First dyslexia screening tool for isiXhosa-speaking kids

A remedial education training and resource centre in Johannesburg has successfully developed and piloted the first dyslexia screening tool specifically designed for isiXhosa-speaking children, addressing a significant gap in educational assessment resources in South Africa.

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The research, conducted by Annelize Clark (occupational therapist) and Kalie Naidoo (clinical psychologist and social worker) from Bellavista S.H.A.R.E, along with Adaiah Lilenstein from the University of Cape Town, is a crucial step toward identifying learning difficulties in children's home languages rather than relying solely on English-based assessments.

With isiXhosa spoken as a home language by 16% of South Africa's population - making it the country's second most widely spoken language the lack of appropriate screening tools has meant that countless children with dyslexia have gone unidentified and unsupported.

"While much research focuses on dyslexia in English-speaking populations, there has been limited understanding of how this condition presents in African languages," said Clark.