Dyslexia 'used to stop pupils being called thick'

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Dyslexia 'used to stop pupils being called thick'

 

 

By Alex Berry

Last Updated: 2:13am BST 29/05/2007

 

Middle-class parents are using dyslexia as a fig leaf to avoid their children being labelled as "lazy, thick or stupid", an academic claims.

 

The comments, by Julian Elliott, an educational psychologist, re-ignited the row over whether the disorder exists as a medical condition at all.

 

It comes as there are increasing levels of funding to support dyslexic students and train teachers to check children for the condition and help them cope with it.

 

Some argue that dyslexia has become an expensive myth. But their opponents dismiss such claims as being based on a lack of knowledge of the subject.

 

Prof Elliott, who is based at Durham University, told The Times: "After years of working with parents I have seen how they don't want their child to be considered lazy, thick or stupid. If they get called this medically-diagnosed term, dyslexic, then it is a signal to all that it's not to do with intelligence."

 

The professor said the symptoms of dyslexia - like clumsiness and letter reversal - are similar to those seen in people who simply cannot read.

 

Prof Elliott, who teaches at Durham's School of Education, worked in mainstream and special education before practising as an educational psychologist.

 

In 2005 he was a contributor to the controversial Channel 4 documentary The Dyslexia Myth which cast doubts on the disorder.

 

Prof Elliott described the condition as an "emotional construct" and not a "scientific function", suggesting that there was no consensus about how to define or treat it. He also condemned what he called the "dyslexia industry" for creating a spurious link between the condition and recommended treatments.

 

The producer of the programme, David Mills, has since complained that 18 months after it was broadcast, even more money was being spent on special help for dyslexic students, with cash payments of up to £9,580 each for laptops, extra books and photocopying, as well as extra time in exams, costing the taxpayer an estimated £50 million.

 

The film provoked fury among dyslexia campaigners who have argued the condition affects up to 10 per cent of the population and is commonly unrecognised in schools.

 

John Rack, head of research and development with Dyslexia Action, the charity, said: "There is ample evidence that dyslexia exists across the spectrum and the argument that there is no consistent means of identifying it is one cited by people who don't know enough about the subject."

 

The charity says it is a "specific learning difficulty", mainly affecting reading and spelling. It says two million Britons are severely affected.

 

Famous dyslexia sufferers include John Lennon, Keira Knightley, the actress, and Jerry Hall, the model, who has revealed that all four of her children with Sir Mick Jagger also have the condition.

 

I know a teacher who would agree with this. (He also dismisses ADHD as "lazy parenting")

[peasepud 59]

I would argue that dyslexia does exist however I do agree that a lot of people now are using it to cover for simply being poor readers or writers.

 

I know of people who are blatently crap at spelling who suddenly state they are dyslexic. These people are bringing down those that are actually dyslexic and causing the condition to be devalued.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

As with alot of these things it usually a mixture. Some genuinely have the problem, others are just thick or lazy, but i bet there are plenty who are using it as an excuse.

 

The ADHD one is one where people are often full of shit. Get any kid who acts themselves up and is a pain in the arse and the parents instead of taking responsibility and actually doing their job properly just blame it on ADHD and cop out completely.

 

Again there will be genuine cases of ADHD but there are so many when it'll just be down to shite parenting!

Edited May 29, 2007 by Papa Lazaru