The petition was launched as part of last year’s Dyslexia Awareness Week and has gained more than 17,100 signatures. It will close on October 30.
The e-petition reads: “All teachers should be trained to understand dyslexia, its impact on learning and what constitutes dyslexia-friendly practice. Teachers should be aware of when to signpost learners for assessment and when to provide appropriate intervention.”
Currently, teachers do not have to receive training in specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
It comes as this year’s Dyslexia Awareness Week is taking place until Sunday (October 14) with the theme of Empowering Teachers.
To mark the week, which is organised by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), schools have been holding assemblies and other events and activities to learn about dyslexia.
Dr Kate Saunders, chief executive of the BDA, added: “We are running the campaign because we want teachers to be given the skills and tools to be able to identify dyslexic children and to teach them effectively.
“Teachers are being inadequately prepared and this is both unfair to them and is disadvantaging dyslexic children. We believe that an initial teacher training module on dyslexia will help teachers as well as improving thousands of children’s lives. So please use this dyslexia awareness week to sign the petition, if you haven’t already, and to spread it.”
You can sign the petition at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20674 and for more on the BDA and Dyslexia Awareness Week, see www.bdadyslexia.org.uk