Prescribed medication order and communication skills.pptx
Dyslexia
1. Dyslexia
A Quick Guide
From notes taken in lecture with Dr. Trevor O’Brien, Mary Immaculate
College, Limerick
2. Children are born dyslexic – their neurological pathways are different
It impacts cognitive skills: processing
rapid naming
sequencing
organisation and time management
working memory
co-ordination
Signs include difficulties with: spelling
reading
writing
Dyslexia is unexpected i.e. it contrasts with your expectations of that child but is
not necessarily aligned with high intelligence
Not all poor readers are dyslexic – it may be a facet of a general learning difficulty
Self esteem and self concept may be low for dyslexic children particularly around
age 11+
3. In general Dyslexic children have difficulties with:
Phonological Processing: the ability to hear whole words in a sentence and sounds in
a word
Working Memory: ability to make learning associations and to manipulate the things
they know to make connections
Rapid Naming: need more time to retrieve information from their long term memory,
including letter names, sounds and words
Automaticity of Reading, Writing and Spelling: dyslexic children may never develop
automaticity, therefore strategies for reading, writing and spelling are very
important. They also need to be over taught and to over learn.
Sequencing and Organisation: dyslexic children need strategies when approaching a
task such as task analysis (e.g. using picture and text for each step of a task).
***Teacher attitude is the most important environmental factor in success.
4. Dyslexic Indicators:
Age 3 – 5 years: late talker
difficulties with pronunciation
difficulties with sequencing
auditory discrimination
spoonerisms e.g. ‘tons of soil’ is said as ‘sons of toil’
difficulties with rhyming
difficulties with recall
difficulties telling stories
difficulties with the alphabet
5. Dyslexic Indicators:
Age 5 – 7 years: difficulties with making connections
difficulties separating words into sounds
difficulties decoding
difficulties with word attack skills
confuses easy words
constant reading and spelling errors
difficulties with reading pace and expression
difficulties with reading aloud
6. Dyslexic Indicators:
Age 8 – 12 years: achieving below expectations
difficulties with reading aloud
confuses letter sequence
poor reading accuracy and /or fluency
difficulties with multiplication
slow recall
7. Implicit pressures in the school system for dyslexic children:
-organisation, getting their things together
-starting work quickly
-working steadily
-finishing
What a teacher / parent can do:
-explain everything all of the time
-use graphic organisers and explicitly teach how to use
-think ‘Universal Design for Learning’ at home and at school: what can I do that
will -allow everyone to access the activity e.g. using visual aids for learning,
behaviour and routines
-work in differentiation to all subjects
Reading Strategies for all subjects:
Paired Reading
Choral Reading
8. • Parents might like to know:
There are negative perceptions of the label ‘dyslexia’ but also advantages:
-a focus for the child on an area of their learning rather than an overall
feeling that they are ‘stupid’
-allows access to resources and accommodations
There are only 4 ‘Reading Schools’ in Ireland, 3 in Dublin. Attendance at a
reading school improves a child’s self esteem and self confidence:
Catherine Mcauley School
St. Oliver Plunkett
St. Rose’s National School
The Dyslexia Association of Ireland is a good resource
At home Paired Reading is an excellent strategy
9. Further reading:
Dyslexia Association of Ireland
gavinreid.com
Testing: many tests are available, amongst them:
Dyslexia Early Screening Test 2nd Edition: 4½ - 6½ years
Dyslexia Screening Test: 6½ - 16 years (does not diagnose dyslexia but indicates
risk, also indicates areas of concern e.g. rhyme)
Dyslexia Portfolio: 6 - 16 years