Issue 11: September 2022 Dystinct Magazine

On the cover is 10 year old Caleb Braswell. This issue features the story of 10-year-old Caleb Braswell and his Air Force veteran mum Connie Braswell who went back to university to do a master's in education and founded her own private school to help Caleb and others like him find a love for learning.

The November 2022 issue of Dystinct Magazine brings to you:

Dr Elizabeth Adams talks about how parents of children with learning difficulties who have had similar struggles in the past need to acknowledge their past experiences and let the negative feelings associated with them go so that they can approach their child's learning experience with compassion.

Nicole shares the story of her seventy-six-year-old father, Bill, who has been making a sincere effort to learn to read for the past seventy years with little success but was determined to keep trying. Nicole has worked with him this past year using the Linguistic Phonics approach, and together they've found success at last.

Krista Gauthier discusses how the educational system and, consequently, our workforce can adequately prepare and harness the power of neurodiverse individuals who are uniquely suited to meet the demands of our changing world to propel us into the future.

Barry Walsh talks about how having dyslexia and dyspraxia has defined him at various stages in his life and offers practical advice to individuals at each stage, so they can find success along the way just as he did.

Barry Walsh shares job hunting tips for neurodiverse individuals based on the strategies that he has found helpful in all his years of job hunting and being a neurodiversity advocate helping organisations streamline their process of recruiting neurodiverse employees.

The story of 10-year-old Caleb Braswell and his Air Force veteran mum Connie Braswell who went back to university to do a master's in education and founded her own private school to help Caleb and others like him find a love for learning.

Cathy Parvin discusses the case study of an 8-year-old child with DCD who had handwriting difficulties and how Cathy's work with the child over a 12-week period helped improve her handwriting and self-esteem.

Cheryl Urbanczyk elaborates on her infographic 'The Culture View of Reading', which includes considerations of equity, diversity, and inclusion and puts student identity at the centre of the literacy process.

The inspiring story of a 43-year-old dyslexic muralist and designer, Emma Murphy, who has gone from being an anxious child made to repeat grade 2 to an outstanding artist leaving her artistic mark on the streets and stores of Australia.

Christine Ducz discusses how reading comprehension is integral to all subjects and provides helpful tips and strategies to strengthen reading comprehension in middle and high school students.

Subash Chandra Bose Anuradha is a 19-year-old tech entrepreneur wise beyond his years. This article shares how he has managed to dream of a better world for dyslexic students all over India and is working towards his aspiration in a system that considers students with learning difficulties as good for nothing.

Deepa Gosal discusses how virtual special education instruction can be more advantageous than in-person learning when delivered in an engaging fashion and provides practical suggestions for parents to create a positive online learning environment for their children.

Anne van Gessel shares lessons from her life that have shaped who she is today in the hope of helping others find compassion for themselves and be comforted by the fact that they are not the only ones who experienced challenges that learning difficulties bring.

Words mean things… choose wisely!

This quote from Krista Gauthier’s article published in this issue resonated with me. Every day our children are exposed to words; words that will leave a lasting impact on their impressionable young minds, words that will shape their self-image, and words that will remain their inner talk as they become adults in charge of their own lives. It is our responsibility as parents, educators, and therapists of children to make sure that the words they hear and carry with them into the future are positive words.

In my note, I like to write about what I’ve enjoyed while compiling this issue. I loved getting to know Caleb Braswell and his mum Connie Braswell. Connie, an Air Force veteran, changed her career path, went to university to get a master’s degree in education and started a private school for her boy and many others like him. That is a whole level of dedication, and I’m in awe of her. My chat with Subash, a 19-year-old tech entrepreneur from India, gave me a whole new perspective. He’s still struggling in the system, but the kid has big dreams and lots of hope. It makes me hopeful for all our children.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue and all the specialist content covered.

Please get in touch with me if you have any feedback, ideas, or stories to share to change the narrative surrounding learning disabilities.

Thanks

Zahra Nawaz Shafeeq