Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this very important motion from the member for Dawson. According to the World Federation of Neurology, as this motion notes, dyslexia is 'manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and sociocultural opportunity'. This means that students with dyslexia learn differently from most students—the traditional methods of teaching, such as phonics, are not necessarily appropriate for what Dyslexia Australia calls the 'auditory learner'.

First and foremost, it is important that the difficulties that arise from dyslexia are recognised by all Australians so that we can reduce the stigma for these students. Dyslexia is not, as some believe, simply flipping letters around. It can in fact present itself in four main categories. Each type of dyslexia includes its own set of challenges. Despite the unwavering dedication and hard work of their parents, these students can all too often be left behind. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Carlie Rice, whom I met recently with Glenys Throssell, who are both mothers of children with dyslexia. Carlie set up Brisbane Dyslexics as a support group for parents of dyslexic children and those with similar learning difficulties. As Glenys said, having a child with dyslexia means:

… a roller-coaster ride of doctors appointments, interventions, changing schools, in getting a diagnosis, sourcing the appropriate intervention and support … Often it is a lonely journey as a parent with a child who has a learning disability.

Both Carlie and Glenys are working very hard at getting the important message out to the community—that there is support and guidance out there for parents.

In education, one of their primary concerns is with the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy, NAPLAN. It is simply not designed to accommodate the learning and reading styles of children with a learning difficulty or disability. For all students undergoing NAPLAN it can be an incredibly stressful time of the year, but especially for students who face additional challenges. Some parents simply keep their children at home during NAPLAN testing. As Glenys said:

The reason being is that we don't set up our children for failure when they have no hope of succeeding. A NAPLAN goal when testing dyslexic students should be testing their abilities, not their disabilities.

These parents know that there are improvements that can be made within the current framework of NAPLAN. As this motion notes, for example, it would be beneficial for students with dyslexia to have their NAPLAN test read to them. Given their auditory learning style, I also note that some dyslexic students with writing and spelling challenges could benefit from a scribe. These suggestions are made not to make it 'easier' for students but, rather, to ensure that NAPLAN truly fulfils the stated goal of assessing whether students are receiving the critical foundation for their learning and for their productive and rewarding participation in the community.

We must therefore recognise that the current one-size-fits-all approach to national testing does not demonstrate how well a child is progressing in a holistic sense. To that end, the Brisbane Independent School in my electorate is demonstrating the value of providing choice and diversity to parents. I recently attended their open day and spoke with many parents and teachers about the enormous benefits that they feel the school is providing for their children. They recognise that not all students learn the same, and they are producing results. Their community wants to work alongside the mainstream education system in Queensland to provide the best early intervention programs for all their students so that they can overcome their learning difficulties. As the Glenleighden School in my electorate has demonstrated for over 30 years, early intervention can produce amazing results for students with primary language disorder, and I am sure that BIS can do the same for their students.

I would also like to thank the member for Sturt who, in cooperation with SPELD South Australia, tabled a petition from more than 10,000 in the House on 5 June to recognise the educational difficulties of dyslexia. As the shadow minister for education he said:

… there is no shame in a learning disability; the only shame is if it is not recognised and treated.

We all want to see that children with a disability—whether it is dyslexia, primary language disorder or others—receive high-quality early intervention. It is absolutely crucial to the students and their parents that the education system recognises and supports their needs. I commend this motion to the House.

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