The Experience of Dyslexic Students at University: Transitions in Education

1. TEMPUS iSHEDS The Experience of Dyslexic Students at University: Transitions in Education ADSHE Networking Day, 18th June, 2009 Dr Margaret M. Meehan Co-ordinator of Specialist Tuition Swansea University

2. Table 2. A crosstabulation of gender against study level for HE final year students with dyslexia in the Case Study University (CSU) Undergraduates Year Female Male Total 2002-03 35 32 67 2003-04 26 38 64 2004-05 23 42 65 2005-06 38 44 82 Total 122 156 278 Postgraduates Year 2002-03 4 8 12 2003-04 7 4 11 2004-05 3 5 8 2005-06 3 8 11 Total 17 25 42

3. Database of final year students with dyslexia in the CSU • Final year students with dyslexia were on average 3.6% of the total of final year students over the 4 years under consideration. • Ratio of female : male dyslexic students 1:1.3 • Ratio of female: male non-dyslexic students 1: 0.72 • Mean age of graduation 23.5 years and mode 22 years • 116 arts students and 162 science students Female students 1:1 arts and science but for male students almost twice as many science students

4. Table 3. Undergraduates with dyslexia for the academic years 2002/03 – 2005/06. Year Gender 1st 2:i 2:ii 3rd Pass Total 2002/03 Female 4 22 9 0 0 35 Male 7 8 13 4 0 32 Total 11 30 22 4 0 67 2003/04 Female 2 8 14 1 1 26 Male 2 18 12 5 1 38 Total 4 26 26 6 2 64 2004/05 Female 1 11 9 1 1 23 Male 0 12 21 5 4 42 Total 1 23 30 6 5 65 2005/06 Female 1 14 18 2 3 38 Male 1 12 24 5 2 44 Total 2 26 42 7 5 82 Total 18 105 120 23 12 278

5. Final year students with dyslexia • Number of first class degrees decreased and number of 2ii increased over 4 years • Number of dyslexic students first assessed at primary school increased over 4 years but the number of students first assessed at university increased also. (Meehan, 2008) • Number of students accessing funding in final year increased and the number of undergraduates putting funding in place before coming to university increased (Meehan, 2008) • 113 assessed by same educational psychologist N=107 undergraduates, copying speed range 10 – 31 wpm, mean 19.2 and mode 20 wpm, free writing range 11- 37 wpm, mean = 23.4 wpm and mode 25 wpm.

6. Results of 9 interviews with final year students with dyslexia • 8 studentscommented on transition to university, 3 had difficult transitions (1 difficult academic department, 1 gap year so difficulty writing essays, 1 adjusting to new life style), 5 had few problems (2 advocated going to college as a perfect transition to HE, 1 had a very relaxed attitude to first year). • Study skills difficulties with organisation, reading, note-taking, spelling, assignment structure and proof reading skills • Helpful strategies were speed reading, mind mapping, typing up recorded lectures asap, lecture notes on intranet, meeting other students with dyslexia and hearing how they coped with difficulties • Prejudice experienced by one student advised by school teacher not to disclose dyslexia, one student not given reasonable adjustments in previous university and another student equating his own dyslexia with being unintelligent “at university you’re supposed to be intelligent” • Staff should be more aware of dyslexia, spread out deadlines, give more targeted reading and be more available to give help

7. Staff Questionnaire Case Study University School Number Q returned % A 112 40 35.7 B 66 27 29.7 C 63 24 26.4 Total 241 91 37.8

8. Staff views • 13/90 had had formal training but majority knew someone other than a student who had dyslexia, had worked in the CSU for more than 5 years and had worked with students with dyslexia • 24/89 said they knew enough about dyslexia to refer a student for an assessment • Staff thought students with dyslexia had problems with spelling, grammar and punctuation but not arithmetic • Staff thought students with dyslexia in tutorials and seminars took part in discussions and that they were confident, hardworking and organised • Over half of staff always gave out handouts and reading lists, allowed students to record lectures and put technical words on the board • Less than half of staff always used visual aids, always put handouts on the intranet, always used PowerPoint, always gave small group sessions and always used coloured paper • Written comments were positive and sceptical: students were hard working, creative and innovative but other staff thought students were camouflaging laziness by ‘disability’ or being assessed to gain preferential treatment. Majority of staff found students with dyslexia no different to other students

9. TEMPUS iSHEDS • A European funded TEMPUS project for the Identification and Support in Higher Education for Dyslexic Students (ISHEDS) co-ordinated by Professor Angela Fawcett, Swansea University, Wales and involving partners in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia and Dr Ian Smythe (UK). • To address inequalities of provision for university students in the Western Balkan Higher Education Systems. • The project aims to make an impact on policy and legislation because Bosnia-Herzegovina Hungary, Romania, and Serbia have no laws or guidelines or support for the child or adult with dyselxia. • Assessment of dyselxia, ICT support, human support and self support for students with dyselxia studying at university are also aspects of the project.