A Child's View of Dyslexia

Recently, one of my daughter's former pupils found her in the playground, all excited and said:

"Miss Taylor, Miss Taylor, I've been diagnosed with dis, dis-something."

"Dyslexia, Gregory*?" asked my daughter.

"That's right," he responded.

My daughter encouraged him, saying: "That's lovely, Gregory*, now you should get the help you need."

"I hope so," replied Gregory*, "but I can't spell dis - what was it?"

It's a pity that we have to put such an unspellable label on a child in order for him to get the help he needs. Wouldn't it be lovely if all schools were so well resourced that all children could get the individual help they needed, with or without a diagnosis? I'll keep hoping.

*pseudonym