Improving my English Skills

[wolf116]

So the story is.

I have been diagnosed with dyslexia but after much study I have decided dyslexia is a myth and experts say it is just the name they give to people with high IQ who can't read properly.

This makes sense because I wagged most of primary school and never liked reading fiction.

I was Mechanical Engineering student and received the year 12 maths award so I guess I have a fairly high IQ.

If anyone has any tips or knows of any books I might like I'd appreciate it. I need to fix this!

When I read/spell I always scramble up the words/letters and always get p,d,q,b's mixed up when I'm typing even though I know it's wrong.

The reason I came to sosuave was to improve my english skills but I need to rely on the spellcheck so people can understand me. I have improved a lot though.

P.S I had to correct over 15 words with spell check just on this post!

 

[Rhoto]

I have a buddy I've known since I was 6 years old. He was a diagnosed dyslexic and literally told he would never read, write or communicate effectively. Basically amount to nothing.

Fast forward 15 years. He graduated from Cal Berkley with a Quantum Physics degree, and is now working at Lawrence Livermore Labs, preparing to do his masters.

Can you speak effectively? Or is writing just the main problem?

 

[wolf116]

The person that told him that has no idea about dyslexia then. Some of the greatest thinkers were dyslexic, they generally excel at science.

Quantum Physics is not a problem for me. Although I never passed my degree because I don't study. I could pass most of my tests without study. I never studied once in high school and got A's in math and physics.


I can speak fine but I have a poor vocabulary. The main problem is speling, I just look like a dumb ass when I misspell words like 'diden't' or 'heigh'. Or when I read the word house instead of horse even though I know how to spell them.

 

[wolf116]

It's true that they can't excel if they never learn to communicate.

 

[spesmilitis]

I have the exact same problem. Did horrible in elementary school, never learned how to spell most words, have to rely on the fire fox spell check.

I just make a mental note every time I correct something. After a while I remember the spelling. I never considered this a big deal at all. Why does anyone need to spell good when there are spell checkers?

As for vocabulary, read. And hang out with smart people whenever you can.

 

[Falcon]

Have you tried slowing it down, even to a snail's pace if that's what it takes to get it right?

 

[wolf116]

I have the exact same problem. Did horrible in elementary school, never learned how to spell most words, have to rely on the fire fox spell check.

I just make a mental note every time I correct something. After a while I remember the spelling. I never considered this a big deal at all. Why does anyone need to spell good when there are spell checkers?

As for vocabulary, read. And hang out with smart people whenever you can.

Wow! how good is Firefox! I just downloaded it, so much quicker. Thanks.

I have never met anyone in university who is as bad at english as me. When I can't spell a simple word, say when filling out a form. Whoever I ask looks at me like I'm spastic. I have never really been one to care what other people think but I also don't like having a reputation for being dumb. Especially from girls.

I also try to avoid txt and msn because of it.

I read heaps on the internet. I research my interests unnecessarily just for the sake of reading. I'm not really going to get much english skills from T-nation though am I.

But I have never really enjoyed fiction. I guess fiction is where real english skills are displayed though. Any recommendation's?

I have been to library's many times but have never found a book that's had better information then the internet.

 

[wolf116]

Have you tried slowing it down, even to a snail's pace if that's what it takes to get it right?

Yeah I am frigin slow. But It doesn't help the spelling. Also spellcheck doesn't help if you don't know which word to change to.

 

[spesmilitis]

I recommend Harry Potter. Its not just a kids book, especially after the first 2-3 books.

I don't think reading will help you learn how to spell. Most people read by 'recognizing' the words, not by looking at each letter and reading each word. Sorta like how you look at someones face, but you don't look at each facial part and connect them together. You only have to do that if you're drawing that person's face.

Reading will get your vocabulary up, and advance your writing style.

Firefox defiantly helps, but as you can see from how most of my posts are edited, I still run into some problems