Dear Dyslexic Podcast

87: Part 1 Dyslexia, Dysgraphia & Dyscalculia Explained (The 3 Dys) | Dr Shae Wissell & Michael Shanahan from Dyscastia

Dear Dyslexic Podcast

Show Notes

In this episode of Dr Shae and the Dear Dyslexic Podcast, our host Shae,welcomes Michael from the podcast Dyscastia to discuss dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, and why there aren’t enough conversations about these learning difficulties.

Michael explains his view on labels, using “disability” for official funding and support contexts and preferring “difficulty” personally, while questioning the term “difference.” He shares his work as an intervention tutor supporting children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and related neurodivergence such as ADHD and autism, and describes the morphology-focused “word cracking” software and the Literacy Support Kit he developed with Sally Andrew to better support students for whom some programs move too quickly.

Michael also recounts his varied career path, his late identification through his children’s diagnoses, and his lived experience of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia.

00:00 Podcast Mission

00:36 Meet Michael

01:34 Labels Disability Or Difficulty

03:08 Tutoring And Tools

06:00 From Teaching To Tutoring

06:55 Family Diagnoses Spark Journey

08:28 Career Path And Wrap Up

09:00 Resources And Support Lines

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