Writing with SpLD , the D yslexia Q uality M ark & EMS

1. Writing with SpLD, the Dyslexia Quality Mark & EMS Prepared for HADLAD by the Rossett Enhanced Mainstream School for Specific Learning Difficulties (Greg Jones, TIC) 22/11/2012

2. The Plan • Some tips for Writing at home: • Awareness, the Simple View of Writing • Power Lines, Post It Planning, Flow & Editing • The Dyslexia Quality Mark – supporting schools to adapt whole school approaches • EMS support to meet the needs of higher need children with SpLD • Remaining Questions

3. Composition Frustrated writers – lots of ideas (often very good orally) but struggles with spelling, handwriting, sentence construction, etc. Good writers – plenty of ideas with the skills to communicate them in writing effectively. Transcription Poor writers – difficulties with putting words on paper or generating ideas. Technically good writers – skilled with spelling, handwriting, sentence construction etc. but struggle to develop ideas. The Simple View of Writing

4. Overload – understanding barriers • Apart from (re-)reading the stimulus material or question, what does a writer have to do? • Put all the statements that a Frustrated Writer can’t automatically do on the visual. • What’s the impact? • What do the colours mean?  Take off all those that a competent writer can automatically do.

5. Your Child - priorities • Which specific barriers can you / your child / your child’s school identify? – learning needs • What (compensatory) strengths does he / she have in writing?

6. Handwriting strategies & resources • “Supporting Children…with Coordination Difficulties” – schools can use to support you • Adapted pens / pencils / slopes /warm ups • “Power Lines” (from Neil Mackay)

7. Before “Power Lines”

8. With “Power Lines”

9. Activity • Can we remove any of the “frustrated writer” barrier statements?

10. “Post it Planning” Plan “What have we learned about SpLD?” 1. 10 ideas, 10 Post Its  choose the best 5 2. Sequence them 3. Add 2 words to each (spelling/ memory hook) 4. Explain the plan (Verbalise) • Example of pupil’s work before and after  Which barriers can we remove now?

11. Maintaining Writing Flow • Encourage flow & ability appropriate expression, don’t focus on accuracy • Emphasise going back to the plan for each paragraph - independence • Handling spelling when they’re writing: • Just give the word • “magic line” or as many l______ as they can • That’s a great word – can I write it for you? • I’ll write it, you copy. Try to write it all in one go • The first 3 letters are p-h-r

12. Editing • Fill in the Magic Lines - ACE Dictionary? • Syntax from the start. Spelling from the end. • Editing checklists • Target Mats as a minimum requirement for proof reading  example

13. Activity • Remove all those statements where the frustrated writer is now supported or automatic • How much is left?

14. Your messages to your child • 1 hymn sheet – working with school • SpecificLD • Learning to learn – what works for me? • Mechanics versus Content • Completion or learning – what matters? • Praise the process or the outcome? • (In consultation with school) Using “Alternative Recording” - self-esteem

17. Dyslexia Quality Mark • “In a ‘dyslexia friendly’ school, weak basic skills are not a barrier to achievement”, Neil Mackay (BDA 1998) • Inclusion – complementing the (broader) North Yorks Inclusion Quality Mark • What works in dyslexia works for all – Quality First Teaching

18. The DQM Journey • DQM added to the School Development Plan • SENCO / Head audit against the 4 Standards • Action planning / scheduling / documentation • Once at “Establishing” or above  Verification • Verification visit by the LA team (Attained / partially attained / not attained) • Full report from the EMS with recommendations • Renewals are every 3 years

19. School Provision Mapping • Consistent applied statements of “Universal Entitlement” e.g. thinking time • Intervention map (or similar) • Individual Provision Mapping for higher need

20. The 4 Standards • Leadership and Management 2. Quality of Teaching and Learning 3. Classroom Environment (incl. Exams & ICT) 4. Partnership and Liaison: • Pupil Voice • Parent Voice • Within and between schools • With outside agencies

21. Effective Partnership - Parents • Parent views are routinely sought & valued • Identification of dyslexia (or literacy difficulty) is handled effectively & practically • Information, support groups & training offered • Parents contribute to target setting & practical support. Are you an “asset”?

22. The 4 Judgements 1. ‘Focusing’ - beginning to consider how to become ‘dyslexia friendly’ 2. ‘Developing’ - work is beginning to take place 3. ‘Established’ - measures are actively undertaken to meet the individual objectives 4. ‘Enhancing’ - measures are fully embedded and the school has moved on to additional steps

23. The Verification Visit (4 hours) • Documentation review (the “DQM Folder”) • Learning Walk • Interviews: • SENCO & Headteacher (evidencing the Standards) • A group of pupils with SpLD • A group of parents of children with SpLD • SEN Governor • A group of teachers (& TAs, sometimes separate)

24. Progress • June 2011 - there were 25 DQM schools in NY Rossett supports 87 schools (9 Secondary): • 10 currently have DQM (8 Primary, 2 Secondary) • 2 DQM verifications are booked • 7 schools have a clear intention to attain DQM • 4 had the award but it has lapsed • At least 2 schools have opted for the “Dyslexia Friendly Checklist” as part of the IQM instead

25. The EMS for SpLD • New Parent leaflet & the team • Meeting the needs (of higher need children): • Informal Telephone Contacts (~ 50 in 2011 – 2012) • Referrals. 83 and counting. Capacity building focus • Initial training on The EMS / DQM etc (2010 – 11) • Specific practical training on areas of SpLD followed a survey of training needs (1. SpLD Writing, 2. Maths Learning difficulties, 3. Consolidating Phonics in SpLD)

26. Survey of Schools (May ’11 - Rossett) • 65% return • 85% satisfied or very satisfied • 6 schools rated us adequate, 1 unsatisfactory – the “1” has now changed & all were “low contact” schools • Very positive comments on all areas

27. Referrals (Outreach) • 92% of pupils make good progress • 85% had working Individual Provision Maps – most with Target Mat (not an LA requirement) • High levels of improvement in parent and pupil satisfaction • Effective capacity building and strong positive feedback from schools • E.g. 14 referrals made inactive, Summer 2012

28. Rossett as an enhanced school • Neil Mackay whole school dyslexia training June 2010 was very influential in wider school strategy • DQM awarded in June 2011 • School Provision Map for Dyslexia updated 2012 • Dyslexia adjustments are woven into whole school developments (TLCs, AfL, Kagan, the “Rossett Model” – active, multisensory & fun) • Workshop Model - clear rationale for intervention • Paired Reading • Regular SpLD Tips sent to staff – “drip feed CPD”

29. Questions raised - areas • DQM – the profile, value, quality assurance & ongoing training • The EMS – hopefully already answered • “Dyslexia unfriendly schools” (Quality & Improvement – agencies working together) • Apparent difficulties in parent-school partnerships – a general response • Assessment (incl. Educational Psychology) • Specialist teaching • Transition from Primary to Secondary