1 Screening and diagnosis of dyslexia

Elliot and Grigorenko (2014) cite ‘the need for assessment for intervention rather than assessment for diagnosis’ (p. 580). In this line of thought, dyslexia is a special educational need and a common learning difficulty.

Diagnostic assessment is the only way that dyslexia can be formally identified. It is not a medical condition; it is a learning difficulty. A diagnosis of dyslexia is different from a screening for dyslexia, but both serve a purpose, and can be carried out in person or remotely. A checklist or questionnaire can be the first step in the journey to uncovering dyslexia. A checklist will often be self-directed, but it can be used to provide background (qualitative) information as part of a screening or diagnosis. In this section you will learn more about these processes.