Dyslexia Awareness Week, which runs from 5 – 11 October, is an annual event aimed at raising awareness amongst pupils about what dyslexia means, what it is and what can be done to support people who have it.
The 2020 theme, Dyslexia Creates, celebrates that artists, entrepreneurs and game changers can be dyslexic but it also recognises the challenges they face: inequality and prejudice.
Mollie King, the TV and radio presenter and singer in The Saturdays, was diagnosed at the age of eight, and was ‘lucky enough’ to be given the support she needed from a young age.
She said, ‘Dyslexia creates many challenges, but it has also had a hugely positive impact on my life. That’s why I’m supporting the British Dyslexia Association in their campaign to increase assessment, diagnosis and support in schools. Without this, so many children are left to face these challenges alone, and 80 percent of pupils leave school without a diagnosis. We can and must do better.’
The charity is focusing on increasing testing and support in schools and is asking the British public to sign a petition.
Between 10 and 15 per cent of people are dyslexic. This means there are between 800,000 and 1.3 million young people in education with dyslexia and 6.6 to 9.9 million people across the UK.
But dyslexia is often misunderstood and can go undiagnosed for many years. Eighty percent of pupils with dyslexia will leave school without a diagnosis and schools are extremely unlikely to fund dyslexia assessments, so for many families, the only option is to pay £500-£700 for a private diagnosis.
Gillian Ashley, chief development officer at British Dyslexia Association told Nursery World that most dyslexia assessors wait for the children to have several years of formalised teaching before assessing.
‘Assessing younger children can be difficult as some of the diagnostic tests are not standardised to under five years and also some of the skills we might assess have not been taught,’ she said. ‘We would essentially be testing skills which have not been learnt by young children.’
She added, ‘Assessors with expertise of young children might incorporate observation and take a qualitative view on some skills and behaviours associated with dyslexia. Most assessors wait for the children to have several years of formalised teaching before assessing.
'This does not diminish any difficulties the child might experience and through observation, schools can put in place appropriate interventions which teach children in a multi-sensory way. We do not want to leave children to fail but encourage a holistic approach of addressing the needs of children.’
Nick Posford, British Dyslexia Association’s CEO said, ‘This week we are shining a light on what dyslexia creates. It can create brilliantly creative minds that look at the world differently, giving us many artists, entrepreneurs and academics. But we know that it also creates a significant amount of challenges.
'80 percent of people with dyslexia leave school without a diagnosis, which is simply unacceptable. For some, the only option is private screening which can be extremely costly. We need the Government to do more.’
Impact of lockdown
The Covid-19 lockdown has created greater inequality in educational support and achievement for children with dyslexia, with teachers expressing their concerns that SEND students will be most impacted on a long-term basis by school closures.
School closures and minimal staff contact time have led to even lower rates of diagnosis, and parents having to try and support their children from home without specialist training and expertise.
A study by the British Dyslexia Association found that 95 percent of parents do not feel they have sufficient skills or knowledge to support their dyslexic child at home.
Activities and resources
During 5 – 11 October, British Dyslexia Association is asking schools to:
• #GoRedForDyslexia to raise awareness – wear a red item of clothing on 8 Oct
• Take 30 mins for pupils and staff to come together to learn about dyslexia and the positive impact dyslexia creates
• Sign the petition to ensure a vital increase in assessment and targeted support in schools
Download the Pack for Schools for more information