HSBC UK funding will help train teachers

Dyslexia Scotland has been awarded a grant from HSBC UK which will be used to develop vital training for teachers and parents

Two online courses and masterclass webinars will support school children, their teachers and parents, and local authorities to build understanding of dyslexia and improve literacy levels.

Cathy Magee, Chief Executive of Dyslexia Scotland, said: “The long-term impact of this project will be seen on many levels; from improving the life chances of children and young people to developing better awareness of dyslexia throughout schools and local authorities. It is vital that we equip our educators with the tools to help children with dyslexia to succeed, and this funding will allow us to make a great difference.”

The project funding was awarded by HSBC UK as part of the ‘Supporting Our Communities’ programme which supports local branches to get involved with helping local initiatives.

Jonathan Rae, Co-Chair of HSBC UK’s Neurodiversity Committee and Senior Financial Crime Capability Manager at HSBC UK, said: “I’m so proud that HSBC UK is supporting this project, one which is very close to my own heart. As a dad to a dyslexic child, I know how important it is to give him and others like him every opportunity to succeed. What a privilege it is to be able to create an opportunity for Dyslexia Scotland to create these essential resources for schools in Scotland.”

Cllr Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s very good news that thanks to extra donations, this ground-breaking initiative will be able to grow.

In Edinburgh, our longstanding partnership with Dyslexia Scotland has gone from strength to strength working with the Sean Connery Foundation and we’ve been able to significantly increase the support our staff provide around literacy and dyslexia. Children who had difficulties with reading are now showing good progress. The initiative also helps build our pupils’ selfconfidence; making them feel more motivated and engaged in learning.

I’m pleased to know the positive results of this work can now reach even more young people, helping them to believe there are no limits to what they can achieve.”

Dyslexia Scotland is a national charity which aims to inspire and enable people with dyslexia to reach their full potential, through influencing change at a national and local level.

The training materials will cascade the learning from the Sean Connery Foundation Dyslexia Initiative in City of Edinburgh Council area which has successfully improved pupils’ literacy levels through a programme of teacher training. In this way, they will extend the reach and impact of the Sean Connery Foundation-funded work on dyslexia.

The HSBC-supported modules will empower teachers and parents to better identify and support dyslexic learners. They will increase the confidence and abilities of dyslexic learners both inside and beyond the classroom, which is an exciting outcome for all involved.

We are witnessing a phenomenal period of technological advancement. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing at an exponential rate, offering digital tools that have the potential to both enhance and harm the world we live in. What does this mean for Dyslexia Scotland? Here’s our position at this snapshot in time.

What do we mean by AI?

AI refers to software capable of self-learning without direct human programming. Tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Co-Pilot are accessible by anyone with a digital device. These tools help to locate, organise, and generate digital content, whether by finding online information, writing papers, analysing data, or creating pictures, videos, or stories from basic prompts.

Hot topics that confront us regularly in the media include: Education

• Students using AI to cheat in exams (BBC, 2024)

• AI that makes learning more accessible (Khan Academy, 2023)

Workers’ rights

• Artists losing rights to their own work and identity (Financial Times, 2023)

• AI could make the working week shorter (BBC, 2024)

Health and humanity

How the NHS will use AI to improve outcomes for patients (UK Government, 2025)

The weaponisation of AI in warfare (Forbes, 2024)

The Board of Directors and staff at Dyslexia Scotland are observing this technological revolution with great interest and asking ourselves: what does this unstoppable advance mean for people with dyslexia?