The Channel 4 documentary two part series called ‘The Write Offs’ explores Britain’s low adult literacy rates, takes 8 adults, aged between 22 and 66, and puts them through their paces, exploring their issues in depth and offers them a life changing opportunity to be able to overcome the one thing that always held them back.
The Programme
Each member of the group received one to one tuition, over a period of 4 months, during which time they faced a series of writing, spelling and reading challenges that would eventually put their writing spelling and writing skills to the test. The process then culminated in a final test, fronted by Sandi Toksvig.
It wasn't so much what they struggled with, those issues were being addressed, for me it was how they got to that place, having slipped through the net. It made for difficult viewing. Living with a disability I didn’t know I had, for the first time I was able to equate their stories to my own.
My Literacy Struggles – My School Years
Being 70% mentally and emotionally disabled, the stigma attached to their literacy struggles and my mental and emotional disability struggles are still as profound as ever. This documentary although a long time in coming, was absolutely welcome.
It is difficult to equate that in the UK in 2020 there are people, like me out there with learning difficulties, who for one reason or another has slipped through the net. My learning problems are because the creative side of my brain is extensively damaged due to cerebral palsy.
It is hard to equate what they have to go through day to day, even more irritating when you know others have also failed them, including their families. As ‘my story’ shows, there is no excuse, whoever is doing the failing.
Attitudes need to change around mental health, stigma, disability. No matter the skill or difficulty we face, we’re all the same underneath, there should be no comparisons, or differences. We should all be allowed to thrive.
Source: https://www.channel4.com
I imagine watching this programme reinforced your own experiences with your disabilities, having been ignored and brought back all sorts of feelings.
In common with the adults in the documentary, the responsibility for your 'failings' at school were not yours to own. The school and your family should have ensured you did not slip through the net.
We all have different abilities and skills but should all be encouraged to thrive in our different ways. The traditional education system did not work for you and it's a shame at the time you were made to feel you did not work for the system.
You have proved all the doubters wrong with the success of your website, your published first book and another book in the making.
Thank you. Yes, your response reaffirms my experiences and couldn't agree with you more. Whilst it is not always possible to turn the clock back, I believe we do get to change our ending.
Things have a way of working out. I believe that. I also believe things happen for a reason. Therefore my experiences and my life would always have worked out how it did and will always have brought me to this place.
I couldn't have foreseen it then, but yes it is exactly how that works.