Talking back: the dialogical identities of dyslexic students in the figured worlds of the university. A narrative enquiry

Many dyslexic students report feeling ‘out of place’ or unsupported during their time at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and this has implications for the students themselves and for the widening participation agenda. Students disclosing dyslexia attending HEIs comprise 6% of the student population with rates of up to 15% reported in subjects aligned to medicine, creative arts and design, and social studies. Despite the requirement for universities to anticipate the teaching and learning needs of diverse types of learners, dissatisfaction with the learning provision has been expressed by dyslexic students and this concern is shared by the Office for Students (OfS). This study draws upon the affirmative model of disability (Swain and French, 2000) which holds that difference should be expected, valued and embraced. The study takes a fresh approach to exploring the experiences of dyslexic students at university by employing Holland et al.’s notion of the Figured worlds (FWs): how people form their identities through their interactions within a historically and culturally constituted context. This theoretical framing is employed to explore how students come to understand themselves and their dyslexia through their participation in the historical and cultural contexts of school and university. A narrative enquiry was undertaken in 2020 with ten dyslexic students attending the same UK post-’92 university. Derived rapport chain referral was employed to engage with a harder to reach group of dyslexic students than represented in previous studies who may be less willing to put themselves forward for a research study or consultation. Narratives of school experiences were elicited alongside those relating to university. Drawing upon Holland et al.’s notion of FWs and Bakhtin’s dialogism, the analysis of the students’ stories explored how dyslexic students respond to the 4 positionings they perceive they are offered in their everyday encounters with teaching staff and peers within educational contexts. The findings foreground the agency and improvisation of individuals of ‘talking back’ and ‘holding their own’ in challenging circumstances within the FWs of school and university, where their difficulties with literacy practices often position them as ‘academically inadequate’, ‘unmotivated’, ‘needy’ or ‘difficult’. The analysis of the students’ storied experiences re/presents original contributions to knowledge in taking the perspective of the culturally imbued nature of the school and university that are presented as FWs. It also addresses under researched areas in the literature including family support and how dyslexic students themselves understand dyslexia and disability. The thesis ends with recommendations for policy and practice for HE policymakers and teaching and administrative staff as well as messages directed to families and dyslexic students themselves