High school student Georgia Ryan has lived with dyslexia her entire life and said technology is helping her create a level playing field in the classroom.
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From apps to create perfect replicas of whiteboard notes and spell or translate difficult words to devices which can assist students in learning words they can't read, assistive technology has come a long way in recent years.
"One of the questions I get asked the most, especially by teachers and other parents, is what technology do I use to help with my dyslexia," Georgia said.
"So we thought it might be a good idea to share some of my ideas and strategies with others and a workshop sounded like a fun and interactive way to achieve that."
Despite the appearance that using technology in the classroom might give her an unfair advantage Georgia said it is all about helping her learn.
"I managed to get to Year 6 without a single teacher realising I had dyslexia," she said.
"This sadly doesn't make my story unique but it does say a lot for how technology is able to help students with dyslexia and other learning differences.
"I think the reason I was able to keep up with everyone was though my use of technology which doesn't just doesn't help me at school.
Technology at school isn't cheating it is just a tool that helps me to be on a level playing field.
- Georgia Ryan
"I use online books and audiobooks help me to read and I use my Google Mini at home to ask how to spell words and lots of other apps help me keep organised.
"My phone, computer and iPad are all linked so I always know when things are happening, which is really helpful as dyslexia also means I have working memory issues and I forget everything.
"Technology at school isn't cheating it is just a tool that helps me to be on a level playing field with the rest of my class."
In 2019 Georgia is a youth ambassador for Dyslexia Mid North Coast and hosted an interactive workshop for students, parents and teachers at the Port Macquarie library on July 8.
"The workshop was about showing assistive technology, which is basically just a piece of equipment or an app that helps with school and life activities that are difficult for me," she said.
"I have always loved using technology and since I found out I had dyslexia and dysgraphia it has become even more important to me.
"I'm not going to say that technology makes school easy, but it does help people with dyslexia find ways to navigate our way through.
"Technology does make it a little easier to keep up with my classes and I'm so lucky to live in a time where there is so much technology available and I can do most of my work on my iPad."
Currently in year eight at MacKillop College some of Georgia's favourite apps include an online spellchecker and translation app.
"I use lots of technology to help me, including online spellcheckers, text to speech apps and laptops to type rather than hand write so it is easier to keep up.
"I think any online spellchecker would be my favourite as I am the world's worst speller and teachers especially Primary school love torturing kids with spellings lists.
"At the moment I also love Office Lens, Grammarly and since starting high school, apps like Popplet, which is a mindmap, have been really helpful.
"I use technology because I learn in a different way to others and unfortunately school work is taught differently to the way I learn."
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