www.addressingdyslexia.org CLPL Presentation Where are we? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit www.addressingdyslexia.org CLPL Presentation

Where are we? • Acceptance that dyslexia exists. • Acceptance that neurological, genetic and environmental factors are involved. • Better understanding of “holistic assessment”. • The word “Dyslexia” can be used when assessments have indicted this.

Scottish Definition of Dyslexia 2009 The aim of this particular definition is to provide a description of the range of indicators and characteristics of dyslexia as helpful guidance for educational practitioners, learners, parents/carers and others. Dyslexia can be described as a continuum of difficulties in learning to read, write and/or spell, which persist despite the provision of appropriate learning opportunities. These difficulties often do not reflect an individual's cognitive abilities and may not be typical of performance in other areas. The impact of dyslexia as a barrier to learning varies in degree according to the learning and teaching environment, as there are often associated difficulties such as:  auditory and /or visual processing of language-based information  phonological awareness , oral language skills and reading fluency  short-term and working memory  sequencing and directionality  number skills  organisational ability Motor skills and co-ordination may also be affected. Dyslexia exists in all cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. It is a hereditary, life-long, neurodevelopmental condition. Unidentified, dyslexia is likely to result in low self-esteem, high stress, atypical behaviour and low achievement. Learners with dyslexia will benefit from early identification, appropriate intervention and targeted effective teaching, enabling them to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

This much wider working definition has a number of characteristics and a young person may present some or most of these. • Auditory/visual processing Does the child seem to have difficulties in distinguishing sounds/ syllables/words and identifying where they heard them in words/sentences? What about visual processing? Are there any difficulties in getting letters and words the right way round, following text, copying letters/words? • Oral language skills Are there any apparent difficulties with speech production, muddling words or pronouncing words when reading? • Phonological Awareness Does the learner seem to have difficulties in sound matching/remembering specific sounds and manipulating them in words, sentences, and understanding how the sound system of language works? • Reading fluency Does the learner hesitate, omit/substitute words • Short term/working memory Can the child remember instructions, letter/sound correspondences, words, tables, and can they hold and manipulate information? • Number skills Does the learner have difficulty remembering mathematical processes, number bonds, tables etc? This would be a memory processing difficulty. Dyscalculia is a difficulty with the concept of number.

a b b c Phonological Auditory and/or visual awareness processing of Oral language skills language-based information 2009 1 2 3 Scottish Definition of Reading Sequencing & Dyslexia fluency directionality Organisational Short term & ability working memory Number skills The impact of dyslexia as a barrier to learning varies in degree according to the learning and teaching environment

Cognitive difficulties experienced • Phonological Awareness • Short-term memory • Working memory • Naming and labeling • Processing speed • Organisation • Automaticity

"The dyslexics were using 4.6 times as much area of the brain to do the same language task as the controls," said Todd Richards, co-leader of the study. "This means their brains were working a lot harder and using more energy than the “normal” children". http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s57074.htm Red indicates areas activated Areas activated while performing simple language task

Additional Support Needs Barriers to learning Learning environment. Family circumstances. Health or disability. Social or emotional factors.

Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit - Background October 2008 May 2014

National Overview in Scotland 2014

Next Steps Dialogue with Scottish Government, Dyslexia Scotland/Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit /STEC/ITE/COSLA Dyslexia Friendly approaches -Scottish Government requested recommendations from Dyslexia Scotland – Round table event National Guidance – Dyslexia Scotland/Education Scotland Education Scotland – HMIe Dyslexia learning trail Comprehensive professional learning package Further development and awareness of the Toolkit

The overlapping spectrum of learners with ASN . Focusing resources on the dyslexic profile will benefit all of the other learners. High ability Low ability Attention learners learners Disorders Shared Dyscalculia Dyslexia Charact cter eris istic tics Cognit gnitiv ive Emot otional ional Envir nviron onme menta ntal (DCD) Metacognit cognitiv ive The Developmental Autistic Co – ordination Difficulties Spectrum SLI Speech & language impaired

Literacy Foundations There may be many reasons why children do not acquire literacy skills. If early identification and support is not provided the difficulties will continue in some form irrespective of the masking/coping strategies which the child/young person/adult may have developed. Difficulties with the acquisition of literacy skills Irrespective of age it is important to ensure that the foundations of literacy skills are embedded in an appropriate way.

The Free National online Dyslexia Addressing Toolkit has been designed to support CfE and GIRFEC since 2010 It is funded by the Scottish Government and available to via the internet who wishes to access it. Development team HMIe Dyslexia Scotland Teachers Educational Psychologists Leading experts in the field of dyslexia STEC The toolkit continues to be developed further - CLPL , Literacy, Numeracy

Who is this toolkit for? The process begins in the classroom. HMIe inspection model support this .

Early intervention How does the Toolkit help with early intervention?

Identification process Examples of information gathered for an Additional Support meeting The identification process for dyslexia should be a holistic process and include; • Observations – home and in school/nursery • Consultation with the pupil, staff and family • Examples of free writing • Reading comprehension levels – (if appropriate) • Chronological reading and spelling – (if appropriate) • Consideration of phonological awareness • Sensory perceptions (coloured glasses if appropriate • Use of appropriate assessments. One single “test” for dyslexia is not appropriate.

Example of generic holistic proforma to collate the evidence gathered during the identification process.

What is an accessible resource?

Teaching approaches to meet identified needs highlighted in the Making Sense Review  Multi-sensory approaches  Use of the Dyslexia Friendly Schools framework  Specific phonological awareness activities  Structured spelling programmes and strategies  Alternative methodology  Adaptations to the classroom environment  ‘Scaffolding’ tools to give structure to writing  Adaptation to text  Use of graded readers with age-appropriate content  Direct support from other children and young people, including paired reading  Direct support from other adults  SQA’s Additional assessment arrangements

Children and Young people • Knowing your strengths & limitations • What can help • Who can help • Case studies • Q and As

Parents • Understanding dyslexia • Approaching the school • Partnership working • Case studies • Q and As