Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a neurological difference and can have a significant impact during education, in the workplace and in everyday life. As each person is unique, so is everyone's experience of dyslexia. It can range from mild to severe, and it can co-occur with other learning differences. It usually runs in families and is a life-long condition.


Dyslexia is a learning difference which primarily affects reading and writing skills. However, it does not only affect these skills. Dyslexia is actually about information processing. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact other areas such as organisational skills.


Each person with dyslexia will experience the condition in a way that is unique to them and as such, each will have their own set of abilities and difficulties. It is important to remember that there are positives to thinking differently. Many dyslexic people show strengths in areas such as reasoning and in visual and creative fields.

Signs of dyslexia (Secondary school age)

Dyslexia is a combination of abilities as well as difficulties. It is the disparity between them that is often the give-away clue. A dyslexic learner, despite certain areas of difficulty, may be orally very able and knowledgeable, creative, artistic, or sporting. Alongside these abilities will be a cluster of difficulties - these will be different for every person. Click on the image below to see some indicators which can help you to identify a young person who may be dyslexic:

How we investigate whether a pupil has dyslexia at Alva Academy

  • A concern or query may be brought to the attention of the ASN Department from one or more of the following; pupil, parent/guardian, teachers.


  • Following an initial consultation by an ASN teacher with staff, teachers of the pupil, parent/guardian and pupil a decision will be reached on whether to proceed with an investigation.


  • The ASN team will always seek permission before starting an investigatory process. Once permission, is given we will seek evidence from various sources including: Pupil and jotter evidence, Parent/Guardian evidence, Teacher feedback and/or concerns


  • We will also conduct various standardised assessments with the pupil.


  • Once we have gathered all the available contextual evidence and analysed the results from the assessments, the ASN Department will meet to discuss the findings at our weekly screening meetings.


  • Once a decision has been reached the teacher involved in the investigation will contact parent/ guardian and pupil to relay the findings of the investigation and to discuss the support (if any) that is needed to be put in place to support the pupil’s learning.


  • After these discussions have concluded, if required the ASN Department will update pupil profiles, highlight any updated Additional Assessment Arrangements to the pupil’s teachers and update the pupil blurb on SEEMIS to highlight to teachers the challenges the pupil may face.