Better communication about dyslexia support needed.

Better communication about dyslexia support needed.

There is luckily already a lot known about dyslexia and what support students can get at school. However, parents do not always know what to expect from the school. The path to a good diagnosis and then to proper support is unclear for many parents. This comes from the signals we receive from parents. Also read what you can do yourself.

What Do Parents Struggle With?

From the questions we receive at our information point, it shows that parents mainly want to know what they can and should expect from the school. The questions vary a lot: from the first suspicion of dyslexia to support for the final exam. Most questions are about the support given, the policy of schools, and the use of aids. Parents often do not know where to find information or who to go to for help. Communication and coordination between schools and parents could be better, as shown by parents’ stories.

Big Consequences

The effects of no or too little support are large. Children with dyslexia stop enjoying school, become insecure and scared of failure, repeat grades more often, drop out, stay at home, and fail exams. This often happens because there is too little help with their learning problem and a long wait before testing or arranging support.

Do Research On Time

As soon as both parents and the school suspect dyslexia, it is good to do a test right away. Tests give extra information about the needed support and the student’s learning abilities. This helps to make a good action plan. Start with the family doctor so a good diagnosis can be made. Often, the municipality has budget for dyslexia tests.

What Can You Do?

As a parent, it can be hard to get a good footing at school. We advise you to:

• Look at the information in the school guide, the school support profile, and any dyslexia protocol. Can’t find them? Ask the internal support coordinator or the care coordinator.
• Make clear agreements with the school and write them down.
• Try to keep talking with the school. At the end of a support meeting, plan a follow-up. The care coordinator and the mentor/teacher are your first contacts. Don’t send an email for every question, but try to have contact every two weeks. Maybe you can call at set times to update each other. Talk about solutions and suggest them.
• If the school’s support is not enough, contact the Partnership Tailored Education.
• If you have problems, you can call or email our information point.

What Can You Do As A School Participation Council Member?

As a school participation council member, you join in talking about the policy on support for students. You also join in talking about communication with parents. We suggest:

• Make sure the school guide clearly says where parents can find information on support. Use clear language. Name dyslexia, giftedness, and ADHD, for example. In a digital school guide, you can even add links to important documents. This way, parents can easily find all information and read it calmly.
• Check the policy: the school support profile and any dyslexia protocol. Is the policy clear? Can parents find help easily? Is the Partnership Tailored Education named with contact details? Is it clear what support is possible for tests or final exams? Is a contact person at school named for parents to reach?
• Discuss with the school if digital support tools are tested before exams, so children are not disadvantaged by tools that do not work.