Teachers awareness on dyslexia among pupils of SK Gayu, Padawan / Pus Ranggun

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defined literacy as “...the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society." In 1993 the World Education Report revealed that Malaysia had the lowest literacy rate (78.4%) as compared to other Southeast Asian neighbours, namely, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines (Halimah Badioze Zaman, 1998). However, by the year 2005 the rate had increased to 88.7% as reported in the 2007/2008 Human Development Report. Although there has been an increase in the number of literacy, it does not mean that the remaining 11.3% illiterates should be ignored. Kofi Annan states that “literacy is the prerequisite for a healthy, just and prosperous world”. It is a tool for development to raise economic productivity, which is why we send our children to school. Several contributing factors had been identified as to why some Malaysians are still illiterate and one of it is due to Dyslexia. Contrary to some of the negative perceptions people have on Dyslexia, according to The Chambers Pocket 20th Century Dictionary