Hello readers!
I have recently finished the Harry Potter books! I know I am a few years late but reading is something that I have struggled with for a long time so I am super proud of myself. I have dyslexia and dyspraxia so tasks such as reading can be hugely overwhelming. I got this book set from my boyfriend back in May so to say I have read seven books in that time is awesome. I have enjoyed them immensely and respect JK.Rowling very much. What a wonderfully intelligent and creative writer she is.
Throughout reading these books my reading skills have majorly improved. My reading speed and ability to retain what I have read has gotten better every time I have picked up a book. I wanted to talk about this because I know that many people have similar struggles when it comes to reading.
From my perspective, even the thought of holding a heavy book in my hand made my hand’s ache and brain become cloudy. The thought of someone discussing the book around me and not being able to remember things caused huge anxiety. Thankfully through determination, commitment and JK’s beautiful writing skills, I have managed to turn reading into a joy and not a dominant fear!
Has anybody else who has read these books felt that it was a huge achievement due to reading struggles? Or have they (or any other books) been so significant in improving their reading habit?
I would love to hear about your experiences!
Another thing I wanted to discuss in this post is how wonderful it is for our brains to imagine. I think it is incredible that as we read our subconscious mind creates an image of characters, places and objects etc. For example, we all of our own version of Dumbledore’s office in our mind’s eye. In my head it is rectangular, with the old headmaster’s portraits on the left and Dumbledore’s desk is towards the back. There is also a big window at the rear of the room.
What a wonderful free gift to have – to imagine! We can all do it but the amazing thing is, is that our imagination is our own. It’s personal. When reading stories you can play around with it if you like, or just stay engrossed and let your subconscious mind do the magic.
I find reading a therapeutic activity now and am already half way through another book called Dibs: In search of self. When we are engrossed in a book, using our imagination to create the world in our minds, we are in the present moment. Being in the present moment is so important. It is clear how common facebook and other apps are to our current generation. I hope that reading can become as common as it was before technology. There is so much to gain from reading a good book!
Please get in touch with me if anything in this post resonates with you 🙂
Peace
Sarah x
live and love the adventure 
im so glad you were able to enjoy them. no ones too old for j.k. rowling, shes a wonderful author. the books are better than the films, and the films are wonderful.
the author did an interview one time, and for whatever reason the interviewer said “what should people read while theyre waiting for your next book to come out?” and rowling just gave her this look, and said, “other… books?” the question wasnt completely stupid, but the answer was on point.
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Thank you. Exactly – they are for everybody! That’s a good answer 🙂
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by the way, im interested in anything (tricks, tools, techniques) that helps you read. like if i had a class full of dyslexic students, what could i do help *you*, personally? i dont presume youre all the same, im just looking for a personal account.
if thats cool, i mean. i certainly dont want to pry.
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Of course, I am happy to share. Many dyslexic’s find it easier to read of coloured paper as black and white can be too bright on the eyes. I used to struggle reading in a class with other people there, so giving students extra reading time is always good! When I am starting off my reading session, get distracted or loose my place on a page – reading aloud helps to absorb me back in.
This website is very helpful if you would like more info 🙂
https://www.dyslexiadeb.co.uk/
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thanks very much. i will visit the link. one more question, and its not a trick question: why did you choose a wordpress theme thats black on white? perhaps screens are different– wouldnt a pastel background work better?
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Good question! I have the brightness low on my phone and laptop so it isn’t as harsh on my eyes. That’s a good thing to do even if you’re not dyslexic haha. When I was at college/uni I would use a green overlay to read worksheets. As I have read more over the years, I find black and white easier than I used to!
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Yes, all of this resonates with me (as a fellow dyslexic), and I find reading anxiety to be my biggest problem. I often hear other dyslexics say it’s important not to judge ourselves too harshly and just relax about reading…and I think it helps. As a mom, I have limited time to read for pleasure anyway, so I generally steer clear from really long books. My new goal is to just to read as much as I can in short bursts, so I got a subscription to the New Yorker magazine (which I love) and I love graphic novels, poetry and short story fiction,
In response to Codeinfig (above): 1. Thanks for asking!! That is really appreciated. 🙂 2. a few great things teachers can do is give dyslexic students more time to complete any task, not force them to read above their ability, offer up alternative forms of reading, like audio books, and provide tech support (like text to speech software) and above all help them build confidence — anxiety is a big issue for dyslexic kids. 🙂
….as for wordpress, the background colours are limited (unless you pay to upgrade) so I too am stuck with a stark white background. I do read better online with a slightly tinted background (beige or off-white is good).
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I really like your goal! It’s great that you are a Mom! Even reading books with your children is classed as reading for pleasure – children’s stories are great.
I am going to be writing for a women’s online magazine from next month so I can link you to that when it is up and running.
Also my sister uses an audo book app and listens to books on the way to work, maybe you could try that too?
Take care
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