At the heart of the values and beliefs of any school is its culture, which defines its real beliefs and drives what really happens. Culture has been described as “guiding beliefs and values, a social indoctrination of unwritten rules learnt to fit into a particular group, the way we do things around here, software for the mind, the default mode of behaviour and so on.” 1School Culture Recharged: Strategies to Energize Your Staff and Culture by Steve Gruenert & Todd Whitaker, 2017
School culture can, of course, be a positive influence, but often, and especially when considering inclusion, it can be more of a ball and chain! No matter how inclusive and dyslexia-friendly a school’s published values and strategy are, within its cultural core there are always assumptions that are held without challenge, and some of these can be the opposite of inclusive.
“When I went to see the SENCO because I was worried my son might have dyslexia and is falling behind, she told me all classes are dyslexia-friendly and they meet his needs through dyslexia friendly strategies. But I don’t know what those strategies are, and I feel fobbed off. As far as I can tell they have done nothing extra for him and he isn’t making progress.”
– Primrose, parent of 8 year old with suspected dyslexia.
Primrose’s son’s school was aware of dyslexia friendly strategies and had no doubt adopted some in classrooms and whole school practice. However, Primrose’s comments reveal a school culture of poor communication with parents regarding strategies and dyslexia, and a lack of commitment to early identification and intervention. The strategies may have been dyslexia-friendly, but the culture was not.
The cultural iceberg model created by Edward T Hall can be a useful analogy, as illustrated below. The real beliefs which drive culture lurk deep down in the water and often are not visible; these can be deep seated, unconscious, rarely, if ever, challenged, and difficult to change. Yet, in order to achieve truly inclusive culture for dyslexia and all types of neurodiversity, this type of change may be necessary.
Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast
Often in schools, the more resistant stake-holders have more influence than those who are open to change. This is why it’s so important for all your practice relating to dyslexia and inclusion to be on the leadership agenda.
“What’s hindered me in my work has been a school who had various new headteachers who just did not understand what we were doing. We were so often distracted by things like lunch duty or teaching a foreign language or going out on the hockey pitch.”
– Laura, specialist learning support teacher
How can deep-seated culture be changed?
1. Walk the walk
Developing inclusive school culture does not happen accidentally. Talking the talk is fine, but it also requires walking the walk. I regularly hear from individuals that no matter how much they implement individual strategies to support and enable, the whole education culture still promotes unhelpful messages. For example, parents of dyslexics who have acquired great knowledge and skills by the time they sit their G.C.S.Es, but whose memory is still weak. The exam system relies so completely on memory that these learners feel penalised. Or, individual teachers who use alternative methods of recording to enable their struggling writers are frustrated with the insistence from school curriculum leaders that proof of learning and assessment must all be done through reading and writing.
“There is an underlying belief among some teachers, TAs and even children that it is not “proper” learning unless it is demonstrated in handwritten work. This belief makes life difficult for many children and is pretty outdated.”2The Inclusive Classroom, Sobel & Alston, p.98
When I hear that from schools or from the child about unwillingness to use a laptop, voice recorder, table top aid, or pastel coloured paper, for fear of feeling “different” or “singled out”, I question the culture of that school. In a truly inclusive school, all ways of working would be actively promoted and encouraged.
2. Consider everyone
Collective efficacy is a term used to describe change which makes all staff and everyone in the school feel part of the change, rather than just the recipient. Involve and consider the needs of your staff, parents, governors and community stakeholders, as well as your students. Ensure values and policy is shared with everyone. If teaching assistants are responsible for delivering all intervention to your children with SpLD, and yet they do not benefit from CPD or formal appraisal, what does that say about the real importance of these children’s learning in your school?
3. Use a variety of sources
Identifying and removing barriers involves collecting, collating and evaluating information from a wide variety of sources in order to plan for improvements in policy and practice. This means looking beyond achievement and learning, and collecting stories from, for example, your lunchtime supervisors, your school visitors, peripatetic music teachers, sports coaches and governors.
4. Celebrate!
There is so much to celebrate about children with dyslexia, but from the very start of schooling they learn how to fail. Why is this? It’s culture.
“I’d like to understand why I find everything harder than everyone else.”
– Teegan, age 14
It’s a myth that all dyslexics have the same strengths, and it would be a disservice to your learners to assume this. However, there are many commonalities, for example creativity, imagination, communication skills, seeing how things work, empathy. There are many incredible role models in famous (and not famous) people with dyslexia. Celebrating these can be helpful! Dyslexia occurs across the ability range, and it’s important to know that not all your dyslexics will be the next Richard Branson, but by definition, where there is a specific learning difficulty, there is always a relative strength!
“I think because the school has done such a great job of making everyone equal and really sort of debunking the myths around dyslexia, meaning that you’re stupid or that you’re behind. It’s the fact that you process information differently. I think that kind of distinction is really positive. The school’s been so positive. It’s helped that in school they had a specific assembly where they talked about famous faces who were dyslexic.”
– Lisa Barclay
5. Mind your language
“Ableist language” refers to words, phrases, or expressions that discriminate against, or marginalize people with disabilities. It is often sublte, and some types of ableist language can be harder to detect by those who do not have a disability, and this is particularly pertinent in relation to dyslexia, which can be more “hidden” than some disabilities and difficulties.
“If you can’t listen properly, you’ll have to stay in at break and do it then.”
This communicates to children with working memory difficulties that they will lose their needed break because of something they can’t control.
“Well done to all those who have finished all their work. You have worked really hard!”
Children with slow processing speed hear that they are not working as hard as those who can work more quickly.
Why not take a walk round your school, or playground, and imagine you have specific learning difficulties. Listen out for subtle ableist language and consider its impact.
6. Remember you are preparing for the future
It’s alarmingly easy for schools to forget that our ultimate goal is preparing children for the future. This is a future which embraces a wide range of skills, abilities and intelligences, and it’s tragic that our underfunded schools are not as able to reflect the changing world as much as they would like. School culture needs to be challenged by this changing world, where spelling is increasingly unimportant, and technology, creativity and different thinking skills are taking centre stage. There is a lot that children with dyslexia can teach us!
7. Evaluate perpetually
Inclusion is a process. As such, it is an unending quest to find better ways of responding to diversity. I see a large number of schools who promote dyslexia friendly practice and seek to change culture. However, I see fewer schools who are dedicated to constantly reviewing their practice to evaluate what’s working and what needs changing. The world is changing quickly, and there’s a need to re-assess constantly. It’s worth dedicating regular time to gather information and ask questions in order to evaluate your inclusive practice. Here are some examples;
- As staff come and go, is there still a common understanding of inclusive practice and equity as a guiding principle?
- What has changed in recent years? This could be with your school staff, pupils, or external factors such a policy and curriculum. How dies this impact your inclusive practice?
- What data are you gathering? Is this reflective of learning preferences? Is the emphasis on written skills? Are you listening to pupil voice and consulting with community stake-holders?
- Are teachers actively encouraged to innovate and try things out?
- Do teachers and support staff have opportunities to observe and learn from each other and share good practice?
- Are you learning from your local community?
- Do you share resources and ideas with local schools?
- Do you actively listen to your pupils?
