Supporting My Daughter’s Learning Journey: With the Amazing dyslexia

As a parent, watching my child struggle in school is painful—especially when those struggles are not because she lacks potential, determination, or effort, but because her learning needs are not being fully understood or accommodated. My daughter, like me, shows clear signs of dyslexia, though we’re still waiting for her formal diagnosis. Yet even without it, she’s already facing significant obstacles at school, mainly because of an educational system that prioritizes uniformity over individuality.

This year, as my daughter started Year 4, her teacher assigned her an overwhelming list of spellings each week. The vocabulary on this list includes words like “mathematician,” “astronaut,” “comprehension,” and “elicit”—words far beyond what a typical Year 4 student would use in their written work. When will a child in Year 4 need to know how to spell “elicit”? Despite her best efforts to learn them, the difficulty left her feeling stressed, discouraged, and, eventually, she just shut down. When learning becomes a source of anxiety, it’s no longer effective.

I raised these concerns with her teachers, hoping they’d see the toll it was taking on her and the unrealistic nature of the assignments. Their response? These words are part of the “national curriculum,” and yes, they’re hard “for everyone.” After some persistence, they finally provided her with a more age-appropriate list of Year 4-level spellings. Now, with words that are achievable for her, she’s regaining her confidence. We play visual spelling games at home, turning words into images, and she scores 10 out of 10 every time when she puts the effort in!

This experience brings up a bigger question: why are reasonable adjustments not mandatory for students with learning differences, like dyslexia, here in Essex? Assuming its a cost thing!

Dyslexia is not a disability—it’s a different way of processing information. We think in pictures! In fact, dyslexic thinkers often bring unique creativity and innovation to the world. Yet, in traditional educational settings, they’re often misunderstood or made to fit a mould that doesn’t accommodate their strengths.

Children like my daughter deserve to have their unique learning needs recognized and met without being bogged down by red tape and excuses. Schools should not just accommodate but actively support these students, creating environments where they can thrive and develop their potential. Adjusting the curriculum isn’t about lowering expectations; it’s about crafting a pathway to success that acknowledges each child’s individual way of learning.

To truly support all children, schools, teachers, and policymakers need to shift their mindset. A one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. Every child’s mind is unique, and it’s time our educational system reflects that by making room for diverse learners and thinkers.