CHANGES TO JCQ REGULATIONS. DYSLEXIA AND SpLD UPDATE.

TO REFER A STUDENT… Please refer students on Case (then we have a record) rather than ing me or Zahida about them. Go on to Case. Click on Monitor. Reason: Learning Difficulty. Action: Request a Dyslexia Assessment.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT… They will then be offered an initial interview where I will investigate their background and assess if I think I need to progress to a full assessment to establish Dyslexia or another SpLD. This assessment will test the learners IQ, literacy, reading, writing, spelling, maths, phonological awareness, memory, ways of thinking, learning and problem solving techniques, as well as other things and will look at their individual profile of strengths and weaknesses to see if they are displaying characteristics of Dyslexia or other possible SpLDs. Each assessment can take one to three hours, depending on the nature and purpose of assessment. A comprehensive and confidential report of the results with recommendations is then sent to the parents and used to inform teaching in the Study Lab support sessions to develop an individual, structured program to help learners develop and improve in areas they want to, using a multisensory approach.

DYSLEXIA/ OTHER SpLDs Everyone's Dyslexia/ SpLD is like a fingerprint - different and unique to them. We must provide appropriate support for learners and ensure they can demonstrate their knowledge, whilst maintaining fairness, a level playing field for all and ensuring no unfair advantage for any learner. Under the Equality Act/ DDA we must make reasonable adjustments without compromising the integrity of the qualifications that the learners are taking and remove the barriers some learners face. We must also not treat students with a learning difficulty less favourably for any reasons related to their difficulty and we must provide reasonable adjustments in our classrooms and in their exams for learners, ensuring learning is accessible for all.

NORMAL WAY OF WORKING… We now have to demonstrate that the access arrangements are the candidate’s normal way of working and paint a strong picture of need as well as showing a history of need/ difficulty and a history of provision. I now need teacher comments to show persistent difficulties that the learners have experienced in class. I need to show that the learners are at a disadvantage, have significant difficulties, state how their difficulty has impacted on teaching and learning in the classroom and how the subject teacher is involved in supporting the learner. This is where the SpLD referral form will be used to generate evidence from subject teachers.

CLAUSE… If a candidate has never made use of the access arrangement granted to him/her, then it is not his/her normal way of working. Therefore, the arrangement should not be awarded for examinations. (If they don’t use extra time and readers/scribes in their lessons/mock exams, they will not have this provision in their actual exams). This means we can take it way from them if they are not using the provision. We want to make sure that we are preparing learners for the world of work/university. They will not get the same provision as we offer them here. Sometimes we put them at a disadvantage by offering them too much provision/ access arrangements at OSFC, they get used to this and then can’t cope at university/in employment.

ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS… Teachers - please avoid diagnosing learners as having Aspergers/Dyslexia/Dyscalculia/ ADHD/Dyspraxia in your lessons. Just state you will refer them to me for testing/ investigations. Please avoid telling learners when you are referring them on to me for appointments that they can have extra time/readers/scribes – leave this to me until I have assessed them/ have their scores and all the facts, as I have to deal with disappointed students and disgruntled parents when they can’t have this provision as their scores are too high. Deadline for access arrangements is 21 st March 2016.

USUAL ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS… Extra time (usually 25% extra time). Readers (reading pen/shared reader). Scribes (Dragon Speak/use of computer). Rest breaks. Coloured overlays. Separate/ smaller rooms. The use of a word processor to complete their exam.

Access Arrangements. History of Provision / Difficulty. Assessment Data. Normal Way of Working/Current Need. Access arrangements is a three way process.

OTHER SUPPORT… Other support mechanisms that are available at the college to help students if they prove not to have Dyslexia or other SpLDs or even if they do have Dyslexia and other SpLDs are: - Literacy and numeracy workshops. Study Lab support workshops. In class support. Peer mentor. College counsellor. College nurse. Personal tutor. Subject teachers. SLT and SSMs. Connexions and careers services. Outside Agencies.