Educational practice and dyslexia

The concept of dyslexia is relevant not only to education but to several areas of psychological research and practice. In cognitive psychology it has for many years been shorthand for marked difficulties with the alphabetic script. In neuropsychology a distinction has been made between acquired and developmental dyslexia: the former examines adult patients who have lost their ability to read and write because of known neurological damage, the latter refers to learning difficulties starting in childhood when there is no known relevant damage. From the angle of social psychology, we may consider the effects of public understandings and policies if there are perceived links between reading ability, privilege and intelligence that have their roots in educational and social history. As practitioners, whether clinical, occupational, counselling or educational psychologists, we will meet individuals who are struggling with print and who may have other difficulties associated with that struggle.

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