What is Dyslexia?

1. What is Dyslexia? Youth Justice Project 2010/2011

2. The young person you are working with may have come with an education psychology report that explains the dyslexic difficulties It is, however, more likely that no diagnosis has been made, but it is important that you are able to recognise some of the areas that we are going to cover in this presentation, so that you can begin to see how that person may be supported in the future.

3. What is dyslexia?

4. What does the word ‘Dyslexia’ mean? • Dyslexia = difficulty with words • ‘Dys’ means ‘difficulty’ • ‘lexis’ means language

5. Specific Learning Difficulty Hidden Disability Learning Difference

6. Specific Learning Difficulties Attention, Concentration Planning and regulating Attention Deficit Disorder Spatial Awareness Motor-skills and co-ordination Words, sounds, Memory and sequencing Specific Language Impairment Dyspraxia (DCD) Dyslexia Dyscalculia Autistic Spectrum Disorders Interpretation in context Social significance

7. Research • genetic – around 10% of the population carry the gene that is linked to dyslexia • strong familial link

8. Research • latest research suggests it may affect as many females as males

9. Research • it can occur at any level of intellectual ability

10. Research • continuum – from mild to severe – about 4% will require specialist intervention

11. A Definition from the Rose Review on Dyslexia published in June 2009.

12. accurate and fluent word reading and spelling

13. phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed

14. range of intellectual abilities

15. continuum

16. language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation

17. severity and persistence intervention

18. What is dyslexia? It can affect: Literacy Phonological skills Speech and language Memory Numeracy Motor skills Organisation

19. What literacy difficulties does the young person with dyslexia face? He/she may not be able to read • well enough • quickly enough

20. How well can you read?

21. Read the following text Note any hesitations, errors or other tendencies ehT. srehto eht fo ngis on llits saw erehT .pmac eht dehcaorppa yeht sa deppots dah gnignis yeht, nehT .nees eb ot eno on saw ereht woN taerg a sexob eht fo eno fo pot eht no was tuB .derbhguoroht on saw tI .god etihw eht ekilnu – tsop sti ot kcuts dah ti deraeppasid dah yehT .step rehto yeht woN .nageb tsrif elbuort eht nehw .deppart erew yehT .tops eht no erew

22. What literacy difficulties does the young person with dyslexia face? He/she may not be able to write • legibly • quickly • neatly Dictation @ a e i o u

23. Dictation You may have found that very difficult to do Could you keep up? What was your spelling like? What was your handwriting like? How did you feel? Writing quickly while concentrating on how to form the letters, how to spell the words, while also working on ideas and sequences of sentences etc. may be extremely difficult.

24. Copy this……

25. Before you move onto the next screen please draw the international symbol for disabled access. • Now move on and check

27. What other difficulties may the young person with dyslexia face? He may not be able to remember • daily/weekly schedules • instructions • homework • spellings • facts for tests and examinations

30. Albert Einstein- world famous thinker and mathematician. It is thought that he was dyslexic. An example of ‘thinking differently’.

31. Robbie Williams, rock star, who has commented on his struggle to learn at school.

32. Agatha Christie, author, who wrote her books by hand in the days before computers, despite her dyslexia.

33. Sir Steve Redgrave, Olympic champion oarsman, who struggled at school.

34. Leonardo da Vinci, artist and inventor. Analysis of his writings suggests he may have been dyslexic. Another example of a person who thought ‘out of the box’.

38. Strengths shared by many dyslexic people Good interpersonal skills Imaginative Good at practical activities Often creative Good at 3-D, visual–spatial activities Problem solvers Lateral thinkers

39. A quote to leave you with….. The potential represented by the human resources of individuals is a social, cultural and economic asset that no nation can afford to neglect. When a disability such as dyslexia prevents the recognition of talent by educational institutions, the nation and the individual loses. Reforming Policy and Provision for Dyslexic Students in Higher Education: Towards  a National Code of Practice' PD Pumfrey Support for Learning Volume 13 Issue 2 Page 87-90, May 1998

40. Research References • 10% Co-morbidity: Ramus F: Developmental dyslexia: specific phonological deficit or general sensorimotor dysfunction? • Familial Dyslexia: Nopola-Hemmi J: Familial Dyslexia Genetic and neuropsychological findings • Shaywitz et al (1990) • Lefly & Pennington (1991) • Wolf & Melngailis (1994) • Wood et al (1991) • Gender bias:Anderson KG: Annals of Dyslexia, vol 47 No1  Dec 1997 pp 151 - 162.  Gender Bias and Special Education Referrals.

41. Image references http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4665991/j0399215-main_Full.jpg http://mse.iastate.edu/images/microscopy/opt_microscope.jpg