A Labour MP has claimed dyslexia is a myth invented by education chiefs to cover up poor teaching methods.

Backbencher Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley, describes the condition as a "cruel fiction" that should be consigned to the "dustbin of history". (source BBC News)

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7828121.stm

In response to comments by Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley that 'Dyslexia is a myth invented by education chiefs to cover up poor teaching methods Dr Daryl Brown, Head Teacher of Maple Hayes School in Staffordshire that has pioneered revolutionary methods of teaching literacy to students with dyslexia says:

 "As with any attention grabbing headline, there is an element of truth in what Graham Stringer says. He describes dyslexia as a cruel fiction. It certainly is cruel, but it certainly isn't a fiction.

We agree with Mr Stringer's assertion that a lot of money is spent compensating for a failure to teach these children to read and write, but we disagree with his solution.

Phonics is a good teaching method for many children but certainly not for all. Many dyslexics have such poor phonic skills that any attempt to teach them to read by sounding out words is doomed to failure. Even if they make some progress in reading by  synthetic phonics the chances are there will be little, if any progress in their spelling and writing. 

Mr Stringer says :'to label children as dyslexic because they are confused by poor teaching methods is wicked.' It would be even more wicked to condemn dyslexic teenagers to go back to the 'baby level' sounding out of words just because synthetic phonics is the latest fashion. Don't blame "poor teaching Mr Stringer. Give the teachers the correct tools to deal with the problem and don't restrict them to techniques that don't work for everyone.

What is really needed is early identification of the children who are struggling to learn to read and spell, then to equip teachers with a variety of teaching techniques that target the child's particular difficulty. Don't try to make one size fit all. Otherwise you will be perpetuating the problem, wasting even more money and still condemning some children to an illiterate future.

ENDS