Date: 20 November 2014
London Metropolitan University has played host to the first ever International Festival of Dyslexic Culture. The Festival, which was internationally the first of its kind, emphasised the importance of ‘positive dyslexia’ and included an academic symposium alongside a celebration of dyslexic culture.
The event gathered wide-spread interest from dyslexic children and their families, University staff and leading internationally-renowned academics in the field.
London Metropolitan University is a leading national centre for dyslexia and offers a range of education courses in teaching and learning difficultyies including the PG Certificate in Teaching Adult Dyslexic / Specific Learning Difficulties Learners in Further & Higher Education and the PG Diploma in Assessing Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia & Dyspraxia) in Further & Higher Education.
Anne Morris, a senior lecturer in Neurodiversity and Educational Development, was a member of the Festival’s organising team. She said the event could help bring about, “a paradigm shift, where dyslexia could be considered a culture, rather than as a disability.”
Anne said: “We are seeing the emergence of a new political movement around dyslexic culture, and the Festival showed the extent to which London Met is at the forefront of dynamic, inclusive learning and innovative ideas.”
Putting students first
London Metropolitan University puts students at the focus of learning, and Anne argues this is important for all students. “Everybody should be enabled to find and build on their strengths and achieve success through a meaningful and multi-sensory approach to learning and teaching,” she said.
The Festival, supported by the University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, was the first of what is hoped will be an annual event.
The Dean of the Faculty, Professor John Gabriel, said the Festival marked “a significant milestone” and that it is “important to sustain this initiative in future years to make sure that London Met provides the best support it possibly can to its students.”
Dyslexia Awareness Week
The Festival coincided with Dyslexia Awareness Week 2014, and called for fundamental changes in the education system, including the switch of focus from listening and watching, to learning by doing.
It called for more focus on how different people learn to help dyslexic learners to overcome their difficulties and build on their real strengths to achieve success.
The Festival took place at London Met's Holloway campus on 8 November 2014.
For more information please contact:
Mr Chris Lane
Academic Leader at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH)
London Metropolitan University
c.lane@londonmet.ac.uk
