The schooling of pupils with dyslexia in French-language children’s literature

Children’s literature depicting characters with dyslexia could facilitate understanding of this disorder in the schools. This article analyzes for the first time the schooling of characters with dyslexia in the French-language children’s literature, while four English-language studies already address this theme. We carried out a content analysis focusing on character schooling, teacher / peer attitudes, and pedagogical adaptations in a exhaustive corpus of 24 French-language books for children aged 3 to 12. The modes of schooling described are consistent with pupils’ actual schooling. In contrast to the Anglophone children’s literature, the majority of teachers show supportive attitudes towards their pupils with dyslexia, but do not intervene when they are teased. Few teachers use these books, yet they can be used as tools to promote the inclusion of pupils with dyslexia in school.