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Overview: Dyslexia and the Scottish context

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 provides.

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 Scottish Government and Education Scotland are working with partners to support schools and local authorities to improve the educational experiences, achievements, attainments and outcomes for learners who are dyslexic.

The resources and approaches that support dyslexia, which have been and continue to be developed, also improve inclusive practice, supporting a wider range of learners needs within school communities in Scotland.

How to use this learning and assessment resource to improve practice

Detailed below are a range of free resources which have been developed to support teachers, school communities and local authorities to improve the educational experiences, achievements, attainments and outcomes for learners who may have literacy difficulties or who are dyslexic.

The professional development resources have been created in response to Recommendations 1 and 2 of the 2014 Education Scotland review Making Sense Dyslexia: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland. These resources will support the improvement and development of inclusive practice for all learners and are not only relevant to dyslexia.

It is important that staff are aware of the positive impact on learners with a wide range with additional support needs when practitioners learn how to support dyslexic children and young people.

The resources can be used by individual teachers and also by collegiate or network groups to support professional learning. Engagement with these resources contributes towards the requirement from the General Teaching Council for Scotland for all GTCS registered teachers to engage in and demonstrate professional learning.

Self-evaluation approach

• How do we know that our school and local authority meets the requirements defined by education and equality legislation?
• To what extent do we support and secure improved achievement and attainment for children and young people with dyslexia and with literacy difficulties?
• Do we offer our learners the opportunity to be actively involved in the development of their inclusive school community?
• How successfully are children and young people, teachers and parents/carers provided with appropriate information to support their understanding of effective strategies and support?

Resources to support improvement and professional learning

The following resources are available online:

• Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit – This free resource provides information for teachers, schools and local authorities on inclusive practice, literacy difficulties and dyslexia. It guides practitioners through a child-centred, collaborative process of identification, assessment, support and monitoring. Developed by the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit Working Group, it is closely linked to the Curriculum for Excellence and the Scottish educational context. The Toolkit is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Dyslexia Scotland.
• Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland (2014) - This Education Scotland report is the outcome of an independent review of education for children and young people who have dyslexia which has been carried out on behalf of the Scottish Government. The review covered the experiences of learners in primary, secondary and special schools. It also looked into the provision made by local authorities and at the programmes of initial teacher education currently offered by universities in Scotland. The report includes findings and five recommendations to improve the outcomes of children and young people who have dyslexia. Executive Summary - Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland (2014) is a four page summary of the full report.
• Route Map through Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) for Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice - This professional learning resource is designed to support learning about and understanding of dyslexia and inclusive practice. This resource links to the General Council for Scotland’s Professional Standards.
• Literacy Circles - These reading and writing resources have been developed to help with assessment, support and planning for literacy difficulties. The circles can be used in primary and secondary sectors and may also be beneficial for adults and for children and young people for whom English is not their first language. The full interactive versions of the literacy circles can be found on the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit.
• Introduction to dyslexia and inclusive practice - Free online modules - These modules have been developed in response to recommendations 1 and 2 of the 2014 Education Scotland review Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland (2014).
• PDF file: Dyslexia Scotland – List of Top 10 Resources for Teachers (255 KB).
• Dyslexia Unwrapped - the online hub for young people with dyslexia.
• PDF file: Supporting learners with dyslexia: Numeracy and mathematics (620 KB)
  PDF file: Supporting learners with dyslexia: Numeracy and mathematics (Gaelic version) (638 KB)
  PDF file: Supporting learners with dyslexia: Numeracy and mathematics (accessible version) (611 KB)