1. Parents and Carers Supporting dyslexic children at home
Sonia Ali -
Dyslexia and learning difficulties Specialist teacher

2. True or False? 1. Early signs of dyslexia can include weaknesses with speech, language and communication. 2. Dyslexia is a visual disorder causing those with the disorder to see words and letters backwards. 3. Dyslexia runs in families. 4. The most effective intervention for dyslexic children is plenty of reading practice.

3. True or false? Very early signs of dyslexia at pre-school age, include speech delay or difficulty pronouncing some words clearly. True, but SLCN does not mean a child is dyslexic Dyslexia is a visual disorder causing those with the disorder to see words and letters backwards. False, but dyslexic students can have low sensitivity to visual information Dyslexia can run in families. Yes, there is a hereditary link The most effective intervention for dyslexic children is lots of reading practice. Reading alone is not the most effective intervention. Most children in key stage 1 and 2, will need additional phonological training. Phonological based intervention AND guided reading is the most effective intervention.

4. Dyslexia is a specific learning difference.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference.
Dyslexia is neurobiological and language-based: neuro-resonance imaging has proven that there are different areas of brain activation that occur when a dyslexic person is performing a language based task.
Dyslexia affects individuals of all ability ranges.
Dif

5. What are the signs of dyslexia?
Shows weaknesses identifying and blending sounds (phonemes) in words.
Will sometimes sound out phonemes in a words correctly, but blend the sounds incorrectly.
Will have difficulty retaining and learning phoneme and grapheme correspondence.
will transpose (swap) letters or letter strings in words when spelling.
Will transpose letters or letter string in words when reading.
Makes slower progress in spelling and reading, despite intervention.
May display signs of tiredness, low self-esteem, or withdrawal in class.

6. Core weaknesses that indicate dyslexia
Weak phonological awareness and processing skills (includes poor visual and auditory discrimination. )
2. Reduced working memory capacity
3. Slower language processing speed
4. More time needed to become ‘fluent’ in a skill (weaker procedural memory)
Co-occurring challenges include: reduced concentration and attention; visual tracking issues; organisational challenges; SLCN.

7. Phonological intervention
Weak in phonological awareness and processing skills.

8. Effective intervention to support phonological skills
Cumulative learning
frequent repetition and rehearsal to ensure fluency (procedural memory)
multi-sensory teaching methods
structured
Varied teaching and opportunity for challenge (games, flash cards, games)

9. (Nicolson and Fawcett (2000)
If a acquiring a skill requires 900 repetitions, a child with dyslexia might take 30 times as many (the square root of 900 times)
(Nicolson and Fawcett (2000)
‘Long term learning in dyslexic children.’)

10. Multi-sensory teaching
Multi-sensory teaching involves the use of a range of modalities: visual, kinaesthetic/tactile, auditory and oral during the learning process.
When multi sensory teaching is used, a range of sensory pathways are stimulated, facilitating the transference of information to the working memory and long term memory.

11. Word building with magnetic letters Read it, build it, write it
Multi-sensory teaching
Word building with magnetic letters
Writing in sand, rice
Test to recognise processing speed. Even competent readers may have slower rapid naming speed because the brain takes longer to process and retrieve knowledge of what the letter is.
Read it, build it, write it

12. phonological training Flash cards for reference
Precision teaching
phonological training
Flash cards for reference
Clear displays with key information
Test to recognise processing speed. Even competent readers may have slower rapid naming speed because the brain takes longer to process and retrieve knowledge of what the letter is.

13. working memory has a limited capacity
What is Working Memory?
Working memory is used for the temporary holding of information in mind to be processed or manipulated.
It is used for processing instructions or taking directions, carrying out actions in a sequence, taking notes in a lesson.
working memory has a limited capacity
not everyone has the same working memory capacity.
Test to recognise processing speed. Even competent readers may have slower rapid naming speed because the brain takes longer to process and retrieve knowledge of what the letter is.

14. Avoid the following:
Information overload
distracting information or activities
too much verbal or auditory information to process
Too many tasks to complete simultaneously

15. Slow Processing Speed Processing speed is the pace at which you take in information, make sense of it and begin to respond. This information can be visual, such as letters and numbers. It can also be auditory, such as spoken language. ‘Put the book away’

16. Self-Concept
• Find ways to help your child develop their interests and strengths to boost self-esteem and self-concept.
•Let your child know you understand the problems and use effective strategies to help them access the learning.
Ask your child to write one thing they did during the day that they are proud of.

17. Growth Mindset Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Date:
I gave 100% on a task today.
I did not give up when something was tricky.
I asked for help when I was stuck.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

18. Spelling
Mneumonics/Visual association An auditory mnemonic (a rhyme, jingle or silly saying) often helps with particularly tricky words: e.g: because – ‘big elephants can always understand small elephants.

19. Learning spelling - SOS (Simultaneous Oral Spelling)
Box 1
Write the word to out for the student in this box and say each letter name as you write.
Box 2
The student writes the word again, saying each letter out loud as they write.
The student then traces over the word 4-5 times, using a different colour each time. Them must also say the letters as they do this.
Box 3
Fold the paper, so that boxes 1 and 2 cannot be seen.
The student must know write the word from memory.
Box 4
The child now closes their eyes and attempts to write the word with their eyes closed, repeating each letter out loud as they do this.

20. Spelling
Syllabification or ‘chunking’ of words Before students can use syllabification to spell words, they need to be able to identify and count the number of syllables in a word. To practice this skill, help students learn this skills - a card game such as the Syllable Snap (Brain box.co.uk) could be used as an interactive approach or simply practising in class. When students understand what is meant by a syllable. Show them how to break words into syllables in order to try and spell with more accuracy, e.g.: . im – por - tant. This strategy is useful with words that are phonetically decodable and is not recommended for words that contain complex or anomalous spelling patterns.

21. Spelling LCWC (LOOK, COVER, WRITE, CHECK)
A common method, LCWC be a useful strategy when time is short.
Write the word for the student on card or paper.
They look at it for 10 seconds, then cover it.
The student attempts to write the word, naming the letters.
The student checks their spelling against the spelling on the card.
If there are any errors, the learner looks at the card again for a longer period of time and repeat the procedure.

22. Spelling- overlearning to achieve mastery
Week 1:
Spellings to learn: because, friend, terrible.
Monday – teach spelling of because (e.g.: using mneumonic or SOS).
Tuesday – test student’s spelling of because.
if incorrect, repeat the spelling strategy e.g.: SOS, mneumonic
if correct, teach friend.
Wednesday – test students’ spelling of because and friend.
if incorrect, repeat spelling strategy,
if correct, teach terrible
Thursday: test spelling of because, terrible and friend.
Friday: test spelling of because, terrible and friend