Project summary

Writing and reading are not birth given skills and therefore teaching must be explicit. Dyslexia is a type of learning difficulty that influences one’s ability to read. According to the International Dyslexia Association (2002), dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty, with a neurobiological origin characterized with difficulties that occur in the accurate and fluent recognition of words, which are manifested by spelling problems and problems with the abilities for decoding. Also, dyslexia is the most common learning disability. According to this, teachers all around the world work with students with such problems in their classrooms every day. Having in mind that reading and writing are extremely important for success in and out of school, dyslexic students face the risk of academic failure and a lower reading efficiency and self-correction, as well as a lower self-esteem.

5-10% of all school children have dyslexia. Due to the lack of information and proper training, persons with dyslexia are not recognized by the environment, i.e. by parents, teachers, professors, employers etc. It is not uncommon for teachers to label such students as lazy or immature. Even when recognized, teachers are unable to help them without proper evidence based teaching strategies or methods. It is evident that there is a need for active education and upgrading of professional knowledge of teachers regarding dyslexia. This is the reason why we need to utilize all the available technology and create tools which are accessible to all. Also, in order for the first principle of the European Pillar of social rights to be met, regarding everyone’s right to quality and inclusive education, teachers need to gain the expertize for dealing with dyslexic students and facilitate their schooling so that they would be able to fully participate in the society one day.

DYSCOURSE aims to create contents for an online platform that will be the basis for an app too. Through this app parents, caregivers, pedagogues, special educators as well as other students can monitor the development of reading and subsequently writing of each child. These changes in practice will eminently lead to a change in theory.

Summarizing the objectives of the project, it intends to:

• develop OER for teachers for online training course for teaching students with dyslexia.
• create a mobile app for easy platform access.
• enable access to the platform and app to parents, caregivers and professionals in the area of disability.
• improve the level of key competences and skills in professionals in the disability area.
• foster quality improvements and excellence in innovation and exchange of good practices at the inclusive educational institution level through enhanced transnational cooperation

between education and training providers and other stakeholders.

• promote and strengthen knowledge and acceptance of diversity in society.

Project target group are teachers in inclusive schools. These are the adults that are directly involved in the education of dyslexic children and need most support and dyslexia training. Anyway, the platform would be of use to any adults that get in touch with the child who has dyslexia (parents, special educators etc.) and can provide easy and quick access to methods and strategies from many different countries.

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