Dyslexia

Action Plans for Successful Learning

Glynis Hannell

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781136788697
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

A clearly explained guide to helping pupils cope with their dyslexia, this book dispels common myths and includes: * Comprehensive coverage of dyslexia -what it is and what causes it* Action plans to help pupils overcome their difficulties with reading, writing, spelling and maths* Advice on how pupils with dyslexia can boost their memory, concentra

chapter 1
INTRODUCTION TO DYSLEXIA

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

PREVALENCE

ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS

INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED DYSLEXIC STUDENTS

CAUSES OF DYSLEXIA

EARLY RECOGNITION AND INTERVENTION

LEGAL ISSUES

ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNDING IN SCHOOLS

ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNDING FOR PARENTS

DYSLEXIA OVER THE LIFE SPAN

MYTHS ABOUT DYSLEXIA

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

There is no simple answer to the question ‘What is dyslexia?’ because it is a complex condition that varies widely from one individual to another. All dyslexic students will experience some difficulties with reading, spelling, writing and possibly mathematics. Some may have more difficulty with spelling, others may find their greatest challenge in fluent reading or getting their ideas on paper, each individual is different.

Under achievement is one of the hallmarks of a dyslexic student. Difficulties in the basic skills of reading, writing and perhaps mathematics are the almost inevitable consequences of dyslexia. Whilst not all students with learning difficulties have dyslexia, virtually all dyslexic students will have problems with learning in school. Although under achievement cannot by itself be used to diagnose dyslexia, it is often one of the clearest indicators that the student may have a learning disorder such as dyslexia. Under achievement means that a student is not performing to the level that we might reasonably expect when their age, ability and education is taken into consideration.

Dyslexic students can often be recognised by the level of their responsiveness to intervention. Whilst we can expect all students to respond to appropriate intervention, we know that in comparison to fellow students without dyslexia, dyslexic students need more intervention for a longer period of time to make the same degree of progress.

Inconsistent performance is another hallmark of the dyslexic student. Work which they can do quite well one day seems to be too difficult the next.

The following is a definition of dyslexia as adopted by the Research Committee of the International Dyslexia Association in August 2002

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterised by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Dyslexia is also sometimes referred to as a:

Learning disability

Specific learning difficulty

Reading disorder

PREVALENCE

The British Dyslexia Association states that around 4% of the population is severely dyslexic and a further 6% have mild to moderate problems.

Statistically there are likely to be between one and three students with dyslexia in any class of thirty students. This of course will vary from year to year, depending on the distribution of students to each class, some years there will be four, five or even more dyslexic students in one class. Because it is such a common condition it is unusual for a class to have no dyslexic students.

Dyslexia occurs across all ethnic groups and in all socio-economic classes. It also occurs in all languages, although the particular pattern of difficulties tends to vary between languages. It is a lifelong condition, although with appropriate intervention the effects of the difficulty may be reduced over the long term.

Although some dyslexics have ongoing, severe problems with literacy for their whole lifespan, many dyslexics proceed to further study, including higher education.

ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS

Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder frequently occur together, although the link between the two conditions is not, as yet, fully understood. Approximately 30% of dyslexic students have Attention Deficit Disorder. Low self-confidence, anxiety and motivational difficulties can be cons equences of the difficulties experienced in acquiring basic literacy skills. In some cases behavioural problems may follow.

By chance a dyslexic student may also have other difficulties or disabilities that are not in any way connected with dyslexia.

There are other types of specific learning difficulties as well as dyslexia. Students may have more than one type of learning disorder.

Specific arithmetic/mathematical disorder

This is learning disability in which the student has particular, severe problems in understanding mathematical concepts and/or performing calculations. It can occur independently of dyslexia, but it is often part and parcel of the dyslexic disorder.

Dysgraphia or specific writing disorder

Dysgraphia is a writing difficulty caused by a neurological processing problem (often Developmental Coordination Disorder, or Dyspraxia). It is not due to poor muscle strength, but is caused by irregularities in the neural pathways that manage the link between brain and hand. A student with dysgraphia finds it difficult to form letters and may have particular problems with sustained writing e.g they may be able to write neatly for a few words, but then their control deteriorates sharply, and their writing becomes increasingly messy. Although appropriate treatment and practice is appropriate, it will not necessarily ‘cure’ the problem.

INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED DYSLEXIC STUDENTS

Intellectually gifted students with dyslexia are an important group, whose needs do need to be addressed. These youngsters may well be performing within the average range for their age group but significantly under achieving when their intelligence is taken into consideration. The level of frustration for these students is often extremely high and mediocre literacy skills may easily disguise high intellectual capacities. For teachers, one possible indicator of under achievement is the discrepancy between the student's apparent verbal/intellectual capacities and their formal school work. A student who is always quick with an answer and idea in oral sessions but seems to struggle with written language, would be a typical dyslexic student.

CAUSES OF DYSLEXIA

Heredity is recognised as a significant factor in dyslexia, with at least 50% of dyslexic students having a first degree relative with dyslexia. Scientists are now beginning to identify the genetic code that is associated with dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a disorder in the processing of information. Reading, written language and arithmetic involve a complex interaction between listening, language, seeing, remembering and action. Deficits can occur in one or several parts of the circuit required for successful reading and writing. Fluent, accurate reading and writing require the rapid integration of many higher mental functions into one unified, complete process.

Recent studies using brain imaging techniques show that children with dyslexia may process some types of information in a different area of the brain to non-dyslexics. The neural connections that underpin successful learning may not have formed effectively, so that other areas of the brain, perhaps less well equipped to process the information, have to become involved. This means that a simple task such as sounding out and reading a word may need to be re-routed through alternative pathways, causing a slower and more difficult process, with a higher risk of error.

Dyslexic difficulties are not caused by poor teaching, problems with hearing or eyesight or family tensions (although of course these factors can make matters worse).

There is considerable ongoing discussion and debate amongst experts in the field, about the causes and the characteristics of dyslexia. In recent years, there has been recognition of the central role that phonological awareness plays in dyslexia.

Phonological awareness refers to the ability to recognise sounds within words and to manipulate sounds e.g. blend sounds together in reading or split words into sounds as part of successful spelling. Many dyslexic students are slow to develop adequate phonological awareness and may experience ongoing difficulties in this area.

A core difficulty for dyslexic students is in the development of automaticity They may be able to perform the required skills, but only by putting in a lot of extra effort and working slowly and mechanically. Whereas a non-dyslexic student may recognize words quickly, and sound out unfamiliar words fluently, the dyslexic student struggles. Words that they may have seen or written many times before are handled like new words that have to be processed all over again, because they are not yet automatically recalled when needed.

A small percentage of dyslexic students will have difficulties in the visual memory system. They will have problems remembering sight words, have difficulties with accurate copying and will usually be poor proof-readers. Difficulties with visual recall of printed patterns will lead to a slow acquisition of the link between sounds and written letters at the beginning stages of reading, and a heavy reliance on phonics once the basic letter-sounds relatio...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Full Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO DYSLEXIA
• CHAPTER 2: READING
• CHAPTER: 3 LANGUAGE AND DYSLEXIA
• CHAPTER 4: WRITING AND SPELLING
• CHAPTER 5: MATHEMATICS
• CHAPTER 6: MEMORY
• CHAPTER 7: CONCENTRATION
• CHAPTER 8: MOTIVATION
• CHAPTER 9: PARENTS, PROFESSIONALS AND HELPERS
• APPENDIX