This chapter summarizes the evidence provided in the previous chapters that Anglo-European developmental psychology and education have been limited by a pervasive bias toward individualism. This is despite the focus of international educational assessment bodies on collaborative skills as being necessary for all students. The result of this has been a lack of robust findings, especially regarding social development, and an education system that is largely ineffective for students who are not from Anglo-European backgrounds. Addressing these related issues requires a shift in educational practice and policy toward collective achievement and collaborative forms of pedagogy. The chapter recommends the first steps toward moving education away from an individualistic paradigm. These include changing the unit of analysis from the individual to the interaction, creating group-level outcome variables, and restructuring learning environments. Multiple levels of schooling – the curriculum, instructional designs, the structure of schools, policy, assessment, and teacher training – are all discussed in terms of how they would need to shift to support collaborative competence as a goal for all children.

Chapter 2 explores the potential positive and negative characteristics of dyslexia in adulthood. It will discuss a framework for understanding dyslexia in terms of the impact of biology and cognition, as well as the environment. This is linked to the key elements discussed in chapter 1, providing a basis for understanding the impact that dyslexia can have on learning and performance both in education and the workplace, and how these can interact: poor qualifications restricting access to employment. The aim is to provide an explanation for challenges that many with dyslexia faces and how these may impact on employment, as well as on confidence and self-esteem. It will also highlight the potential strengths that a dyslexic individual can bring to work performance and daily life. As part of this discussion, a profile of skills/abilities is also presented. This includes many of the tests that comprise a typical dyslexia diagnosis, which can form the basis for understanding such assessments. The aim is that, by the end of this chapter, the reader will have a good foundation in understanding adult dyslexia, its potential consequences and some possible solutions to those challenges.