I detest reading to the teacher, every time it seems to be the same scenario. We are all in 'reading groups' each with about 5 children and I am at the bottom of the lowest group, which makes me the worst person in the whole class.......
.......Despite trying my hardest, the teacher becomes annoyed and despairs at my apparent lack of concentration, which in turn gives me a sense of uselessness. I know that I read extremely slowly and in fact I even have great difficulty recognising the very few words which I can read. At least today I know what the first word is, so I start reading,
        "No, . . . umm". Yet again I seem to have made the teacher angry, apparently I should have known that the word was 'on'. I do not mean to irritate the teacher. We continue to go through every word in this way. First I try and read the word, then the teacher tells me what the word actually says. Finally after what seems like an eternity of torture we reach the end of the few sentences which I have to read. The teacher normally tells me to go back to the beginning of my few sentences and reread them to the group and today is no exception. So I cast my eyes back to the beginning. I cannot remember any of the words. Every time I look at them they look different because the white and black patterns are forever changing. How does anyone ever remember the infinite number of patterns per word? We go through the whole ugly scene again with me trying to read each word, then the teacher telling me what the word actually says. I find it so frustrating and humiliating and the teacher often remarks that I should have concentrated the first time through the passage. Even after going through the passage a second time I have no idea what these fragmented sentences are about, so how am I supposed to remember the words?
        Even when I am asked to read the passage for a third time I am still unable to read it much better than on my first attempt. My lack of ability seems to make the teacher furious. Often she comments that my silliness affects the whole 'reading group' and prevents them from progressing with their reading. It is a great relief when the teacher asks the next person to start reading because at least while they are reading her attention is deflected from me.
        So I cannot read. Is it really the end of the world? When I am grown up I will become an artist, because artists paint pictures and therefore do not need to read. The Headmistress, who is also our art teacher, says my paintings are very good.......