Dyslexia Awareness Week runs from November 3 to November 9 2014 and is an annual event that aims at not just raising awareness, but also showcasing the amazing achievements that people with dyslexia have made. This year’s theme is “Dyslexia Matters…” and will cover everything from creating a dyslexia friendly environment, supporting and encouraging those with dyslexia, and the ongoing campaign to include dyslexia awareness in initial teacher training. (This information was taken from the British Dyslexia Association website.)
Facts about Dyslexia
- 10% of the British population are dyslexic.
- Dyslexia is identified as a disability under the Equality Act 2010.
- Dyslexia is not an obvious difficulty, it is hidden, as a result is can be difficult for sufferers to get the help and support they need.
Dyslexia is a learning difference – this means that children who have dyslexia learn in different ways to other children. It can mean that those with dyslexia may find some aspects of learning more difficult, but they also may find some areas of learning easier.
Here are some of the areas that children with dyslexia may struggle with. Your child may not struggle in all these areas – each child is different:
- Reading
- Writing
- Maths
- Telling the time
- Hearing certain sounds
- Spelling
- Handwriting
- Speech and language
- Remembering instructions
- Organisation
- Processing information quickly
Information and support for parents and children/young people
The British Dyslexia Association has dedicated part of their website to provide information about dyslexia and related issues (i.e. education, books, choosing a school, etc.).
They have also produced two guides:
Understanding Dyslexia: a Guide for Families,7-11yrs
Understanding Dyslexia: a Guide for Parents, Carers and Young People, secondary years
