Communication Exceptionalities Dyslexia and Dysgraphia Presenter Jeanne Hodgkins

Communication Exceptionalities { Dyslexia and Dysgraphia Presenter: Jeanne Hodgkins

Workshop Objectives § § § To be able to identify the characteristics of dyslexia and dysgraphia To have an understanding of what it’s like to have a reading and/or writing disability To become familiar with the accommodations and assistive technologies that can help a student who has difficulties with reading and writing

What is dyslexia? § § § Greek: (dys) “difficulty” (lexia) with “ words” very common - about 1 / 10 people (more common in boys than girls) a genetic condition; life-long (can’t be ‘cured’) a developmental reading difference that occurs when the brain does not properly recognize and process certain symbols can hinder reading, writing, spelling, and sometimes even speaking

§ § § caused by differences in the language areas of the brain and the connections between them not everyone has the same experience a different way of thinking

How does a person with dyslexia see text? A dyslexic person might see letters and words move around on a page, or words might change colours. Other dyslexics see text in a highly disjointed manner.

Decoding Activity: Recognizing Phonemes We begin our trip at a familiar place, a body like yours and mine. It contains a hundred trillion cells that work together by design. And within each one of these many cells, each one that has DNA, The DNA code is exactly the same, a mass-produced resume. So the code in each cell is identical, a remarkable but valid claim. This means that the cells are nearly alike, but not exactly the same. Take, for instance, the cells of the intestines; that they're vital is certainly plain. Now think about the way you would think if those cells were the cells in your brain. (Excerpt from "Journey into DNA" on the "Cracking the Code" Web site, NOVA Online. )

Effect on memory skills. • • Low working memory is indicated when someone cannot keep many things on their “screen. ” Multistep problems or directions pose challenge. Usually have to write everything down. Benefit from underlining/highlighting directions before they start.

Memory Activity: Recall and Understanding According to the Oxygen Theory, burning and rusting involve an element called oxygen, which is found in the air. The complete combustion of a piece of wood involves the rapid reaction of the wood with oxygen gas (O 2) to produce carbon dioxide (CO 2), which is a nonflammable gas, and water (H 2 O). The rusting of iron involves the slow reaction of iron with oxygen to produce iron oxides such as FE 2 O 3. These iron oxides are known as rust. Heating rust with charcoal produces iron because the charcoal combines with the oxygen in the rust. In these transformations, there is a conservation of mass (the total mass of the reactants must equal the total mass of the products in a chemical reaction). In these reactions matter is neither created nor destroyed, but merely transformed.

Answers: Question 1 The correct answer is B. Question 2 The correct answer is D. Question 3 The correct answer is B. Did you find it difficult to correctly answer the questions given the amount of time you had to read the passage? This exercise simulates what a child with attention and/or memory problems might experience in a school exercise. Children are commonly asked to read passages and to answer questions, verbally or in writing, based on what they've read. Imagine how difficult this would be if you retained only bits and pieces from any given paragraph.

The problems with writing that students with dyslexia experience may be accompanied by difficulty with spelling and handwriting. Students may try to choose words they can spell rather than those they want to use. Those with short-term memory problems may have difficulty transcribing a mentally composed sentence, thus much back-tracking is required which disrupts the flow of thought.

Signs of Dyslexia Are You Dyslexic? (video clip) 3: 08

How Do Students with Dyslexia Feel? § § § § Dumb Embarrassed Everybody else is better than them Slow Frustrated Anxious Cross How do they sometimes behave? • • Take it out on friends and family Shout and misbehave Have a go at everyone Just sit there don’t want to do anything Stubborn Chew pen Bite nails

DYSGRAPHIA

What is Dysgraphia? § Greek: dys “disability” with graphia “writing” § a learning disability § a visual-motor integration problem (trouble processing what the eye sees) § § language processing difficulty (trouble processing and making sense of what the ear hears) directly affects handwriting – mostly the formation of letters or numbers, and the issue of spacing and sizing

§ may also experience difficulty with spelling and written expression § writing skills are below those expected for a particular age group § can affect children, teenagers, and adults § It is more than just bad handwriting!!

Signs of Dysgraphia The child may: § Hold a pencil in an awkward way § Have cramping of fingers or pains in hand in arm § Write illegibly § Form letters incorrectly § Write letters of uneven shapes and sizes

§ Space letters in words incorrectly § Write a mixture of capitals and lower case letters § Leave out words in sentences § Write incomplete words § Get tired when writing § Have difficulty organizing thoughts on paper

Writing sample of a student with dysgraphia:

Writing Activity Instructions: We love our school. Copy the sentence onto the lined side of the whiteboard using the hand you don’t normally write with.

Let’s Sum it up… Dysgraphia - summary video (2: 39)

Who Can Help? An Occupational Therapist can help with: § Teaching the proper way to hold a pencil § Exercises to tone muscles § Hand control § Hand-eye coordination

How Can Teachers Help? § Provide notes § Be patient and positive when practicing handwriting or when reading § Encourage proper grip, posture, and paper positioning § Avoid criticisms for sloppiness or illegibility § Encourage the student to use hand exercises when he/she becomes tired

What the child can do… § Shake their hands fast when tiring of writing § Rub hands in a circle on something such as their leg § Perform sitting push-ups by pushing down on their hands and lifting their body slightly up off the chair

Activities to strengthen hand arm muscles:

Accommodations and Assistive Technologies

Accommodations § Take tests orally § Dictate assignments to a scribe § More time for writing assignments § Reduce the amount of writing in assignments § Complete writing assignments in chunks / use bullet points § Reduce amount of copying § Use a laptop § Have a conversation with the student so that they can get their ideas out § Use a book they are reading as a model to help the student to organize their ideas as the author did in the book

Assistive Technology Assistive technology (AT) is any device, piece of equipment or technology which either removes barriers to or helps any individual in learning.

Graphic Organizers

Highlighted Paper, Raised Line Paper, Slant Boards & Spacers

Pencil Grips, Weighted Pencil / Pen, & Scissors

Colour –Tinted Eyeglasses Mears-Irlen Sydrome or Visual Stress

Colour Overlays

Colour Paper, Rulers and Markers

Word Processors & Electronic Spell Checkers

Colour Keyboard, Kid Glove, & Stickers

Speech Recognition Software & Smartpens

Writer and Reader Software

i. Pad with Apps

What else can we do? § § § § “Demystification” Eliminate stigma Discuss strengths & interests Discuss weaknesses Emphasize optimism Identify an ally Protect from humiliation

With our help, a child with a learning disability can… No! Yes!

Can a learning disability also be a gift? video clip (3: 00) video clip (2: 50)

Thank you for coming! 1. . Please collect the handouts. 2. Please fill out the exit form.

Reference List Bailey, E. (2013). Multisensory Approaches to Dyslexia. [online] Available from: http: //specialed. about. com/od/readingliteracy/a/Dyslexiaandmultisensory. htm [Accessed 4 th A pril, 2013]. Gribben, M. Teaching the Dyslexic. [online] Available from: http: //www. dyslexiaplus. co. uk/dyslexia/teaching. htm [Accessed 2 nd April, 2013]. Knobelauch, L. (2008). Super Duper Publications. [online] Available from: www. superduperinc. com [Accessed 2 nd April, 2013]. Reif, S. & Stern, J. (2010). The Dyslexia Checkist: A Practical Reference for Parents and Teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.