Special Educational Needs and Dysabilities

What are dys-abilities? Some children have learning differences manifested as difficulties with: Reading and spelling (Dyslexia)Reading and spelling (Dyslexia) Poor co-ordination (Dyspraxia)Poor co-ordination (Dyspraxia) Attention and memory (ADD/ ADHD)Attention and memory (ADD/ ADHD) Numeracy (Dyscalculia)Numeracy (Dyscalculia) Social interaction (Aspergers syndrome)Social interaction (Aspergers syndrome)

What are the common characteristics? These children often have: At least average abilityAt least average ability Great strengths in creativity / designGreat strengths in creativity / design Differences in two or more cognitive areasDifferences in two or more cognitive areas Problems remembering instructionsProblems remembering instructions Problems organising ideasProblems organising ideas Mis-match between oral ability and written workMis-match between oral ability and written work Misunderstandings with ‘authority’Misunderstandings with ‘authority’

What to look for in a young child: know different difficulties Many parents know from early on that their child is different, especially where there is a family history of difficulties. This may appear in the child as: extreme clumsinessextreme clumsiness a disinclination to paint, drawa disinclination to paint, draw a penchant for jumbling syllables, word ordera penchant for jumbling syllables, word order late speakinglate speaking forgetful of instructionsforgetful of instructions

What to look for in an older child: Mismatch between oral contributions and written workMismatch between oral contributions and written work Late reading / ‘barking’ at printLate reading / ‘barking’ at print Poor handwritingPoor handwriting Heavily inscribed writingHeavily inscribed writing Difficulty staying on-taskDifficulty staying on-task Spelling problemsSpelling problems Arithmetic problemsArithmetic problems Conflict with adults / peersConflict with adults / peers Poor organisation of work /day-to-day livingPoor organisation of work /day-to-day living

The older child often feels a ‘failure’, so needs software to provide access to : independent readingindependent reading writing more independentlywriting more independently recording diagrammatic informationrecording diagrammatic information self-remediation for spelling/mathsself-remediation for spelling/maths organising ideasorganising ideas

How can they be helped? Early identification of learning stylesEarly identification of learning styles Adaptation of teaching styles to learning stylesAdaptation of teaching styles to learning styles Teaching survival strategiesTeaching survival strategies Providing relevant ICT supportProviding relevant ICT support Monitoring and reviewing the ICT provisionMonitoring and reviewing the ICT provision

Using strengths to help weaknesses These children have not failed, but need to develop strategies to support their differences in learning through schooling: use speech and sound to support visual strengthsuse speech and sound to support visual strengths use images to support auditory strengthsuse images to support auditory strengths encourage handling of objects alongside looking and listeningencourage handling of objects alongside looking and listening encourage the child to articulate and repeat new words / ideasencourage the child to articulate and repeat new words / ideas

Helpful hints provide a multisensory learning environmentprovide a multisensory learning environment establish the child’s preferred learning style to facilitate more focused learning /teachingestablish the child’s preferred learning style to facilitate more focused learning /teaching use the child’s strengths to support any learning differencesuse the child’s strengths to support any learning differences make use of the variety of equipment / teaching aids, especially in the early years classroommake use of the variety of equipment / teaching aids, especially in the early years classroom use the technology as and when appropriateuse the technology as and when appropriate regularly monitor and review its suitabilityregularly monitor and review its suitability foster close home /school links for good collaborative support, especially for remediation / extension activitiesfoster close home /school links for good collaborative support, especially for remediation / extension activities

Learning Styles Everyone has a unique preferred learning style, which may be mainly: visual visual auditory auditory tactile tactile a combination of any of them a combination of any of them

Where the teacher’s teaching style is different to the child’s learning style, the child may : be able to adapt the instruction to his preferred stylebe able to adapt the instruction to his preferred style give up and ‘switch-off’give up and ‘switch-off’ develop avoidance strategiesdevelop avoidance strategies become an attention seeker / behaviour problembecome an attention seeker / behaviour problem

Promoting confidence and self-esteem For all children with dys-abilities it is essential to provide the means of: Getting round their problems, so they become only differencesGetting round their problems, so they become only differences Boosting their sense of self-worthBoosting their sense of self-worth Making support as unobtrusive as possibleMaking support as unobtrusive as possible

Using ICT can help by : providing a multisensory learning environmentproviding a multisensory learning environment being non-judgementalbeing non-judgemental facilitating individualised work for a childfacilitating individualised work for a child bypassing some co-ordination obstaclesbypassing some co-ordination obstacles supporting home/school collaboration in the learning processsupporting home/school collaboration in the learning process raising self-confidence / esteemraising self-confidence / esteem

What sort of software? The young child does not need specialist software, but access to: good multisensory early years softwaregood multisensory early years software more regular access to the computermore regular access to the computer extra supported practice in areas of weaknessextra supported practice in areas of weakness

What sort of hardware? - 1 The young child does not need specialist hardware, but access to : good multi media computergood multi media computer more regular access to the computer than the class normmore regular access to the computer than the class norm alternative access devices (rollerball, touchscreen), if neededalternative access devices (rollerball, touchscreen), if needed

What sort of hardware? - 2 The older child may need: A simple writing aidA simple writing aid A hand-held spellcheckerA hand-held spellchecker A hand-held voice recorderA hand-held voice recorder A laptop with sound and picturesA laptop with sound and pictures A roller or trackerballA roller or trackerball

Attention development Using a computer is excellent for increasing a child's ability to stay on task because: focussed activities can be providedfocussed activities can be provided there is room for experimentation within a time-scalethere is room for experimentation within a time-scale a finite time span can be negotiateda finite time span can be negotiated it is non-judgementalit is non-judgemental it increases independence in workingit increases independence in working

Handwriting support Handwriting for WindowsHandwriting for Windows School fontsSchool fonts Claude and MaudClaude and Maud Eye for SpellingEye for Spelling THRASS ITTHRASS IT

Preparing for reading Use the multisensory aspects of talking books to: foster success in readingfoster success in reading support tracking skillssupport tracking skills reinforce relationships of image, sound and lettersreinforce relationships of image, sound and letters encourage independenceencourage independence foster rhythm, rhyme and pitch skillsfoster rhythm, rhyme and pitch skills

ICT supports writing through: ICT supports writing through: personalised handwriting practice sheetspersonalised handwriting practice sheets talking wordprocessingtalking wordprocessing talking wordbankstalking wordbanks a portable wordprocessora portable wordprocessor

ICT helps remediation through: ICT helps remediation through: simple reviewing and editingsimple reviewing and editing regular spelling practiceregular spelling practice regular numeracy practiceregular numeracy practice

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