Six-year-old Antoni, born in the UK to Polish parents, speaks only a few English words in class and often looks confused when the teacher gives instructions. He could simply be adjusting to English – or the problem could be developmental language disorder (DLD), a condition that severely impairs a child’s ability to learn, use and understand spoken language.

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We’re often told that dyslexia is a ‘gift’ or a ‘superpower,’ but for many adults, the day-to-day reality feels more like carrying a backpack full of bricks.

After making the same mistake twice in relatively quick succession at my former workplace, a manager said to me “are you lazy, or are you stupid?”. The mistake itself was small. I had sent a quote in pounds instead of dollars. But it happened twice, and what my manager saw as carelessness, was actually my dyslexia.

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Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) sponsors HF60 that, as amended, would mandate a two-hour dyslexia training for teachers holding Tier 1-4 licenses when renewing licenses. It was laid over for possible omnibus bill inclusion.

The bill would mandate the Department of Education to review dyslexia trainings and post at least three on its website that teachers could complete for free to meet the new requirement.

Sarah Bernhardt, a school psychologist with Groves Learning Organization, wrote in support of the bill. “When dyslexia is not recognized by educators, the cost to students extends well beyond reading performance. The effects are often emotional, behavioral, and cumulative. Children with dyslexia may experience anxiety, embarrassment, frustration, and a growing sense of failure when their struggles are misunderstood.”

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A new report, Selective Inclusion, from the Sutton Trust highlights the growing link between special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and socio-economic disadvantage in school admissions and highlights the scale of change needed if the Government is to deliver its vision for more children with SEND to be educated in mainstream schools.

The research shows that the highest-attaining schools admit just half as many disadvantaged pupils with SEND as the average comprehensive, and 35% fewer than live in their own catchment areas. Yet pupils with SEND who are not eligible for free school meals are not under-represented, underlining the role that disadvantage plays in who gets access to opportunity.

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See their website HERE