{"id":247,"date":"2026-03-17T10:22:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T10:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/?p=247"},"modified":"2026-03-17T10:22:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T10:22:26","slug":"reading-for-everyone-dyslexia-in-testing-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/2026\/03\/17\/reading-for-everyone-dyslexia-in-testing-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading for everyone? Dyslexia in testing times."},"content":{"rendered":"

It is a time of\u00a0increasing scrutiny on secondary\u00a0school\u00a0reading in England. The Department for Education\u00a0<\/span>(2025)<\/span>\u00a0has\u00a0declared the need for a new\u00a0assessment\u00a0at age 13\u00a0which they say will raise standards. This is\u00a0against a backdrop of\u00a0the National Literacy Trust\u00a0<\/span>(2024)<\/span>\u00a0warning of the risk of children leaving education without the necessary reading\u00a0ability for daily life in modern Britain.\u00a0Dyslexic pupils begin to underachieve at\u00a0key stage\u00a0two\u00a0and this continues throughout the rest of their academic journey\u00a0<\/span>(Sheppard, 2009)<\/span>.\u00a0Technology\u00a0could support dyslexic student\u2019s learning but evidence for\u00a0specific interventions is too weak\u00a0<\/span>(Luckin\u00a0<\/span>et al.<\/span><\/i>, 2020)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0presentation will detail a proposed research project\u00a0to\u00a0understand the utility of multimedia in supporting dyslexic\u00a0pupil\u2019s reading.\u00a0An explanatory sequential design will be used\u00a0to answer the following research questions\u00a0in a\u00a0manner that\u00a0considers the\u00a0perspectives of dyslexic pupils and the\u00a0effect\u00a0of such stances on their learning.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Does\u00a0Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning\u00a0(CTML)\u00a0hold for supporting reading comprehension in key stage three\u00a0pupils\u00a0with dyslexia?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. How\u00a0do key stage three\u00a0pupils\u00a0with dyslexia respond emotionally to reading activities in a lesson context?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. Do key stage three\u00a0pupils\u00a0with dyslexia think multimedia learning supports their reading comprehension?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Reading comprehension performance of key stage three pupils with a dyslexia diagnosis under varying conditions: unsupported, supported by human voice, supported by synthetic\u00a0voice\u00a0and supported by imagery\u00a0will be\u00a0assessed\u00a0and statistically significant differences between approaches\u00a0identified.\u00a0Following this,\u00a0semi-structured\u00a0interviews with pupils\u00a0will be\u00a0carried out\u00a0to collect data about their experiences reading at school\u00a0and their views as to how helpful technology is to them\u00a0when reading.\u00a0A phenomenological\u00a0interview\u00a0approach has been\u00a0chosen to enable the exploration of pupil experience\u00a0<\/span>(O\u2019Reilly and Dogra, 2017)<\/span>\u00a0and the\u00a0employment of Giorgi\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>(2009)<\/span>\u00a0approach to analysis will minimise the impact of\u00a0researcher bias\u00a0during the interpretation of the data\u00a0<\/span>(Phillips-Pula, Strunk and Pickler, 2011)<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        The findings will\u00a0be\u00a0disseminated\u00a0to classroom practitioners\u00a0and other\u00a0researcher\u2019s\u00a0institutions. Whilst it may be adequate to utilise\u00a0conferences\u00a0and\u00a0journals to share findings with academics,\u00a0an\u00a0alternative approach is likely to\u00a0reach more classroom teachers.\u00a0Social media\u00a0is\u00a0the most\u00a0popular\u00a0way\u00a0to engage with research\u00a0among classroom teachers\u00a0whilst journals and conferences only approach similar levels of popularity amongst teachers with management level responsibilities\u00a0<\/span>(Madgwick\u00a0<\/span>et al.<\/span><\/i>, 2024)<\/span>.\u00a0The dissemination\u00a0process will therefore involve traditional conference and journal approaches being complemented with\u00a0the creation of assets for use on social media.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Discovering\u00a0whether there\u00a0could be\u00a0a benefit to\u00a0the\u00a0reading\u00a0comprehension of dyslexic\u00a0pupils from\u00a0utilising\u00a0multimedia\u00a0interventions, even if it is not manifest\u00a0in current pupils,\u00a0can\u00a0form part of the evidence base for the design of the inclusive\u00a0mainstream education\u00a0system the\u00a0has been called for\u00a0<\/span>(Education Committee, 2025)<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0address the increasing need for education health\u00a0and care plans.\u00a0The insights\u00a0into how dyslexic pupils experience schooling will\u00a0be beneficial in and of themselves\u00a0as they can be used to advocate for a cultural change towards how dyslexia is seen, particularly by education professionals, too many of whom possess a deficit view of\u00a0their dyslexic pupils\u00a0<\/span>(Glazzard, 2010)<\/span>.\u00a0These\u00a0findings will also be beneficial to the pedagogical practice of those working with\u00a0the dyslexic pupils of today since the effectiveness of\u00a0potential supports will depend in part on the pupil and their\u00a0judgements as to\u00a0its effectiveness for them\u00a0<\/span>(Carpenter and Sanchez, 2025)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        References<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Carpenter, S.K. and Sanchez, C.A. (2025) \u2018A closer look at students\u2019 knowledge of effective learning strategies, where they learn about them, and why they do not use them\u2019,\u00a0<\/span>Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications<\/span><\/i>, 10(1), p. 83. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s41235-025-00693-8.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Department for Education (2025)\u00a0<\/span>Focus on reading in secondary years to drive up standards<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0<\/span>GOV.UK<\/span><\/i>. Available at: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/focus-on-reading-in-secondary-years-to-drive-up-standards (Accessed: 22 February 2026).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Education Committee (2025)\u00a0<\/span>Solving the SEND crisis: report calls for culture shift and funding to make mainstream education genuinely inclusive<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0<\/span>UK Parliament<\/span><\/i>. Available at: https:\/\/committees.parliament.uk\/committee\/203\/education-committee\/news\/209313\/solving-the-send-crisis-report-calls-for-culture-shift-and-funding-to-make-mainstream-education-genuinely-inclusive\/ (Accessed: 22 February 2026).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Giorgi, A. (2009)\u00a0<\/span>The descriptive phenomenological method in psychology: a modified\u00a0Husserlian\u00a0approach<\/span><\/i>. Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Glazzard, J. (2010) \u2018The impact of dyslexia on pupils\u2019 self<\/span>\u2010<\/span>esteem\u2019,\u00a0<\/span>Support for Learning<\/span><\/i>, 25(2), pp. 63\u201369. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-9604.2010.01442.x.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Luckin, R.\u00a0<\/span>et al.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0(2020)\u00a0<\/span>Technology-led interventions for\u00a0SpLDs<\/span><\/i>. Evidence Review. Government Office for Science and Council for Science and Technology. Available at: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/specific-learning-difficulties-current-understanding-support-systems-and-technology-led-interventions (Accessed: 19 February 2026).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Madgwick, H.\u00a0<\/span>et al.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0(2024)\u00a0<\/span>Engaging with Evidence: A Survey of Teachers and Leaders<\/span><\/i>. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available at: https:\/\/educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk\/education-evidence\/more-resources-and-support\/using-research-evidence\/engaging-with-evidence.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        National Literacy Trust (2024)\u00a0<\/span>Reading in secondary students: What do we know?<\/span><\/i>\u00a0Available at: https:\/\/literacytrust.org.uk\/research-services\/research-reports\/reading-in-secondary-students-what-do-we-know\/ (Accessed: 22 February 2026).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        O\u2019Reilly, M. and Dogra, N. (2017)\u00a0<\/span>Interviewing Children and Young People for Research<\/span><\/i>. 1 Oliver\u2019s Yard,\u202f55 City Road\u202fLondon\u202fEC1Y 1SP: SAGE Publications Ltd. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4135\/9781526419439.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Phillips-Pula, L., Strunk,\u00a0J.\u00a0and Pickler, R.H. (2011) \u2018Understanding Phenomenological Approaches to Data Analysis\u2019,\u00a0<\/span>Journal of\u00a0Pediatric\u00a0Health Care<\/span><\/i>, 25(1), pp. 67\u201371. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.pedhc.2010.09.004.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Sheppard, A.L.S. (2009)\u00a0<\/span>The Effects of Dyslexia on Student Achievement in Secondary Education<\/span><\/i>. University of Warwick. Available at: https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/37143866_The_effects_of_dyslexia_on_student_achievement_in_secondary_education (Accessed: 22 February 2026).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        It is a time of\u00a0increasing scrutiny on secondary\u00a0school\u00a0reading in England. The Department for Education\u00a0(2025)\u00a0has\u00a0declared the need for a new\u00a0assessment\u00a0at age 13\u00a0which they say will raise standards. This is\u00a0against a backdrop of\u00a0the National Literacy Trust\u00a0(2024)\u00a0warning of the risk of children leaving education without the necessary reading\u00a0ability for daily life in modern Britain.\u00a0Dyslexic pupils begin to underachieve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[101,97,104,100,103,102,99,98],"class_list":["post-247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised","tag-cognitive-theory-of-multimedia-learning","tag-dyslexia","tag-key-stage-three","tag-multimedia","tag-reading","tag-secondary-school","tag-specific-learning-difficulty","tag-spld"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=247"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":248,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/247\/revisions\/248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/H890Conference\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}