Why do some children struggle to read and write?

 To understand why some children struggle with literacy  To have some practical ideas to help them  To have the opportunity to discuss strategies used in schools to help

The word 'dyslexia' comes from the Greek and means 'difficulty with words'. It is a life long, frequently but not always genetic, inherited condition and affects around 10% of the population. Dyslexia occurs in people of all races, backgrounds and abilities, and varies from person to person: no two people will have the same set of strengths and weaknesses. Dyslexia occurs independently of intelligence.

Dyslexia is really about information processing: dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear. This can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills.  Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.  Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.

 Do I give children the whole picture first to give them a clue as to what they are doing/what it will look like at the end?  Do I break instructions down, or provide written back up for what I am saying?  Do I give them time to record/take notes/write or draw memory aids?  Do I expect them to copy from the board or do I provide copies for them?  Do I expect them to write more quickly than they are able and if so how can I break that down so that they are writing what is useful for them, not just copying?

 Ask children:  ‘what do you do when you can’t write fast enough?  Do you correct your work as you go along or proof read at the end?  Do you learn better by listening or looking?  Do you ever write or draw reminders for your self?  Do you prefer to have information step at a time or see the whole picture first.

 Teach spelling as an explicit skill  Over learning opportunities, repetition,  memory hooks,  Focus on reading and comprehension, content not spelling  Have dyslexia friendly classrooms and planning  Consider visual presentation of work

 1) Memory books  2) Learning tool-kits  3) Being a ‘resourceful’ child is praised and recorded  4) Writing and Planning frames  5) consider visual stress and eyesight as a factor  6) Mind maps and story paths/mountains etc  7) Visual timetables and props  8) Regular, daily teaching of spellings/phonics/matching spelling to writing

 Many children with literacy difficulties and otherwise good eyesight mention words and letters jumping and moving about.  Once their eyesight has been checked professionally, we can help these children by:  1) doing a visual stress test to determine best shades and colours which minimise the movement of letters etc (Kate)  2) using coloured books and paper, providing coloured reading rulers or overlays (available on request)  3) double spacing or enlarging worksheets  4) simplifying work sheets to reduce visual clutter  5) sitting child near white board and providing different coloured background to whiteboard when writing  6) providing visual information in large font, and providing it individually for children who need it.

 Children record how many times they get up and go and get a resource they need on a class sheet – prize to the child who does that the most each week/session  Resources – ask the children where it would be useful to have them, and what resources they would fine most useful  Memory book – children reminded to get these out when they are about to learn a new skill/genre/word etc

 - TA to scribe whilst teacher talking  Teacher to jot 3 things to do on the white board pre-lesson ready ie – 1) write date2) write 3 sentences about cats 3) check – have you put in full stop and capital letters  To write key spellings if you know they will struggle

 Learning is a teachable skill. Children learn best when they triangulate -ie learn spellings in 3 different ways to fix them.  If you teach children a different skill each week, but differentiate the level of challenge in the words, you can teach this whole class, for half an hour, over 4 weeks.  Once you have taught the strategies explicitly, you can set aside half an hour a week for the children to learn the spellings in class once they have been given, using their skills, where you can check their learning and support strategies.  These are the strategies…..

 Use task boards/white boards, memory books and resource packs/resource area – rehearse with children and praise for use  Send home tricky words from new topics, and have them printed out for the children who will need them – it is not cheating, it is creating a visual reminder  Hear them read – put them on the priority reading or BRP rota – reading is the key  Follow the school spelling plan it is dyslexia friendly  Make it visual, chunk your information, provide visual support when you have to explain things in depth