The Moray House School of Education
Research - Themes & Projects

Lead researcher

Gavin Reid (Educational Studies, School of Education) University of Edinburgh

Other researchers

Louise Davidson-Petch, Pamela Deponio

Keywords

Dyslexia; early years; policy; specific learning difficulties

Abstract

This research is based on research commissioned by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED). The research was commissioned to establish the range and extent of policy and provision in the area of SpLD and Dyslexia. It is hoped this will provide a greater understanding of the range of early years intervention strategies targeting children with specific learning difficulties and dyslexia in education authorities across Scotland.

This research is an audit - an initial investigation to report on what is presently in place across the country. The information contained in the report may, in future, form the basis of a national good practice study that would aim to share information and ideas between education authorities.

The aim of the audit therefore is to provide a comprehensive picture of the policies education authorities across the country have in place to address specific learning difficulties/dyslexia in early years settings. Early years in this context refers specifically to the first three years of primary school, although the research also covered the arrangements for the transition into primary school.

The research study aimed to gather information in relation to SpLD/Dyslexia focussing on the following:

• The range and nature of the policies in Education Authority in and how these are disseminated.
• The identification and assessment processes in place, and how that system operates within the authority.
• The range of intervention strategies implemented within the authority and the basis, management and evaluation of these strategies.
• The nature, range and accessibility of support that is accessed within the authority to augment the assessment and intervention strategies.
• The transitional arrangements that are in place to facilitate transfer into primary school.
• The levels of staff training and how training is managed, monitored and evaluated.
• The nature and extent of local innovations currently underway in Education Authorities.
• The extent to which SpLD/Dyslexia is accommodated within strategic plans and areas of priority within the authority.

Essentially this research is a mapping exercise that will catalogue policies and provision, used within the context of the early stages of primary education in each local authority. This report therefore provides a catalogue of this information, but additionally it provides some contextual comments based on our understanding of the field and follow-up extended interviews with a sample of education authority representatives.

Publications

Start /end date

2004, duration - three months

Funder /amount

SEED