This year, Dollar Academy’s Support for Learning Department has teamed up with the Library to create a display of dyslexia-friendly books in support of Dyslexia Awareness Week Scotland. In addition, the school office is offering Ellie’s Blue Dyslexia Ribbon badges for anyone wishing to show their support.
The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Busting Myths’, with the charity aiming to challenge some of the most common misconceptions about one of the country’s most misunderstood learning differences.
A recent survey of 1,740 people revealed that confusion around dyslexia remains widespread. Among the myths still circulating are:
- You grow out of dyslexia
- It’s just about reading and spelling
- It only affects boys
- All people with dyslexia are creative geniuses
- Your GP can diagnose it
- Comic Sans is the perfect dyslexia font
Spoiler alert: those are all myths.
The charity is eager to lay down the key facts: dyslexia is lifelong, affects people of all abilities, and is about how the brain processes language – not eyesight, fonts or “trying harder.” It impacts short-term memory, organisation and processing speed as well as reading and spelling. And while boys and girls can both be dyslexic, girls are often identified two years later, meaning vital support can come too late.
Coloured overlays, meanwhile, may help with visual stress – which often co-occurs with dyslexia – but they don’t “fix” dyslexia itself.
Chief Executive Cathy Magee said:
Scotland can only become truly dyslexia-friendly when people know what dyslexia is – and what it isn’t. These myths are holding us back from being a fully inclusive nation. Dyslexia is not about eyesight or intelligence. It’s a lifelong, language-based difference, and with the right support, people with dyslexia can thrive in education, work and life. That is, as long as we’re identifying children and young people early on and providing the right support to make a difference.
The charity, which works with schools, employers and communities, hopes its new Busting Myths campaign will tackle stigma and misinformation.
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