Dyslexia Awareness Week is an annual event during which people aim to spread awareness and help others develop their understanding of dyslexia. This week is the perfect time for teachers and carers to reflect on how best to support dyslexic people, too.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that changes the way the brain processes written language. Dyslexic people can have difficulties recognising, spelling and decoding words. It is not linked to intelligence, but a genetic neurological condition. Around 10-20% of people in the UK are believed to have some degree of dyslexia.
Dyslexia isn’t just about delayed reading development, it can also cause:
- Frequent mispronunciation of words.
- Crawling and walking later than peers.
- Difficulty with hand-eye coordination.
- Short concentration span.
- A delay in the ability to sequence and order things.
- Difficulty remembering lefts and rights.
- A higher risk of autoimmune conditions like hay fever and allergies.
What month does Dyslexia Awareness Week take place?
Dyslexia Awareness Week takes place in October, usually within the first week. In 2025, the event will take place between 6th – 12th October.
What is the theme for Dyslexia Awareness Week 2025?
Every year, there’s a different theme for Dyslexia Awareness Week, and in 2024, the theme was What’s Your Story? Everyone is different and everyone’s experience of dyslexia is different too. This theme encourages people to tell their story and maybe even change their story for the better. The theme for Dyslexia Awareness Week 2025 is ‘Raise the Volume’ This year’s theme will focus on the voices of young people with dyslexia – their stories, challenges, and successes. By “raising the volume,” we want to make sure their experiences are heard loud and clear in schools, families, workplaces, and beyond.
Why do we observe Dyslexia Awareness Week?
Dyslexia can often be overlooked in children and adults, meaning they don’t get the support they need. By spreading awareness, teachers, parents, and carers will know available to spot it and help them get a diagnosis. With a diagnosis, there is more opportunity for people with dyslexia to get the help and support they need.
Unfortunately, there is still a stigma surrounding dyslexia, though this is thankfully improving due to events like Dyslexia Awareness Week. As dyslexia can impact how people process information, particularly when reading, people often assume that dyslexia affects their intelligence, though this is not the case. For this reason, children with dyslexia can develop low self-esteem, and Dyslexia Awareness Week grants us the chance to uplift them and help them boost their confidence. By celebrating it in your school, not only are you making children feel valued and welcome, but you can stamp out any misconceptions surrounding dyslexia.
Here are some activity ideas for Dyslexia Awareness Week 2025:
- Have a fundraising event.
- Have an assembly about dyslexia.
- Learn more about dyslexia.
How can I support my child with dyslexia?
As well as showing awareness and a thorough understanding of what dyslexia is, it’s important to understand how to help those who might face challenges with it. This is not only the case for Dyslexia Awareness Week or the month of October, but the whole year round, too!
One fun way that parents can help children with dyslexia is by reading books to them. This will help them enjoy books and stories without having to read themselves. As well as fostering an interest in telling stories, you’ll also be familiarising them with imaginative vocabulary and helping them get a stronger, more confident grasp of spoken language. And, it’s an opportunity to spend more quality time with your child!