There are a few things that can help - (most weaknesses are down to just poor teaching at an early age!0:-

Using black font at least size 14 on yellow paper, going back to basics for words that follow a logical pattern eg dog, dig, dug etc, learning word patterns via flash cards, associating irregular patterns with meanings eg ;over there;, 'their dog, car, house' etc. recording text for learning facts etc. using a keyboard and spell check + copying out those words highlighted. Practice!

sk, East Sussex, East Sussex

Your articule could not have come at a more relevent time.

We are having hugh heart ache with our son. We have sent him to a school in Hampshire (which was out of county, not in catchment and he was not at a feeder school) as we thought that it offered the full support for his needs. He has been put into the bottom set for English where he is bored, fed up and his self esteen is going downhill fast! We pushed for this school rather than our local state school as they said that they would be able to provide support. Oue sons English class seems to have rather more 'less able' children and so the teaching is only to a certain level.
Our son has a verbal IQ of 137 and a full IQ of 125. Why oh why is the state schooling failing him and other like him when all they need is a different approach to teaching. Our sons really feels let down and we too are looking into the private sector and hoping that there may be finance available from the schools, but were are not holding our breat

I, Wiltshire, uk

It sadden me to think children still are not getting an educated as they all should. I know only too well how devastating this can be, School was hell for me and know thats not a strong enough word. I have dyslexia and I am one of the lucky ones I survived, some children never recover from there lack of education.

When younger if ever ask to speak aloud in class just froze.I would stand eyes fitted to the ground, red face, nervous and my mind would just jumble in chaos - I have Dyslexia, other learning disorders and you could say because of Aspergers I'm also intellectually disadvantaged. If only someone had know when I was a child and I did not have to suffer ... but children still do... drop out of school... are ashamed and confused.. I will never forget even as an adult the horrific moments when the spotlight was on me.

The consequences of not reaching ones potential at school follows you around like a dark shadow, imprisoned & alone.
Aspergers Parallel Planet - www.asplanet.info

Alyson Bradley, Cashmere, Christchurch

Dyslexia is about having problems accessing a secondary man made communication system, the visual notion of speech, which in our culture is called the written word.
Dyslexia is diagnosed using educational based tests, but the real causes of these symptoms having problems with reading writing and spelling are of medical origin, such as Visual and / or Auditory Processing Disorders. Which are often described as phonological processing problems.
There are many sensory or motor information processing deficits, which can cause these dyslexic symptoms, some can be co-morbid as part of a disability package. This would indicate the need for One Stop Assessment Centres staffed by multi-disciplined staff who could be able to clinically diagnose each dyslexics real information processing disorders and remove the ability of some parents to manipulate the system

Graeme Wadlow, Hemel Hempstead, England

Interesting, though I would HIGHLY recommend a viewing of a recent Bollywood movie by Aamir Khan "Tare Zameen Par", about a dyslexic boy's hardship in his daily life, suffering alone with the problem. Then, finally being saved and have his talents as an artist celebrated! It should have English Subtiltles, you will definately enjoy it and fill a few tissues too!

Shalini, Middlesex, UK

As the parent of a 16 year old Son who is dyslexic I was very annoyed by the original article in the Times, but somewhat appeased by this article. The state education system let my son down in his primary education. With a measured I.Q. of 130-5 his spelling and reading ages were constantly falling backwards. So at age 11 he was put into private education (at huge cost). The transformation was amazing. He has been assessed by an Educational Psychologist (again paid for) who has recommended that he receive the maximum ammount of 25% extra time in his GCSE's this summer. He is now expected to achieve 1 or 2 grade A's, 7 or 8 grade B's and 2 grade C's which is vastly different from the grades I received 35 years ago in my CSE's - I was simply labelled as 'Thick' (I.Q. 137). The original article belittled both the commitment and sacrifices I have made but more importantly the effort my son has put in to his studies. Dyslexia means we learn differently yet the education system doesn't . .

Robert Wilkinson, Irby, Wirral

I'm a dyslexia tutor and the parent of two dyslexic children and whilst many primary schools are good at identifying children with difficulties and providing extra support it is not always appropriate support.
The situation changes for the worse when the child goes to secondary school with support often withdrawn, if it was ever available, after year 7. As for getting a statement of educational need- it took three years for my son to be assessed despite major behavioural problems. My daughter's assessment was private because it was easier than fighting again.
Is dyslexia a disability? Sometimes but mostly its just a difference

V, Canterbury,

as a child my primary school refused to support me until my parents paid for a private assessment which costs about £300, proving i was a "proper" dyslexic. I was 7 then, and i'm 18 now and thank god my mother was a dyslexia teacher who could spot the signs early otherwise i wouldn't have been picked up and probably wouldn't be where i am now with 10.5 GCSEs and good A levels including English language.
I wouldn't love reading and writing and probably would have ended up with no qualifications and no opportunities. I dont define myself through my dyslexia like some people seem to, dyslexia is just an extra problem to learn how to deal with and cope with.
I'm applying for DSA (Disabled students allowance) for university even though it requires me to say i'm disabled, I'm not disabled I'm dyslexic but thats the label the system wants to give me and i have to accept it if i need to ask for help, and get what i can for the system....

m, london,