Learned Helplessness and Dyslexia: A Carts and Horses Issue?

A survey into attitudes towards and beliefs about dyslexia among ABE teachers and providers is reported. This research appears to reveal doubt, uncertainty and confusion about dyslexia and considerable misgiving as a consequence. A marked degree of learned helplessness was apparently induced in respondents when faced with a student with a diagnosis of dyslexia. Tuition was greatly simplified and expectations lowered. Attribution theory and learned helplessness are discussed in the context of ABE. It is argued that a diagnosis of dyslexia may be a maladaptive attribution and so inevitably induce learned helplessness. Increased scepticism towards dyslexia in ABE is recommended.