Dyslexia in Higher Education: an abuse of the system?

Abstract

Summary Following on from a previous article which examined concerns regarding the growing demand for public examination concessions on the basis of specific learning difficulties, this article further argues against the much used one‐off psychometric assessment procedure. The appropriateness is queried of a process which does not take into account such other factors as anxiety and emotional disturbance, inappropriate teaching, parental pressure, and socio‐cultural opportunity, all of which can produce a very similar pattern of failure. The nature of specific learning difficulties is also examined, plus a comment on differing assessment techniques. It was concluded that the ‘specific’ needs to be put back into an assessment of ‘specific learning difficulty’. So‐called dyslexia should be identified as the student's major special educational need and not merely as part of a more general learning problem. To do otherwise leaves the system open to abuse, and the long‐term interests of the students concerned w...