Research into Teachers' Knowledge of Dyslexia
In partnership with Dyslexia Organisation Kenya, Advantage Africa has turned recent research findings into a practical programme of action to improve dyslexia awareness and support in Kenyan primary schools. With visionary support from the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, we conducted in-depth interviews with 50 teachers to explore their understanding of children with literacy and comprehension difficulties.
The research revealed a significant gap in knowledge. Awareness of dyslexia among teachers was extremely low, with most having little or no understanding of the condition. As a result, many children with dyslexia, estimated at 10 percent of all children, are not being identified or supported, and are instead often labelled as ‘slow learners’, lazy or disruptive. This leads to stigma, punishment, and disengagement from education, with serious long-term consequences.
Responding to the Research Findings
Advantage Africa has launched the project From Invisible to Empowered – Pioneering Dyslexia Education and Awareness Across Kenya. The project includes establishing a team of teacher trainers, delivering teacher and parent training in various locations, and running a national awareness campaign through information provision, large events, radio programmes, and social media.
In April 2026, fifteen experienced educators and parents were selected and participated in comprehensive instruction to become teacher trainers – the first such initiative for Kenya. The course was designed and delivered by DOK and UK specialists, and included an in-depth understanding of dyslexia as a neurodevelopmental condition, as well as practical screening tools, phonological instruction, and multisensory teaching metyhods for low-resource settings. Feedback was highly positive, with participants rating the training as ‘very effective’ or ‘completely effective’, and all expressed their commitment to training others in their schools and through the wider project.
The project is now moving into its next phase, starting with the first teacher training across 10 schools in Kajiado County and development of the national awareness campaign. Together, these activities are directly translating research into action, improving awareness, strengthening identification and classroom practice, and helping ensure that children with dyslexia are recognised and supported in school and at home.
In Partnership with:
