Analysing conflicting approaches to dyslexia on a European project: moving to a more strategic, participatory, strength-based and integrated approach

This paper draws from our experiences of an EU Life Long Learning Programme Project: GATE Understanding Dyslexia Phenomena Between Pre-Primary And Primary (2009–2011) to discuss different conceptual positions concerning dyslexia. It compares medical notions of dyslexia with perspectives from childhood and disability studies to question the ways in which we encourage children, parents and professionals to understand dyslexia in educational settings. In so doing, it highlights a contrast between medical literature, social model perspectives and practical approaches among the contrasting work contexts of the partners of the GATE project. The paper indicates that the GATE partners found there was a lack of clarity concerning theory and policy on dyslexia across their countries. The paper compares different practices concerning dyslexia in Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Scotland and concludes there is a need to balance out impairment-specific approaches with those that are based on more political notions of inclusion, community and relationship-building.