Dyslexia and Specific Learning Difficulties

Professor Amanda Kirby

Aims of the talk

1. Some basic facts around literacy,dyslexia and specific learning difficulties2. Highlights from the benchmarking study and review of dyslexia and SpLD literature review

Key facts• Early identification of reading difficulties is important

to highlight which children need additional support• Phonics is generally good for all• All specific learning difficulties overlap – so if you have

one difficulty you are likely to have some other challenges

• Understanding typical development can help with recognising atypical development

• Literacy difficulties can impact in all areas of learning so need to be considered especially in secondary school curriculum e.g. maths, geography and reasonable adjustments made

Also need to think of reasons for literacy challenges may be related to:• Specific language impairment• Inconsistent teaching approaches• Cognitive impairment • Emotional and behavioural difficulties• Lack of focus/concentration (ADHD)

Dyslexia Benchmarking Report

Key Findings http://wales.gov.uk/topics/

educationandskills/publications/researchandevaluation/research/literacyreview/?skip=1&lang=en

>

Report commissioned by WAG

• Prof Markéta Caravolas • Prof Angela Fawcett • Prof Amanda Kirby • Kathleen Glendenning

Review contains information on:• Current definitions of dyslexia • Main theoretical and empirical accounts of the causes of dyslexia • Current knowledge of the manifestation of dyslexia in different languages

and in bilingual individuals • A review of research into developmental disorders that may co‐

occur with dyslexia • Review of the longer term educational and ‐

psychosocial outcomes of individuals with dyslexia • An overview of issues associated with screening and assessment of

dyslexia• A review of the rationale and effectiveness of literacy

intervention approaches currently held to reflect best practice a review of some commercially‐available complementary intervention approaches

• Consideration of the implications for best practice in supporting children with dyslexia and other SpLDs in Welsh schools

Rose Dyslexia Review 2009

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.

Characteristic features of dyslexia are: •Difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. •Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.

It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut off points.‐

Co-occurrence (overlap, comorbidity)

Co occurring difficulties may be seen in:‐•language disorders•motor co ordination‐•mental calculation•concentration •personal organisationBUT these are not, by themselves markers of dyslexia

Each student has a different shape

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Therefore a student could have skill challenges with :

• Reading ( but be able to spell)• Writing ( but be good at sports)• Speaking ( but good at understanding)• Time management ( but have good self

organisation

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Each student has different hills to overcome and…

different ways to do this

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RTI

A good indication of the severity and persistence of dyslexic difficulties can be gained by examining how the individual responds or has responded to well founded intervention. ‐

Benchmarking study for Wales

• All local authorities participated • Examined screening, intervention and Spld

practices across Wales

Results showed:variability

• Structure of SpLD services provided by LAs• In the way children with dyslexia are supported

across Wales• In the tools used to assess for dyslexia• In the cut offs applied to gain additional support

and to be no longer eligible for additional support• In the multi-agency pathways for different SpLDs• However, ALL LAs aim to support children without

the need for a diagnosis or statutory assessment

Screening

• Inconsistency between LAs with regards to screening for other SpLDs

• PRUs do not routinely screen for literacy difficulties despite high levels of literacy problems,SLI, ADHD and SpLDs noted (Place,2000)

Interventions

• 69 different intervention packages/tools in use• Frequency of intervention varies across Wales– Ranges from school-based according to pupil needs

to 1 half day of intervention twice a week

• Variability in provision of intervention– School-based– Central team of specialist teachers– Bought in from external provider

Resources

Lack of parity between Welsh and English resources– For assessing difficulties– For supporting children with difficulties– Several LAs developing their own good quality

Welsh materials

Welsh Language Provision

• Lack of assessment / intervention materials• Lack of qualified, Welsh-speaking specialists– E.g. Educational Psychologists

English as Additional Language

• Statistically under-represented, possibly being overlooked

• 59% of LAs encourage cooperation between dyslexia specialists and EAL support

• Small percentage of EAL support have qualification in dyslexia or SpLDs

• Half the LAs reported difficulties distinguishing between L2 based literacy issues and dyslexia

Training

• Not many LAs keep database of teachers with SpLD training

• All LAs offered non-accredited training to staff• 68% offered accredited training to staff• 59% offered training in Welsh and English

Parents

• All LAs encourage participation of parents in process of assessment and support

• Some good parent information available across Wales– Needs to be translated into different minority

languages

• 32% provide training for parents by schools• 32% provide training by the LA

SpLD Reporting

• Difficulties identified with reporting codes– Hard to adequately describe pupil with

overlapping SpLDs

Dyslexia Benchmarking Report

Implications of Key Findings

PlanningTask and Finish group needed for Welsh– Coordinate provision of resources for

identification, assessment and support through the medium of Welsh

– Resources being independently developed and need to be pooled for use by all

– Gaps in provision to be identified and resources developed

– Resources should be professionally developed and available through central depository e.g. NGfL

Research into Welsh Support

• Need to understand best method of supporting children with literacy difficulties in bilingual Welsh/English context

• Diversity of home language situation needs to be taken into account

• Need to develop appropriate screening and assessment tools in Welsh

Guidance for Local Authorities

• Clarification on which screening / assessment tools are appropriate and valid– Research into the ‘gaps’ in tools should be

undertaken• Consideration of defining the entry/exit

criteria for intervention to avoid postcode lottery

• Clearly defined multi-agency pathways for all SpLDs at different ages and stages

Other Recommendations

• A review of PLASC codes to ensure descriptors are correct and overlap can be identified

• Screening of all children entering PRUs for additional learning needs– Reading, spelling, writing, maths, comprehension as a

minimum• Pupil’s voice should be included in the planning

decisions• Guidelines for supporting ALN and EAL to be

drawn up and best practice circulated

Recommendations for Training• Needs to include information on typical development

so discrepancies can be recognised (now WAG module in place.. http://learning.wales.gov.uk/improvementareas/child-adolescent-development/?lang=en#/improvementareas/child-adolescent-development/?lang=en

• Minimum level of SpLD training for all teachers across all curricular subjects

• All NQTs and PRU staff to receive training in identifying & supporting dyslexia and other SpLDs

• At least 1 SpLD specialist teacher per school cluster• Database of training and SpLD qualified staff to be kept

by all Local Authorities

Recommendations for Practice• Literacy assessments should include all

aspects of literacy difficulties– Reading comprehension, reading speed, spelling,

writing ability, single word reading– Consider testing for visual difficulties

• Support for other SpLDs in line with dyslexia• Central resource of open access materials and

information for teachers, parents and others• Information for parents translated into key

community languages and readily available

Remember

Each student has different hills to overcome and…

different ways to do this

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Take 10 students all with a diagnosis of Dyslexia (literacy difficulties)

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WAIS scores

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Sub scores

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How many report attention difficulties

Ref: Kirby, Do-IT Profiler,2013

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…And social difficulties

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….And co-ordination/organisational difficulties

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…and …the ways they study …