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Supporting Dyslexic Students in Mainstream Educational Settings. By Alicia Smith. What is Dyslexia?. Working definitions of dyslexia Inability to decode words well despite substantial reading instruction ( Pressley &McCormick, 2007) Language based learning disability
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Supporting Dyslexic Students in Mainstream Educational Settings By Alicia Smith
What is Dyslexia? Working definitions of dyslexia • Inability to decode words well despite substantial reading instruction ( Pressley &McCormick, 2007) • Language based learning disability • Refers to a cluster of symptoms which results in people having difficulties with specific language skills, specifically reading (International Dyslexia Association, 2011) • Average to above average IQ’s are common in people with dyslexia
Who does dyslexia affect? • 15-20% of the population has a language based learning disability (International Dyslexia Association, 2011) • An average of 4 to 5 student out of a class of 25 are affected
Issues facing classroom teachers • Language based learning disabilities may go undiagnosed for long periods of time • Given the prevalence teachers must be prepared to support these students in their classroom • Many students with moderate to severe dyslexia may be kept in mainstream classrooms for most of instructional time • Due to misconceptions surrounding dyslexia, families may struggle with how to best support their child
Dyslexia in Educational Settings • Students with dyslexia require differentiated instruction methods • Debate on how to best support dyslexic students • Advocates for both pull out and in class interventions
Types of instruction • Multi-Sensory instruction utilizes phonetics and emphasizes visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles. • Approach includes teaching students to understand alphabetic principal, read sight words, and be proficient in reading words by matching speech sounds to parts of words • Emphasizes direct, explicit instruction
Types of instruction, continued • Morphological instruction includes teaching students to be conscious of morphological structure of words and their ability to reflect and manipulate the structure.( example :jump+s, jump+ing)(Goodwin & Ahn, 2010) • Approach also emphasizes explicit, direct instruction
Elements of Successful Interventions • Multiple instructional components, focused on explicit and systematic instruction in phonology and the alphabetic code • Engaging and interactive, incorporates manipulatives often • Allows opportunity to respond many times • Provides ample opportunities to practice through cumulative reviews of reading skills designed to support mastery learning • Data is used to monitor progress and ensure intervention validity (Otaiba, Conor, Foorman, Shatschneider, Grulich & Sidler, 2009)
Intervention • The Response to Instruction or Intervention (RTI) process is used to to eliminate ineffective reading instruction as a cause of reading difficulties. • Three tiers of instruction • Tier 1 primary classroom instruction-all students receive evidence-based and well-implemented reading instruction for 90 minutes per day • Tier 2 – interventions provided to children who did not make adequate gains when they received Tier 1 • Tier 3- individualized instruction based on students assessment data ( small group of 1 to 3 students)
Conclusions • Students with dyslexia need early and often interventions to ensure their success • Through RTI, teacher identifies needs and correct instruction for students • Interventions should includes systematic instruction using multi-sensory instruction with an emphasis on explicit instruction on phonemic awareness, phonics, morphemes and alphabetic code
Sources Goodwin, A. P., & Ahn, S. (2010). A Meta-Analysis of Morphological Interventions: Effects on Literacy Achievement of Children with Literacy Difficulties. Annals of Dyslexia, 60(2), 183-208. The International Dyslexia Association http://www.interdys.org/, 2011 Pressley, M., & McCormick, C.B. (2007). Child and adolescent development for educators. New York, NY.: The Guilford Press. Otaiba, S. A., Connor, C.M., Foorman, B., Schatschneider, C., Gruelich, L.,& Sidler, J.F. (2009). Identifying and intervening with beginning readers who are at-risk for dyslexia. Perspectives on language and literacy, 35(4), 13-18.