Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Source: Dyslexia Association of Singapore (http://das.org.sg)
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that makes it difficult for people to read, write and/or spell. It has nothing to do with a person’s intelligence. Often, weaknesses may be seen in areas such as language development, memory and sequencing. Having dyslexia does not mean that the person's ability to learn is below average. Dyslexia is a life-long condition that usually runs in families. You are unable to determine that someone has dyslexia just by looking at them. Some children start out fine in school, but gradually, schoolwork can become a struggle for them. This is especially so during the transition period from preschool to primary school, primary school to secondary school, or secondary school to tertiary institution.
Adapt sentence structure and vocabulary
Lower the readability of the text by rewriting it at a level that can be understood.
Increase the learners’ understanding of the content.
Legibility of print for worksheet :
Size (12-14)
Sans-serif font (no extending features at end of strokes)
Examples: Arial , Calibri, Verdana
Non examples: Times New Roman, Courier, New Century Schoolbook
lower-case, minimally italics and boldface
Pre-teach any new vocabulary
If a difficult word cannot be simplified, ensure it is looked at and discussed before learners are expected to read it.
Provide clear illustrations or diagrams
Visual cues are used to help scaffold understanding when text becomes complex.
Helps to activate prior and background knowledge.
Provide cues/prompts (underline key terms)
provide initial letter of the a______, underline key terms in the text
1. Design Problem: The information is boring.
Short-Term Design Adaptation: Present information that build on attention span & interests.
Long-Term Design Adaptation: Teach learners self-management strategies.
2. Design Problem: The information appears irrelevant.
Short-Term Design Adaptation: Make connections between information and learners’ lives by explaining rationales & tying information to learner’s experiences.
Long-Term Design Adaptation: Teach learners to ask appropriate questions about relevance & search for personal links.
3. Design Problem: There is a lot of difficult information to remember.
Short-Term Design Adaptation: Present information in ways that facilitate remembering.
Long-Term Design Adaptation: Teach strategies for remembering information.
Teacher knows who are the students with dyslexia in their classes and know their level of reading/writing.
Teacher has a positive view of dyslexia and regards it as a ‘learning difference’.
Teacher is aware of students’ learning styles and needs and utilises a multi-sensory approach for learning points throughout the session.
Teacher is aware of the strengths, weaknesses and circumstances surrounding each child.
Clear Objectives/lesson activities are stated at the start of the lesson.
Reviews previous lesson. New learning is linked to previous learning.
New/key vocabulary is highlighted, explained and shown clearly.
There is a minimum requirement for dyslexic pupils to copy information from the board or books. There is an alternative arrangement for them to take picture or give them modified worksheets.
Dyslexic students who are very weak in reading are not made to read or write answers in front of the class without prior coaching.
Collaborative working is encouraged: working with a patient and responsible partner/buddy.
Encourage pupils to ask questions and praise them for making oral contributions.
Additional time is allowed for students with dyslexia to process information and for reading and writing.
Key points are reinforced and highlighted both orally and visually.
Important instructions such as homework tasks / things to bring are short and clear and written on the board.
Recap of the objectives and summarises key learning points at the end of the lesson.
• Write assignments visibly on white board.
• Adopt multi-sensory ways to re-inforce attention.
• Use of coloured pictures/images
• Use post-it notes to organise ideas
• Establish a structure to organise things for quick retrieval
• Repeat important messages
• Highlight key words
• Avoid surprises and notify in advance to reduce anxiety
• Put child nearer the front in class
• Use mind maps to record work and to revise for exams
• Assign a buddy to help out