Empowering dyslexic learners for a brighter future all round

Posted on 6 June 2025 • Education, languages and health, University news

Unleashing the power of dyslexic pupils is behind new evidence-based training hosted by OpenLearn Create in partnership with global charity Made By Dyslexia.

A free one-hour training package is aimed at teaching staff and parents, and covers topics from advice and hints to top tips for supporting dyslexic learning to help pupils shine.

OpenLearn Create is an innovative leading open educational platform where individuals and organisations can publish their open content, open courses and resources. It is Moodle based and has tools for collaboration, reuse and remixing.

Statistics show that one in five learners in every classroom is dyslexic yet only one in ten teachers have a good understanding of dyslexic strengths. Furthermore, not all teachers receive the training they need to spot or support learners with dyslexia and an incredible 80% of dyslexics leave school unidentified.

Designed to build skills to help the whole class thrive

The new partnership will see free training from Made By Dyslexia become available on OpenLearn Create for the first time, via the DyslexicU – the University of Dyslexic Thinking.

The training is designed to build skills amongst teachers to enable their whole class to thrive, as well as maximising the power of dyslexic thinking.

The training, Empowering Dyslexic Thinking in Schools, is presented by leading Dyslexic Thinking expert and founder of Made By Dyslexia, Kate Griggs, and the Chair of the International Dyslexia Association, Josh Clark. It’s online, evidence-based, and features easy to implement strategies to help teachers adapt their teaching and create classrooms where everyone thrives.

In just 1 hour, teachers (and parents) can learn:

• What dyslexic thinking is
• How to spot it in the classroom and at home
• Seven dyslexic thinking skills in kids – and why these are vital in today’s world
• Ways to adapt their teaching to support dyslexics in mainstream classrooms

Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the OU, said:

“This initiative is a great example of how The OU is supporting its vision of reaching ‘more students with life-changing learning that meets their needs and enriches society’. As a fully inclusive university this remains at the heart of what we do and I am delighted to see that dyslexic thinkers such as Kate Griggs of Made By Dyslexia and Sir Richard Branson have embraced our Open Create platform to create this DyslexicU resource.”

Kate Griggs, from Made by Dyslexia said:

“It’s so important that teachers understand Dyslexic Thinking. That’s why we’re delighted to be hosting on OpenCreate to connect teachers to the training they need to empower the one in five dyslexic learners in the classroom who have the human skills the workplace needs”

The free online course is the first of such Made By Dyslexia training courses to be available on the platform, with more coming soon.

Take the FREE training here: https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=15345