Clare Trott Supporting dyslexic STEM students 1 This

Clare Trott: Supporting dyslexic STEM students 1

This session • • Legal framework Dyslexia Reading Lectures Notes Visual learning Memory Assessments July 2013 2

Legal Framework • Institutions required to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled students • Ensure access to goods and services. • Put in place “anticipatory measures”. – Removal of unnecessary barriers – Promote best practice for the inclusion • putting in place good “anticipatory measures” will pre-empt potential barriers July 2013 3

Dyslexia “likely to be present at birth and to be lifelong in its effects. It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities. It tends to be resistant to conventional teaching methods, but its effects can be mitigated by appropriately specific intervention…” (BDA, 2007) July 2013 4

Dyslexic people are likely to think visually or laterally in some learning situations where neuro-typicals would be more likely to think verbally or logically. Problem Solving Dyslexic 80% 20% Non-Dyslexic 55% 45% Cooper (2006) July 2013 5

Dyslexic students STEM subjects • Appears less literacy skills • Practical However: • mathematics is – Logical – analytical system – hierarchical structures. July 2013 6

Visual Stress • 12% of the general population but • Approx 65% of dyslexics (Evans 2002) • “The inability to see comfortably without distortion and discomfort. ” Wilkins (1995) July 2013 7

Visual Stress (Dyslexsim, 2005) July 2013 8

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Reading: choice of text book July 2013 10

Reading: prioritised reading list July 2013 11

An Inaccessible Lecture • • Handwritten Few example No reference to real problems Lack structure No headings After lecture pdf July 2013 12

Lecture structure • Prior knowledge link to memory – Product rule for differentiation – Implicit differentiation – Sine/cosine functions • Recap from previous lecture • Aims of lecture • Summary of key points at end • Structured headings – Definition, Theorem, proof, practical eg, worked eg, check, … July 2013 13

Non-linear structure • Mathematics is sequential and logical • Need to remember intermediate results for later use • Can it be made more “dyslexiafriendly”? July 2013 14

H = 0. 25 K + L + h(100 - L 0. 5 K 0. 5) H K H = 0. 25 K + L + 100 h - L 0. 5 K 0. 5 h H h 100 - L 0. 5 K 0. 5 0. 25 - 0. 5 L 0. 5 K-0. 5 h H L 1 - 0. 5 L-0. 5 K 0. 5 h 0. 25 - 0. 5 L 0. 5 K-0. 5 h = 0 1 - 0. 5 L-0. 5 K 0. 5 h = 0 100 - L 0. 5 K 0. 5 = 0 0. 5 L 0. 5 K-0. 5 h = 0. 25 0. 5 L-0. 5 K 0. 5 h = 1 L 0. 5 K 0. 5 = 100 L 0. 5 K-0. 5 h = 0. 5 (1) L-0. 5 K 0. 5 h = 2 (2) (3) (2) (1)L-0. 5 K 0. 5 h = 2 L 0. 5 K-0. 5 h 0. 5 K/L=4 K = 4 L Substitute in (3) L 0. 5 K 0. 5 = 100 L 0. 5(4 L)0. 5 = 100 2 L = 100 L = 50, K = 200 July 2013 15

Notes • Simultaneous notes/listen • Keep pace in lectures • Prefers to listen • Relies on full notes beforehand • Accessible format July 2013 16

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Implications Problem-solving • Structuring written work • Documentation of method July 2013 18

Memory Symbolic material • Provide a list of all notation • Departmental consistency July 2013 19

Assessment • CAAs – Answer only – Transcription errors • Recall in exam – theorems – definitions – formulae July 2013 20

Theorems a. State a particular definition or theorem Rote Recall b. Reason a proof. • Dyslexics who find such learning difficult – understand maths – can develop the proof Without (a), (b) cannot be done. Double Penalty. July 2013 21

“There about 60 theorems in this module, I cannot learn them!” (Rob, 2006) Definitions Theorems Marks Module 1 19 17 27% Module 2 16 42 24% July 2013 22

Conclusions • Choice of text books • Prioritised reading lists • Lecture structure • Accessible notes beforehand • Memory and notation – Provide list – Dept. consistency • Assessment – Mode of assessment – Allows dyslexic students to show understanding and ability July 2013 23

References • • Beacham N and Szumko J (2005) Dyslexsim, Iansyst, Caambridge British Dyslexia Association (2007)http: //www. bdadyslexia. org. uk/about-dyslexia/furtherinformation/dyslexia-research-information-. html (accessed 06/07/12) Cooper R (2006) Making learning styles meaningful Patoss Bulletin, 19 (1) p 58 -63 Evans B (2002) Dyslexia & Vision, Whurr, London Trott C (in press) Good Practice Guide for Mathematics Support for STEM Students with Dyslexia, HE STEM project, Institute of Physics, London Trott C (2012), Mathematics, dyslexia, and accessibility, in Cliffe E and Rowlett P (eds), Good Practice on Inclusive Curricula in the Mathematical, HEA MSOR Network and National HE STEM program, pg 25 -28, http: //mathstore. ac. uk/node/2095 Wilkins, A. J. (1995). Visual Stress Oxford University Press, Oxford July 2013 24