Scotland has updated its definition of dyslexia

The Scottish Working Definition of Dyslexia has been updated following its review against internationally agreed criteria

The updated statement removes the term ‘condition’ when describing dyslexia and now takes into account the working environment, as well as the learning environment, on which the definition had previously focussed.

The revised definition aligns with the 2024 Delphi review, a process by experts on a subject coming together to reach consensus.

There was agreement among the experts that dyslexia is a difficulty in reading and spelling, associated with multiple factors, and that it frequently co-occurs with other developmental learning difficulties. The panel agreed that difficulties in reading fluency and spelling are key markers of dyslexia across different ages and languages.

Scotland has had its own working definition of dyslexia since 2009. Following the Delphi Review, the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit working group met earlier this year with a representative from the expert panel, Professor Maggie Snowling, to discuss the experts’ findings and make sure that Scotland’s definition is robust, aligned with the new international definition, and reflective of current research and approaches.

The Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit working group is a group of professionals including representatives from Education Scotland, Dyslexia Scotland, Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP), CALL Scotland, Scottish Government,  University of Edinburgh,  Additional Support for Learning Network (ASLO) and also Scottish local authorities.

Chief Executive of Dyslexia Scotland Cathy Magee said: “The review process has been very helpful, both in reaffirming the evidence behind the Scottish definition and seeing how it compares to the Delphi definition. A Scotland-specific definition is vital for a shared understanding of what dyslexia is – and isn’t. This helps to identify dyslexia early and ensure that individuals and educators understand their strengths, where they need support and how to access it.”