Improving Departmental Support for Disabled Students

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Improving Departmental Support for Disabled
Students

• Supporting the Dyslexic Student
• 8th November 2005

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Complex!!

• No straightforward answers
• Dyslexic students are not a homogenous group.
• Spectrum

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• Term dyslexia misleading
• Two different mental strategies in reading
• Phonological strategy
• The rund ferked aloss the quert
• Logographic strategy (visual recognition)
• The lieutenant rhapsodised about the
  sovereigns yacht

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• Some dyslexics have problems with both strategies
• Some have problems with one or the other
• Not tidy blurred boundaries

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• Huge variety of
• Educational backgrounds and paths
• Intelligence academic and emotional
• Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
• Time available for studying..

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• Some students early diagnosis and appropriate
  intervention
• May be aware of strengths and developed
  strategies to mitigate weaknesses
• Dyslexics are often highly creative and develop
  ingenious strategies
• Other students - recent diagnosis and coming to
  terms with what their diagnosis implies
• Relief and anger

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• Little drops of poison
• Cant you even copy from the board!
• This writing is a mess!
• You are still being careless!
• You arent making any effort!
• How many times have I told you?

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• Try to pay attention!
• Try harder next time!
• Please answer the question!
• Lazy spelling!
• Now listen this time!
• This essay is totally garbled!

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• Dyslexia is not a myth!
• Strong scientific evidence concerning the nature,
  causes and consequences of dyslexia
• But - very complex condition plus complexity of
  student.
• No two dyslexics are the same.

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What is dyslexia?

• Greek dys difficulty with lexia meaning
  words or language.
• Dyslexia is a specific difficulty, typically
  characterised by an unusual balance of skills.
• Dyslexia affects information processing
  (receiving, holding, retrieving and structuring
  information) and the speed of processing
  information.

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• It therefore has an impact on skills such as
  reading, writing, using symbols and carrying out
  calculations.
• It may overlap with related conditions such as
  dyspraxia and ADD/ADHD.
• Most dyslexics are born with it, although it can
  be acquired (head injury/stroke)

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The deficit versus difference models of
dyslexia

• West (97) outlines the following aspects of
  dyslexia which when utilised in the learning
  process can benefit the students and their peers
  in group work or shared presentations
• Good powers of visualisation
• Creative thinking skills

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• Visuo-spatial skill
• A holistic rather than analytical approach
• Good practical and problem solving skills
• Dyslexics are often drawn to engineering
  because of the dominance of the right hemisphere
  which is responsible for visuo-spatial and
  global, creative thinking.

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How does dyslexia affect learning?

• Poor working memory
• Thinking processes may become blocked when
  writing or speaking
• May experience problems following directions
• Try to avoid writing in front of others

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• Remembering and making sense of what people say
  often ask for things to be repeated because they
  hear words but cannot make link to meaning
• Often say the wrong word or confuse words
• Miss small words when reading or listening to
  conversation therefore often do the opposite of
  what is expected or required
• Forget instructions

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• May need to compete tasks in small stages too
  much information processing causes blocks
• Maintaining concentration become stressed,
  exhausted
• Need far more time to learn in the first place in
  order to achieve routine tasks with minimum
  attention to sub-skills

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• May have weakness in visual, auditory or motor
  skills or processing difficulties in all three
• Experience lack of confidence, self-worth
• Miscue what people say

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The Adult Dyslexic Learning Style

• All individual, but usually holistic/imagers.
• Holistic or global learning approach such
  learners often learn best if they can see the
  whole before trying to understand the parts-
  grasshoppers rather than inchworms.

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• The inchworm takes a step-by-step approach to
  solving problems the grasshopper makes intuitive
  leaps, jumping over steps or approaching the
  problem in a different way.
• Dyslexics may also rely heavily on long-term
  memory. Long-term memory is based on meaning, so
  students often have a very personalised approach
  to remembering e.g. pattern, colour, personal
  associations etc.

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Disabled Students Allowance

• Help cover extra costs as a direct result of
  disability
• Not means-tested
• Full and part-time students (50 or more)
• HE level courses at higher or further education
  institutions

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• Amount dependent on need DSA assessment
• Two allowances most commonly awarded
• 1. Specialist equipment allowance e.g.
• Personal computer
• Dictaphone
• Software

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• 2. Non-medical helpers allowance can be used
  for study skills support from specialist tutors

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How do students access the DSA?

• Need to apply to LEA or NHS Bursary Scheme
• Must have proof of diagnosis a full diagnostic
  report carried out by either a psychologist or a
  teacher with a qualification in assessing adults
  with specific learning difficulties.

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• Once eligibility established, student undertakes
  a DSA assessment.
• Technological support to ensure that the student
  is able to perform to optimum ability.
• Study skills support
• Exam provision
• level the playing field

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Specialist Study Skills Support

• Not for direct help with work tutors are not
  subject specialists
• Offer strategies to help with problems arising
  directly from the dyslexia e.g.
• Time management
• Interactive reading skills
• Mind maps
• Writing frameworks

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General principles of good practice

• Manageable
• Multisensory
• Make use of memory aids
• 3 Ms

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• Be explicit dyslexic learners are often very
  literal
• Provide precise information in clear language
  spoken and written.
• Give concrete examples.
• Invite questions to monitor comprehension - but
  dont put individuals on the spot

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• Allow additional time for the processing of
  information.
• Provide an overview of a lecture at the
  beginning.
• Sum up at the end.
• Be aware that social interaction can be a weak
  area
• Aim to ensure that deadlines coincide as little
  as possible

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How can you help with reading?

• Specific problems
• Word recognition and retrieval
• Scanning for facts (visual processing)
• Needing to re-read for sense
• Misreading words and facts
• Missing lines, losing place
• Rate of reading

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So.

• Review the reading load and guide learners to the
  most important sections that need to be read.
• Avoid the use of text-dense material where
  possible.
• Include graphics to provide reference points and
  visual clues.

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• Be aware that some fonts are more difficult to
  read than others Arial 12
• Minimise the need to copy from the board or OHT.

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• Give handouts prior to the lecture so that
  dyslexic learners can familiarise themselves with
  the text (portal)
• If documents are available electronically, the
  student can modify them to meet their needs e.g.
  colour

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• Ensure that important information stands out from
  the body of the text.
• Provide early notification of assignment cut off
  dates.
• Inform students of reading lists well in advance.

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How can you help with writing?

• Specific problems
• Poor syntax
• Unable to see corrections
• Poor links in ideas
• Planning and structure
• Word retrieval

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• Remembering and using specialist words
• Write less than their knowledge and understanding
• Immature expression
• Spelling
• Spend long hours on the computer to finalise
  assignment

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So

• Encourage attendance at study skills sessions
  with specialist tutors.
• Be aware of pace.
• Encourage the use of a tape recorder.
• Be aware of overload when trying to co-ordinate
  processes.

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• Mark student work for content. If you need to
  draw attention to spelling, approach this
  sensitively.
• Be aware that the student may be using a
  simplified vocabulary with words which they are
  confident selling.

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Further information

• The National Disability team (NDT)
• There are 55 funded disability projects.
• The 24 Strand Two projects are developing and
  disseminating recourses relating to the learning
  and teaching of disabled students.

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• University of Gloucestershire
• Developing an inclusive curriculum for
  disabled students The case of Geography, Earth
  and Environmental Sciences (GEES)
• www.glos.ac.uk/gdn
• University of Plymouth
• SPACE Staff-Student Partnership for
  Assessment Change and Evaluation
• www.space.ac.uk
• www.natdisteam.ac.uk