Assessing dyslexia and providing appropriate support are symbiotic processes. The following headings will guide you through the process of identifying literacy difficulties, providing support and then establishing if the difficulties are likely to be due to dyslexia. Considering the following areas can be helpful when establishing the needs of learners and dyslexia.  Information applicable to Curriculum for Excellence levels are within each area.

Unidentified, dyslexia can lead to low self-esteem and behavioural problems. It is important therefore to ensure the child is appropriately supported throughout the process of identification and assessment.

Download Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy - Experiences and Outcomes here.

Read more:

Starting the process 

What to look for

Other Factors to Consider

Making Sense Report
 

The 2014 Education Scotland report 'Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland' was the outcome of an independent review of education for children and young people who have dyslexia, carried out on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The report identified 5 interconnecting recommendations for local authorities and schools including better sharing of information on young people with dyslexia among relevant professionals, and the need to take action to improve education outcomes for young people with dyslexia. A Ministerial response was published in June 2014 setting out Ministers’ intentions regarding each of the recommendations and the Making Sense Working Group was established to support the implementation of the recommendations through partnership working.

Recommendations

1. Teachers, support staff, learners and parents should have access to up-to-date practical advice and guidance on dyslexia.
    
2. Teachers, support staff and local authority staff should have access to a wide range of high quality career-long professional learning opportunities at school, at a local and national level related to meeting the needs of children and young people with dyslexia.
    
3. Initial teacher education and postgraduate awards and courses should give a high priority to developing knowledge and skills in relation to dyslexia and additional support needs.
    
4. Schools, local authorities and national partners should take action to improve the quality of educational outcomes for children and young people with dyslexia.
    
5. The availability and use of reliable information on children and young people’s needs, development and achievement should be improved.

The Making Sense report recommendations combine and support the:

• Increased use of the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit
• Revised GTC Scotland Standards
• Amended Additional Support for Learning Act.

The Making Sense Programme Final Report and Progress

The Making Sense Final Report was launched by the Deputy First Minister Mr John Swinney on the 30th January 2020. The report outlines the positive progress made in supporting the implementation of the five recommendations. An Executive Summary is also available. A range of resources set within the Scottish context have been produced to support ongoing improvement in the identification and support of learners with dyslexia.  

Mr Swinney said:

"We want all children and young people with dyslexia to reach their full potential. That means all teachers must know how to understand the barriers dyslexia can cause for learning and what support is available."

Supporting the implementation of the five interlinking recommendations and additional achievements within the programme was made possible through the positive collaborative partnerships within the Making Sense Working Group and with all the contributing stakeholders. 

Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice

The Making Sense report highlighted that we have increasingly inclusive schools in Scotland and the positive outcomes which can be achieved through a whole-school approach which focuses on dyslexia friendly and inclusive practices. There is a need to ensure that we are making sense of education for every child and young person with additional support needs, including dyslexia, wherever they are educated in Scotland.

Dyslexia Friendly Practice is an important element of Inclusive Practice which represents approaches to learning and teaching which are child centred and which also support inclusive practice for all learners. 

The Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice: Professional Learning Resource has been developed to support all five recommendations from the Making Sense report. There is a particular focus on Recommendation 4 and in particular 4.4. which explores developing a dyslexia friendly school award. Stakeholder engagement identified that the most effective model to support schools and local authorities to improve the educational experience for their learners was to focus on dyslexia and inclusive practice and not a national accreditation scheme. There was consensus that the pedagogy and approaches which support dyslexic learners are in fact ‘good learning and teaching’ and are supported by the existing self-evaluation framework.

The resource focuses on eight key areas highlighted by stakeholders which would support improvements in the outcomes for all learners including learners with dyslexia. This is supported through effective, inclusive practice. The selection of these areas is also supported by a range of evidence from inspection, research and project work carried out by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. Further information on this resource is available in the Inclusive Education page of the Toolkit. 

Our school education system, and the policies and legislation which support it, is designed to be inclusive and one which is based on the needs of a child or young person.

Education authorities are required to support and identify the additional support needs of each child or young person for whose school education they are responsible. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (ASfL Act) and amendments made in 2009 provide the legal framework for assessment. However, no particular model of assessment or support is prescribed in "the Act".  The 2017 Code of Practice is the accompanying statutory guidance for the ASfL Act and has been developed to help schools, parents and others to understand the  Act and support its implementation.

Select 'here' to download a copy of the 2017 Code of Practice and 'here' to access the document on the Scottish Government website. 

Supporting learners through personalised learning is a key focus of Curriculum for Excellence, ensuring learning, teaching and assessment is planned with the learner at the centre and that support is targeted to individual needs.  This approach is supported by the ‘Getting it right for every child' approach, a key Scottish Government policy for all professionals working to support children, young people and their families. 

Teachers will be supporting children and young people with a range of additional support needs and many difficulties overlap with other areas of need, referred to as co-occurrence.  Teachers should work in partnership with parents and other professionals, including the full range of allied health professionals, to ensure that children's needs are appropriately identified and met. 

Responsibility for all – Curriculum for Excellence 

Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing are the responsibilities of every teacher. All staff have a responsibility to develop, reinforce and extend learning in the following areas: 

• Health & Wellbeing - some aspects of the health and wellbeing framework are the responsibility of all adults, working together to support the learning and development of children and young people 
• Literacy - all practitioners are in a position to make important contributions to developing and reinforcing young people’s literacy skills
• Numeracy - numeracy across learning provides essential analytic, problem solving and decision making skills across the curriculum. The numeracy across learning experiences and outcomes are a subset of those found in the mathematics curriculum area. 

Select 'here' for further information on the Experiences and outcomes ​​(often called Es+Os) for Responsibility of all: Health and wellbeing, literacy, numeracy across learning. 

Why focus on dyslexia to develop inclusive practice for all learners?

A frequently asked question throughout the Making Sense Programme has been:

‘Why is the focus on dyslexia and not another additional support need?'

This is because the pedagogy and approaches which can effectively support dyslexic learners are more applicable to support inclusion. Due to the broad range of characteristics experienced by dyslexic learners, which overlap with many characteristics of other neuro-developmental differences and additional support needs, this approach is beneficial and supportive to a wide range of learners.

Scotland's needs-led system places the learner at the centre and the provision of support is not dependent upon a formal label or identification of need. The assessment, support and monitoring of dyslexia should, for most children and young people, be a staged process and is called the Staged level of intervention  

Staged level of intervention

All children and young people need support to help them learn and develop. The needs of the child or young person should always be central to the identification, planning and provision of support. Support should be appropriate, proportionate and timely.

All local authorities have a staged intervention and assessment process in place which enables practitioners to assess and meet learners’ needs, including dyslexia. Staged intervention:

• Helps identify, assess, plan, record and review the learning needs of children and young people. It aims to meet a child’s needs at the earliest opportunity and with the least intrusive level of intervention.
• Involves the child, parents and carers, school staff and, at some levels, other professionals, all working in partnership to get it right for every child.

Staged intervention is designed to be flexible and allows for movement between stages, depending on the support required by the learner. There are variations between local authorities regarding the number of stages within their process - the diagram below highlights 3 stages.

Children and young people with dyslexia or other literacy difficulties will generally be accommodated within the first two stages. However if there are co-occurring complex difficulties that involve services other than education services, then there may be a need to follow through to the second and perhaps third stage. Teachers should check with their own authority and ensure they keep within their own authority guidelines. Further information on educational planning can be found on the Planning and Monitoring page of this Toolkit.  

This website is for all who work with pre-school and school-age children and young people in a professional educational setting, and seeks to reassure that dyslexia is not a mystical or mythical problem that only specialist highly trained individuals can deal with. Everyone has the skills and abilities to recognise early signs of dyslexia in children at all stages, and take appropriate action in response to support children and young people.

A key aim of the toolkit is to highlight to all class teachers that they are in the best position to identify early indicators of dyslexia and other literacy difficulties. The toolkit:

• Provides up to date information on dyslexia for teachers and local authorities set within the context of Scottish education. 

• Offers an identification pathway built on Curriculum for Excellence and which supports GIRFEC for all teachers to follow, enabling them to ensure that appropriate collaborative assessment and support are in place for learners with literacy difficulties such as dyslexia when they need it.

• Offers guidance on the collaborative process of assessing literacy difficulties, which may be dyslexia.

• Provides details of relevant approaches and strategies, using free sources wherever possible.

Click here to download the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit flier.

Background to the Toolkit

The toolkit has been produced by a specialist working group with the support of the Scottish Government. The toolkit is funded by the Scottish Government and is managed by Dyslexia Scotland.  

The first version of this toolkit, the groundbreaking online ‘Assessing Dyslexia’ toolkit, was officially launched on 1st June 2010 by Dyslexia Scotland’s President, Sir Jackie Stewart and Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.

In 2012 the toolkit was renamed the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit and launched at the Scottish Learning Festival in 2012 by Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages.

In March 2017 the Toolkit website was redeveloped to ease navigation experience for school and local authority staff.

Toolkit Presentation 

Click here for the Toolkit presentation - an introduction to the refreshed Toolkit. 

Click here for the Toolkit presentation notes.

To communicate with the Toolkit Team or to send suggestions, case studies and materials, please email: toolkit@dyslexiascotland.org.uk

Professional learning is informed and supported by professional standards and education policy.

Professional learning must focus on the education professional as a learner and how this is related to and impacts upon the learning of all children, young people and adults.

The educator’s professional learning should be informed by the learner’s experience, voice and needs. In turn, the professional learning of the educator should impact positively upon the experiences of learners. 

Professional learning should take account of and reflect the unique circumstances of the learning community. Given the prevalence of dyslexia, learning communities will include dyslexic learners and therefore establishments and practitioners will need to develop an awareness of dyslexia and knowledge of appropriate inclusive approaches for dyslexic learners and their families. 

Professional Development for Dyslexia 

The 2014 Education Scotland Review "Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland" highlighted 5 recommendations which support the report's interlinking aims to improve the outcomes for children and young people who have dyslexia.

• Improve the outcomes for dyslexic learners
• Provide high quality professional development for teachers
• Support effective and equitable post school transition

Recommendations 1 and 2 focus on high quality professional learning.

1. Teachers, support staff, learners and parents should have access to up-to-date practical advice and guidance on dyslexia.

2. Teachers, support staff and local authority staff should have access to a wide range of high quality career-long professional learning opportunities at school, local and national level related to meeting the needs of children and young people with dyslexia.

Professional Development / Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) can take many forms.

The Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit can itself be used as a resource for:

• Professional Learning
• General Teaching Council Scotland (GTC) Professional Update and Professional Recognition
• Initial Teacher Education
• Advanced study in dyslexia

Within this section of the Toolkit there are a number of free resources to support practitioners with their professional development in Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice.

A presentation which provides an introduction to the Toolkit is available to download in the About the Toolkit section 

Overview
 

Transition can be a difficult, nervous and exciting time for any pupil. However for children and young people with additional support needs it can be a particularly stressful time for them and their family. However, the process can be eased with appropriate understanding, partnership work, support and planning.

Nursery, Primary and secondary schools need to work within time scales and collaboratively to put in place strategies which will help pupils who are dyslexic to cope with this new stage of their educational career. This requirement is supported by educational law for children and you people whose dyslexia is considered to be ‘significant’ or if they are otherwise at risk of not making a successful transition.   

It important to understand that transitions occur each day, through the year and not only at the commonly highlighted stages such as P7 – S1 or S4/5/6 to post school. This section provides some guidance to support the various stages of transition which school communities are involved in to ensure that they are child centred positive experiences which support learners with dyslexia.

Assessing, Supporting and Identifying Dyslexia

Assessing dyslexia and providing appropriate support are symbiotic processes. Assessment and support are linked and planning should reflect this.

The assessment of dyslexia for learners in Scottish schools:

• Is a dynamic process rather than an end-product. The information provided in the assessment should support the learner’s next steps for learning.
• Should be a holistic and collaborative process which takes place over a period of time.
• Should include consultation and actively involve teachers/school staff, management, parents, pupils and other agencies when there are concerns about pupil progress.
• Should include the gathering of information from varied sources in order to identify the needs of a learner and to suggest appropriate interventions, support and planning.
• Should support learners to become successful learners and confident individuals

This approach reflects Scottish legislation and policy and is core to the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit's Dyslexia Identification Pathway.  The pathway has been developed to provide guidance to schools and local authorities with a view to:

• establishing a common pathway for children and young people
• achieving consistency of approach across Scotland.

Select here to download the Dyslexia Identification Pathway. 

A single standardised assessment or a screener on its own is not considered to be an appropriate process to identify dyslexia. While the information can be helpful it must be recognised that it reflects a snapshot in time and that it cannot provide the in-depth analysis and quality of a learner centred holistic assessment which involves school staff, partners, the family and importantly the learner themselves.  Assessment acknowledges that children and young people develop as a result of an interaction between themselves and their environment.

Click here for some useful forms and templates which can support the process. 

Information in the Supporting learners and Families section on Initial steps and  Starting the process will also help the identification of dyslexia. 

The short animation below provides an overview of the pathway which may be helpful to share with the learner and families.

Who is responsible for identifying dyslexia? 

Everyone has the skills and abilities to recognise early signs of dyslexia in children at all stages, and take appropriate action in response.  Pupil support begins with the class teacher, but this does not mean that class teachers are responsible for the formal identification of dyslexia. It means that they play an important role in the initial stages and the continuing monitoring and assessment of learning – as they do for all their pupils. Further information on professional roles is available here within the Toolkit. 

It is the responsibility of all who work with children to respond appropriately to their needs. Recognising early signs of difficulties and adapting learning and teaching approaches are a regular part of the daily routine for teachers supporting all children in an education environment. For those learners who may have additional learning needs such as those arising from dyslexia, it is important that these needs are met in the best possible way by accurate and timely identification – please refer to the information in the Supporting Learners section. 

Schools are well placed to provide a range of assessment information which when combined together can provide a full picture of the learners’ strengths and areas of difficulties which has been gathered through a range of situations and experiences. The collation of evidence and information for a dyslexia identification  

An identification of dyslexia does not necessarily mean that a learner’s needs have been identified and addressed. Using the principles of Assessment is for Learning information (AifL), appropriate assessment:

Independent or private assessments

From time to time, however, parents may have their child assessed by an independent psychologist. This assessment will take account of the child’s history and the ‘one-off test’ described above is only one part of that assessment.

The Additional Support for Learning Act - Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended - is very clear that education authorities must take account of independent assessments unless they have a good reason for not doing so. The Supporting Children's Learning Code of Practice states the following:

“The education authority must also take account of any relevant advice and information provided to them by parents on behalf of their child, or the young person. For example, if the parents have privately commissioned an assessment or report on the child or young person, or the young person has commissioned the report, then the authority must take that report or advice into consideration if asked to do so. Also, the authority must seek and take account of the views of parents and, where appropriate, of children and young people themselves. Further information is provided in chapter 7 which considers working with children and families.”

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions by teachers and parents about assessment.

Identification Pathway - Overview 

Though the Toolkit refers to 'Steps', no attempt has been made to match these to the stages of the Getting it right for every child approach and the staged levels of intervention which are set out elsewhere on this website. Most children with dyslexia will continue to be accommodated through Universal Support which in many local authorities may be called to as Stage 1 level of intervention. 

Wondering if your child requires additional support can understandably be a worrying and anxious experience for any parent or carer.  When a concern is raised by a family, learner or member of staff it is extremely important that this is followed through transparently, sensitively and effectively.  Developing supportive relationships between home and school is very important.  

Learners with dyslexia will benefit from early identification, appropriate intervention and targeted, effective support at the right time.

Dyslexia can impact on parents, families and carers who may become distressed when they feel that their child is not receiving the support they need. In both children and adults, when dyslexia is unidentified or unsupported the negative impact can be high. Children and young people often lose motivation and become frustrated through the stress of trying to learn, not understanding what dyslexia is and feeling that they are ‘different’ to others because they find difficulty in doing what to others appear to be simple tasks. It is very important to share with families and the learner that being dyslexic can also bring positive skills. Below are some common strengths which can be experienced by individuals with dyslexia:

• Can be very creative and enjoy practical tasks
• Strong visual thinking skills e.g. seeing and thinking in 3D, visualising a structure from plans
• Good verbal skills and good social interaction
• Good at problem solving, thinking outside the box, seeing the whole picture.

It is essential that information is shared with parents and carers so they can understand the holistic process of identification and support of dyslexia within Curriculum for Excellence. Further information on this is available in the Assessment and Monitoring section of the Toolkit . This includes information on when families choose to have an Independent or Private Assessments for the identification of dyslexia. 

Dyslexia Scotland's YouTube Channel has a range of films which are helpful in supporting families, learners and professionals to understand dyslexia and help children with dyslexia at home. Two are featured below - 'Dyslexia is Awesome and Rubbish' and one from the 'At home with Dyslexia Scotland' YouTube playlist.

Supporting Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Dyslexia impacts on parents, families and carers who become distressed that their dependents cannot get the support they need. In both children and adults, when dyslexia is unidentified or unsupported the negative impact can be high – children often lose motivation and become frustrated through the stress of trying to learn, not understanding what dyslexia is and knowing that there are ‘different’ to others because they find difficulty in doing what to others are simple tasks. This can lead to acute behavioural problems both at school and at home including bullying and anti-social behavior, as well as overall severe low self-esteem and frustration for children and adults not reaching their potential.

The impact on adults whose dyslexia is not identified and supported can be under achievement in further education and employment. The negative effects of dyslexia on self-esteem and confidence can lead to high stress levels, damage to personal relationships, day to day difficulties, depression and mental health problems. There is an established link between offenders and dyslexia. It is estimated that over 60% of prisoners have literacy difficulties, mainly dyslexia.

People with dyslexia will benefit from early identification, appropriate intervention and targeted, effective support at the right time.

Supporting children and young people understand themselves as individual and that understand their dyslexia is not a reflection of their cognitive ability. If they are able to develop and maximise their strengths this can help with the areas where they experience difficulties.

Dyslexia Unwrapped is a very helpful website developed by and for dyslexic children and young people.

Hello! | Dyslexia Unwrapped by Dyslexia Scotland

Effective Communication

Effective communication, respect and partnership working are key requirements between schools and families. They are essential in establishing and maintaining positive relationships, supporting appropriate and effective identification, planning and monitoring of literacy difficulties and dyslexia.

The first sign that a child/young person is experiencing difficulties with literacy or showing indications of dyslexia may arise from school staff, parents/carers or the young person.  The ongoing process of identifying and supporting the needs of the learners should be clearly and effectively  communicated to everyone involved. It is important that:

• Learners, parents, carers feel that they are being listened to and their views are valued.

• Parents and carers are informed of all the support their child receives. This will reduce perceptions that no supports are in place as they are often discreet and the learner may not be fully aware of the additional support they are receiving.

• Parents and carers are provided with information on what assessment and support means within the ‘needs led’ Scottish educational context - the ‘label’ of dyslexia is not in itself required in order for resources or support to be made available for learners. Equally, the label of dyslexia can be very valuable to the learner and their family in terms of the learner’s sense of self and understanding from others.

• Local authority staged levels of intervention are followed and information on the process is made available to the parents and carers.

• Sources of advice and support are shared: for example Enquire and Dyslexia Scotland.

• Effective consultation takes place with parents and the young person, and if the young person is old enough to understand what is happening, participation in meetings.

Good Practice for Parental Engagement

This short film shows the importance of effective communication between parents and schools.

Some schools and local authorities have established parental engagement/working groups to support and improve the development of effective partnership working to:

• Improve the educational experiences, achievements and outcomes for learners with dyslexia
   
• Share experiences from different perspectives e.g. parents, learners, staff
   
• Improve school communities’ understanding of dyslexia and inclusive practice.  

The Education Endowment Foundation published guidance, based on an overview of existing research, in December 2018 to help schools considering how to support parents in improving children's learning.  Click to download 'Working with parents to improve children's learning'.

Scottish Education
 

Scotland’s education system is an inclusive one and is designed to make sure that every child and young person is entitled to support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which Curriculum for Excellence can provide.

As we consider the educational provision for learners with dyslexia in Scotland, it is important to acknowledge and consider the national agenda, legislative and guidance context within which local authorities, teachers and other educators work. The graphic below provides you with an overview of the Scottish education and equality context.

Select here to download a graphic which provides further details on the Scottish education legislative and policy framework.  

Scotland has a wide range of legislation to support inclusion and equality in education.

These promote a child centred approach to encourage every child to reach their ‘fullest potential’. Our legislation ensures rights and entitlements for children and young people to education, support and wellbeing. There is a range of legislation and educational policies which place duties and expectations on schools and local authorities to ensure that they:

• Deliver an inclusive education
• Support learners to achieve to the best of their ability
• Do not discriminate against those with protected characteristics
• Provide assessments when requested 

Children’s rights and entitlements are fundamental to Scotland’s approach to inclusive education. It is supported by the legislative framework and key policy drivers including, Curriculum for Excellence, the Getting it right for every child approach and the Framework for Professional Standards for Teachers. These are underpinned by a set of values aligned to social justice and commitment to inclusive education.

Select here to download an overview of Scottish legislation and guidance

Curriculum for Excellence
 

Curriculum for Excellence is the framework for Scottish education. It is designed to achieve a transformation in education in Scotland by providing a coherent, more flexible and enriched curriculum from 3 to 18.

Curriculum for Excellence is intended to help children and young people gain the knowledge, skills and attributes needed for life in the 21st century, including skills for learning, life and work.

Its purpose is often summed up as helping children and young people to become:

• Successful learners
• Confident individuals
• Responsible citizens
• Effective contributors.

These are referred to as the four capacities.

What is the curriculum and what does it include?

The term curriculum is understood to mean everything that is planned for children and young people throughout their education, not just what happens in the classroom.

Curriculum for Excellence includes four contexts for learning:

• Curriculum areas and subjects
• Interdisciplinary learning
• Ethos and life of the school
• Opportunities for personal achievement.
   

Curriculum for Excellence Levels and stages

The curriculum has two stages: the broad general education (from the early years to the end of S3) and the senior phase (S4 to S6).

The broad general education has five levels (early, first, second, third and fourth). The senior phase is designed to build on the experiences and outcomes of the broad general education, and to allow young people to take qualifications and courses that suit their abilities and interests.

The path most children and young people are expected to follow through the levels reflects the stages of maturation of children and young people and the changing ways in which they engage with learning as they develop.

Some children and young people will start learning at these levels earlier and others later, depending upon individual needs and aptitudes. The framework is however designed to be flexible in order to permit careful planning for those with additional support needs, including those who, for example, have a learning difficulty and those who are particularly high attaining.

Click on the following link for more information about the levels.

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/12/3546/336271

What definition is used for dyslexia 

The advice and guidance for the identification, assessment and support of dyslexia within the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit is linked directly to the Scottish Working Definition of Dyslexia.

The definition has been developed by the Scottish Government, Dyslexia Scotland, the Cross Party Group on Dyslexia in the Scottish Parliament and a wide range of stakeholders. This is one of many definitions available and is recommended as helpful guidance by Education Scotland.

The aim of this particular working definition is to provide a description of the range of indicators and characteristics of dyslexia as helpful guidance for educational practitioners, children, parents/carers and others.

Below is a visual representation of the difficulties associated with dyslexia. How they impact on individuals will vary.

At all stages, dyslexia is on a continuum varying from mild to severe, with a range of strengths and difficulties which are affected by the nature of the activity undertaken, the learning environment and any coping strategies and support in place. As a result, every individual with dyslexia will differ in how they are affected and in the level of severity experienced. There is however a common set of signs that can be observed. As a starting point, see Dyslexia Scotland's leaflet, 'Information for teachers'.

Receiving appropriate additional support is not dependent upon the formal identification of a specific label such as dyslexia. However, this should not mean that schools and local authorities are not supportive of formally identifying additional support needs such as dyslexia. Indeed the information gathered during the identification process is valued and forms part of the ongoing monitoring of the child or young person’s progress and support.

Select the section below to access a range of short films which may help teachers to understand what it feels like to be dyslexic and to explain this to pupils, parents and colleagues