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Education Conference | Closing the gap
31 October 2026, 9am to 3.30pm | Technology and Innovation Centre, 99 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD
Don’t miss this day of accelerated professional learning. Gain essential skills and knowledge to be part of the solution to Scotland’s dyslexia attainment gap.
Keynote Louise Selby will share immediately applicable techniques in morphology, the alternative reading method that supports children and young people to break down language and unlock its meaning – a critical foundation for curriculum-wide success.
There will be take away actionable insights from expert in-depth workshops and seminars on dyslexia-focused teaching interventions for primary and secondary settings.
Keynotes
Even when reading progresses, spelling and writing often remain challenging for learners with dyslexia. Despite appropriate phonics teaching, words can be difficult to spell and hard to use with confidence. Writing can become a laborious act of transcription, with meaning and creativity taking a back seat.
Reading a word aloud is not the same as knowing it, and it certainly does not guarantee it can be spelled. Yet many learners with literacy difficulties, including those with dyslexia, are found in this predicament, despite high-quality phonics teaching. Writing then becomes effortful and frustrating, often lacking in purpose and enjoyment.
English is a morphophonemic language, built from units of sound (phonology) and units of meaning (morphology). This keynote explores why morphology (prefixes, roots and suffixes) may be the missing link in our literacy teaching.
Morphology by its very definition makes sense of words and is a vital part of understanding, reading and spelling them. It does not replace phonics, but complements it, helping learners see that words are not strings of letters to be memorised, but meaningful structures that can be understood, analysed and used. For learners who can decode but struggle to spell and write, morphology offers a practical bridge: from word reading to word meaning, and from effortful transcription to purposeful communication.
Grounded in research and illustrated through practical classroom examples, this session will show how morphology can be taught in ways which are immediately applicable in the classroom. The focus is not on perfect spelling in isolation, but on enabling learners to use words with increasing control to communicate ideas, explore language and make meaning.
End the day on a heartfelt note. Dad and singer-songwriter Daniel will give a parent’s perspective on the joys and worries of raising a dyslexic child. He’ll perform his touching song ‘Bloom’, an emotional take on a daughter’s potential through her father’s eyes.
Workshops
This session will explore creative, classroom-ready uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how these can act as a powerful bridge, reshaping learning to fit the learner, not the other way around. Through real-world examples, this session will showcase how AI can transform traditional tasks into engaging, multisensory experiences: turning dense texts into podcasts and visuals, generating adaptive scaffolds in seconds and supporting idea development through intelligent prompting.
Heather Aird: Secondary Teacher and GTCS Professional Recognition Alumnus
Interest group: primary/secondary
This practical workshop will build on Louise’s keynote, giving you the opportunity to try out some morphological activities, games and investigations. You’ll have the chance to explore how morphological strategies work in real classrooms and consider how to adapt and apply these approaches in your own setting, with learners of different ages and stages. Whether you are a beginner or more experienced in using morphological strategies in your practice, you’ll leave with more ideas and a clearer sense of how to implement morphology in a way that supports learning.
Dr Jeremy Law: Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow
Louise Selby: Dyslexia and Literacy Specialist
Interest group: primary/secondary
Following on from the principles and strategies of the Mission Dyslexia and Mission Superheroes workshops which have previously been delivered in Scottish classrooms, this workshop will take you through a new online module, the fifth in the Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice collection.
The workshop will focus on both the strengths and challenges associated with dyslexia. It will combine dyslexia-affirming principles and practical strategies such as helping learners to recognise and articulate their strengths. The module supports emotional wellbeing and long-term confidence beyond the classroom.
Victoria Armet, Class Teacher/Dyslexia Lead
Liz O’Donoghue, Dyslexia Scotland Trainer and specialist dyslexia teacher
Interest group: primary/early secondary, PSAs and any educator involved in the learning journey of a dyslexic child or young person
This workshop will look at who might be missed from the dyslexia identification process and why. It will give you an opportunity to explore inclusive dyslexia approaches and practical frameworks to use when assessing dyslexia to ensure that no one misses out.
Louise Amos: Falkirk Council
Fran Foreman: Education Scotland
Debbie Thomson: East Ayrshire Council
Interest group: primary/secondary
How do you support pupils in the secondary classroom who struggle with decoding, comprehension and spelling? As vocabulary development is widely acknowledged to be vital to success in reading and wider literacy, providing explicit vocabulary instruction will support pupils to access, comprehend and develop subject knowledge.
This practical workshop will give you the chance to try out examples of teaching vocabulary explicitly and comprehension strategies that can be used in any subject. You will have the opportunity to consider how the explicit teaching of vocabulary relates to your current practice and will leave with ideas to support reading, comprehension and spelling of vocabulary across all subjects.
Hilary Aitken, Chartered Teacher (Lead), Edinburgh Learns
Jude Durnan, Literacy Development Teacher, Edinburgh Learns
Interest group: secondary
In this workshop you will gain an overview of dyscalculia and associated difficulties. You will develop a clear view of the national pathway for identifying and supporting learners with dyscalculia and learn targeted interventions to address specific difficulties learners face. The workshop will look at assessment to inform next steps and targeted strategies and interventions to help, as well as practical games and activities that help learners to engage and attain.
Jenny Brown: Glasgow Dyslexia Support Service
Catriona MacDiarmid: Glasgow Dyslexia Support Service
Leslie Rowand: Glasgow Dyslexia Support Service
Interest group: primary/secondary Maths teachers/secondary ASL teachers
Programme
| 8.45am | Registration, tea/coffee, exhibition space |
| 9.30am | Welcome |
| 9.35am | Keynote: Louise Selby |
| 10.45am | Tea/coffee, exhibition space |
| 11.15am | Workshop 1 |
| 12.30pm | Lunch/exhibition space |
| 1.20pm | Workshop 2 |
| 2.35pm | Tea/coffee, exhibition space |
| 3pm | Keynote: Daniel Robinson |
| 3.30pm | Close |
Tickets
- Early bird member £135
- Early bird non-member £160
- Full rate member £165
- Full rate non-member £190
Early bird rate ends Monday 21 September.
Final booking date is Friday 23 October.
Booking instructions:
Go to Ticket Tailor using the link in the box below. Click on ‘Book a place’, select a ticket depending on how you want to pay and fill out the form.
If you are a member of Dyslexia Scotland, or if you have a free place, click on ‘Use ticket access code’ and enter the code that was sent to you. Press ‘Apply’, select a ticket depending on how you want to pay and fill out the form.
Please note that when you choose to pay by invoice, the ticket price will appear as FREE but an invoice for the full amount will be sent to you. We will require a purchase order number (if appropriate) and details of the person dealing with the invoice before we can finalise your booking. We will contact you for these details when we receive your booking.
Exhibitors
Costs
| Standard space (approximately 2 x 3 meters with table) | £200 |
| Third sector standard space | £150 |
Cost includes one exhibitor. Additional exhibitors are £30/person. Please email [email protected] to enquire about more than one exhibition space.
Exhibitors will have an advert in the delegate brochure which is emailed to delegates in advance and provided on the day.
Once we receive your application we will be in touch to confirm your place and make arrangements for payment. Spaces are not secured until payment has been made.
Please email [email protected] with any queries about exhibiting at our conference.
Sponsorship opportunities
| Headline sponsor | £4000 |
| 10 student teacher places | £1350 per block of 10 students |
| Refreshments sponsorship | £1500 |
| Audio visual sponsorship | £750 |
A headline sponsor will receive two free delegate places. Other sponsors will receive one free delegate space and all sponsors will have the option of hosting a stall in the exhibition area. Sponsors will also be able to include marketing materials in delegate packs and logos will be on delegate brochures and stage slides on the day as well as in our delegate brochure .
Please email [email protected] to find out more about being a sponsor.
Please note, exhibitors and sponsors display their logos and products at our conference. Dyslexia Scotland may or may not share the views and opinions of the exhibitors and their presence does not mean we endorse the products or services.
Lunch
Chicken in a tarragon & mustard cream sauce
Lincolnshire sausages with onion gravy (vg) (gf)
Sautéed green beans (vg) (gf)
Mashed potatoes (vg) (gf)
Chef’s seasonal salad (vg) (gf)
Apple slice with butter crumble (v) and Lemon berry delice (vg) (gf)
Cancellation policy
Registered delegates may receive a full refund of any payment made up to 30 days before the event. From 29 days before the event, no refunds will be made unless Dyslexia Scotland has to cancel the event.
Dyslexia Scotland is unable to reimburse attendees if they are not able to attend on the day. We cannot accept liability for people unable to attend due to circumstances outside our control (such as illness, work, personal commitments, travel disruption, adverse weather).
Thank you to our sponsors
