that it will broaden her advocacy and challenge the conventional narrative around the…

Dr Jen O'Sullivan is an assistant professor in literacy education at the Marino Institute of Education. She is the author of the phonological awareness programme A Sound Beginning for Reading and co-author of the phonics programme Sounds Like Phonics. She is an executive committee member and past president of The Literacy Association of Ireland and is a research fellow in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin. In 2022, she was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship Award, where she spent three months visiting the Florida Center for Reading Research at the Florida State University.…

https://www.instagram.com/bzlanguageandliteracy/ https://www.facebook.com/bzlanguageandliteracy/ https://www.bzlanguageandliteracy.com/ Brittany Zucker is a Language, Literacy and Dyslexia Interventionist based in New York City. She is ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) certified, is certified in Orton-Gillingham at the Associate Level through the Orton-Gillingham Academy (OGA) and is a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist through the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Brittany works full-time as a Lower School Reading Coordinator at The Shefa School, a private Jewish Day School for students with language-based learning disabilities, where she works closely with teachers by providing training and coaching. Additionally, she creates curriculum with a focus on integrating language and literacy and presents professional development workshops through The Shefa Center. After school, Brittany sees clients privately where she provides evidence-based structured literacy and language intervention and works collaboratively with families to ensure their…

When I first met Daveed, he was a wiry 9-year-old who was squirmy, distractible, and just a bit chaotic. He had immigrated from Guatemala within the past year. As his assigned speech-language pathologist, I was tasked with improving his articulation and language skills. He often disrupted those early therapy sessions with off-topic conversations in a combination of English and Spanish. It did not take long until his teacher was voicing her frustration at his performance and behavior. Then, I casually mentioned (American) football one day, which he heard as “futbol.” Suddenly, I had his full attention. It turned out that Daveed was not only a soccer player, but he was also quite the soccer aficionado. From that moment, Daveed and I had a connection. He opened up and quoted statistics,…

My name is Starr, and I live in Casa Grande, Arizona. I'm 24 years old, and depending on the surgeon I'm working with, I'm a surgical technologist or an assistant surgeon. In 2009, I was formally diagnosed with dyslexia after showing symptoms in class. In 2022, I was formally diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, Depression, Anxiety and PTSD. My biological father didn't want me to have an IEP or get help from the school I was attending because he didn't want his child to be "different". My mom wanted me to get help so I could succeed. A number of people have believed that my mental illnesses and learning difficulties were "not that bad" and that I was just lazy or didn't care about school. Not only did numbers and letters…