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In this paper, the views of young children towards school in Ireland are presented. The six children at the centre of the study each had a diagnosis of dyslexia and attended a reading school. The project aimed to build on previous research pertaining to the experiences of children with dyslexia in special settings. As the topic of student voice has become central in educational discourse, it was considered important to investigate children's views. The objective was to share these views with practitioners and researchers as a means of improving practice. Focus groups were conducted on two occasions to elicit the expert views of the participants and the data were interpreted using Braun and Clarke's Model of analysis (2006). The key findings pointed to increased confidence, self-esteem and self-efficacy in the special setting. The importance of relationships and the physical environment which impacted the students were also highlighted. The topic of bullying in the context of mainstream schools was also raised by the children. The study signifies the importance of listening to children's views on topics which affect them and raises the issue of whether children should be included more fully in educational matters, both in policy-making and in practice.

Much of the literature pertaining to children’s experiences of dyslexia points to low self esteem and low self-concept as compared with typically developing peers (i.e. those without dyslexia). While the specific difficulties associated with dyslexia may present challenges for those children, the author outlines how external forces such as the environment, relationships and teacher understanding may contribute to (or alleviate) such negative self perceptions. While children may learn and process information differently, negative feelings are often compounded by a teacher’s lack of knowledge regarding this different way of learning in the inclusive classroom. In order to develop truly inclusive practices in schools, it is imperative that contextual issues impacting children are understood and that this understanding is utilised to improve outcomes for all children, including those with dyslexia. It is also contended that children should be at the centre of this process and their views on how they learn best must be considered paramount.

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