What's it all about?
A podcast for parents and educators about the best way to support people living with specific learning difficulties.
Do you, your partner, your child, a relative or a student of yours grapple with an identified (or suspected) Specific Learning Difficulty (SLD)? Knowing what to do next can be scary.
But……you’re not alone.
About dys podcast
Specific learning disabilities/differences/disorders/difficulties… whatever you call them, they DO exist and colour the lives of people everywhere. Dyscastia is a podcast for people who live with any of the Dys family, whether they have a Dys themselves, parent a child with a Dys, have a partner with a Dys or teach people with a Dys. So, which Dys’s are we talking about? You’ve guessed it – Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia. We call these the 3Ds.
Michael Shanahan is a specialist teacher of students who live with a Dys or more than one Dys. He runs a thriving practice and brings his own thoughts and experience to you and the unique perspectives of others whose lives are touched by Specific Learning Difficulties.
dyscastia (n.)
“a difficulty in podcasting due to a condition of the brain,” from Greek dys- “bad, abnormal, difficult” (see dys-) + cast + past participle of cast (v.). Figurative sense “widely spread” is recorded by 1785. As an adverb from 1832. Modern media use began with radio (1922, adjective and noun). As a verb, 1829 in a figurative sense, 1921 in reference to radio. + abstract noun ending -ia.
About Michael Shanahan
Michael is a specialist literacy and maths interventionist, working with students who live with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, Autism, and other learning difficulties. He is also a director of Word Cracking—software and resources designed specifically for students who find standard intervention too hard.
Michael has a Bachelor of Education and lives with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dysgraphia. His two children also live with learning difficulties, including dyslexia and dyscalculia. His personal experience gives him insight into how hard school and learning can be, and the kind of support students need.
If you are in South Australia, Michael maintains a directory of specialist literacy and maths tutors on his website, South Australian Literacy & Maths Specialist Tutors.u
Recent Episodes
Episode 24: Supporting Adults & Older Students
In this episode I chat with Dr Shae Wissell, Shae is a speech pathologist, researcher, dyslexic, dysgraphic, ADHD-er, and founder of Rethink Dyslexia, We talk about what happens after students living with learning difficulties leave school and we become adults!
Episode 23: Mental Health Strategies For Parents
In this episode, I talk with Brisbane-based psychologist Leanne Tran about how to look after your own mental health as the parent of a child living with learning difficulty. We work through the whole journey as a timeline, from that first feeling that something might not be right, all the way through to letting go when your child is ready to advocate for themselves.
Episode 22: Five Common Mental Health Challenges For Kids Living With Learning Difficulties
In this episode, I’m joined again by clinical psychologist Valli Jones to talk about the mental health issues she most commonly sees in children and young people living with learning difficulties. We framed the conversation as a “top five”, not to rank problems, but to help parents and educators feel less alone and better able to recognise patterns.