Factsheets for Second Level Schools - Dyslexia Association of Ireland

Dyslexia at second level: Factsheets for teachers

These factsheets have been published to give teachers in second level
schools in Ireland clear and concise information on dyslexia, how it
affects students and how schools and teachers can help. With dyslexia
affecting approximately one in ten people, there are many thousands of
students with dyslexia in Irish second level schools. For some, the
difficulties may be so severe they are receiving extra support through
additional teaching. The majority depend on help from mainstream teachers.

The factsheets are a starting point. Factsheet 18 on resources gives
information about books, teaching resources and websites which deal with
the topic in detail. In particular several books and websites are
highlighted that could be considered essential for staff in all second
level schools.

How to use the pack
Some factsheets are relevant for all staff. These include:
. What is dyslexia?
. Understanding the educational psychological assessment.
. General classroom strategies.
. Developing reading and comprehension skills across the curriculum.
. Developing vocabulary and writing skills across the curriculum.
. Making information more accessible.
. Resources.


Many of the teaching approaches and strategies that support the student
with dyslexia are also of benefit to the general student body. N. MacKay
says in the book Dyslexia, Successful Inclusion in the Secondary School:
'Dyslexia-friendly policies also enable schools become more effective and
improves performance of all pupils. This is the power of the dyslexia
friendly approach that changes made on behalf of dyslexic pupils can
benefit all'. The British Dyslexia Association in the Dyslexia Friendly
Schools - Good Practice Guide says 'Dyslexia-friendly teaching techniques
will be helpful to all students, while the students with dyslexia may not
be able to learn effectively without them'.

Other factsheets are more specific such as those on educational choices,
maths and languages. It is hoped that school management would give copies
of the relevant factsheets to all teachers depending on the subjects they
teach.

Factsheet 16 has tips for parents on how they can support the student.
Factsheet 17 is for students on study techniques and online resources.

The Factsheets are available for free download on the websites
www.dyslexiacourses.ie and www.dyslexia.ie and are updated on an annual
basis.

The factsheets were written in 2013 by Mary Ball, an educational
psychologist who has worked with Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI) for
many years and Wyn McCormack, a guidance counsellor and special educational
needs teacher.

Wyn, together with Deirdre McElroy, a former educational psychologist who
worked with NEPS, offer courses on dyslexia to teachers as well as
information nights for parents on how they can support the student. They
also offer study workshops for senior cycle students. Full details are
available at www.dyslexiacourses.ie.

The Dyslexia Association of Ireland provides courses for teachers, adults
with dyslexia and parents at venues throughout Ireland as well as seminars
on assistive technology. Details of their courses are available on the
website www.dyslexia.ie.

For teachers interested in further qualifications there is Master of
Education in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) available in St.
Patrick's College, Dublin City University. It is part-time two-year level
9 programme.


Factsheets on dyslexia for second level schools



Factsheet 1 What is Dyslexia?

Factsheet 2 Screening and Identification

Factsheet 3 Understanding the educational psychological assessment report

Factsheet 4 The assessment report and its implications for learning

Factsheet 5 Supports for students with dyslexia in Irish Education

Factsheet 6 The dyslexia friendly school

Factsheet 7 General classroom strategies for mainstream teachers

Factsheet 8 Developing reading and comprehension skills across the
curriculum

Factsheet 9 Developing vocabulary and writing skills across the curriculum

Factsheet 10 Mathematics: dyslexia and dyscalculia

Factsheet 11 Teaching mathematics to students with dyslexia and/or
dyscalculia

Factsheet 12 Teaching languages to students with dyslexia

Factsheet 13 Educational choices for students with dyslexia

Factsheet 14 Making information accessible, the dyslexia-friendly style
guide

Factsheet 15 Computers and assistive technology

Factsheet 16 How parents can support the student with dyslexia

Factsheet 17 Study tips for the student with dyslexia including a
section on resources

Factsheet 18 Useful resources for teachers





© Mary Ball, Wyn McCormack 2013

Updated Wyn McCormack 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Downloadable at www.dyslexiacourses.ie and www.dyslexia.ie.
FACTSHEET 1: WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

Dyslexia is a neurological condition that makes it difficult to acquire the
skills of reading and writing. Characteristic features include difficulties
in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.
Phonological awareness is the ability to notice, think about and manipulate
individual sounds or phonemes and syllables within words.

Key points on dyslexia
. Research has identified genetic components in dyslexia.

. Dyslexia occurs across a range of intellectual abilities.

. It affects about one in ten persons.

. It occurs along a continuum. One student's dyslexia may be very severe
while another's may be quite mild. No two students are likely to have the
same profile.

. Dyslexic difficulties do not affect all tasks. An individual may be very
poor at reading but may excel at engineering, maths or art. Not all
aspects of reading and writing will be equally weak.

. Dyslexia may co-occur with other specific learning difficulties such as
dyspraxia, dyscalculia, attention deficit disorder, Asperger's syndrome
or speech and language impairment.


Identification
An educational psychological assessment carried out by an educational
psychologist is needed for a definitive identification of dyslexia. The
assessment may include testing of cognitive abilities as well as literacy
and numeracy skills. The psychologist also needs relevant background
information such as developmental history and other interventions from
parents, schools, colleges or any other relevant sources.


What are the core features that identify dyslexia?
. Most researchers agree that the core difficulty in dyslexia is caused by
a phonological deficit. This results in students having difficulty in
identifying the separate sounds in a word and later not being able to
match sounds with patterns of spelling. They may not process the sound
accurately, may become confused trying to sequence the sounds in the
correct order or may not remember the common letter patterns that sound
out/spell out syllables. They may end up guessing at written words.

. It takes learners with dyslexia longer than average to acquire a
knowledge of letter-sound patterns to the point that they can recognize
them automatically.

. They may also have difficulty with word recall and with the speed of word
recognition. Thus, while it appears that the core difficulty is at the
level of phonological awareness, individuals with dyslexia often show
difficulties with working memory, becoming automatic in tasks and rapid
naming.

. They may have difficulty with co-ordination, fine motor movement, time
management, organization/sequencing, space, direction and laterality.




Students with dyslexia may experience difficulties with some of the
following:
. Reading inaccurately, losing their place on the page, becoming
stressed when reading aloud.
. Learning and memorizing and in particular, rote learning such as
learning poetry, maths tables and formulae.
. Copying from the board or taking notes from dictation.
. Spelling.
. Understanding complex instructions.
. Planning and writing essays.
. Written answers are too short and points are underdeveloped.
. Handwriting may be disjointed, illegible at times or have many cross-
outs.
. Finishing work on time.
. Confusion about places, times and dates leading to problems of
organization.
. Wide discrepancy between oral and written work.

How does dyslexia affect the student's self-esteem?
Students, who see dyslexia as being a part of who they are and whose
family, friends and educators are supportive, encouraging and
accommodating, will develop confidence, a strong self-image and will have
the ability to solve and circumvent the challenges that dyslexia presents.
As with all students, with or without dyslexia, success at a task is the
most effective guarantee of continued achievement because it generates a
confidence that enables students to believe in their ability to learn.

Students, who have to struggle too much and who feel that their
difficulties are not understood, may be at risk of giving up, particularly
in secondary school. Because literacy is such a major accomplishment in
modern culture and essential for navigating school, failure to become
literate can have significant negative effect on self-esteem. The result
can be acting out, evasion, depression and risk of being bullied or of
being a bully.

How are these risks avoided?
Dyslexia is life-long but can be greatly helped by appropriate
interventions which teach students strategies for dealing with its effects
through knowing their strengths as well as their weaknesses and using their
abilities to problem-solve around the difficulties. The onus is not all on
the student. Schools and teachers need to make the environment learning-
friendly for these students.





FACTSHEET 2: SCREENING AND IDENTIFICATION

Concerns about a student may arise from the results of standardised tests
or from observations and/or concerns from parents,