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Seen Butt Unseen

Seen Butt Unseen

 

Summary of the Impact: Through personal experiences the researcher has communicated their life story of a person who has navigated life as an undiagnosed dyslexic person, the trauma of the experience, and consequences this brought and the light bulb moment of been diagnosed. The webinar has been viewed and downloaded by people from all aspects of life in Ireland and beyond. It is used by Dyslexia Ireland as an educational tool on their website and in several training courses on dyslexia and higher education.

Research Description: This is an autoethnographic webinar, a form of research in which a researcher connects personal experiences to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings. It was a live event in March 2022 and was recorded by the Dyslexia Association of Ireland. It tells the story of a person who has navigated life as an undiagnosed person, the trauma, and consequences this brought and the light bulb moment of been diagnosed with dyslexia. It covers a life afraid of education, returning to education and discovering in the first year of my PhD journey that I had dyslexia. It is a story of hiding, a broken education system, opportunity, resilience, motivation, determination, success, and achieving. It is designed to be a resource and reference point for adults living with undiagnosed dyslexia or who did not get diagnosed with dyslexia until adulthood, to encourage them to become the best form of their self, whatever that may be, in partnership with dyslexia. It is deliberately a webinar as this is a resource for people with dyslexia. The poem the researcher wrote upon their light bulb moment is also used in a course Dyslexia Ireland deliver to higher education staff on working with students with dyslexia and it is available at the link below. Dyslexia Ireland have given a brief introduction as: Dyslexia in Adulthood

Description of the Impact:

As part of our Adult Dyslexia Webinar series, on March 9, 2022, we were delighted to host Dr. Keith Murphy, a researcher and lecturer, who shared his personal experience with dyslexia. Keith’s story is a remarkable journey in education from completing an ECDL course in 2008 to being awarded a PhD from Maynooth University in 2021. Keith’s webinar is titled “Seen but Unseen”. This webinar was part one of a two-part series with Keith. The next webinar (to be held in May 2022) will explore Keith’s PhD research (Experiencing Dyslexia Through the Prism of Difference), its findings and its implications for the field of dyslexia research.

 

What SDG goals does this contribute to?

  • 3 - Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university. This target highlights the importance of access to various forms of education, which is crucial for adults with dyslexia who may require alternative learning formats or additional support in higher education and vocational training.
  • 5 - Eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities: Indicator 4.5.1: Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated. This target and indicator emphasize the need for inclusive education systems that cater to the needs of individuals with disabilities, including those with dyslexia.
  • 7 - Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. While this target is broader, it encompasses the concept of inclusive education, which is essential for addressing the needs of adults with dyslexia.

Evidence/Sources to Corroborate Research Impact:

 

Research References:

  • Adefila, A., Broughan, C., Phimister, P & Opie, J. (2020). Developing an autonomous-support culture in higher education for disabled students. Disability and Health Journal. 13:1-6.
  • Bone, K. (2017). Trapped behind the glass: Crip theory and disability identity. Disability and Society. 32:1297-1314.
  • Compte, M & Schensul, J. (2010). The Ethnographers Toolkit. California: AltaMira Press.
  • DeWalt K.M. and DeWalt, B. R. (2002). ‘Participant Observation: A Guide for Fieldworkers’. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press.
  • Dyslexia Association of Ireland. Retrieved from: https://www.dyslexia.ie/. (Accessed on 15/11/2023).
  • Murphy, . K. (2023). Experiencing Dyslexia Through the Prism of Difference. REACH: Journal of Inclusive Education in Ireland, 36(2). Retrieved from https://reachjournal.ie/index.php/reach/article/view/561