Teaching and Supporting Pupils with Dyslexia

The Rose Review : Identifying and teaching children and young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties : June 2009 recommended that the Inclusion Development Programme (Dyslexia) be updated to take account of the recommendations within it.

The e learning resource is structured in the following way

Introduction followed by four modules• Dyslexia: Understanding and supporting reading• Dyslexia: Understanding and supporting spelling• Dyslexia: A focus• Dyslexia: Adapting practice

Introduction

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

This course focuses first on the process involved in learning to read and spell words. In the modules that follow you will look more specifically at current evidence-based understanding of dyslexic difficulties and the implications for learners and teachers in the classroom.

Each of the modules is structured in a similar way. They begin by establishing the context and relevance of the topic before taking the learner into the underlying knowledge and understanding. They then conclude with an extended reflection exploring the practical implication for teachers.

The course has been designed around one and a half hours of e-learning, however, best practice indicates that that good CPD should take on a blended learning approach.

Additional features

The glossary contains explanations of key terms.

An extensive library is housed within the e-learning. To access some of the resources in the library you will need to be online as many of these can only be accessed though their URLs

There are 31 video clips of views of experts and practitioners dispersed throughout the modules

Additional features continued

The self-evaluation contains 16 statements. These are divided into four sets of four to align with the content and learning objectives of each module. Within each set two of the statements are about knowledge and two are about the adjustments that teachers can make to demonstrate their understanding. Ideally individuals would carry this out at the beginning and end of the learning

There is a Quick Find tab which enables you to find the screen you need within the module without scrolling through each screen

The scenarios

In each of the modules you are introduced to fictional pupils and teachers via scenarios which will help you to answer the questions posed.

There are video clips of practitioners which will help to consolidate your learning and demonstrate how this knowledge can be translated into classroom practice

Cross module themes

There are four themes which are as significant as the content of the modules

• The central role of teachers’ skills & knowledge in developing all pupils’ word reading and spelling skills

• The importance of tracking and monitoring progress and intervening when progress begins to slow

• The importance of pupils, parents and teachers working together

• The continuing need for explicit teaching for those making slow progress at any age or key stage

1. Dyslexia: Understanding and supporting reading

This module asks and responds to the following questions:

• what is involved in reading?• what underlies reading difficulties?• how do children recognise words?• why do some children struggle more than others to

read and spell words?

2. Dyslexia: Understanding and supporting spelling

This module asks and responds to the following questions through a set of activities and scenarios:

• what does spelling involve?• how do pupils learn to spell words?• why do some pupils find this unusually difficult?• how can teachers and teaching assistants support

spelling in the classroom and through different subject areas so that pupils can continue to be motivated to learn and demonstrate their understanding and skills?

3. Dyslexia: a focus

This module focuses on the concept of dyslexia and its implications for practice. The definition of dyslexia used in this e learning resource is that agreed upon by the expert advisory group which worked with Sir Jim Rose to produce his independent report: Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties June 2009

3. Dyslexia: a focus (continued)

The panel agreed on six areas and these are visited in turn in this module:

• reading and spelling• characteristic features• range of abilities• severity and persistence• continuum• co-occurring difficulties

4. Dyslexia: adapting practiceIn this module we look at the rationale for making adaptations in the classroom and the aspects that need to be considered:

• the severity and difficulties with reading and spelling• other difficulties related to the core phonological processing

difficulty• possible co-occurring difficulties

The module also looks at the effect of these adaptations from the perspective of a pupil and illustrates the kind of low-key emotional support that is also required to maintain high motivation and a good level of pupil confidence and self- esteem

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