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The word “disability” is a massively stigmatised label in society and defining dyslexia as a disability carries a huge cultural weight for the dyslexic individual. 

This discussion will explore the social model of dyslexia, in the context of education, in opposition to the deficit model. A social model would argue that the actual assumption that all individuals are the same is disabling and constitutes a great part of the obstacle.

Why constitute dyslexia as a disability? What are the cultural factors that play a role in its definition as a disability?... and what implications could the awareness of this dynamic have?

 Film:  Taere Zameen Par 

(India, 140 minutes, 2008) 

Background: 

Directed and produced by Aamir Khan.

This is an Indian Film, distributed by Disney, and is the story of a dyslexic child who is failing academically and is sent to boarding school, where he meets a teacher who understands his learning style. 

It won a Film Fare award in 2008, and received a number of awards including best director (Amir Khan). The main protagonist Darsheel Safary received a number of awards including Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance 2008. 

Atif Choudhury is an assistive technology trainer and a qualified skills tutor. With an academic background in social development, Choudhury went on to complete an advanced national diploma in teaching dyslexic adults in 2002, and has been supporting them for over 7 years. Choudhury's proactive dyslexic support has encouraged his students to confidently embrace enabling technology and take advantage of the diversity that perceptual strengths that dyslexia can provide, embracing the social model framework, having worked with over 5000 dyslexic students.

Link; Edenskills

Presenter: Nim Folb,

will be introducing the speakers, and guide the discussion with the audience on the film in relation with the theme and the speakers experience.