Dyslexia should not be allowed to limit any child's success First Minister Alex Salmond said today, as the Deans of Scottish Universities involved in Initial Teacher Education agreed a joint action plan to make education more inclusive.
The action plan, agreed at a Dyslexia Summit hosted by the First Minister and Sir Jackie Stewart in the Scottish Parliament, will see:
- Development of A Framework for Inclusion, setting out the skills, abilities and values required for student teachers and teachers to support pupils with additional support needs
- Development of guidance relating to specific issues such as dyslexia
- Development of teaching materials to support teacher training
- A review of post-graduate opportunities available to reflect the ideas agreed in the Framework for Inclusion
- Improved collaboration between universities
Welcoming the universities' commitment First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"Structured and supportive learning is vital to achieving our individual and national ambitions. This government is determined to deliver an education system that gives young people the confidence to grow their ambitions and the skills to achieve them.
"National and international assessments tell us that our schools are largely performing well. However, we know that there are situations where the system does not serve individual pupils well, and we have a duty to work together to do better.
"With more than 20,000 trainee teachers due to pass through Scottish universities in the next five years, we have a golden opportunity to make sure that they have the knowledge and the confidence to support dyslexic pupils and those with other additional support needs.
"I am delighted that today's Dyslexia Summit has helped generate a roadmap to inclusion that will help to ensure that teachers in Scotland are given the tools and the training they need to meet the needs of their pupils.
"You only need to look to inspirational Scots such as Sir Jackie Stewart to see that dyslexia is no barrier to success. Today's action plan will help make sure of it."
Sir Jackie Stewart said:
"As a dyslexic who was not diagnosed at any time through my period of education, I feel very strongly that we have to significantly change the way that young people in particular, with learning difficulties, are given help and assistance.
"Today's action plan is extremely significant. It is a major step towards ensuring that dyslexics enjoy the support they need to get the best out of their education, and that institutions work together to give teachers the skills and resources they need."
Professor Ian Smith, Dean of Education at the University of the West of Scotland, representing Scotland's Teacher Education Universities said:
"Our action plan will provide an important new national framework within which universities can strengthen our commitment to inclusive education, including dyslexia."
Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, the former world champion racing driver, was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 36. He was involved in cars from an early age, and left school by his own admission "with great relief" aged 16 to work in his father's garage.
Other famous people who had dyslexia are Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci.
It is estimated that 10 per cent of Scotland's population are dyslexic to some degree.
Dyslexia is often a 'hidden disability' and affects how people process information.
It is associated with difficulties in reading, writing and spelling and is accompanied by poor working memory, sequencing and organisational difficulties.
Source: SNP Website
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