Bill's Story: Writing a new chapter in life

Bill Maes has spent a lifetime hiding a secret. The 78-year-old Alliston, Ontario man has spent the majority of his days unable to read books, peruse the newspaper to catch up on current events, or write letters to his family. Maes grew up on a tobacco farm in a small town in southwestern Ontario, where helping his parents with the crops took priority over getting an education.

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Shanda's Story: My Second Chance

My reading problems have affected my life in countless ways.  From childhood on, I had always had problems with reading and spelling. But, my story starts in high school. Very seldom did I attend classes while I was enrolled in high school. I was what people would call a troubled teen. My reading skills were such an embarrassment, it made me hate school. Read the rest of Shanda's story....

The Shell is Open and I'm on my way out

Well where do I start? I guess from the beginning. When I think back to kindergarten, I think that was when I noticed that I was behind the other kids in reading and writing. All the other kids could write their names on a piece of paper and could say their ABC’s but I could not. I always seemed to struggle with my reading and writing. I was put in a special class but it did not seem to help me. My math was okay but not my reading and writing. Year after year I would be held back until I was in grade five and the school decided to move me to grade nine because of my age. I was too old to be in grade five any more. The high school put me in special classes for grade nine and grade ten. I did not understand why I was in high school when I still could not read and write. I thought because my grandmother could not read or even write her own name that I would be just like her. I thought I got it from her. I decided after grade ten, I would quit school. I thought I would never learn how to read and write so why stay in school. Read the rest of the story ...

John's Story

I’ve been working with my student, who I will call John, for almost a year and a half now. John still only admits to close friends his need for help with writing and spelling. He is a skilled tradesperson, who works full time and also on part time projects. Between that and keeping a love life going, John does not have a lot of time, but I know that he considers our sessions important and he has never missed one without good reason. In John’s normal work day, the only material he may be reading is blueprints. He is a graduate of the French school system, and he never developed English writing skills. This has occasionally embarrassed and limited him. Read the rest of John's story ...

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