Nul points today to Labour MP Graham Stringer, who has declared that dyslexia is a myth designed to cover up poor teaching methods. I'm sure that will be a *huge* comfort to all those kids out there who suffer from it, and struggle to make sense of their reading and writing. Of *course* they could pull themselves together and get over it if their teachers worked harder, couldn't they? Right.
These sort of medieval attitudes help no one. I taught adult basic English (ie literacy) for only one term before I realised I wasn't best suited to helping those people who need it most. Several of the class members were dyslexics, some of whom had slipped through the net at their schools and therefore never learned to read and write. Watching them applying themselves week in, week out, with little or no real progress, and watching the sheer warmth and patience of the teachers, gave me a whole new insight into this difficult condition and one I won't forget in a hurry.
Perhaps Mr Stringer should visit one or two Adult Literacy Classes and see for himself the dedication that goes on there before making any more foot-in-mouth pontifications.
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