Dyslexia can be described as a continuum of difficulties in learning to read, write and/or spell, which does not respond well to conventional teaching techniques. These difficulties often do not reflect an individual’s cognitive ability and are often not typical of performance in other areas.

The impact of dyslexia as a barrier to learning varies in degree according to the learning environment and the demands of the curriculum as there are associated difficulties such as:

·                 auditory and /or visual processing of language-based information

·                 phonological awareness

·                 oral language skills and reading fluency

·                 short-term and working memory

·                 sequencing and directionality

·                 number skills

·                 organisational ability

Motor skills and co-ordination are often affected.

Dyslexia exists in all cultures and across the range of abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.  It is neurological in origin; a hereditary, life-long condition.  Unidentified, dyslexia is likely to result in low self esteem, high stress, atypical behaviour, and low achievement. 

Early identification, appropriate intervention and targeted effective teaching will allow learners with dyslexia to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

The study by charity Mindroom estimates that nearly a fifth of Scottish school children have a recognised learning difficulty. This would put the figure at around 120,000 affected pupils, much higher than the official figure of 30,000 children receiving learning support.

Mindroom believes that many children are suffering from a lack of expert supervision, particularly if they have disorders on the autistic spectrum. As part of a proposed package of reforms, the charity is calling for greater training for staff and more investment in learning difficulties research.

These were some of the many very positive comments made by parents who attended our “Parents as Partners: Supporting Learners at Law” open afternoon last week. Our aims for the session were simple - to introduce parents to the Support for Learing team (in the wider sense), to share some of the games and activities we use, to look at the displays and resources and to encourage pupils and parents to play together. A bonus was to meet parents informally in a relaxed setting.

The room was soon buzzing with chatter and laughter as parents had a go at some games, tried ACE dictionaries, looked at some reading resources and enjoyed the displays of children working together. Laptops were set up with a range of web-based games and activities which proved to be extremely popular. The children joined their parents when classes finished and were soon sharing favourite games and websites with their families - it was delightful to see parents and children having fun together!

The focus was on literacy and Support for Learning teachers had prepared a range of handouts covering reading, spelling, writing, websites and internet safety. Parents helped themselves to these and had an opportunity to ask staff about mind mapping, strategies to support reluctant readers, paired reading and a host of other questions.

The children themselves were very involved in planning this successful event. They enjoyed using mindmaps to make the invitations, choosing their favourite games, acting as guides and having their photos taken for displays. Our in-house ‘paperazzi’ photographers came along too so there’s a lovely record of the afternoon.

Parents and childen were so busy in fact that they didn’t have time for coffee and juice!

Local authorities looking to use paired reading to improve literacy can now access tutor and trainer manuals and a parents’ leaflet on line.

From 2005 to 2008, Learning and Teaching Scotland worked with youth volunteering organisation ProjectScotland and pilot authorities to place young volunteers aged 16-25 in schools to support the development of literacy skills through paired reading.

TESS reports that North Lanarkshire’s literacy strategy is continuing to make significant gains for all pupils, but particularly the least able, an evaluation published last week has shown.

‘A group reading assessment of P3 children showed that those who had been taught by the “active literacy” methodology were significantly ahead of those taught using more traditional methods, thus maintaining the progress observed in the first phase of the programme.

In the P3 control group, 52 per cent of pupils were performing above the expected average age level while 13 per cent of the below average group had a reading age of only around six years. By comparison, in the active literacy group, 72 per cent exceeded the expected average reading level and of the 28 per cent below average, only 2 per cent had a reading age of around six years…’

http://www.memory4teachers.co.uk/index.asp

Memory Sticks 4 Teachers is a major new ICT initiative taking place within the UK education sector.

A report in the Guardian 6/10/08 points out the claims of the Think tank, Demos, (with which Leadbeater is associated), that young people “are being failed by adults who are not paying proper attention to this new medium.”

“The study.. considers how their enthusiasm and skills can be encouraged.”

“The report makes recommendations to help adults cope with the changing online environment and calls particularly on schools to help youngsters understand the long term implications of living their lives in a semi-public way.”

“Schools should prepare young people for an era where CV’s may well be obsolete, enabling them to manage their on-line reputation .” says the report, “we need an educational response that extends beyond the focus of safety towards broader questions of privacy and intellectual property.”

I was personally concerned about the information my teenage daughter was relaying about herself on Facebook, especially when she realised that her boss had added herself as a friend.

Politicians see youngsters as apathetic and unreachable, according to the Guardian.

“The (UK )government is pouring money into this because they feel young people should be making themselves heard”…”but bloggers say it feels contrived.”

Barack Obama in the United States, on the other hand, is said to be the first ‘Youtube politician’ because “he gets that you can’t control it. His campaign team get that its about the enthusiasm”…”he encouraged (young voters) to exercise their creative urges online, instead of simply dictating his ideas to them.”

The Government has announced that the rights of children with additional support needs (ASN) and their parents are to be strengthened through changes to the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004.

Parents of ASN children, including those with a co-ordinated support plan (CSP), will now be able to request that their child attend a school in another local authority, through an out of area placing request.

Where a child has a CSP - the educational plan to meet their needs - parents will also have a right to appeal to the ASN Tribunal for Scotland if the placing request is refused. Furthermore, when a child is attending a school in another authority as a result of a placing request they will now have access to mediation and dispute resolution from the new ‘host’ authority.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill - which amends the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 - will mean that if an out of area placing request is successful, responsibility for the child’s or young person’s education transfers to the new ‘host’ authority. The Bill will also extend the circumstances in which parents can make references to the ASN Tribunal.Todays News - Wednesday 8 October 2008 - Inbox - Yahoo Mail

At the Scottish Learning Festival I came across some useful resources for schools in supporting the Mental Health of all pupils.

The Centre for Confidence and Well being offers the possibility of In-service training for teachers, and resources can be accessed on line at www.centreforconfidence.co.uk

The Samaritans have produced a DVD resource which can be used in Staff training or with classes. ‘Developing emotional awareness and Learning’ is well worth a look for lesson plans and ideas for PSD classes.

‘Glow’ will be invaluable for pupils who have to take time away from school through illness. The implications are exciting in supporting inclusion.

I reflected on my work with a P.1 pupil who had cognitive difficulties. Her barriers to learning were compounded by social and emotional deprivation and her family had difficulty in providing an environment to offset some of the disadvantages she was born with.

Unfortunately working and learning with parents is time consuming and costly. Leadbeater says that we may have exhausted other avenues for further development in education except in “Personalisation and collaboration.” A redistribution of resourcing and flexibility of provision might reach pupils currently missed.

TESS (3/10/08), reporting on several speakers at the Learning Festival says the emphasis needs to be on “Relationships”.

Martin Rouse called on schools to focus on “relationships,respect and recognition”  while Professor Teese said that Scotland should be strengthening relationships within its schools.