How to cater for dyslexia in the classroom?

A few jottings from pd this year

Classroom Strategies

What is dyslexia?

‘A specific learning difference for any given level of ability, which may cause unexpected difficulties, in the acquisition of certain skills.’

BOOK:  Removing dyslexia is a barrier to achievement

Don’t refer to a child as dyslexic unless absolutely diagnosed with it. Look at the childs strengths. These are what we need to focus on rather than letting them know whats wrong with them.

Strategy

1. use post its - present a way of not having to write much.

2. Have a buddy to scribe for them

Visual cues

Ways of recording voice to access materials other than print

Hands on learning activities

kinesthetic approach MI approaches

environment - not too much on walls to over stimulate

use of technologies

teacher / buddy scribe

desks in small groups

clay and tactile materials for learning

brain breaks

colour background of IWB and print support materials

choice in activities to show learning

small collaborative brain storming

Kids remember 90% of what their peers teach them.

Physical environment

ordered and organised

label resources using words, colour, symbols or pictures

Have spare pens rulers etc to help unorganised ids

visual daily timetable to help organisation

Relocate dyslexic to well lit areas

eliminate noise

large number of dyslexics are left handed

choice of working spaces

hands on equipment

break into chunks

font size 14 minimum

4 main areas where problems generally occur in the classroom

1. visual sequencing working memory
2. auditory sequential working memory
3. information processing
4. phonological awareness

Equipment to use in classroom

• alphabet magnetic letters
• scrabble letters
• playdough or clay

Teaching Resources

• colour acetate or files to cover text
• aquila books - crossbow education acetate rulers
• highlighters
• post its
• strips of paper

Colour can be a problem for dyslexic children

Teacher Language

• You try, I’ll help
• Can you clap it?
• You spell, I’ll write
• Give words that rhyme
• What do you know about that word

Mark what they get write! Keep it positive and highlight strengths

Spelling

Make and Break

give them the letters and they make the word

look cover write doesn’t work

Touch typing will learn right finger positions to assist in remembering through kinesthetic positions

Getting them over the fear to get started

• sentence starters
• sound starter
• pictures
• speech bubbles
• cut up sentences

Reading

Read comprehension questions first to prepare them before reading the text

Paired Reading

• read book together out loud at the same time
• they choose the material
• no teaching or sounding out

Computer Programmes

• cross trainer
• jungle memory
• memory booster
• reading plus

Apps

• iwordQ    $34
• Clarospeak   $13
• Typo
• Book Creator  (can be stored in ibooks)
• Pictello
• Vbookz
• POW strip writer
• Puppet pals
• Sentence Maker
• Toontastic ( year 4 up)

What is Irlen Syndrome?

A perceptual processing disorder caused by the brain’s inability to process specific wavelengths of light affecting academic and work performance, behaviour, attention, ability to sit still, concentration

irlen.com/what-is-irlen-syndrome/