Furthermore, only one in 10 teachers say they have a good understanding of the condition.
A new report from the charity Made by Dyslexia is urging schools to #takeadayfordyslexia and take advantage of free online training being offered in partnership with Microsoft.
The training offers “tried and tested” methodologies that work for dyslexic children, but which are also good for all learners.
Dyslexia is a genetic difference in an individual’s ability to learn and process information. As a result, dyslexic individuals have differing abilities, with strengths in creative, problem-solving and communication skills and challenges with spelling, reading and memorising facts.
The report looks at the global picture of dyslexia support in schools. In the UK it finds that 43% of schools fail to understand dyslexic challenges and estimates that 80% of dyslexics are leaving schools undiagnosed.
Kate Griggs, founder of Made By Dyslexia, said: “We’ve known how to support dyslexia for decades, and we’ve known that without support these children enter a spiral of failure, but nothing has been done.
“There, however, is a very simple solution to this big problem; we need to train all teachers to spot, support and empower dyslexic students who are in every classroom, around the world. And we need to do it at speed.”
The free training is offering three courses – dyslexia awareness, dyslexia teaching, and dyslexia and technology.