Specific L earning Difficulties Developing Awareness

1. Specific Learning DifficultiesDeveloping Awareness

2. This is how some Dyslexic lessons start … “Today we are affects people in many ways .. Some people see letters reversed, some going to talk the Learning Objective from how words get put together the Board Dyslexia is a, some people get Can you copy some people just can’t see words, some words muddled, about Dyslexia people cannot remember type of learning disability that people see light moving across the page the patterns of . There are lots of words dance, some ways to help a dyslexic person achieve.” I look at the Board and the teacher is speaking and this is what I get …

3. Copying the L.O. Without overlay Many problems could result from global warming. One of the biggest problems is rising sea level. This could result in the flooding of low lying coastal areas and cities, such as Egypt, the Netherlands, and Bangladesh. Some countries might even disappear completely! With overlay When I copy from the Board I have to do it letter by letter … I don’t see words like I think you all do It is very easy to lose my place

4. Learning new words I don’t “know” what words look like … I recognise a bit of them and I guess the bits in between. Sometimes I will guess one way and sometimes another. Phonetics are not good for me. If I see a word often it helps. If I type it a lot my fingers remember it, not my head. It really helps when you write down key words and I can practice them.

5. Characteristics of Dyslexia • Unaware of sounds in words, rhymes or syllables • Difficulty decoding and encoding words • Poor sequencing of letters e.g. sing/sign, left/felt, soiled/solid • Difficulties comprehending text • Difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas in a written form • Literal interpretation of spoken language • Word finding difficulties • Difficulty with hand writing • This is not definitive list

6. Our 4 types of Memory Sequential Memory Auditory Memory Visual Memory Working Memory What can this mean to a student: May not recall what has been said May only remember the last instruction Has difficulty recalling subject specific vocabulary e.g pieces of equipment May have difficulty remembering what a key word means

7. The Many Qualities of a Dyslexic Person

8. Dyslexia – Support in the classroom • Think about seating in the class room • Dyslexics may have limited concentration and may find copying from the board challenging and time consuming • Use different colours for different pieces of information on the IWB as this aids concentration and focus. • Mark work for content avoiding mass correction of work. Focus on one or two key word spellings. • Give a limited number of instructions as many dyslexics have a poor working memory and will not remember large quantities of instructions. • Do not expect the same volume of written work as the rest of the class, assess quality rather than quantity. • Involve the student orally as much as possible to allow them to display their knowledge, • Encourage alternative methods of recording work

9. Support In the Classroom Part 2 • Provide printed sheets of text to allow the dyslexic time to concentrate on reading and comprehending the text highlighting relevant points • Use mind maps to help plan and structure work • Use writing frames to scaffold work and aid planning and structuring. • Supply a list of key words at the start of each new topic or beforehand if possible to allow pre learning to take place.

10. Examples of what dyslexic people see. But often it is blurred too – this is what dyslexic people see without help.

11. How dyslexic people write and how they see handwriting

12. Dyslexia Friendly Text Many dyslexics experience visual discomfort when reading and will wear tinted glasses to reduce print ‘floating’ on the page (Irlene’s Syndrome) • Things to try and remember: • Use cream paper when printing, black on white tends to glare. Put a cream shade on slides for the IWB • Write in short simple sentences • Use Arial or Comic Sans fonts at least size 12. Don’t use a variety of fonts • Use bold to highlight rather than italics or underlying • Use bullets or numbers • Make use of headings • Keep background simple, lots of graphics can be confusing • Use flow charts and mind maps to present information • Provide key words with meanings

13. Strategies to Help with Spelling • Avoid marking every error instead underline the part of the word which is mis-spelt • Look, say, cover, write, say, check • Simultaneous Oral Spelling (SOS) • Mnemonics e.g ‘what’ we have atiger • Think of phrases e.gin Britain it rains • Note letter patterns by highlighting or making larger e.g. accommodate

14. The Dyslexia Friendly Classroom Consider the pupils you want to focus on and their needs. Do you need to find out more from this pupil? Select at least two aspects that you would like to focus on in your classroom practice or chose a combination of strategies. Discuss with colleagues your next steps and be prepared to feedback • Seating • Routines • Language • Boardwork • Worksheets • Reading • Writing • Use of TA

15. The Dyslexia Friendly Classroom • Seating • Sit dyslexics near the front, near the teacher and facing board • Ensure left handers don’t ‘crowd out’ right handers • Adequate lighting and a lack of glare • Routines • Explain clearly the objective of the lesson and refer to them throughout the lesson • Encourage the use of dictionaries or hand held spell checkers • Encourage active learning giving an opportunity for pupils to share what they have learnt • Create opportunities to succeed, praise success and reward frequently • Create an uncritical atmosphere where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities

16. The Dyslexia Friendly Classroom Cont. • Language • Avoid rhetorical questions (dyslexics can take language literally) • Speak slowly and clearly, using short sentences and repeating key words. • Give verbal instructions clearly asking pupils to repeat them back • Have key words visible on the board or in a display • Back up instructions visually • Set homework at the beginning of the lesson • Board Work • Read as you write • Writing should be clear and easy to read • Use different coloured pens to make text easier to track • Try to avoid copying vast amounts from the board • Provide printed sheets of written work to highlight or read through.

17. The Classroom continued… • Worksheets • Use bold headings, font 12, comic sans, Arial • More diagrams and pictures than writing • Highlight key words • Use coloured paper to reduce visual stress • Reading • Ensure text is an appropriate reading level • Encourage group/pair reading • Do not ask pupil to read aloud unless they volunteer or text is pre prepared • Writing • Use ICT when possible • Use writing frames or sentence starters • Use mind maps to record initial ideas • Supply key words using mnemonics for tricky words

18. And finally • Using Your TA • The TA should not be used as a substitute for differentiation • Talk to your TA and involve them in the lesson • Your TA often sees students in many subject areas and with different groups of pupils. Ask their advice and use their knowledge. • Use a traffic light system to highlight who needs help • Beware of learned helplessness – the pupil who relies too heavily on the TA • Use the TA for targeted input for specific pupils • Use the TA with the most able students giving you time to work with pupils with learning difficulties • Give the TA time to write homework down for pupils who need it • Use the TA to scribe/read to pupils in assessments

19. Benefits to pupil, Teacher and TA • Pupil: • Provide sound strategies for each individual pupil – Equip them with excellent skills for now and in the future. • Confidence • Happier • Help reach their true potential • Thirst and desire to learn and increase their knowledge • Subject Teacher/TA • Personal satisfaction- happy, confident, help pupil to achieve to the best of their ability. • Helped your pupil to enjoy your subject • Helped increase their knowledge and understanding