Curia's Dyslexia Commission Report launch

Today we attended Curia's Dyslexia Commission Report launch event. The report is the result of four inquiry sessions that took place throughout 2022, which the British Dyslexia Association was pleased to support.

You can read the report here

The launch event featured contributions from:

• Former Chair of the Education Select Committee, Neil Carmichael
• Dr Helen Ross, Vice-Chair of Board of Trustees, British Dyslexia Association
• Michelle Catterson, Chair of Board of Trustees, British Dyslexia Association
• Julia Clouter, Head of Education Scanning Pens and Succeed with Dyslexia Ambassador
• David Williams, Director of Inclusion, Park Academies Trust
• Andy Salmon, CEO and Director, Sir Linkalot
• Matthew Poole, Director of Grants and Investments, Youth Futures

The report draws attention to the inadequacies of current systems in place and provides practical recommendations to bring about systemic change both in education and workplace settings so that neurodiverse individuals can access the support they need in all life stages.

The panel discussed a range of points from the report which included:

• The importance of continuing to increase awareness of dyslexia and neurodiversity. Growing societal understanding of dyslexia develops normalisation and reduces stigma of neurodivergence in schools and workplaces and throughout all areas of society.

• The importance of Early Intervention and Diagnosis. The absence of a diagnosis as a child can have a detrimental affect on their pathway through childhood and adulthood, not only in the opportunities that they are provided with from an academic or vocational perspective but also the toll it can take on self-esteem, confidence and general mental health.

• The vital role that teacher training has to play was a key theme in the discussion and throughout the report. Providing teachers with the training and strategies required to support children with SEN as a standard practice. The use of simple, inclusive techniques and practices to build dyslexia-friendly classrooms throughout the UK would deliver a huge impact.

• Empowering teachers with the support they need to integrate Assistive Technology (AT) within the classroom setting. Building familiarisation with AT through a toolbox approach to teaching and learning that allows children to become comfortable with how tech can assist their own individual learning style and sets them on a path where tech is integrated throughout their development into adulthood.

These are just a few points that were discussed.

It was concluded that areas of delivery require further investigation and a thorough understanding of resourcing requirements is key to proper implementation of any recommendations.

It is clear that this evidence-based report is a starting point and there is a great deal of work to do.

The British Dyslexia Association will continue to challenge policy makers to take responsibility for addressing the issues that it raises and ensure that the voices of individuals with dyslexia and co-occurring differences are heard and represented.