Angela M. Thompson, Clare Wood, Ian K. Thompson, Julia M. Carroll
In this study, we present an analysis of interviews with parents and teachers in order to understand the lived experience of families and teachers trying to support children with written language difficulties. Within these accounts, the value of a dyslexia diagnosis is examined in practice. Nineteen parents and 20 educators were interviewed, including four parents who completed additional interviews 4 years after their original accounts. Our analysis indicated that dyslexia is rendered largely invisible in our sample of English schools, with staff frequently reluctant to fully acknowledge it. The analysis suggests mechanisms that appear to underpin successful support or harm to students. An important feature was the role and recognition of diagnosis in increasing the visibility of children's needs. Without recognition and understanding, support was inconsistent and ineffectual.
{"title":"Seeing, Being Seen and Being Able to See Dyslexia in English Schools: Parent and Teacher Perspectives","authors":"Angela M. Thompson, Clare Wood, Ian K. Thompson, Julia M. Carroll","doi":"10.1002/dys.70003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.70003","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this study, we present an analysis of interviews with parents and teachers in order to understand the lived experience of families and teachers trying to support children with written language difficulties. Within these accounts, the value of a dyslexia diagnosis is examined in practice. Nineteen parents and 20 educators were interviewed, including four parents who completed additional interviews 4 years after their original accounts. Our analysis indicated that dyslexia is rendered largely invisible in our sample of English schools, with staff frequently reluctant to fully acknowledge it. The analysis suggests mechanisms that appear to underpin successful support or harm to students. An important feature was the role and recognition of diagnosis in increasing the visibility of children's needs. Without recognition and understanding, support was inconsistent and ineffectual.</p>","PeriodicalId":47222,"journal":{"name":"Dyslexia","volume":"31 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/dys.70003","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catherine Manning, Beverley Jennings, Keren MacLennan, Raveen Rayat, Keith Spiller, Holly Joseph
Targeting research towards areas that matter to dyslexic people and their families is essential for improving dyslexic people's lives. However, we do not know what the dyslexia community's research priorities are and whether they align with current research funding. We categorised previous funding for dyslexia research in the United Kingdom and considered how this aligns with community research priorities, using multiple methods and a participatory approach. We identified that the vast majority (78%) of funding has been spent on research into biology, brain and cognition. Through seven focus groups (n = 37), dyslexic adults and/or family members/carers of dyslexic children expressed that this balance needs redressing, and we identified four important areas for future research, informed by lived experiences. Finally, 436 members of the dyslexia community ranked the importance of research topics in a survey. The top five priorities related to training teachers and professionals, educational supports and interventions, mental health and self-esteem, making services and spaces more inclusive and cognition. Research into genes and risk factors was less prioritised. These results provide a point of reference for researchers and funders to align future research funding with the dyslexia community's priorities so that it can be of translational benefit.
{"title":"What Are the Research Priorities for the Dyslexia Community in the United Kingdom and How Do They Align With Previous Research Funding?","authors":"Catherine Manning, Beverley Jennings, Keren MacLennan, Raveen Rayat, Keith Spiller, Holly Joseph","doi":"10.1002/dys.70004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.70004","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Targeting research towards areas that matter to dyslexic people and their families is essential for improving dyslexic people's lives. However, we do not know what the dyslexia community's research priorities are and whether they align with current research funding. We categorised previous funding for dyslexia research in the United Kingdom and considered how this aligns with community research priorities, using multiple methods and a participatory approach. We identified that the vast majority (78%) of funding has been spent on research into biology, brain and cognition. Through seven focus groups (<i>n</i> = 37), dyslexic adults and/or family members/carers of dyslexic children expressed that this balance needs redressing, and we identified four important areas for future research, informed by lived experiences. Finally, 436 members of the dyslexia community ranked the importance of research topics in a survey. The top five priorities related to <i>training teachers and professionals</i>, <i>educational supports and interventions</i>, <i>mental health and self-esteem</i>, <i>making services and spaces more inclusive</i> and <i>cognition</i>. Research into genes and risk factors was less prioritised. These results provide a point of reference for researchers and funders to align future research funding with the dyslexia community's priorities so that it can be of translational benefit.</p>","PeriodicalId":47222,"journal":{"name":"Dyslexia","volume":"31 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/dys.70004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143638718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dyslexia is one of the most common language-based learning disabilities. Teaching a second language (L2) to dyslexic students is still a contested issue among educators. Teachers' knowledge and beliefs about dyslexia play an important role in the successful inclusion of these students in L2 classrooms. The current study investigated the knowledge and beliefs of Turkish second language teachers (SLTs) about dyslexia. Data were collected from 150 participants using the Knowledge and Beliefs About Developmental Dyslexia Scale (KBDDS). The findings revealed that Turkish SLTs possess a moderate level of knowledge about dyslexia, with notable strengths in understanding the need for individualised instruction and rejecting common myths, such as the belief that dyslexia is linked to laziness or low intelligence. However, several misconceptions persist, including the belief that dyslexia primarily results from visual processing issues. Female teachers and those with less than 11 years of teaching experience demonstrated significantly higher levels of knowledge. The study highlights the need for targeted professional development that builds on teachers' existing strengths while addressing areas of misunderstanding. Further research is recommended to explore the impact of teacher knowledge on dyslexic students' learning outcomes in L2 classrooms.
{"title":"Second Language Teachers' Knowledge and Beliefs About Dyslexia: Turkish Context","authors":"H. Gülru Yüksel, Emrah Özcan","doi":"10.1002/dys.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.70005","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Dyslexia is one of the most common language-based learning disabilities. Teaching a second language (L2) to dyslexic students is still a contested issue among educators. Teachers' knowledge and beliefs about dyslexia play an important role in the successful inclusion of these students in L2 classrooms. The current study investigated the knowledge and beliefs of Turkish second language teachers (SLTs) about dyslexia. Data were collected from 150 participants using the Knowledge and Beliefs About Developmental Dyslexia Scale (KBDDS). The findings revealed that Turkish SLTs possess a moderate level of knowledge about dyslexia, with notable strengths in understanding the need for individualised instruction and rejecting common myths, such as the belief that dyslexia is linked to laziness or low intelligence. However, several misconceptions persist, including the belief that dyslexia primarily results from visual processing issues. Female teachers and those with less than 11 years of teaching experience demonstrated significantly higher levels of knowledge. The study highlights the need for targeted professional development that builds on teachers' existing strengths while addressing areas of misunderstanding. Further research is recommended to explore the impact of teacher knowledge on dyslexic students' learning outcomes in L2 classrooms.</p>","PeriodicalId":47222,"journal":{"name":"Dyslexia","volume":"31 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/dys.70005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143632669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}