Dyslexia Supporting Children with Dyslexia

1. DyslexiaSupporting Children with Dyslexia Fiona McCrory May 2017 Trinity Cluster Parents’ Group

2. Aims for Session • Dyslexia / Literacy Difficulties • Literacy and Dyslexia Guidelines • Resources and strategies used to support literacy difficulties/ dyslexia • What support is available • What you can do to support your child

3. Simple View of Reading

4. Dyslexia effects people of all cognitive abilities. We don’t use term “diagnosis” – it’s not medical Schools can make an identification of dyslexia Can range from mild to severe Studies suggest 10% of population are dyslexic Supports are based on pupil needs – most can be addressed at class level (pathway 1)

5. Adopted Definition ‘Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the ‘word level’ and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities.’ Literacy and Dyslexia Guidelines: Definition developed by the British Psychological Society

6. Areas of Difficulty • Phonological • Reading • Spelling • Writing

7. Associated difficulties Memory Emotional / behavioural Organisational and motor skills Reading comprehension Maths Information processing Speech and Language

8. The Gift of Dyslexia • Can be very creative • Enjoy and excel in practical tasks • Strong visual thinking skills • Good verbal skills • Good social interaction • Good at problem solving

9. Identification Class teacher Parents Child/ Young person Support for Learning Teacher

10. Check for: or visual impairment hearing impairment

11. Visual aspects Reading Rulers http://www.crossboweducation.com/Eye%20Level%20Reading%20Ruler.htm\ Irlen/Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome: http://www.irlen.org.uk/ Binocular instability and visual stress http://www.edinburgh-eyetests.co.uk/dyslexia.htm

13. Reading - some indicators • Fear / avoidance of reading tasks • Dislike of reading aloud publicly • Lack of progress: slow & laboured or fast & inaccurate • Word known on one line but not the next • Reversals (e.g. b/d, was/saw) • Tendency to repeat / lose place • Losing track of meaning as the process is so hard • Skipping lines when reading

14. Writing - some indicators Avoidance of writing tasks Lack of punctuation ‘Much better orally’ Spelling mistakes Immature letter formation Difficulty copying Poor spacing Transposed letters Reversed letters

15. Literacy and Dyslexia Guidelines Produced to identify and meet needs of learners with literacy difficulties, including learners who may be dyslexic • Checklists with linked strategies/supports • Pupil and Parent Voice • Summary Framework • Formal assessments Published 2010

16. The Interventions • Read Write Inc – P3,P4 and P5 if appropriate • Fresh Start – P5 –P7 • SRA (Fast Track) – S1,S2 (some S3) Fiona.McCrory@ea.edin.sch.uk

17. Literacy/ Dyslexia Support Team Offers support to pupils with literacy difficulties/ dyslexia who, despite intensive support in their own schools, have found it difficult to make progress in literacy.

18. Literacy Dyslexia Supports • Map supports already in place • Detailed literacy assessment • Report to school and parents/ carers • Develop individual literacy programme • Block of weekly individual direct teaching • Train a learning assistant and teacher • Consultation and advice • Recommendation of next steps

19. Hints and Tips to support your child • Choosing a book to read – 5 finger test • Written homework – options, time (note to school if taking too long) • Help them love books – read to them, use of Epic, speech to text, poems/non-fiction • Memory - tables, spelling common words

20. Support organisation – checklists, colour coding, post its, mind maps • Encourage keyboard skills • Be encouraging and understanding. Help them find their own strategies • Communication with school • Be aware of tiredness

21. Reading Soundstart Dandelion Readers/ Totem Series Start to Finish Sparklers Zoom Trackers Planet Wobble Rapid Readers

22. Barrington Stoke Non-patronising, high-interest, lower reading age books for struggling readers, written by first-class authors. Printed on high-quality cream or off-white paper - more restful on the eye Specially modified font to encourage a smooth read Teachers’ site - for information on dyslexia and additional resources. http://www.barringtonstoke.co.uk

23. Paired Reading 1) Adult reads alongside child, mirroring. 2) Child signals for adult to stop. Child continues 3) If child is stuck – give word after 5 seconds 4) Adult and child read together until child signals again

24. Comprehension

25. Useful apps reading Hairy Letters Glow draw Teach Monster Memory Music

26. Useful sites Handout from Dyslexia Scotland

27. Any questions ?