I can't read

[Caxx]

Hi long time lurker first time poster
I am a mum of 5 oldest 19 about to go to uni in jan youngest is 1 I am a single parent it is a hard thing to admit but basically I am illiterate I hold down a job at a supermarket and my children are well cared for up unti now this hasn't been a issue but my 13 year old who is at grammar school has started to get suspicious and I think he has told his teachers as I noticed at parents evening they were speaking to me like I was stupid (but u suppose I am)
I manage with Google and my.older son who is helping me write this but soon he will have left home so I am going to struggle does anyone know where I can get some practical help without anyone judging me ??

[Thingsdogetbetter]

Zombie!

[MissBaskinIfYoureNasty]

I'm sure OP has learned to read in the years since she posted this..

[ErickBroch]

@Janegrey333 she has said numerous times her son has written it for her and she uses accessibility apps to read posts out through her phone

[ErickBroch]

OP I just want to say you have NOTHING to be ashamed of. Please do follow up with some courses, you will feel so much better and have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. I am sure your children are so proud of you for seeking further education

[Janegrey333]

@Caxx

Hi long time lurker first time poster
I am a mum of 5 oldest 19 about to go to uni in jan youngest is 1 I am a single parent it is a hard thing to admit but basically I am illiterate I hold down a job at a supermarket and my children are well cared for up unti now this hasn't been a issue but my 13 year old who is at grammar school has started to get suspicious and I think he has told his teachers as I noticed at parents evening they were speaking to me like I was stupid (but u suppose I am)
I manage with Google and my.older son who is helping me write this but soon he will have left home so I am going to struggle does anyone know where I can get some practical help without anyone judging me ??

How can you write or type if you can’t read?

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

[quote Avelandra]@espisona why on earth drag up this thread to advertise something completely unrelated[/quote]
Spam bot

[Avelandra]

@espisona why on earth drag up this thread to advertise something completely unrelated

[VestaTilley]

*ensured! Sorry for spelling mistake!

[VestaTilley]

Oh bless you.

Firstly OP, don’t be ashamed - you have nothing to be embarrassed about, and it’s actually quite common. You were obviously let down by your school and family who should have endured you learnt as a child.

You can get help and it’s not too late to learn - I think Learn Direct used to offer adult literacy courses. I don’t know if it’s still going, but there’s a charity called Read Easy that helps adults in the U.K. learn to read.

Their number is 01388 435021 and they’re open Monday - Thursday. Maybe give them a ring and ask them for help?

There may be free adult education courses in your area too - if your son can help you look these up on the internet you should find one.

Good luck - you can do this!

[VetiverAndLavender]

Wishing you the best of luck, OP. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You're doing what's best for your children and yourself. That's something to be proud of.

[CloudsAway]

Well the difficulties with co-ordination and directions could potentially be symptoms of other difficulties like dyslexia, but it might not be - if you had a lot of absence and lack of parental interest, then that itself could be enough of a barrier to learning to read. And that's actually good news - it means it is more straightforward to teach you to read now. If you were dyslexic, it woudn't be impossible either, but it might mean more challenges to overcome, if you had already had a lot of the more straightforward teaching but weren't able to take it in. And now that you are ready to learn and motivated, you could just take off. I reckon teachers would love to teach you!

[SilentIsla]

Good luck, OP.

[Beeziekn33ze]

Caxx - I reckon you and your I year old will soon be enjoying books together!

[Caxx]

Thank you for all the kindness my son has read through them all and relayed them to me
My history is I was ill alot as a child I'm 40 I had periods of abscence my parents didn't really care about my education never attended parents evening etc nobody really took a interest nobody ever helped me to understand i guess I kind of skipped under the radar and i left at 15
I struggle with other things too like directions co ordination too
My partner died last year he used to go through school letters etc for me but now I know I have to try for myself
My kids are a joy to me my oldest son is starting uni in jan to be a paediatric nurse the nxt one is flying at grammar school but I realise that if i don't do something my 1yr old will be reading before me thanks again everyone

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Caxx you're doing a hell of a lot better than some who still can't RTFT despite presumably being literate.

[GladysKnight]

Go for it! Get all the help you can, you must be amazing to have raised your kids and supported the family all this time. You obviously have plenty of courage and determination so you can definitely do this :)

[RibbonAurora]

You can read, OP, just not in the sense of printed words on a page, but to have successfully negotiated bringing up children in the education system, holding down a job that involves organizing stock, just going shopping - everything you do involves 'reading' i.e. recognizing and deciphering a series of visual codes and cues all around you. You can do that, you do it day in day out, so you can read.

That's all reading is, honest, the formal part in putting series of letters and numbers together in written form is simply another way of doing what you already do but it will help you to do what you already do more easily and efficiently. The next level if you like. Good luck with everything.

[NotCitrus]

Good luck - a lot of people have the same problem.

[imsorryiasked]

[[http://www.learnbaes.ac.uk/english-level-1/functional-skills?highlight=WyJmdW5jdGlvbmFsIiwic2tpbGxzIiwiZnVuY3Rpb25hbCBza2lsbHMiXQ==
This course]] is available in your area. It seems to run from September to June, but there are some useful links at the bottom of the page.

[Jaxhog]

Don't worry - it's more common than you think. It's never too late to learn either, and will enhance your enjoyment of life no end! Good Luck.

[Thingsdogetbetter]

You must have a phenomenal memory to be able to remember all the stock! That's an amazing skill. (I'm jealous!!) You have obviously developed excellent coping strategies to work around not be able to read, so you can add problem solving genius to that amazing memory skill. Definitely not stupid then!

This is an education gap, not an intelligence issue!! And therefore can be remedied.

Go to college or find online programmes (there are some that deal with phonics and spelling aimed at teenagers). If someone you know is by coincidence in the same class, they have the same problem so no embarassment. If you happen to bump into them on the way and need to justify why you are there then a vague reference to literature evening class or writing class (they'll assume creative writing) is all that's needed. If anyone tries to make you feel bad for educating yourself then it's a lesson learnt: they are a TWAT and not worth your time or mind space.

You have done an incredible job with your kids' education, now is the time for yours.

[Curioushorse]

Hi OP. Good luck! There’s a lot of evidence that the IQ of children comes from the mother and not the father. So if your kids are clever, it’s because of you. You can do this!

[JassyRadlett]

OP, I just want to say I have huge admiration and respect for you. You were failed by many people when you were young and despite that you are successfully holding down a long-term job and bringing up 5 kids who are clearly achieving and, in the case of your eldest, supportive and kind which is just as important.

Just massive respect, and good luck with finding the right support for you. I have heard great things about the Literacy Trust.

[Amber0685]

You would be suprised how common it is. I used to work in a pharmacy in a fairly deprived area that had a news agency attatched. Some of the customers would ask me to help them choose a card. I later realised this was because they couldn't read to choose one that said Happy B'day Son or whatever it was they wanted.