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The Routledge Companion to Dyslexia. Edited by Gavin Reid. Published by Routledge Oxford 2009.
In this influential book, Neil Mackay contributes a chapter on dyslexia as a learning preference and looks at how dyslexia aware best practice can improve whole school outcomes. Routledge is a major publisher in the dyslexia field, and Dr Gavin Reid is also a highly respected writer in this area.
Below is a brief extract from Neil Mackay’s chapter. |
Chapter 15: Dyslexia in the Secondary School – improving whole school achievement through dyslexia-aware best practice
This chapter:
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Acknowledges the need for a paradigm shift in perceptions of dyslexia among teachers
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Suggests it is not beneficial to view dyslexia as a disability
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Argues for the distinction between achievement and attainment to be made clear
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Looks at whole school perspectives on developing achievement for learners with dyslexia
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Discusses the need for personal learning choices for dyslexic learners.
The creation of a dyslexia-aware secondary school initially depends on a common understanding among all staff of what dyslexia is and how it manifests as a learning and teaching issue. A key issue is to arrive at a description of dyslexia that resonates with classroom practitioners. Presenting dyslexia as a specific learning difficulty is not helpful – in secondary schools this often leads to it being seen as a problem which is the responsibility of someone with “special training”.
Consequently during whole school training the writer always refers to dyslexia as a specific learning difference. Subject specialists have related well to this, especially when challenged to identify students who have “unexpected difficulties” in reading and recording aspects of the subject in comparison to ability appropriate understanding of themes and concepts.
Now, as teachers strive to adopt new techniques such as personalised learning and assessment for learning, a new description – dyslexia as a learning preference – is beginning to have a significant impact internationally.
The case for this paradigm shift is seductive and compelling; if dyslexia is a learning preference it means that there is nothing intrinsically “wrong” with the student as implied through terms such as specific learning difficulty or even disability. Instead student learning needs are defined by preferred ways to access, process and present knowledge, skills and concepts.
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