First News

Hi, my name is Ronan Carter and I am 13 years old. I am a student at Brighouse High School and I am in Year 9. School, well there’s a thing!

It’s not always been the happiest of places for me. Why? Well you see I am dyslexic. I would like to take you back to when I was at primary school because this is where my dyslexic story starts.

My teachers were always calling my mum and dad into school because they said I wouldn’t concentrate in class and I was disrupting the other children. I found it very difficult to read things from the blackboard and was very slow at writing and I would get very tired in class. I would look around at all my classmates and they did not seem to have any problems as I did.

At playtime I came alive again I wasn’t tired and enjoyed playing with my mates, however certain things like playing football for instance were a struggle! I would get teased by the other boys because I was clumsy and did not have much co-ordination, so trying to kick or pass the ball made me look a bit like a Wally.

I could not wait to get home to watch my favourite films on DVD, Harry Potter. I would always tell my mum that I wanted to be an actor and NOT when I grow up but NOW! I remember a very low point in my life when the teachers said I was naughty and my parents said I was lazy. I did not know why I couldn’t do my work as fast as my classmates and I didn’t know why I became so tired when reading and writing. I felt nobody understood me! I was so sad.

One day my mum said she was taking me for a special test to see why it was so difficult for me to read and write things, I was scared, I did not want the test. I had my test and the results showed I was extremely dyslexic. I spent the next 12 months seeing a private tutor as I had fallen way behind at school. My tutor was FAB! She too was dyslexic and had gone on to be a teacher. She explained to me and my parents what dyslexia is and that I should never be ashamed I had something very special. My tutor explained that one half of my brain worked differently then the other. I now know that the creative side of my brain is very active and this is why I am passionate about singing, dancing and acting. I have always been involved in school plays and pantomimes etc, when I am on stage I am confident and at my happiest.

I am a student at Stardom School of Performing Arts in Shelf, Bradford, it is just the best ever! Nobody there treats me any differently, we are all there because we love to perform. My drama teacher prints my script on blue paper (this stops the words moving about) Liz Davies, the principle of Stardom, put me forward for an audition in Leeds for the lead role in a film! Finally my dream was coming true. Oh my goodness, could I do this? What if they ask me to read? I knew I had to do this. At the audition there were lots of other boys there, I had learnt my script and I had to act this out in front of the famous actor Hugo Speer. I would remember this day forever. A week later I got the news that I had got the part and that Hugo Speer had said I was excellent! I fell to my knees and cried. I can’t wait until I start filming in February.

My message to other dyslexics is never ever stop believing in yourself, if you’re not so good at one thing you can be excellent at another!

If you have been dealing with any sort of learning challenge which has been making school tough for you, we’d love to hear your story too. Write to nicky.cox@firstnews.co.uk putting My Way! in the subject box.