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Statistics concerning priority groups of potential
learners
The following statistics and comments all relate to CLAN’s prioritised groups
of learners and demonstrate the likelihood that a significant number of CLAN learners
will be adults with undiagnosed SpLDs.
“Dyslexia Affects 10% of the adult population, and 4% severely. This figure
is far higher amongst those lacking in basic skills…” (6) The Freedom
to Learn report, welcomed by the government, is critical of the quality of basic
skills literacy provison to adults with SpLDs perceiving it to be uneven and inadequate.
The report goes on to say:
“very few basic skills courses are appropriate for dyslexic learners. Basic
skills managers and tutors lack knowledge about dyslexia… Current forms of
accreditation in basic skills are generally inappropriate for dyslexic learners
and sometimes act as an additional barrier… Recently produced, high-quality
learning materials which include voice activated software, reading machines and
CD ROM, are not readily available.”
Another report by Lesley Pidgeon on young people not in education or training
in Milton Keynes says:
“It is thought there may be as many as 217,000+ young people (16-18) in Britain
who are unemployed and not in education or training (NEET).“
Lesley Pidgeon’s research in Milton Keynes reported that 35% of her sample
had diagnosed SpLDs (50% had no qualifications) (7)
In 1998 the TES reported
“Half of London’s prison population is dyslexic, according to research
by the London Offenders Study, which discovered 52% of a random sample of 150
prisoners were Dyslexic. The research was carried out by the Dyspel project, and
in a conference announcing the findings delegates were told that re-offending
rates can be cut by 25% by tackling Dyslexia problems among prisoners.
‘In many cases there is a strong connection between dyslexia, school failure
and crime. Giving educational support to dyslexic offenders increases their chances
of leading a law abiding life,’ said a NACRO representative.” (8)
References:
(6) Section 2/52 Report, Freedom to Learn www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/freedomtolearn/rep08.htm
(7) Pidgeon, L, Unfulfilled Educational Aspirations www.getting-on.co.uk/toolkit/cont.htm
(8) www.literacy
trust.org.uk/Database/dysupdate.html
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In 2000 the Dyslexia Institute announced in a news release called “Don’t
Forget Dyslexic Adults”
“Research suggests that undiagnosed dyslexic adults are over represented
amongst the unemployed, the homeless and amongst those who are in prison or on
probation.”
Over the last ten years or so momentum has been gathering for assessing the learning
styles of children in schools and identifying children with specific learning
difficulties. At one time however due to funding constraints only the most disruptive
children were referred for intervention. Private schools generally had a better
record of intervention. This meant that many children failed by educational establishment
are now presenting for Adult Education provision with undiagnosed learning difficulties.
The above evidence would suggest that there must be a correspondingly high number
of adults with undiagnosed Specific Learning Difficulties including dyslexia amongst
CLAN learners and potential learners.
While the cost of diagnosis remains prohibitive for many individuals and while
assessment is only freely available to learners in FE/HE institutions there is
a gap through which CLAN/CBAL students are falling.
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