Dyslexia Awareness Week runs from 5–11 October. This year, the British Dyslexia Association is focusing on dyslexia at work—exploring people’s experiences and how workplaces can help them thrive. It’s also an opportunity to start conversations with children about understanding and supporting one another. Find out about this year’s campaign.
At Yorkshire Wolds Dyslexia Service, I want children to feel comfortable talking about what they find difficult, what they enjoy and what helps them learn. Awareness Week gives families and schools a useful starting point for those conversations.
The British Dyslexia Association has created a free resource pack for primary schools, suitable for children aged 5–11. It includes an assembly or lesson presentation, a quiz, discussion activities and guidance for staff, with adaptations for different age groups.
One activity invites children to create their own “everyday toolkit”: choosing or designing tools that help them learn, communicate, organise themselves or feel more confident. The pack encourages children to explore different needs without asking anyone to disclose a diagnosis. Explore and download the schools pack and presentation.
The message behind the activity matters: an adjustment helps someone participate and show what they can do. Understanding that can help children respond with kindness when a classmate uses a different tool or needs a different approach.
You could extend the conversation at home with a few simple questions:
- What helps you when something feels difficult?
- What are you proud of learning?
- How could you help someone who finds a task challenging?
There’s no need to turn this into another lesson. A relaxed conversation can give children space to share their experiences—and give adults a chance to listen.
If you’d like to show your support online, the British Dyslexia Association also has free social media graphics, including versions you can personalise with a photograph or company logo. They ask supporters to tag @bdaadyslexia when sharing. Browse the Awareness Week social media assets.
For families and schools across Pocklington and the surrounding area, this week is a chance to begin a conversation that continues throughout the year: what does this child need, what helps them, and how can we work together to support them?