Charity launches bold new drive to bust myths - from Comic Sans to coloured overlays
Dyslexia Scotland has unveiled a new national campaign to tackle the myths still fooling Scots about one of the country’s most misunderstood learning differences.
The campaign comes hot on the heels of a survey of 1,740 people, which revealed widespread confusion.
Among the misconceptions and myths still doing the rounds are that you grow out of dyslexia; it’s just about reading and spelling; it only affects boys; all people with dyslexia are creative geniuses; our GP can diagnose it and Comic Sans is the perfect dyslexia font.
The charity is eager to lay down the key facts: dyslexia is lifelong, affects people of all abilities, and is about how the brain processes language - not eyesight, fonts or ‘trying harder.’
It impacts short-term memory, organisation and processing speed as well as reading and spelling. And while boys and girls can both be dyslexic, girls are often identified two years later, meaning vital support can come too late.
Coloured overlays, meanwhile, may help with visual stress - which often co-occurs with dyslexia - but they don’t ‘fix’ dyslexia itself.
Chief executive Cathy Magee said: “Scotland can only become truly dyslexia-friendly when people know what dyslexia is - and what it isn’t. These myths are holding us back from being a fully inclusive nation. Dyslexia is not about eyesight or intelligence. It’s a lifelong, language-based difference, and with the right support, people with dyslexia can thrive in education, work and life. That is, as long as we’re identifying children and young people early on and providing the right support to make a difference.”
The charity, which works with schools, employers and communities, hopes its new Busting Myths campaign will tackle stigma and misinformation.
Campaign resources include a lesson plan for educators and a guide to responsible reporting for journalists and media professionals.
For more information visit: dyslexiascotland.org.uk/dyslexia-awareness-week
