01 NRDC Dyslexia 1-88 update - Texthelp

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Research Report
which strategies do make a difference to learners’ progress and achievement.
‘Developmental Dyslexia in Adults: a research review’ also finds that there are many reasons
why people find it difficult to learn to read and write and suggests that we should find out
much more about why different groups of people find reading and writing, language and
number difficult to learn, for a range of different reasons. It seems likely that we are not
looking at a simple straightforward divide between people with dyslexia and people whose
education has been unfulfilling and unrewarding, whether because of lack of support at
school or home, poverty or other external factors. This is why we have placed phrases such
as‘ordinary poor readers’, which are used commonly in the scientific literature in speech
marks: this review questions such a divide. The reasons adults have difficulty with literacy
and numeracy are multiple and complex and we should begin to explore them thoroughly so
that we can help people to overcome them, and achieve.
At NRDC we would very much like to work with partner organisations in the field of dyslexia
and related areas to discuss the findings of this review and to look at priorities for further
research and development so that we can better match the needs and difficulties learners
have with teaching strategies which will enable them to achieve. Please contact us if you
would like to work with us.
Ursula Howard
Director, NRDC