Employee making mistakes with reading and numbers.

The case below was reported in February 2016 and shows why an employer must pay attention to an employee in difficulty. 

Meseret Kumulchew v Starbucks

•    Meseret Kumulchew accused of falsifying paperwork at Clapham branch
•    She made errors when recording the temperatures of fridges and water
•    Her duties were reduced and she was told to retrain.
•    Starbucks faces a compensation claim after losing tribunal in December

A Starbucks supervisor with a diagnosis of dyslexia was demoted after making mistakes with paperwork, she took the case to a disability tribunal and won a disability discrimination claim against Starbucks because she struggled to read, write and tell the time.

Meseret Kumulchew, who struggles with reading, writing and telling the time, was accused of falsifying documents at the Clapham branch. Ms Kumulchew was given reduced duties and told to retrain after failing to correctly take the temperature of the water and fridges at regular intervals and record the results. Starbucks said the errors amounted to fraud, which she successfully claimed was a form of disability discrimination. Ms Kumulchew explained that she wasn't afforded the help needed to carry out her duties.  In a message to Starbucks she said: 'I'll struggle, but don't worry, help me and I'll get there in my own time."

Starbucks lost the tribunal in December 2015 and is now facing a compensation claim.
Starbucks was found to have victimised Ms Kumulchew and its 'equality' policies failed to support her dyslexia, they should have made 'reasonable adjustments' to her duties to help her continue in her job.

This case illustrates two core points:
1. If you are employee and you experience difficulties with reading, number or organisation and you suspect these difficulties  are linked to a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia it is vital that you have a diagnostic assessment, Ms Kumulchew won her case because she had been diagnosed with dyslexia by an educational psychologist.

2. If you are employer and one of your employees is experiencing difficulties with reading, number or organisation and you suspect these difficulties  are linked to a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, then you have a duty to ask them to have a diagnostic assessment with an educational psychologist.

Many dyslexics are struggling in the work place with very high levels of anxiety, because employers do not have the training or the awareness to make adjustments for them. An educational psychologist will be able to make an assessment and identify any specific learning difficulties that may be causing mistakes at work and recommend reasonable adjustments. We offer a work related diagnostic assessment for £450, which includes a discussion and agreement with the employee as to reasonable adjustments. We welcome a representative from the employees company to observe the assessment and join the discussion as to reasonable adjustments at the conclusion of the assessment

 

 

Typical Ages Of Elimination For Sound Errors (Phonological Processes)

Below you will find descriptions of phonological processes (a pattern of sound error(s)) a typical child will use. This includes an example, and the approximate age (years;months) at which these processes will stop being used.

  • Pre-vocalic voicing:        pig = big        3;0
  • Word-final de-voicing:       pig = pick        3;0
  • Final consonant deletion:    comb = coe        3;3
  • Fronting:       car = tar        3;6
  • Consonant harmony:       mine = mime        3;9
  • Weak syllable deletion:        elephant = efant    4;0
  • Cluster reduction:        spoon = poon        4;0
  • Gliding of liquids:        run = one        5;0
  • Stopping /f/:            fish = tish        3;0
  • Stopping /s/ :          soap = dope        3;0
  • Stopping /v/ :           very = berry        3;6
  • Stopping /z/:            zoo = doo        3;6
  • Stopping 'sh' :           shop = dop        4;6
  • Stopping 'j':            jump = dump        4;6
  • Stopping 'ch':            chair = tare        4;6
  • Stopping voiceless 'th':        thing = ting        5;0
  • Stopping voiced 'th' :       them = dem        5;0

If you are concerned about your child’s speech or language development, please email for free advice: speech-language-therapist@outlook.com 

Alternatively, please see our fixed fee assessment which may meet your needs

References

  • Bowen, C. (2011). Table 3: Elimination of Phonological Processes. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on 16/01/2016.
  • Bowen, C. (1998). Developmental phonological disorders. A practical guide for families and teachers. Melbourne: ACER Press.
  • Grunwell, P. (1997). Natural phonology. In M. Ball & R. Kent (Eds.), The new phonologies: Developments in clinical linguistics. San Deigo, CA: Singular Publishing Group, Inc.

Phonological Processes In Typical Development

As children learn to speak, they tend to use some different sound errors or patterns as they are not yet able to use all the sounds in all the different word positions that most adults can use. These are called phonological processes. As they get older, these typically disappear as they become more able to pronounce all the words they need to use correctly. For the typical ages that phonological processes are gone by, please click here.

Below, the name of the phonological process is given, along with an example and a description of what is happening to create the process. 

  • Pre-vocalic voicing:    car = gar    A voiceless sound preceding a vowel is replaced by a voiced sound.
  • Word final devoicing:    red = ret    A final voiced consonant is replaced by a voiceless consonant
  • Final consonant deletion:    boat = bo    A final consonant is omitted (deleted) from a word.
  • Velar fronting:    car = tar    A back sound is replaced by a front sound.
  • Palatal fronting:    ship = sip    sh or zh are replaced b y s or z respectively
  • Consonant harmony:    cup = pup    The pronunciation of a word is influenced by one of the sounds it 'should' contain.
  • Weak syllable deletion:    telephone = teffone    Weak (unstressed) syllables are deleted from words of more than one syllable.
  • Cluster reduction:    try = ty    A cluster element is deleted or replaced.
  • Gliding of liquids:    ladder = wadder    Liquids are replaced by glides.
  • Stopping:    ship = tip    A stop consonant replaces a fricative or affricate.

If you are concerned about your child’s speech or language development, please email for free advice: speech-language-therapist@outlook.com 

Alternatively, please see our fixed fee assessment which may meet your needs

References

  • Bowen, C. (2011). Table 2: Phonological Processess. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on 16/01/2016.

Typical Stages Of Language Development

January 26, 2016

Receptive Language
Receptive language development refers to how children develop listening skills and an understanding of the language they are hearing. 

Birth
Language learning starts at birth. Even new babies are aware of the sounds in the environment. They listen to the speech of those close to them, and startle or cry if there is an unexpected noise. Loud noises wake them, and they become "still" in response to new sounds.

0-3 months
Between 0-3 months babies learn to turn to you when you speak, and smile when they hear your voice. In fact, they seem to recognise your familiar voice, and will quieten at the sound of it if they are crying. Tiny babies under three months will also stop their activity and listen closely to the sound of an unfamiliar voice. They will often respond to comforting tones whether the voice is familiar or not.
 
4-6 months
Between 4 to 6 months babies respond to the word "no". They are also responsive to changes in your tone of voice, and to sounds other than speech. For example, they can be fascinated by toys and other objects that make sounds, enjoy music and rhythm, and look in an interested or apprehensive way for the source of all sorts of new sounds such as the toaster, birdsong and the whirr of machines.

7-12 months
During the 7 to 12 month timeframe, the baby will listen when spoken to, turns and looks at your face when called by name, and discovers the fun of games like "peep-oh" and "pat-a-cake". They will begin to recognise the names of familiar objects ("Daddy", "car", "eyes", "phone", "key") and begin to respond to requests ("Give it to Granny") and questions ("More juice?").
 
1-2 years
Now your child points to pictures in a book when you name them, and can point to a few body parts when asked (nose, eyes, tummy). He or she can also follow simple commands ("Push the bus!", "Don't touch; it's hot!") and understand simple questions ("Where's the toy?" "Who likes chocolate?", "What's in your bag?"). Your toddler now likes listening to simple stories and enjoys it when you sing songs or say rhymes. This is a stage in which he or she will want the same story, rhyme or game repeated many times.

2-3 years
By now your toddler will understand two stage commands ("Get your coat and put your shoes on") and understand contrasting concepts or meanings like hot / cold / stop / go / in / on and nice. He or she notices sounds like the telephone or doorbell ringing and may point or become excited, get you to answer, or attempt to answer themselves.

3-4 years
Your three or four year old understands simple "Who?", "What?" and "Where?" questions, and can hear you when you call from another room. This is an age where hearing difficulties may become evident. If you are in doubt about your child's hearing, speak to your GP who will refer you to a clinical audiologist.

4-5 years
Children in this age range enjoy stories and can answer simple questions about them. He or she hears and understands nearly everything that is said (within reason) at home or at pre-school or day care. 
 
Expressive Language
Expressive language refers to how children learn to speak and use Language

Birth
Newborn babies make sounds that let others know that they are experiencing pleasure or pain.

0-3 months
Your baby smiles at you when you come into view. He or she repeats the same sound a lot and "coos and goos" when content. The baby uses a different cry for different situations to help you differentiate between what they need. For example, one cry says "I'm hungry" and another says "I have a pain".

4-6 months
Gurgling sounds or "vocal play" occur while you are playing with your baby or when they are occupying themselves happily. Babbling really gets going in this age range, and your baby will sometimes sound as though he or she is talking. This speech-like babbling includes many sounds, often these are bilabial (two-lip) sounds e.g. 'p', 'b' and 'm'. They also use different pitches. Your baby can tell you, using sounds or gestures that they want something, or want you to do something. He or she can use very "urgent" noises and facial expressions to spur you into action.

7-12 months
The sound of your baby's babbling changes. This is because it now includes more consonants, as well as long and short vowels. He or she uses speech and/or sounds other than crying to get your attention and hold on to it. Your baby's first words may be spoken (they may not be very clear yet). Examples of typical first words are: "MaMa", "Doggie", "Night Night", "Bye Bye", "No")

1-2 years
Now your baby is accumulating more words as each month passes. He or she will even ask 2-word questions like "Where ball?" "What's that?" "More choc", and combine two words in other ways to make other sentence types ("Birdie go", "No doggie", "More push"). Words are becoming clearer as more initial consonants are used.

2-3 years
Your two or three year old's vocabulary is increasing quickly. He or she seems to have a word for almost everything. Utterances are usually one, two or three words long and family members can usually understand them. Your toddler may ask for, or draw your attention to something by naming it ("Dog") or one of its attributes ("Red!") or by commenting ("Wow!").
 
3-4 years
Sentences are becoming longer as your child can combine four or more words. He or she talks about things that have happened away from home, and is interested in talking about pre-school, friends, outings and interesting experiences. Speech is usually fluent and clear and people outside of the family can understand what your child is saying most of the time. 

4-5 years
Your child speaks clearly and fluently in an easy-to-listen-to voice. He or she can construct long and detailed sentences ("We went to the zoo but we had to come home early because Sally wasn't feeling well". He or she can tell a long, involved imaginative story sticking to the topic, and using "adult-like" grammar. Most sounds are pronounced correctly, though he or she may be lisping as a four year old, or, at five, still have difficulty with "r", "v" and "th".
Your child can communicate easily with familiar adults and with other children. Your child may tell fantastic, dramatic, inventive, "tall stories" and engage strangers in conversation when you are out together.
 
If you are concerned about your child’s speech or language development, please email for free advice: speech-language-therapist@outlook.com

Alternatively, please see our fixed fee assessment which may meet your needs

References

  • Bowen, C. (1998). Ages and Stages Summary: Language Development 0-5 years. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on

The Difference Between 'Speech' And 'Language' Impairments

Speech
‘Speech’ refers to the sounds we make when we are talking. We put strings of sounds together to create words. For example, ‘Cat’ is made up of 3 sounds – C, A and T. The number of sounds in a word does not necessarily correspond to the number of letters when spelling the word. For example, ‘Fright’ is made up of the sounds F, R, I and T (the ‘I’ would be pronounced like ‘eye’).


Different sounds develop at different ages, for example, ‘m’ is typically acquired at around 3 years old, whereas ‘v’ is not typically acquired until 6 years, and ‘th’ until 8 years (Kilminster & Laird, 1978). Children initially will not be able to produce certain sounds, or produce all the sounds in a longer word and so employ phonological processes e.g. saying ‘lectic’ for ‘electric’ or always producing ‘k’ as ‘t’. For more information on phonological processes used in typical development, see here: LINK. All children employ phonological processes up to a certain age. Norms for elimination of phonological processes can be found here: LINK.


Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) is an umbrella term referring to slow development of, or a difficulty with, speech development. An SSD could include articulation disorder, phonological disorder, childhood apraxia of speech and motor-speech disorders. If a child has a speech sound disorder, they may have difficulty producing certain sounds past the age at which those sounds would typically have been acquired. They may use a pattern of sound errors (phonolocial processes) past the age at which this may be typical. A child may be unable to coordinate the sounds needed to make up words, or have a structural or neurological reason that they cannot produce all of the sounds we use when we are talking.


A child may also have difficulty processing certain sounds; this will inevitably lead to difficulty producing that sound. This could have different causes e.g. glue ear, or an Auditory Processing Disorder. 


A Speech and Language Therapist will assess your child’s ability to process and produce a full range of speech sounds to identify how to best target any difficulties in therapy. They may use a formal assessment such as the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP) (Dodd et. al., 2002). For further information on the DEAP, see here: LINK.

Language
Language refers to the meaning of the words we use. When we talk, we string words together into sentences to convey meaning. We also listen to other people’s sentences to understand what they are telling us. Children move through language development milestones, however there will of course be some variation between them. Norms for language development can be found here: LINK


Children may have a language delay if they do not achieve language norms within the expected time-frame. Children may also be diagnosed with ‘Specific Language Impairment’; this is where language is below the expected level in relation to a child’s academic abilities in the absence of general learning difficulty, hearing impairment, autism spectrum condition or anything else that could explain their language difficulty.


A Speech and Language Therapist will assess your child for language impairment. They may use a formal assessment such as the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) (Semel et. al., 2006), along with speaking to the child’s parents and teachers. They may also observe the child in different settings. They will use the information gained in assessment to inform their therapy plan.


If you are concerned about your child’s speech or language development, please email for free advice: speech-language-therapist@outlook.com
 

Alternatively, please see our fixed fee assessment which may meet your needs.

References

  • Bowen, C. (1998). Ages and Stages Summary: Language Development 0-5 years. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on[insert the date that you retrieved the file here].
  • CELF
  • Kilminster, M.G.E., & Laird, E.M. (1978) Articulation development in children aged three to nine years. Australian Journal of Human Communication Disorders, 6, 1, 23-30.
  • Bowen, C. (2011). Table 2: Phonological Processess. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on [insert the date that you retrieved the file here].
  • Bowen, C. (2011). Table 3: Elimination of Phonological Processes. Retrieved from http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ on [insert the date that you retrieved the file here].
  • DEAP

CONTACT SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST FOR ADVICE

BOOK ASSESSMENT WITH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST

Reading Tips

Reading (or 'engaging with text')

For many dyslexic students, the reading load they are given is a burden. There are very good ways to make this easier to handle. To a degree, it means making a change to your 'philosophy of reading'. However, if you would like to save time and stress with your reading-list-load, note the tips below.

Firstly, you don't have to read, cover to cover, everything your tutors tell you to. They might say otherwise, but you don’t. You may well need a familiarity with – an overview of – many texts, but you can obtain this without the grief of painfully reading every word of every sentence of every paragraph. A change to your approach can turn a painful and not very rewarding half-day into a satisfying twenty minutes. It really can make that much difference, but you have to adjust your approach and expectations.

Of course, if you want to read the whole thing, have the time and enjoy doing it, that's your choice. Good for you. This piece is written on the assumption that you don't want to or don't have the time or don't enjoy it.

Not all people learn in the same way. Some prefer to start with detail and move from that to the bigger picture. Some are better at beginning with the overview and proceeding in the other direction – to the detail. Reading is a 'detail to overview' process, but dyslexics tend to be better at 'overview to detail'. In fact, dyslexics often have a talent for understanding a subject – having a 'feel for' it – just by gaining a overview of it and, through a sort of intuitive process, 'getting it'.

Note that this is never enough if you have to write an essay on a subject. Although the ideas here are useful to begin to study an essay topic, detailed reading will always be needed (see Essay Writing). But this approach will be enough for preparing for a seminar, tutorial or lecture, or for just gaining a background understanding of a subject. And it can save huge amounts of time and energy.

So, how does a dyslexic obtain an overview of a text without reading 'every word of every sentence'? It's useful to bear in mind that information doesn't exist in the world in the way it's usually presented in academic writing. Out there 'all the things that there are to know' aren't ordered, analysed, put into chapters and expressed in formal sentences. Rather, they exist in a mish-mash of messily interconnected bits and pieces which someone then 'makes sense of' and writes in a book – according to their personal analysis and interpretation. The reader, therefore, should feel free to engage with the text in ways other than the 'start with word one, proceed to word two and so on' approach.

Before any engagement with the text, however, you should first make a mental – or written – note of what you expect/hope to learn from your session. Part of what it takes is to prepare yourself for absorbing the information. And always make notes as you engage with the text. Always write down the ideas you encounter that seem interesting or important – along with the book and page number. You don't want to have to back-track.

Then you should start at the front and the back of the text and work your way in. This is the 'Bookends' approach.

Skim over the contents and index of the book. Do you see anything interesting or relevant? Be confident of your ability to intuitively know this. You will have some familiarity with the topic, however superficial. Let this guide you. If nothing grabs your attention, perhaps you don't need to bother with this text.

If something does, go to that chapter/section. Read the first and last paragraph (or the introduction and the conclusion). Often, you won't need to do more than this to 'get' the subject. You probably don't have to know everything about it (see comment on essays, above). If you want to know more, read the first sentence of each paragraph. Or the first and last. For fun, and to see how this technique can work (and how information outside of academic texts is random and how you can engage with texts by reading them randomly) try reading the first sentence of each paragraph starting with the last paragraph and working towards the first. It really does work and can help free you from the 'tyranny of the text' – the feeling that you have to read in a conventional way.

For this approach to work, you must have faith in your ability to understand intuitively, through extrapolation (by latching on to significant aspects of a subject and more or less 'getting' the rest of it), and you must practise it. And it's OK to engage with a subject whilst knowing that you don't know everything – you don't always have to. Living with an amount of unknowns about a topic is part of this whole approach. And it's fine to do be in that position.

If texts are written well, they will usually introduce the subject of a book in the first chapter and give and overview of it in the last one. Likewise with chapters and their opening and closing paragraphs. Ditto (to a lesser but still useful extent) with paragraphs and their first and last sentences. You can use this to your advantage to help you save time and energy with your reading.

Good luck.

Essay Key Words

Key Words in Essay Titles

Account for: Explain why something happens; give reasons for it.

Analyse: Break down into its important parts and comment on. Examine in close detail; identify important points and chief features.

Comment on: Identify and write about the main issues, giving your reactions based on what you have read or heard in lectures. Avoid purely personal opinion.

Compare: Show how two or more things are similar. Indicate the relevance or consequences of these similarities.

Contrast: Show how two or more things are different. Indicate the relevance or consequences of these differences.

Critically Evaluate: Weigh arguments for and against something, assessing the strength of the evidence on both sides. Use criteria to guide your assessment of which opinions, theories, models or items are preferable.

Define: Give the exact meaning of. Where relevant, show that you understand why the definition may be significant.

Discuss: Describe the most important aspects of the topic (probably including criticism); give arguments for and against; consider the implications of.

Distinguish: Bring out the differences between two (possibly confusable) items.

Evaluate: Assess the worth, importance or usefulness of something, using evidence. There will probably be cases to be made both for and against.

Examine: Put the subject ‘under the microscope’, looking at it in detail. You may be asked to ‘critically evaluate’ as well. See 'Analyse'.

Explain: Make clear why something happens, or why something is the way it is.

Illustrate: Make something clear and explicit, giving examples or evidence.

Interpret: Give the meaning and relevance of data or other material presented.

Justify: Give evidence which supports an argument or idea; show why a conclusion or decisions were made, considering objections that others might make.

Narrate: Concentrate on saying what happened, telling it as a story.

Outline: Give only the main points, showing the main structure.

Relate: Show similarities and connections between two or more things.

State: Give the main features, in very clear English (almost like a simple list, but in sentences). 

Summarise: Draw out the main points only, omitting details or examples.

To what extent: Consider how far something is true, or contributes to a final outcome. Consider also ways in which the proposition is not true.

Trace: Follow the order of different stages in an event or process.

To contact the author Simon Hopper click here.

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Dyspraxia Checklist

Dyspraxia Checklist.

Dyspraxia is caused by an immaturity of the brain resulting in messages not being properly transmitted from the brain to the body.  It may help if you think of it as a problem with the internal wiring of the brain.  The incidence of Dyspraxia is approximately 2 people in 100 (2% of the population).  Within the group of people with this difficulty there is a spread, with some affected much more than others.  There is a much greater chance of males being affected, the male female split being 70% and 30% respectively.   As with any diagnosed condition, as educators or parents we always have to view things, not from the position of what is wrong, but from the standpoint of what works.  What strengths does the child have?  How can we teach this child?  To achieve a level of knowledge sufficient to teach the child and thus assist in the child maximising their development and potential we must ask questions.  Questions such as, when did the child show evidence of really engaging in a task?  When was the child put off by a task?  What was different about the two tasks?  It is only by the use of reflective and analytical teaching approaches that we will discover the way to teach any child who has special needs and difficulties.

As with any parent or teacher applied checklist, you are not making a diagnosis.  The diagnosis of Dyspraxia is a highly skilled task.  Please use this checklist to see if it seems to “fit” the child.  Not all Dyspraxic children will meet all the indicators.  If there does seem to be a good “fit” then it would be useful to refer the child to a professional who is in a position to provide an accurate assessment and diagnosis.  In the UK this is often done by an occupational therapist and/or a speech and language therapist.

Dyspraxia checklist.

  1. People describe the child as being clumsy, you suspect this is due to a weak sense of body awareness.

  2. The child has poor posture

  3. They may walk awkwardly.

  4. Laterality confusion, check this by: Asking which hand s/he writes with, which foot s/he takes kicks a ball with, ask them to look through a cardboard tube, which eye do they hold it up to?  Hand them your watch, which eye do they hold it up to?  Does everything happen with the same side or are

  5. some things done left sided and others right sided?

  6. The child may have difficulties throwing and catching, even with quite a large soft ball.

  7. You may notice that the child is much more sensitive to touch than other children.

  8. There may be objections to wearing some clothes and other routine events such as the application of plasters, having their hair brushed or teeth brushed because the child finds this uncomfortable.

  9. Parents and teachers may be frustrated or have noticed that the child forgets tasks learned the previous day or there is evidence to suggest that the child has a weak working memory (short term memory).

  10. There will probably be reading and writing difficulties

  11. There is a very strong chance that the child cannot hold a pen or pencil properly.

  12. Does the child have a weak sense of direction?

  13. The child has had real difficulties with or cannot hop, skip or ride a bike.

  14. The child was much slower than most children to learn to dress or feed themselves.

  15. Parents and teachers may have noticed there is a difficulty in answering simple questions even though they know the answers.

  16. There may be evidence of speech problems perhaps with the child being slow to learn to speak or speech may be difficult to understand.

  17. It is possible that the child has a difficulty with phobias and perhaps obsessive behaviour.

  18. The child may be frustrated and impatient more than one would expect for a child of their age.

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Mind Mapping (spider Diagrams)

Mind mapping or spider diagrams are a very useful way of recording information.  It is a useful revision technique as well as being an excellent way of encouraging processing of information into chunks.  It is often recommended for children who experience writing difficulties.  Furthermore, it is a useful technique for children who have some form of language disorder, as the chunking of information helps them develop comprehension skills and assists in the formation of mental links. 

If you find it difficult to persuade your child's school to adopt this or other alternative methods of recording it may be helpful seek specialist advice from a specialist SpLD assessor. The resulting recommendations may prove helpful to the school and help facilitate changes that help the child fully access the curriculum.

Follow this link which demonstrates some good free mind mapping software. Further free mind-mapping software can be found here.

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1000 Most Common English Words

YEARS
BACK
THROUGH
MUCH
WHERE
YOUR
WAY
DOWN
SHOULD
BECAUSE
LONG
EACH
JUST
STATE
PEOPLE
THOSE
TOO
HOW
MR
LITTLE
GOOD
WORLD
MAKE
VERY
YEAR
STILL
SEE
OWN
WORK
MEN
DAY
GET
HERE
OLD
BETWEEN
BOTH
LIFE
BEING
UNDER
THREE
NEVER
KNOW
SAME
LAST
ANOTHER
WHILE
US
OFF
MIGHT
GREAT
STATES
GO
COME
SINCE
AGAINST
RIGHT
CAME
TAKE
USED
AMERICA
PRESSURE
PRIVATE
STARTED
DARK
GROUND
DR
EAST
NATURE
STAGE
FINALLY
KEPT
CALL
FATHER
NEEDED
VALUES
GREATER
EXPECTED
VIEW
THATS
EVERYTHING
SPACE
TEN
UNION
BASIS
SPIRIT
BROWN
REQUIRED
TAKING
COMPLETE
CONDITIONS
EXCEPT
HUNDRED
LATE
EASY
FORMER
FREEDOM
HELL
MEANING
OPENED
SHOT
SPRING
WAYS
WORKS
WRONG
FEAR
ORGANIZATION
PLANNING
SERIES
TERM
THEORY
ASK
EFFECTIVE
LEAD
MYSELF
RESPECT
STOPPED
WOULDNT
CLEARLY
EFFORTS
FORMS
GROUPS
MOVEMENT
PLANT
TRUTH
WORKED
BASED
BEAUTIFUL
CONSIDER
FARM
HORSE
HOTEL
MANS
NOTE
PRESS
SOMEWHAT
TREATMENT
ARMS
CHARGE
PLACED
APPARENTLY
CARRIED
FEED
HERSELF
HES
HIT
IVE
LENGTH
NUMBERS
OPERATION
PERSONS
RADIO
REACTION
BORN
MANNER
OH
RECENTLY
RUNNING
APPROACH
CHIEF
DEEP
EIGHT
IMMEDIATELY
LARGER
PERFORMANCE
PRICE
SUN
COUPLE
DAILY
GUN
LIVED
MAIN
STOP
STRAIGHT
HEAVY
IMAGE
MARCH
OPPORTUNITY
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WORDS

Dyslexia Tutor Writes About Self Esteem

Wise people say it is good to act to change the things you can change, accept the things you can't and even better to know the difference between the two.

You may be a parent or a teacher supporting a dyslexic child. You may be a dyslexic adult wondering how best to help yourself. If so, here is something to bear in mind. The single most important variable that affects the outcome of a person's life is self-esteem. Although prowess at academic and literacy skills is important – and can contribute to positive feelings – they are not more important than a healthy attitude to who and how you are.

A person who has weaknesses in some area of functioning but has good self-esteem is very likely to succeed, be happy and enjoy their life. They will find a way. A person with weak self-regard may lack courage and drive and even find it hard to take satisfaction in the things they do achieve.

When deciding on a course of action, therefore, ask the question; 'What will best strengthen self-esteem?' It might be working extra hard at those areas of dyslexic weakness, those academic, word-based, memory-for-detail, sequential, analytical things. Or it might not. Continuing to strive to get good at skills and activities that fall within ones areas of weakness may only serve to reinforce a feeling of 'I'm not good at stuff'. And that's bad for self-esteem. If someone is trying determinedly to improve, say, reading, writing, organisational or other skills and is consistently finding that they simply aren't very good at them, it might be better to try to find another attitude to the issue.

It’s worth bearing in mind that many skills that are prized in education are not valued in the same way beyond it. School is not the ‘real world’, the be-all and end-all – despite teachers sometimes seeming to believe it is. In the world after education 'getting the job done' is usually more important that doing it in a conventional way. In education, doing things 'according to the book' is usually what pupils are judged on as much as their outcomes.

Also, dyslexics often run into problems when they try to act as if they were not dyslexic instead of acting according to their particular strengths and weaknesses. They are often people who are good at finding their own idiosyncratic ways of doing things. Sometimes these are better than the 'normal' ways of doing them. Often it is an imposed procedure, someone else’s idea of how a task should be done, that is the issue for the dyslexic. It is good to look at tasks and ask what the required outcome is. Sometimes the dyslexic can find another way. And sometimes they don’t need to do it at all

So: act to change the things you can change. If you can improve in a particular skill area, it is good to do so – and good to get help from a dyslexia specialist if s/he can assist in this. This will strengthen self-esteem. But do learn to accept the things you can’t change. There comes a time when you should say; ‘I’m simply not so good at this, I’ll leave it to others to do – or find a way to do it that suits me’. 

This prevents positive self-esteem being damaged or negative self-esteem being reinforced.

And it is OK to be good at some things and not so good at others. Strive to develop a philosophy that distinguishes between those things you can get better at and those you don’t need to try to. Learn to judge yourself by your own values, not those of others. It is good for self-esteem. And self-esteem is the single most important variable that affects the outcome of a person's life.

 

Written by Simon Hopper

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Essay Planning and Briefs

Interpreting an essay brief and essay planning

Of all academic skills, the most valuable for a student is that of accurately interpreting course briefs. It's easy for a dyslexic to get this wrong and many have had the experience of receiving back a marked essay with a tutor's comment saying something like; 'Not quite what was asked for'. Students usually think that the weakness here is one of writing. It probably isn’t. It's normally one of interpretation and planning. Put differently, it's the work you do before you start writing that makes the difference between a good essay and a not so good one.

Remember that the title/brief is a menu of items that will earn you marks – if you follow it correctly. Here's an approach that will help. It may not be as easy as it seems at first but the technique is well worth mastering.

Work on the title: Take the essay title or brief, extract from it the key words or phrases (use a highlighter). Make sure that you have chosen a) all the key elements and b) the absolute minimum number of words possible. There should be a tension between these two requirements. It should make you think very hard about whether you need this or that word or phrase. If the process doesn't cause you some hard thinking, you may not be doing it right.

The exercise will be very different from one essay brief to another. It depends on how they are written. And we are assuming that the tutor has composed a title/brief that is an accurate reflection of what they require. It isn't always so. Also, you should take into account any additional requirements that the tutor has added verbally. S/he may say 'You should concentrate on X in the essay' or 'Don't spend too much time on the background issues'.

Creating a plan: Next, list these words/phrases. Your list should contain only words from the brief. Don't worry if you aren't completely sure of all of the elements at this stage. Spend some time arranging and rearranging the list until you have what looks like a plan for your essay. There isn't only one way to do this and you may have to spend time to find a result that 'works'. Some aspects of the brief may be repeated in different sections as necessary.

Add 'Introduction' to the start of the list and 'Conclusion' to the end. The introduction should have three sub-sections: overview of essay (in which the essay is 'described'); explanations and parameters (in which any aspects of the essay not clear from the title are explained, such as the student's decisions regarding content); preview of conclusion (which may start 'What this essay will show is...'). The conclusion has two main sections: overview of main arguments; concluding position including what is significant about it.

Now you should have a plan with, say, five or six sections. Depending on the detail in the brief, you may now need to add into the plan missing elements that you're aware of from your reading or lectures, etc.

Word-count: Allocate the word-count. The introduction and conclusion should each have roughly 10% of the words. Divide the balance according to your idea of where the emphasis should be. You will now have a series of separate sections of specific lengths that can be written more or less independently. All this should be done before any research – and definitely before any writing takes place.

Consider what your conclusion will say. You should certainly know this before you start to write. Think about the main significance of the subject – you'll also need to point this out.

Most students find that when they have done all of the above the task seems both clearer and more manageable.

What do I not know or understand? Now ask this question. Some students shy away from it, preferring to focus on what they do know, but it's always better to address this early in the process. The answers to the question are the areas that need to be researched first. Go to the course reading, your lecture notes. Speak to fellow students, your course tutor. You can't write your best essay unless you do this.

Bear in mind that what you will now have is a plan for your research as well as for your writing.

The 'verb': Also, learn to be clear what exactly the 'action' is that the essay requires. Most essay titles/briefs contain a main word/action/verb. It could be 'analyse', 'outline', 'describe', 'compare', 'contrast' or one of several others. (See Key Words in Essay Titles) They do not mean the same thing. Many students treat them as though they do. Or, often, they interpret all these words to mean 'write about' with little precision as to what this might mean.

Habits: When you practise all this for the first time what you are doing is creating a new habit. It's never easy to do this and your old ones will try to reassert themselves. Don't worry, it's normal. Just persevere and eventually you'll have a new habit – and better essays that actually answer the question that was set.

 

 

Key Words in Essay Titles

Account for: Explain why something happens; give reasons for it.

Analyse: Break down into its important parts and comment on. Examine in close detail; identify important points and chief features.

Comment on: Identify and write about the main issues, giving your reactions based on what you have read or heard in lectures. Avoid purely personal opinion.

Compare: Show how two or more things are similar. Indicate the relevance or consequences of these similarities.

Contrast: Show how two or more things are different. Indicate the relevance or consequences of these differences.

Critically Evaluate: Weigh arguments for and against something, assessing the strength of the evidence on both sides. Use criteria to guide your assessment of which opinions, theories, models or items are preferable.

Define: Give the exact meaning of. Where relevant, show that you understand why the definition may be significant.

Discuss: Describe the most important aspects of the topic (probably including criticism); give arguments for and against; consider the implications of.

Distinguish: Bring out the differences between two (possibly confusable) items.

Evaluate: Assess the worth, importance or usefulness of something, using evidence. There will probably be cases to be made both for and against.

Examine: Put the subject ‘under the microscope’, looking at it in detail. You may be asked to ‘critically evaluate’ as well. See 'Analyse'.

Explain: Make clear why something happens, or why something is the way it is.

Illustrate: Make something clear and explicit, giving examples or evidence.

Interpret: Give the meaning and relevance of data or other material presented.

Justify: Give evidence which supports an argument or idea; show why a conclusion or decisions were made, considering objections that others might make.

Narrate: Concentrate on saying what happened, telling it as a story.

Outline: Give only the main points, showing the main structure.

Relate: Show similarities and connections between two or more things.

State: Give the main features, in very clear English (almost like a simple list, but in sentences). 

Summarise: Draw out the main points only, omitting details or examples.

To what extent: Consider how far something is true, or contributes to a final outcome. Consider also ways in which the proposition is not true.

Trace: Follow the order of different stages in an event or process.

 

Written by Simon Hopper

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Relaxation Therapy

The use of a relaxation programme can be a very powerful instrument for change.  If you decide to use this technique, it is crucial that it is done at least six times per week.  It is a useful tool when dealing with children who are anxious, either generally, or in a specific context such as exam rooms.  It is useful when dealing with children who tend to present regular or occasional acts of extreme anger in the wrong context, and when anger is an inappropriate reaction to the offence if used as part of an anger management programme. 

 

As part of a conservative approach to the treatment of ADHD, or as part of a treatment programme that includes medication; it can be a crucial part of the overall intervention.  You can hear an example of how to deliver the script on this Youtube video. Use the script to make a recording for the child to use. The child should commit to engaging in this activity every day.  After one month the child will have become skilled at checking for tension in their body.  At this point, a cue is needed for the child to check themselves for tension such as a red dot on their watch.  If they do not wear a watch, then perhaps a mark on their school bag or for very young children a toy placed in the classroom in a place where they will tend to look fairly regularly.  Particularly with young children, active and regular intervention by the teacher and parent should be undertaken. Gently touching the child on the shoulder and saying "go floppy" is a useful technique for this.  Whenever the cue is heard or seen the child should take a moment to check themselves for tension and then let go of it.  After a period of time, approximately three to six months the child will be automatically checking themselves for tension and releasing it without the use of a prompt.  The use of the tape can then be stopped. Some children like to listen to the tape while laying on a bean bag, although this is fine, the activity is best done whilst sitting.

Should this intervention not produce the desired results, or if you feel your child needs a more complex intervention, it may be useful to seek advice.

Seek advice.        

Relaxation Script

Sit comfortably close your eyes and think of nothing. 

Now make your hands into fists, go on really squeeze those fists.  Feel that tight feeling,----- feel that tight feeling. ------ And now relax/go floppy. ----- Think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling for younger children.) 

Make your hands into tight fists again and bring your hands up to touch your shoulders. Feel that tight feeling along your arms.  Feel the tight feeling and relax, think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling.) 

Now relax your arms, let them hang loosely by your side.  Push your shoulders up and try and touch your ears.  Go on really push upwards. Feel that tight feeling in your shoulders.  Feel the tight feeling and relax, think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling.) 

This time scrunch up your face.  Really scrunch up your face. Feel that tight feeling in you face and relax, think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling). 

Now make your tummy muscles tight go on really tighten those muscles. Feel that tight feeling.  Feel the tight feeling and relax, think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling.) 

Push your tummy forward this time, make your back arch, feel the tight feeling all along your back, feel that tight feeling and relax, think of that wonderful feeling of relaxation. 

Tighten the muscles in your legs, feel those muscles tightening, feel that tight feeling and relax. Feel that tight feeling along your arms.  Feel the tight feeling and relax, think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling.) 

Now make yours toes into fists, really scrunch up those toes.  Feel that tight feeling.  Feel the tight feeling and relax, think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling.) 

Take a deep breath hold that breath, feel that tight feeling in your lungs, feel the tight feeling now let the breath out slowly and feel all the tightness go away.   Think of that lovely feeling of relaxation (or think of that lovely floppy feeling.) 

Keep your eyes closed, we are going to check each part of your body to see if there is any tightness.  Think of your hands and arms if there is any tightness just let go of it.  Now check your shoulders, neck and face.  If you find any tightness just let go.  Check your back and shoulders, your legs and feet.  If you find any tension just let go.   

You should now be feeling wonderful and relaxed/floppy.  Just enjoy that wonderful feeling and when you feel ready open your eyes.

Reading With Your Child

General Tips for Reading Together

 

  • Allow your child to see you reading.

  • Read with expression; read slowly.

  • The more your child participates in the story, the greater the understanding.

  • Encourage your child to participate by asking open ended questions that make your child think, such as, "What would you do?"

  • Alternate reading with your child; take turns reading a page or chapter each.

  • Along with a read aloud time, plan an independent reading time also.

  • Keep plenty of reading materials around the house.

  • Involve your child in selecting books as much as possible.

  • Matching the right book with the right child takes time. Be patient!

  • Make sure that you, as the reader, enjoy the story.

  • If a story isn't working, STOP READING!

  • If your child finds reading more difficult, it can be harder to find books that they are interested in that they can also manage to read. Barrington Stoke books have high interest books based at different reading ability levels and are enjoyed by children with literacy difficulties such as dyslexia.

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Paired Reading

Paired reading

Paired reading is a very powerful technique, particularly with children who have lost confidence.  The pair comprises a skilled reader and a learner; they read the text together. When the learner wants to take over reading they give a signal, usually by tapping on the page. It is best to ask the learner what signal they would like to use. The essence of this technique is that the learner can decide when to read, it therefore follows that there should be no pressure, overt or covert, for the learner to read.  This will allow confidence to develop, as there is no fear of failure.  

This technique can also be used to allow access to reading material that would ordinarily be beyond the learner.

Process of Paired Reading

  1. Read along with the learner

  2. Adjust your speed so that you stay together.

  3. Repeat each misread word until the learner reads it correctly.

  4. Look for a prearranged signal to indicate the learner wants to read an easier section alone.

  5. Stop reading along when the learner gives the signal

  6. If the learner makes an error: say the word correctly, and read along again until the learner signals you to stop.

  7. Praise the learner frequently for correct reading

Follow this link to see a video demonstration of paired reading

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Origins Of Visual Stress (Meares-Irlen Syndrome)

A teacher in New Zealand, Olive Meares, was the first to provide a detailed written account of the spatial distortions affecting text being read by some individuals.  Olive Meares also reported that the effects she cited could be reduced or eliminated by the use of coloured paper or by using coloured plastic overlays; the overlay is placed over the text to be read.

A psychologist working in California, Helen Irlen, wrote a paper describing symptoms similar to Olive Meares.  Ms Irlen, named the effects as Scotopic Sensitivity or Irlen Syndrome.  The syndrome was one in which reading is impeded by distortions of print. She reported that the distortions were positively effected if text was viewed through a coloured filter or overlay.  Ms Irlen went further and established a protocol for screening for scotopic sensitivity and a system for dispensing coloured overlays as a result of the assessment.

There followed a period of time during which the scientific community discussed these findings with a great deal of skepticism.  Prof. Wilkins and colleagues of Essex University were amongst the first to apply scientific rigor to the study of scotopic sensitivity or Meares-Irlen Syndrome, as it had become known.  The Essex University team set up double blind placebo controlled trials and went on to establish a number of tools for screening for scotopic sensitivity and quantifying the effects of coloured overlays. 

In the past, specialist assessors and educational psychologists with special training were able to assess and provide a coloured overlay for use when reading. Now this is not recommended, and if there are symptoms of visual stress then an in-depth optometry assessment should be sought. This should include assessment of binocular vision (accommodation and convergence) disorders, and visual stress, in addition to the standard sight-test comprising refraction and ocular health assessment.

If you or your child is experiencing visual effects such as text wobbling, moving, flickering, blocking out, underlining, halo effects, head aches and/or a feeling of over brightness, then it would be useful to have a specialist optometry assessment. You can ask if your usual optician is able to offer this service, or follow this link to BABO who have a map of behavioural optometrists.

Observation, Checking A Child Is Accessing The Curriculum

This technique is primarily aimed at children who are not accessing the curriculum due to language difficulties.  You should, however, also be aware and take note of the child's propensity/ability to make appropriate use of peers for support and assistance as this may contribute to the evidence gathering process shedding light upon areas such as approach to learning, social skills and self esteem.

Usually I prefer to observe a child before they know who I am. This technique is usually used after some assessment which has lead to a hypotheses of some difficulty. At the very least it may be that the child is not comprehending the verbal learning environment very well for a range of reasons such as specific or general language problems.  You could use this technique for a child that has difficulties concentrating by being very overt and telling them that you are going to be looking to see how many questions they can answer if they concentrate.   Similarly this may be used just before a review is due to gather information to compare with a base line specified prior to your intervention.

You will need the observed session to have a strong verbal component; carpet time is often suitable.  You will be keeping one eye on the child and noting their behaviour, but you will also be noting down questions that can be asked about what is being taught, the story that is being read out etc. 

You will then be left with a series of age appropriate questions that relate to the 15 to 20 minute session that they have just taken part in.  You will also have some notes on the presenting behaviour. Was it restless? Helpless? Actively involved?  Below is an example layout with example questions:

Question Appropriate Answer Child's Answer
Who was asked to come to the front and talk about an award they got? Ben and Tom Ben and Tom
What did thy get the award for? Football Reading?
Your teacher read you a story, what was it about? Harry Potter looks at me for a clue no answer
Your teacher asked you all to tell your parents some things about sports day.  Can you tell me something she asked you to tell your parents? Next week on Wednesday, white shirt, will get letter later this week with details. They can come?

Naturally you would have a few more questions but you should get some ideas about their behaviour.  The little boy in this example is confirming our hypothesis gained from assessment or professional judgement: he has real difficulties processing the spoken word into usable information or remembering it once he has processed it.  You are now able to illustrate in your report the scale of the child's difficulties by detailing the questions asked and the responses.  You may wish to ask other members of the class the same questions to develop a contrast between the target child and peers.

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Advanced Observational Techniques (use of a control pupil)

Once you have got the hang of observing using the methods suggested in the previous paper on basic observation techniques, you may wish to strengthen your reports or evidence gathering with a comparison to other members of the class.   This technique involves the observer making a primary observation on the target child using the same methodology advocated in basic observation.  However, after the target child has been observed, the observer will make a secondary and nearly simultaneous observation by quickly looking at the control child (a child selected at random from within the same class) and note what they are doing.  Thus an observation record would look something like this:

Time           Target Child                                    Control Child                        
 10.00  Fiddle with pencil case 30 sec. LA 10 sec. Talk 20 sec.  OT
 10.01  Talk 30 sec. W 30 sec, talk to blonde girl  OT, talk 10 sec.
 10.02  W 40 sec talk to blonde girl T> sit down, to seat  OT >T for help
 10.03  LA 10 sec, talk 30 sec T> stern look. OT 20 sec  With T, OT
 10.04  W 40 sec girl red jumper T> warn, OT 10 sec  OT
 10.05  OT 20 sec, talk40 sec  OT
 10.06  T> final warn, argue 60 sec.  OT, Talk 15 sec, to pencil sharpener

OT =  on task
LA = look around
W = wander around classroom
T> = teacher instigates interaction with target pupil
>T = pupil instigates interaction with teacher

You are now able to report in a more professional way that the target child was, for instance, on task (OT) for 60 seconds (control 5 minutes plus) and engaged in the following restless and off task behaviours: talking 3 minutes 10 seconds (control 10 seconds), wandering 3 minutes 30 seconds (control 0 seconds), teacher needed to approach pupil 4 all disciplinary in nature escalating from non verbal to final warning (control  one approach to Teacher for help).

You will note that the control pupils behaviour is notably different from that of the target child.  The use of a control has made the behaviour of the target child more notable due to the contrast.  By using a control you have also made a point with regard to the behaviour of the rest of the class, it is very good if surmised from the above.  However, you may be asked to report on a child who is in a very noisy class, use of a control may highlight the need for a whole class approach due to the behaviour of the control which may be nearly as poor as the target child. 

You may wish to note in your report onhow the control was selected.  Did you choose them at random? Or did you ask the teacher to point out an average child.  Personally I have usually gone for a child with similar coloured and styled hair or a similar jumper.  There is no science in this and once or twice I have selected a child that also has difficulties, however this soon becomes apparent and you can switch control very easily.  I prefer to be able to report that I selected the control at random using hair colour in my reports rather than report that the control was selected by the teacher because I feel that it adds credibility.

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Observation In Playground And Classroom

Classroom and Playground Observation

There are books and chapters in books and no doubt countless pages on the internet describing various techniques for undertaking this part of a child’s assessment. Over the years I have practiced, I must have looked at hundreds of examples. For a parent or teacher seeking information on observation techniques it must seem very confusing. The following techniques are the methods I have settled on and used successfully for years; both are very simple. I always use both techniques sometimes in sequence but more often in tandem. If you are new to observation I would suggest doing them in sequence, you will naturally begin to use them in tandem as you gain experience. All you need is a note pad a pen and a watch.

Minute by minute observation:

I tend to do a 20-minute observation using this technique. You need to establish some codes for yourself. Some codes you will use for every observation, other codes you will need to generate as the child presents particular behaviors. For instance >T means child approaches teacher, whilst T> means teacher approaches child. I tend to embellish this with a note as to the reason for the approach, teach, help, reprimand for example. If the child makes animal noises, I might code this as AN – Dog. If the activity changes note this down and carry on with the observation

Here are some of my regular codes:

· >T help = Child approaches teacher you can note why if you wish.

· T> teach = Teacher approaches child to teach task individually

· W 20 sec sharpen pencil = The child wandered the classroom for 20 seconds and sharpened pencil

· OT 30 sec. = On task for 30 seconds

· Off T 60 sec. = Off task 60 seconds

· LA 20 sec = look around 20 sec.

These are just to give you some idea; it may be best if you figure out your own codes. You use codes to increase your head up observing time, the observation sheet does not have to be lovely and neat. Mine are only really decipherable by me, but I get a lot of head up observing time.

This observation technique will allow you to be very scientific. You will for instance be able to say that when a child is offered a pencil and paper task they will be off task for so many minutes in a 20 minute observation. You will be able to include in your report the noises the child made or the number and amount of time they spent wandering around the classroom. You will be able to baseline the most used off task behavior and use this as the data to measure any improvements against. When you look at the observation as a whole in a quiet moment you may see patterns.

Observation technique two

This technique is quite the opposite of the above technique. Here you simply clear your mind and watch the child in the learning context. I tend to note down what the set task is and if it changes note this, thus the set task note breaks up my notes. I tend to watch in five-minute blocks then write down anything I feel is relevant. I am looking for patterns of behaviour, friendships, alliances, evidence of relationships both individual and group. You are observing as a human not as a specialist, parent or teacher. No matter how odd your perception of what is happening note it down.

An example may look like this

A. Child Observation, Science. 2.2.99

Task: to watch teacher demonstrate an experiment to the whole class.

Seems keen and interested. Puts hand up to assist. No negative interaction between target child and peers or teacher. 15 min

Task: to copy notes about the experiment from the board.

Appears to look up at the board more frequently that the other children. Poor visual memory?

Gets on with task, no negative behaviors. 8 min.

Task: teacher does question and answer session to round off lesson.

Off task, pays little attention to teacher. Rarely makes eye contact with teacher, but seems to be trying to gain the attention of peers by engaging in various acts of silliness. He is not disruptive because the other children choose to ignore him. If they were bored or badly taught they may use him as a catalyst to disrupt the lesson. 5 min

Task, sit and listen to teacher rounding off the lesson. (Telling them what he has told them)

Much better but not looking at the teacher and not really on task but not seeking to be disruptive. 3 min

Footnote:
This is a real example. Subsequent assessment suggested this child did have a weak visual memory. However, this was not the problem. When I asked what the lesson was about, just as the teacher had done in the Q and A session the child shrugged shoulders and told me "don’t know". I had noted down some of the vocabulary used in various parts of the lesson and the child could offer good or fair definitions of the words related to the content of the lesson. The child therefore understood the lesson in its parts but not as a whole. We hypothesized that the child was not able to "chunk" information. We implemented a simple intervention using mind mapping and much improvement was made. At the time of my observation this child was at serious risk of being permanently excluded (expelled). This is no longer the case.

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Multisensory Teaching

Multisensory techniques for teaching reading

What is multisensory teaching?

Multisensory teaching is a way of teaching that uses more than one sense at a time. Using sight, hearing, movement, and touch gives children more than one way to connect with what they are learning. Multisensory learning can support children and adults in their learning, particularly those who struggle with their reading and maths development. Carry on reading to learn how to use multisensory teaching to support reading development.

Create a master list of tricky words

A master list should be kept of all the words the child has difficulty reading or spelling.  Two words should be selected to work on each day and no more.  The techniques described below should be used to practice these words. At the conclusion of the learning stage the child should be asked to read the word and to spell it when shown to him on a card.   They should be tested the next day, after one week, two weeks and a month and at that point if they have been correct at every stage the word will have become high frequency.  It can then be pinned on to a notice board where friends and relatives can see it and the child can show off their newly acquired reading and spelling skills to receive some well deserved praise.

Sensory writing

A selection of trays should be purchased, along with play/coloured sand, shaving foam and dry ingredients such as rice, lentils, beans, etc.  Some magnetic plastic letters, a scratchy chalk board and chalk, some plasticine and a large squeaky non-permanent felt tip should also be purchased.  

The first word is selected and the child should write this word in the sensory trays with their finger. This allows children to use sight, touch and sound to make a link between the letter shape and the sound it makes. The child should say each letter sound as they write it, and then say the finished word at the end by blending together each sound.

Air and board writing

Next, the child should write the word in the air using their fingers and use chalk and/or a dry wipe marker to write down the words. There are many other ways to write the word to keep the session interesting, such as typing the word, running/walking the shape of the word or using legs/arms to trace the shape of the word.

Magnetic letters for word building

The child can then make the word with magnetic letters. The child should say each letter sound as they lay down the magnet, and then they can blend the sounds together to form the whole word at the end.

Plasticine writing

If further support is needed to help the child link each sound to the letter, they can make each letter with plasticine.

Sandpaper letters

Letters cut out of sandpaper can help children hold on to tactile (touch) memory of letters and their sounds. The child should trace each letter with their finger while saying the sound of the letter out loud. They can feel the shape of the letters as they write.

Kids can also arrange sandpaper letters on a table to spell out words. They can then lay a piece of paper on top of the sandpaper letters and colour over the letters to create a rubbing. Again they should repeatedly say the letter sound of the letter they are focussing on, and blend them together at the end.

Read it, build it, write it

This technique requires the child to have a piece of paper with three boxes on it, labelled “Read,” “Build,” and “Write.” They also have cards with the words they are focussing on learning, magnetic letters, and a felt-tip pen. The child first reads the sight word that’s in the “Read” box together with the person supporting them. Then they should build the word in the “Build” box, using their letters. Finally, the child should practice writing the word in the “Write” box.

Tapping sounds and using poppits for sounds

Tapping or pushing down a bubble on a poppit toy gives children a feel for how sounds are segmented and blended to make words. The child should tap their fingers or push down the bubble on a poppit for each sound in the word they are focussing on, and then blend the sounds together at the end.

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