A website for teachers, parents, young people and others with an interest in dyslexia was launched earlier this month by Sir Jim Rose as part of his review into how children with dyslexia learn best.
Sir Jim is asking for personal accounts and experiences as well as details of published research to help inform his development of recommendations to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The website will also contain regular updates and information about the review.
The website address is: www.dcsf.gov.uk/jimroseanddyslexia/
Accounts of experience and details of research evidence can be e-mailed to dyslexia.jimrose@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Sir Jim Rose said:
“Many years ago I read an article entitled: ‘Dyslexics of the world untie.’ In those days, the nature of dyslexia was little understood. There were many who believed that dyslexia was not only hard to define but also questioned whether it existed at all. Nowadays we know better. Dyslexia is no joke.
“I am pleased to be asked by Ed Balls to look at the current position on tackling dyslexia and to make recommendations about the identification of this learning difficulty and the teaching needed to overcome it. I am already undertaking a review of the Primary Curriculum, and although I shall also be looking at how children with dyslexia can be most appropriately supported at secondary school, it is often whilst at primary school that children’s difficulties should first be identified and addressed. I will be drawing strongly on the help of expert advisers and we will look at other learning difficulties, such as dyscalculia and dyspraxia, which may overlap in some respects with dyslexia.
‘’I am talking to teachers, children and young people about their experience of tackling dyslexia whilst visiting schools, as well as to representatives of the dyslexia charities. Whilst research evidence is very important I’m eager to hear personal accounts and I would urge parents, teachers, children and young people to have a look at my website and tell me what has worked well, and what has worked less well, to improve the progress made by children with dyslexia.
“I will be visiting schools where there is much to learn from their good practice and the website will provide regular updates on progress. I expect to publish a report, containing my recommendation, by the end of February next year.”
The website address is: www.dcsf.gov.uk/jimroseanddyslexia/
Accounts of experience and details of research evidence can be e-mailed to dyslexia.jimrose@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Editor’s Notes
This press notice relates to ‘England’
1. On 6 May 2008 the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced that he had asked Sir Jim Rose to make recommendations on the identification and teaching of children with dyslexia. To view this press notice, click here www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0078
2. For more details on the work Sir Jim’ Rose is undertaking on dyslexia, please go to www.dcsf.gov.uk/jimroseanddyslexia/
3. Much is already happening to improve outcomes and provision for children and young people with dyslexia. Over £4.9 billion was budgeted by local authorities and schools last year to spend on SEN, up from £2.8 billion in 2001-02.
4. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is also providing funding of around £1m over three years to the No to Failure project to encourage schools’ development of best practice in improving outcomes for children with dyslexia. No to Failure is trailblazing and evaluating the impact of specialist training for teachers and specialist tuition for children with dyslexia in some schools in Southwark, Cornwall and Calderdale. Evaluations of the impact of this project on outcomes for children identified as experiencing learning difficulties, including dyslexia, will be available towards the end of this year, and will be an important source of evidence for Sir Jim Rose to take into account when making his recommendations.
5. An Inclusion Development Programme – designed to increase knowledge and awareness of dyslexia and communication difficulties amongst the schools and early years workforce, and improve learning outcomes for this particular group of children – is being rolled out to all areas by the Department.
6. In addition, DCSF is providing funding to Dyslexia Action for further Partnership for Literacy pilots, and for the British Dyslexia Association to develop their helpline, which provides advice about dyslexia (Telephone 0845 251 9002).
Contact Details
Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Press Notice 2008/0148
