Alves Primary School pupils organise learning activities and entertainment during Dyslexia Awareness Week

PUPILS at Alves Primary School have taught their classmates and teachers about a common learning difficulty.

The youngsters held a special day during Dyslexia Awareness Week to highlight the skills dyslexic learners possess, as well as challenges they face.

Dyslexia can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling but intelligence is not affected. Dyslexic children often have skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Alves Primary event organisers, additional support for learning teacher Mrs Erin Fraser and a group of pupils, planned activities which highlighted the ways in which dyslexic learners can see the world differently.

Mrs Fraser said: “All pupils and staff wore blue to support Dyslexia Scotland and were given blue ribbons to remember the day. The pupils involved in planning chose to demonstrate their considerable skills within creative areas of the curriculum. After a presentation, all classes experienced story telling and puppet making, dance classes, and fiddle and accordion playing from youngsters who display dyslexic traits.”

Pupils and staff were also given an insight into how learning environments can be adapted to accommodate all children.

Molly Russell (P7) helped plan the day and led a dance class with Layla Rodriguez (P5).

She said: “Dyslexia isn’t always a negative thing. It gives people lots of strengths too.”

Finlay MacConnachie (P7) and Fionn Ralph (P6) played the accordion and fiddle, demonstrating the focus needed to keep a beat and read music, while making sure fingers are in the correct places.

Ruthie Harris (P5) and Izzy Blackman (P4) created puppets to read along with The Tortoise and the Hare, with the message: fast is not always best – taking longer to finish a task can be just as valuable.

Mrs Fraser added: “Both girls enjoyed being teachers for the afternoon and would make excellent additions to the profession in the future!”