Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Riachtanais Speisialta in Iarbhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge Disléicse agus an Foghlaimeoir Teanga Matthias Maunsell Comhdháil Oideachais GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. 15.

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Riachtanais Speisialta in Iarbhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge Disléicse agus an Foghlaimeoir Teanga Matthias Maunsell Comhdháil Oideachais GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. 15."— Presentation transcript:

1 Riachtanais Speisialta in Iarbhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge Disléicse agus an Foghlaimeoir Teanga Matthias Maunsell Comhdháil Oideachais GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. 15 Samhain 2008

2 Outline of Presentation Special Educational Needs Specific Learning Difficulties Dyslexia Explained Dyslexia Observed: A Case Study Issues and Implications Further Research

3 Special Educational Needs The term “special educational needs” refers to all those children and youth whose needs arise from disabilities or learning difficulties (UNESCO 1994) Three major groups with SEN: Students with disabilities Students with difficulties Students with disadvantages (OECD, 2002)

4 Specific Learning Difficulties Dyslexia Dysgraphia Dyspraxia Dyscalculia ADD or ADHD

5 Higher Incidence Special Educational Need Definition: ‘a borderline mild and mild general learning disability and specific learning disability and those with learning support needs (that is functioning at or below the 10th percentile on a standardised test of reading and/or mathematics’ DES, SpED 24/03; 02/05

6 So what is …….. DYS.LEX.I.A? Classified as a ‘high incidence’ special educational need/learning difficulty No agreed definition

7 Explanation of Dyslexia Dyslexia is manifested in a continuum of specific difficulties related to the acquisition of basic skills in reading, spelling and/or writing, such difficulties being unexpected in relation to an individual’s other abilities and educational experiences. Dyslexia can be described at the neurological, cognitive and behavioral levels. It is typically characterized by inefficient information processing, including difficulties in phonological processing, working memory, rapid naming and automaticity of basic skills. Difficulties in organization, sequencing and motor skills may also be present Task Force on Dyslexia, DES 2001

8 Indicators of Dyslexia Poor working memory Poor organisational skills Poor auditory sequencing Confusion over syntax Difficulty with motor skill and automaticity Slow speed of information processing Limited attention span Literacy impairment (reading, writing, spelling)

9 Some Key Points on Dyslexia No two dyslexics are the same Some indicators are more common than others Severity is not determined by number of indicators Discrepancy model of dyslexia Continuum Co-morbidity of learning difficulties

10 Prevalence - Dyslexia No conclusive research has been carried out in Ireland to determine how prevalent it is International studies suggest up to 10% of population likely to be affected 4% severely affected by dyslexia, further 6% moderately (Lindsey Peer, 2001)

11 Dyslexia at Second-Level Transition from primary to post-primary Supports even more necessary at second-level (Ball, Hughes, McCormack 2007) Further literacy skills development State exams & accommodations

12 Research Study

13 Research Design Case Study approach Methods Qualitative Interviews, Field notes, Diary entries, Writing scripts, Formal assessment documents

14 A Bi/Multilingual Dyslexic Profile Background of Subject Observations on Reading and Writing Spelling Difficulties Strengths in Coping with Dyslexia

15 Background of Subject Bhí an dalta Aisling, a bhí sé bliana déag ag an am, ag freastal ar iar-bhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge. Tógadh í le Gaeilge agus cé go raibh cumas maith Gaeilge aici d’éirigh a cumas sa Bhéarla níos láidre ná a cumas Gaeilge de réir a chéile. Ar an iomlán ba dhátheangach cothrom í. Fuarthas amach ag aois 8 trí mheasúnú síceolaíochta go raibh disléicse uirthi. D’fhreastail sí ansin ar scoil trí mheán na Béarla ina raibh aonad léitheoireachta le haghaidh dhá bhliain. Ní raibh Gaeilge ar an gcuraclam mar ábhar sa scoil sin. Chuaigh sí ar aghaidh chuig iar-bhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge ina dhiaidh sin, áit ar thosaigh sí ag foghlaim dhá nuatheanga, Fraincis agus Gearmáinis. D’éirigh sí as na ranganna Gearmáinise tar éis tamaill, áfach, chun freastal ar ranganna tacaíochta. Ba iad na teangacha do ndearna sí staidéar orthu ar scoil mar sin ná Gaeilge, Béarla agus Fraincis.

16 Reading “Tá mé go breá á léamh i mo cheann ach nuair atáim ag léamh os ard is ansin a bhíonn an fhadhb agam” (Aisling)

17 Observations on Reading Problem with decoding words Slow reading rate Much self-correction Comprehension more advanced than Accuracy and Rate Difficulty across the three languages

18 Neale Analysis of Reading (Source: Learning Support Teacher) Figure 1 NA Chronological Age 15.09 AccuracyComprehension RateComments Reading Age 11.05 12.08+ 11.0568% confidence Band10.02 to 12.04 11+ 9.08 to 13.00

19 Writing “Tá sí go maith ó bhéal ach ní éiríonn léi é a chur síos ar pháipéar” (Learning support teacher)

20 Observations on Writing Expresses herself better orally than in written work Untidy handwriting and spelling errors can reduce legibility Problems with organisation

21 Spelling Difficulties “Uaireanta scríobhaim focail agus bíonn a fhios agam go bhfuil siad mícheart ach níl mé in ann smaoineamh ar an litriú ceart” (Aisling) “Bíonn sé deacair a idirdhealú a dhéanamh uaireanta idir an gramadach agus botúin litrithe” (Irish Teacher) “Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil aon fhadhbanna aici le gramadach i ndáiríre, baineann na fadhbanna le litriú” (French Teacher)

22 Litriú Gaeilge Fágann sí amach an h ag tús focal agus an comhartha iolra í ag deireadh focal m.sh. mo baile (mo bhaile), cailín (cailíní) Litríonn sí an focal céanna i mbealaí difriúla m.sh. aisleaní, aiseana (áiseanna) deilim,dulaim (d’fhoglaim) Litriú Foghraíochta m.sh. tres tact aras (tar éis teacht ar ais), ariget (arigead)

23 Litriú Gaeilge (ar lean) Fágann sí amach litreacha i lár focal ach go háirithe nuair a thagann ghuta le chéile m.sh. Chuigh sé (chuaigh sé), frisin (freisin) Deacrachtaí le taoilitreacha (silent letters).i. nuair nach bhfuaimnítear an f nó fh m.sh. go bhuil (go bhfuil), dan (d’fhan) Cuireann sí isteach litreacha míchuí m.sh. ibair (obair), sbriobh (scríobh) Meascann sí litriú Gaeilge agus Béarla m.sh. sail (saol), could (chuaigh)

24 English Spelling She mixes up vowels and omits vowels especially when two vowels come together e.g dose (does), hart (heart) Phonetic Spelling e.g Patric Kavina (Patrick Kavanagh) wen (when) meens (means) She sometimes inserts a d instead of a softer consonant sound e.g Wudering Hights (Wuthering Heights), admosfere (atmosphere)

25 English Spelling (Cont.) When two consonants are together she will often leave out one e.g attemps (attempts), afair (affair) Three consonants together also pose problems e.g lots of rabbit (lots of rabbits) She often spells the same word in several ways (even within the same writing piece) e.g hosital, hospitail, hoispatal (hospital)

26 French Spelling Adding inappropriate letters e.g il plelut (il pleut), le paitient (patient) Omitting letters within words e.g peite (petite), pisine (piscine) Phonetic Spelling e.g notic (nautique), music (musique) Writing letters in wrong order e.g un chein (un chien), le parnets (les parents) Difficulty with contiguous vowels e.g beacoup, beucoup, boutcoup (beaucoup)

27 Strengths in Coping with Dyslexia Previously developed coping strategies Self-awareness High self-esteem and confidence Systematic and methodical work ethic Active learning style

28 Issues and Implications Review of Study Immersion Education Dyslexia Across Different Languages Foreign Language Learning by the Bilingual Dyslexic Approach to Teaching

29 Review of Study Moderate Dyslexia Clear discrepancy between written and oral communication Reading and Spelling Problems Difficulties transcend all three languages

30 Immersion Education No indication in study that the immersion environment exacerbates difficulties for dyslexics in the mild to moderate deficit range Immersion programmes can provide a fulfilling education for those with learning difficulties Obstacles likely to be greater for dyslexics without an Irish language background Need for comprehensive empirical investigation to fully support or refute the appropriacy of immersion education for those with learning difficulties.

31 Dyslexia Across Languages Dyslexia usually (though not universally) transfers across the language constellation Dyslexia manifests differently in different languages Orthographic variation contributes to the diversity of literacy difficulties Some languages are seen as easier to learn than others Most research on dyslexia has been conducted in the English language or a monolingual setting Objective should be to identify typical reading, writing and spelling difficulties characteristic of each language to arrive at language specific recommendations for assessment and remediation.

32 Foreign Language Learning by the Bilingual Dyslexic The study of foreign languages is generally challenging for dyslexics Students are not immersed in the L3 Based on a ‘continuum of need’ the pattern of difficulties vary The linguistic system is widened both quantitatively and above all, qualitatively Reading and writing abilities in the previous languages rather than oral proficiency is linked to more efficient L3 acquisition Dyslexia specialists generally agree that FLL should be encouraged

33 The Approach to Teaching Challenge to advocates of a purely oral/aural approach Importance of the reading and writing elements Support for the principles of direct instruction and the Multisensory Structured Language (MLI) approach Appreciation of the development of literacy in languages of different orthographies Teaching and resources need to account for the target language’s specific linguistic features

34 Further Research Title: Bi/Multilingualism, Literacy and Dyslexia in Post Primary all-Irish Education (Phd research) Aim: To investigate the extent to which literacy acquisition is impeded by a specific learning difficulty among bi/multilingual acquisitors and the overall consequences for language competency that accrue. Method: Collective Case Study

35 Key Research Questions How does the study of dyslexia in all-Irish secondary schools contribute to our understanding of bi/multilingualism? To what extent are the beneficial effects of bilingualism in third language learning undermined by the presence of dyslexia? Do literacy problems transfer differently across the language constellation? How can teaching and resources be effectively adapted to allow for these differences?

36 Key Research Questions (Cont.) Are immersion students being adequately supported to maximise language learning development in a truly inclusive educational environment? Are key aspects of literacy/language development being neglected and expectations lowered here due to the availability of exemptions in State exams? Should the basis for granting a complete exemption from the study of Irish and/or a foreign language at second-level be also re- examined?

37 Contact Details Matthias Maunsell Email: maunselm@tcd.ie


Download ppt "Riachtanais Speisialta in Iarbhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge Disléicse agus an Foghlaimeoir Teanga Matthias Maunsell Comhdháil Oideachais GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. 15."

Similar presentations


Ads by Google