'Gaelic Oscars' for Strathpeffer woman who shared film about being a dyslexic Gaelic speaker
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A Strathpeffer woman has shared her experience of being a dyslexic Gàidhlig speaker, after bagging a major FilmG award nomination for her Gàidhlig short film.
Blythe Wilson recently picked up a FilmG award nomination for Best Performance in the over 18's age group, for her film entry about her struggles with dyslexia and using Gàidhlig to help overcome her challenges.
Blythe works her dream job as a professional dancer, which has seen her travel as far as Egypt in a production show, working six shows a week as well as dancing for DJs at concerts.
While she was working in Egypt, she decided to start her Instagram account @beatha.blythe, where she posts short videos about her life, all spoken in Gàidhlig.
Blythe said: “I had been to the previous FilmG awards, and I realised how much I missed the Gàidhlig world and wanted to get back involved. I thought the best way to do this would be using social media to share my journey in dance and Gàidhlig, after not speaking the language for a year, whilst making more connections with people my age in the Gàidhlig world.”
In one of her Instagram videos, Blythe explains how she was diagnosed with dyslexia in S4, relatively late in life and right before her exams.
She shares how in school she was often told that “she’s not trying hard enough to spell”.
Blythe says that in her experience, there wasn’t really any support for dyslexic Gàidhlig speakers, despite her struggles being seen as ‘her fault’.
Explaining more about her award-nominated FilmG entry, Blythe said: “My film was about my life and my struggles with dyslexia – how it effects my day to day life and my work life, and what strategies I use with Gàidhlig to help overcome some of the difficulties I have.”
Blythe first started learning Gàidhlig as a toddler in playgroup, and from there was educated in the Gàidhlig medium throughout primary school, and continued to study the language all the way until she left school in S5, gaining a Higher qualification in the subject.
Blythe continued: “I think that there could be more of conversation about learning difficulties in the Gàidhlig world, stigma worsens your disability, although I found that speaking Gàidhlig has helped my dyslexia.
“I hope that by being so open about my own struggles, other people will feel comfortable enough to share their experiences too.
“By being so open, it’s helped me become more of an advocate for myself and my own needs – hopefully I can encourage other people to do the same.
“I’m very honoured to be nominated for a FilmG award in my first year taking part... It took lot for me to just be honest and open about my disability, and I’m very glad that people have enjoyed watching my video too.
“I am so excited to get all glammed up for the Gàidhlig Oscars as they call them, and I’m very excited to meet all the other FilmG nominees from this year as well!”
