ATL COMMENT ON GOVERNMENT REVIEW INTO TEACHING OF DYSLEXIC CHILDREN

6 May 2008

Nansi Ellis, head of education policy at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:

“We are pleased the Government plans to provide more funding to help children who have special needs including dyslexia.  And we look forward to a thorough review of research on dyslexia and proper evaluation of the trials to help children with learning difficulties.

“Children who have difficulty learning to read are likely to struggle with many other areas of the curriculum, and too often are turned off learning and school altogether.

“However, we caution against assuming that all problems with learning to read are, or should be, classed as dyslexia.  Children can have reading problems for a huge variety of reasons and should be offered extra support whatever the causes of their problems.”