What's wrong with my brain!

[SarfEasticated]

I am studying for a part time degree in Social Sciences at the moment, and in the last term of my first full time year. I left (grammar) school 28 years ago after failing all my A levels and have since managed to carve out a decent career in publishing. I LOVE my course which is really interesting, and read around the subject avidly and join in the sessions enthusiastically.
The only problem is when I come to write essays, I just don't seem to be able to get all of my 'knowledge' down on paper in a logical way. I don't seem to have the words to express myself properly. It's like understanding enough French to understand a French language film, but struggling when trying to ask for a baguette in the bakers. It seems my brain only works on receive mode.
The same happened with my A levels too - I normally manage to pass myself off as reasonably intelligent - but just can't express myself properly on paper. Is there anything I can do to improve?

I would say there are two options.

You could sign up for essay writing skills sessions at your university. Most universities have a support dept, but they can be located in different places (eg students union, library etc).

Or you could buy a study guide on how to write social science essays and work through that your yourself. There are quite a few to choose from and I would say go with the one you think you will get on best with.

Yes good idea Creamteas. I'll find out where the sessions are held.

Might it be worth talking to your disability offices? I am inclined to see learning disabilities everywhere because I have one, but what you describe is not unusual with dyslexia, and 28 years ago it wouldn't have been so likely to be diagnosed.

Really LRD? Would dyslexia account for my really untidy writing too? I will ask about that...

Yes, might well. Or dyspraxia, which is more to do with co-ordination (they are very closely related anyway).

I really don't mean to suggest you must have these things and someone might straightaway tell you it's obviously not that if they met you ... I just think it's always worth following these things up.

Even if it's not that, disability offices might very well be able to help anyway.

Don't worry LRD am open to anything. I did the dyslexia test. Am fine with reading, spelling and numbers but not so good at getting my thoughts onto paper or dates. Not enough for them to recommend further testing. Interesting though - will keep it in mind.

Shout me down if this is nonsense, but you say you can contribute in sessions, so have you th right of saying what you want to say out loud - into a dictaphone or voice recognition software- and then typing it out from your own voice? I know nothing about this, but if you can say what you want to say out loud, maybe you just can't write fast enough to keep up with your thoughts, maybe this would help?

But also agree that an essay writing skills workshop would help - essay writing just doesn't come naturally after all this time away from education, so if you can nail the structure and balance and referencing issues up front,that would help too.

There will be no "shouting down" on my thread Beckandcall I am grateful for any input! It's getting the thoughts straight in my mind I have a trouble with. I am (apparently) very good at research - I assimilate a huge body of knowledge - but then have trouble getting it down on the page. I guess it's just giving myself time to try to make sense of everything. Maybe this course is about learning a language in way, I can just about understand it, just need to get used to 'speaking' it. I think being part-time doesn't help either, you just don't get the chance to immerse yourself in it.