Perceptions of dyslexia held by students with dyslexia and their teachers within a secondary school

This research conducted within a rural, 11-16 all ability secondary school, in the East Midlands, explores how dyslexia is perceived by students with dyslexia and their teachers. An interpretative study it takes the epistemological stance of social constructivism, drawing together salient concepts from literature to synthesise a Conceptual Framework which is used to formulate research questions, inform methodology and act as an analytical tool. Perception is integral to learning; teachers’ perceptions impacting upon pedagogy, interaction and curricular opportunities, whilst students’ perceptions affect motivation and academic achievement. Dyslexia is a complex condition, a disability, presenting in different forms with varying degrees of severity, creating definitional and diagnostic difficulties, misconceptions and debate. Two dominant models of disability exist; a social model and a medical model. The former suggests society disables, whereas the latter views deficits as intrinsic to the individual. Data gathered through group interviews with students with diagnoses of dyslexia, semi-structured interviews with teachers and policy documents identifies perception as a complex dialectic of biological, psychological and cultural factors. SEND policy whilst formulated within an inclusive social model promotes a medical model of disability; language perpetuating the notion of the deficient student and affirming socio-historic connections between literacy and intelligence. Teachers perceive dyslexia through a medical model impacting upon pedagogy; intervention remediating difficulties. Intervention however, comprehended as barrier removal; a social model. Diagnosis is significant to student perception. Pre-diagnosis socio-historic links between literacy and intelligence were palpable. Diagnosis explains difficulties; literacy no longer a measure of intelligence, the label overcoming the stigma poor literacy skills engender. Providing a student voice the research, has implications for policy and practice, inviting practitioners and policy-makers to consider barriers to learning and examine practice.