Sound Literacy Connections

Yes! Yes! Yes! 💯 agree with this. The purpose of reading is to impart information to our brain 🧠, be that non fiction, or a narrative. There are many ways to do this. Reading with our 👀 eyes, ears, 🎧or fingers, in the case of those with a visual impairment. Individuals with dyslexia or DLD have brains that process language differently. Often with appropriate instruction they can learn to read, but it can be exhausting and take longer to digest the text. Please spread this message. It is a life goal to impart this truth and dissemble this antiquated, ableist belief. 💙

Audio books are not cheating!
Being read to or listening to books is just a different way of getting information into our brains.
There is so much controversy and snobbery about whether audio books can be considered ‘reading’ and 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝, but what about those of us that continue to struggle with reading, should we be denied the joy of books?
After all, aren’t both braille and talking-books, legitimate options for those with vision impairments?
Despite my dyslexia, I love to read and we need to make sure EVERY child can experience that joy.
Sometimes my brain is just too tired from being overloaded and I listen to an audiobook.
And sometimes school and uni can be too much and I need to re-listen to my lessons or textbooks.
I know there are still lots of people who think this isn’t reading or that it’s ‘cheating’ in some way.
Until somebody has been inside your brain, they don’t know how hard it can be.
To me, reading is reading, no matter how you get the information to your brain.
So don’t give up!
Until we are all taught to read the way our brains are wired, we should read in any way that works for us.
Keep reading and listening so you don’t miss out on the joy!
After all, wasn’t our very first literacy experience a read-aloud!

Image is from our favourite ❤️

Our orthographic conventions can be introduced in the early years of literacy acquisition. It is so important that students understand our system with clarity from the outset .

This is one of the most charming experiments in linguistics.

The “wug story” comes from a classic experiment by Jean Berko Gleason in 1958. She wanted to figure out whether children actually learn rules of language, or if they just memorize words.

She showed the creature in the image below to a child nd said:

“This is a wug.”

Then she showed two of them and asked:

“Now there are two of them. There are two…?”

The child didn’t hesitate:
“Wugs.”

The word wug is completely made up; the children had never heard it before. So when they correctly said “wugs,” they weren’t recalling memory. They were applying a rule, namely adding -s to make plurals in English

This showed that even young children have internalized grammatical rules, a huge point in debates about how language is acquired (especially in the era of Noam Chomsky and generative grammar).

This little experiment reveals something very fundamental about how we learn languages: we don’t just memorize language — we build it. Even children are quietly extracting rules, patterns, and structures from the chaos around them.

This is a great infographic demonstrating how dyslexia can affect more than “ just reading “

One of my favourite dyslexia infographics showing how dyslexia affects more than just reading.

Image: unknown

Having dyslexia can be exhausting!
So much of our day-to-day lives relies on our ability to read.
Being a dyslexic student is all-consuming.
The fatigue caused by reading, writing, spelling and studying is such a mammoth effort for us that we often feel tired.
Trying to keep up with our peers in class, keeping on top of our studies and constantly feeling like we’re falling short, means we are often burnt-out and stressed by the end of the day.
We constantly feel swamped.
So please don’t ever mistake our fatigue and tiredness for being bored, lazy or defiant, in fact the opposite is usually true, we are working harder, longer and exerting more focus and energy than you can possibly imagine!

This Sunday 1 February between 9-10am, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson invite persons with sensory sensitivity or disability to an expansive, multi-sensory journey that engages your sense of perception. Choose your path through a primordial landscape, encounter moments that heighten awareness and envision the future form of our city.

🎟️ Tickets: https://buff.ly/QoQq204

- This session will be quieter without the usual crowds.
- Volumes will be lowers and high sensory exhibits will be signposted.
- Announcements over the PA system will be paused.
- A floor plan and sensory guide will be available.
- A calm room will be available from 9am-5pm.
- Sensory kits (including self-regulation resources and ear muffs) will be available on the day, free of charge.

Please note: this activation is not affiliated with AQ. Please direct all questions to event organisers at GOMA.

These are the words many children want adults to hear but don’t always have the language to say.
This visual is written from the child’s perspective, to help parents, educators, and professionals better understand the lived experience of AuDHD – beyond behaviour, labels, or assumptions.

Free downloadable version available - includes male/female, as well as printer friendly versions.
Dropbox link is DM’d – instructions are in the visual.

Save it. Share it. Use it to start better conversations.

This is a great graphic explaining the complexities of executive dysfunction.

What Executive Dysfunction Looks Like

Most people think “executive dysfunction” just means being unorganized or lazy — but that’s far from the truth.
Executive dysfunction is a real neurological difficulty that affects how a person starts, plans, organizes, and completes tasks.

It’s a common experience for people with ADHD, Autism, anxiety, depression, and other neurodivergent conditions.

Understanding what it actually looks like can help build empathy — both for yourself and for others who live with it every single day.

🌿 What Is Executive Function?

Executive functions are like the brain’s management system.
They help you make decisions, remember information, control impulses, and plan what to do next.

When these systems don’t work efficiently, you experience executive dysfunction — a state where your intentions and actions don’t align.
You want to start something… but your brain feels like it’s hitting a wall.

💡 Here’s What Executive Dysfunction Can Look Like in Real Life 👇
🔹 1. You want to start a task — but can’t seem to begin.

You know exactly what needs to be done. You might even be thinking about it all day.
But when it’s time to start, your body feels frozen — as if there’s an invisible wall between you and the task.

You keep saying, “I’ll start in five minutes,” but time passes, and nothing happens.
It’s not about laziness — it’s about task initiation paralysis, a core symptom of executive dysfunction.

🧠 Why it happens:
The ADHD or autistic brain struggles to regulate dopamine and focus signals, making it difficult to transition from thought to action — even for tasks you want to do.

🔹 2. You get overwhelmed by simple steps.

Tasks that others find easy can feel like climbing a mountain.
Something like “clean your room” isn’t one task — it’s twenty small tasks.

You have to decide where to start, what to keep, how long it’ll take, and what to do next.
That decision-making process is mentally exhausting.

So your brain shuts down — not because you don’t care, but because it’s protecting itself from overwhelm.

🔹 3. You start tasks… but can’t finish them.

Executive dysfunction often looks like unfinished projects everywhere.
Half-written notes, open tabs, half-cleaned spaces, or messages you planned to reply to but forgot.

People may see it as procrastination — but it’s really a problem of task-switching and working memory.
Once your focus shifts, your brain loses the thread, making it hard to return later.

🔹 4. You forget things even when they matter.

You care deeply about the people and tasks in your life — but still forget birthdays, deadlines, or appointments.
That forgetfulness isn’t carelessness; it’s part of working memory difficulties.

Working memory holds short-term information — like remembering why you opened your phone or what you were about to say.
When this system misfires, it can feel like your brain keeps dropping important “mental sticky notes.”

🔹 5. You struggle with time awareness.

People with executive dysfunction often experience “time blindness.”
You may underestimate how long something will take, or lose track of time completely while doing something engaging.

You might say, “I’ll just scroll for 5 minutes,” and then realize an hour has passed.
This isn’t intentional — it’s a difference in how the brain processes the passage of time.

🔹 6. Emotional burnout and guilt follow you around.

Because of repeated struggles to meet expectations, many people with executive dysfunction develop chronic guilt and shame.
You know what needs to be done but can’t do it consistently — and that feels frustrating, even painful.

This guilt can build into anxiety or self-doubt, especially when people around you misunderstand your behavior.

🌱 What Executive Dysfunction Is Not

❌ It’s not laziness.
People with executive dysfunction often care deeply about their responsibilities.

❌ It’s not a lack of effort.
They usually spend a lot of mental energy just trying to start or focus.

❌ It’s not a lack of intelligence.
In fact, many highly intelligent individuals experience executive dysfunction — intelligence doesn’t override brain chemistry.

💬 How to Cope and Manage It

Here are some gentle strategies that can help improve daily life 👇

✅ 1. Break tasks into micro-steps.
Instead of saying “I’ll clean my room,” start with “I’ll pick up the clothes on the floor.”
Small wins reduce overwhelm and help your brain gain momentum.

✅ 2. Use external tools.
Rely on reminders, timers, sticky notes, and visual planners — they act as “external executive functions” to keep your brain supported.

✅ 3. Remove friction.
Make the first step of a task as easy as possible. If you want to exercise, sleep in your workout clothes.
If you need to work, keep your laptop open and ready.

✅ 4. Build gentle routines.
Structure helps the brain know what comes next — but keep it flexible.
Rigid systems can backfire if they feel too demanding.

✅ 5. Practice self-compassion.
Be kind to yourself. You’re not lazy — your brain is just wired differently.
Progress is still progress, even if it’s slower than others expect.

🌟 A Gentle Reminder

Executive dysfunction can make life feel chaotic, unpredictable, and exhausting.
But with understanding, strategies, and support, it’s absolutely possible to create a life that fits how your brain works — not one that constantly fights it.

You are not behind.
You are not broken.
You are simply using a different operating system — and that’s okay.

💛 Final Thought

When you see someone struggling to start a task, meet a deadline, or remember something simple, pause before judging.
You might be seeing executive dysfunction — not a lack of effort.

The best thing we can do is replace judgment with empathy and build awareness that helps people feel seen, not shamed.

Because understanding how the ADHD and autistic brain works isn’t just compassion — it’s connection.

“I thought it was just me but there’s hundreds of thousands of us.”   Chef and campaigner @jamieoliver reflects on his education as someone with dyslexia, and the impact of sharing his story publicly.   Today programme | Listen on BBC Sounds