What if they just don't know?

A couple of weeks ago I met with the advisor to the Education Minister in QLD, initially to discuss my concerns about the lack of action and specific learning opportunities that are available to students with dyslexia and the lack of support and information for the families and teachers involved. It was a positive discussion that lead to an invitation to visit the "Reading Centre" in Brisbane. This is a government funded body that was established to "support school leaders, teachers and parents to inspire, encourage and teach young Queenslanders to read”. This is exactly what I have also been doing for the last 12 years, because this support was not available. 

I was very excited at the prospect of this meeting, that we may now be moving in the right direction and that there would be professionals who would be providing reading instruction using research and evidence based methodologies that are suitable for dyslexic learners. Finally!

The meeting included the Education Minister's advisor, several administrators, and staff from the Reading Centre who were generous with their time and sharing information about what the centre provides and how it is run. I was still fairly encouraged until I began to ask questions about what kind of methodologies they used for reading instruction and who was the specialist in the field, perhaps someone with Orton Gillingham knowledge or training? The blank looks and agitation said it all. There were many references to the curriculum, the new volunteers who would be reading with children and parents reading to their children at home. 

I left feeling more distressed and concerned than I had felt previously! While it is alarming to think that millions of dollars have been poured into this project over the last three years and there is no sign of anyone with MSL training of any description, I cannot believe that there has not been some regulation of the success and improvement of reading standards, particularly those who are failing!

I had hoped that the Reading Centre would be delivering an alternative, more intensive, evidence based approach as an option when students are failing at school. The evidence of this was not apparent. I know first hand that both parents and teachers are eagerly seeking alternatives.

Then it dawned on me... what if they just don't know! 

Many teachers ask me "why isn't this knowledge in our training?". That, I cannot answer, but I do know that there is so much information readily available in the rest of the world.

I recently launched the Introduction to Dyslexia and Literacy online course for this very reason! PLEASE pass on the knowledge!

If you know about what dyslexia is and why some children need a different approach to reading instruction then PLEASE tell others. There are thousands and thousands of children and their families who will benefit from this knowledge. If you know, but they don't, we encourage you to refer them to the online course and the Learnersaurus website. If every teacher in Australia did this 4 hour course, we would see change very quickly. 

With the lack of progress and improvement I have witnessed over the last decade, the visit to the Reading Centre provided very little reassurance that Education Queensland is providing the appropriate support or has the knowledge to understand what is required to support dyslexic learners. Parents and teachers should not have to wait until the so called "experts" catch up to what is currently recognised as good practise in reading instruction and appropriate interventions for struggling or dyslexic learners.

I will continue to campaign and highlight this growing concern about poor literacy standards in general and the lack of support for dyslexic learners that continues to escalate within all school systems in Australia, but we need your help! 

We urgently need more coaches in NSW, ACT, WA, VIC , TAS, NT and SA. Please get on board to help us to help others. Teachers can share the knowledge with parents, and parents with teachers.

For every 100 people who learn about dyslexia, and share their knowledge, that multiplies quickly to make a groundswell of knowledge that can ask for the right support and make some big changes for our learners!

Read more info about our courses and the Learnersaurus program.