Supporting the professional identity of trainee teachers with dyslexia

SAM LOVATT, SENIOR LECTURER IN PRIMARY EDUCATION, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, UK

JEMIMA DAVEY, SUBJECT LEAD FOR EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS AND SENIOR LECTURER IN PRIMARY EDUCATION, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, UK

Initial teacher trainingAbbreviated to ITT, the period of academic study and time in school leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) (ITTInitial teacher training - the period of academic study and time in school leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)) is complex and challenging. Routes into teaching consist of two distinct but interrelated parts: centre-based training and school-based placements. For our students, centre-based training consists of time spent on our university campus learning about learning, teaching and the curriculum, whereas school-based training is formed of several placements in a range of partnership schools. The combination of centre-based and school-based training requires students to manage a range of roles, knowledge and tasks (Gray and Colucci-Gray, 2010). In response to these challenges, a project was initiated to support students diagnosed with ADHD and autism, as well as visual, hearing and mobility impairments.

This article focuses on the support designed for students with a diagnosis of dyslexia, with specific reference to resources co-created with students for support while on school-based training. A significant aspect of ITT centres on the formation of teacher identity (Steadman, 2023), and neurodiversity can have an influence on the trainee teacher’s developing professional identity (Benchetrit and Katz, 2019). As such, some trainees may require more support when navigating the additional complexities presented by their diagnosis, as well as developing strategies for self-advocacy and engaging with their training from a strengths-based perspective.

During periods of centre-based learning, neurodivergent students are effectively supported by both their academic lecturers and the broader student services teams, such as the wellbeing team, mentors and disability advisors. The aim of this project was to ensure that this level of support is maintained during their school-based training, and it thereby sought to enable all stakeholders to contribute to an ongoing conversation about how best to support neurodivergent ITT students in their respective roles. This project consisted of three distinct phases: a research and literature review; interviews with trainees, school partners and student services; and resource creation.

Dyslexia and trainee identity

A dyslexia diagnosis can present challenges with completing tasks that are heavily reliant on reading and writing, as well as potential barriers when required to process and remember new information and with the organisation of tasks (British Dyslexia Association, 2019). These skills are important when studying at undergraduate and postgraduate level, especially when students are simultaneously gaining a professional qualification, such as qualified teacher status. Dyslexic students embarking on their ITT will have to navigate their lived experiences of education and learning (Jacobs et al., 2021), as well as the complexities of their training, to form their own professional identity (Steadman, 2023). Therefore, providing effective support is essential to ensure success with both centre- and school-based training.

Jacobs et al. (2021) argue that providers should carefully consider their curriculum to promote the development of students’ professional identities by viewing their diagnosis of dyslexia as a strength. To ensure that our curriculum and additional academic support allow our students to achieve their full potential, this project sought to share responsibility for supporting neurodiverse trainees with all stakeholders, including academic staff, professional services staff, school-based colleagues and the students themselves.

Identity development in trainee teachers with dyslexia

Identity development in ITT is complex and nuanced (Steadman, 2023) and is an essential consideration for training and induction if the aim is to promote preparedness, career longevity and wellbeing in the workplace (Müller and Cook, 2024). Of particular note is the intrinsic relationship between emotions and the identity formation of early career teachers (Nichols et al., 2017). For many students, their ITT journey is shaped by the emotional incidents that take place as part of learning to teach.

Nichols et al. (2017) highlight the significance of our beliefs about our self, personal attributes and aspirations for future practice in the development of trainee teachers. Dyslexia can form a key aspect of an individual’s identity, and therefore will influence all of the above based on one’s own experiences of education and subsequent views of capability (Benchetrit and Katz, 2019). Therefore, the importance of considering the place of dyslexia as part of a trainee teacher’s journey through education is essential if they are to feel truly authentic, confident and supported (Woodfine and Warner, 2022).

While some barriers presented by dyslexia are more tangible, others are far more subtle. Barriers such as literacy difficulties, organisation and time-management (British Dyslexia Association, 2019) introduce the potential for tensions between perceived professionalism and performance, regardless of the efforts on the part of the trainee. It is highly likely that without proper support, these barriers could have a detrimental effect on trainees’ emerging professional confidence. The British Dyslexia Association (2019) views low self-esteem as a common symptom of dyslexia and cites poor mental health and anxiety as potential co-occurring conditions. The unique experiences of individuals with dyslexia and the additional barriers that they face could therefore significantly inform their professional development and ability to engage fully with aspects of their ITT. Consequently, a careful consideration of how to best support these learners is essential to promote their success in teacher education, induction and beyond.

Co-production of resources

The co-production of resources for students, mentors and lecturers set out to establish and enable ongoing dialogue around the strengths, barriers and required support for individual learners with dyslexia. While it felt essential to craft these carefully to promote a strengths-based model (Baron, 2023), it felt equally important for us to amplify the voices of our trainee teachers. A team of ITT staff worked closely with the wellbeing and disability teams to facilitate focus groups for students with dyslexia to attend and share their experiences of school placement. The central focus of these meetings was the lived experience of our students. Three key findings emerged about the challenges experienced by neurodivergent trainee teachers: the pace of the course, managing the transition between centre- and school-based training and using self-advocacy as a means of accessing support required in school.

These perspectives were combined with guidance from literature and professional organisations to encourage self-advocacy and a proactive approach to finding the support that students required to be successful on placement. While the resources are designed to help our trainee teachers, we felt passionately that we also wanted to promote ownership over their learning and professional development needs. As such, a section was added to support trainee teachers in disclosing their needs to their mentors and colleagues in school. We intended for the resources to enable the conversation and build the confidence of the trainee teachers in advocating for themselves. The resource for dyslexia (SMU, 2024) sets out guidance for the trainee and their mentor about how to disclose, the strengths of a trainee with dyslexia, and the barriers they may face and how they can be supported to overcome them. This guidance is supplemented with pre-placement support groups.

Valuing student voice

Valuing the voice of neurodiverse students in ITT is important (Benchetrit and Katz, 2019). Understanding and valuing neurodivergent students’ lived experience is vital in supporting them in finding spaces where they can express their growing professional identities (Woodfine and Warner, 2022). Feedback from our students welcomed this first step in the project. A crucial addition to the resources was the support in how students can disclose their neurodiversity. This specific part of the resource was co-created with the professional services team, who were able to share their invaluable experience of supporting students on a range of professional placements. Finally, school-based mentors who have needed to access the resources have also welcomed them, highlighting the signposting to further reading and the specific strategies that they can model and promote to support students as being the most helpful aspects.

This project has allowed us to create a space for conversation and facilitate an opportunity for stakeholders in ITT to discuss and co-create a resource for how to best support neurodivergent trainees to succeed as teachers. Connecting key stakeholders and allowing for dialogue was important to us and our students. We aim to ensure that this project continues to evolve, allowing this dialogue to continue and to support new trainees starting their journey of becoming a fully qualified teacher.

What next?

This is the starting point and a first step in ensuring that neurodiverse trainee teachers are effectively supported through all elements of their ITT journey. While student voice has formed a key aspect of the resource development, we are committed to maintaining ongoing dialogue with our beginner teachers as cohorts change and the education landscape evolves. Therefore, our next step includes focused research on the lived experiences of dyslexic students on ITT programmes when on school experience. This endeavour aims to amplify student voice further, while also making much-needed contributions to the field of research relating to neurodiversity within teacher education.