Unseen Struggles: What Exams Are Really Like with Dyslexia

On this episode of Fianna Fáil: In Our Own Words, 18 year-old Leaving Cert student Ethan Elwood of St Raphael’s School in Loughrea, County Galway shares his experience of navigating school and exams with dyslexia and ADHD. Speaking candidly about his time in the Junior Cycle, Ethan describes the hidden challenges he faced  when his learning difficulties were undiagnosed. He recounts how he was under constant time pressure in the classroom and often felt like an outsider, wrongly believing that everyone was smarter than him. He sits down with Senator Shane Curley, a former school teacher and Fianna Fáil’s Education spokesperson in the Seanad. Their discussion explores how time constraints in state exams disproportionately affect students with learning differences, often leaving them rushed, frustrated, and unable to show what they truly know. Senator Curley has successfully campaigned for more time for State examinations Ethan’s story highlights why providing additional exam time for students with dyslexia and dyscalculia is not a luxury but a necessity. This conversation offers an honest look at how the education system can support all learners and how small changes - like extra time - can transform a young person’s entire outlook.