Dyslexia+in+the+Classroom

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty which affects a person’s ability to read, speak and spell accurately. It affects between 5-10% of children worldwide. The disability can affects a child’s ability to read, as they will often see words upside down or the wrong way round. This affects the brains ability to be able to read quickly, where the brain is required to rapidly interpret the letters as the eyes see them. (Bradford, 2003)

Children with dyslexia are often thought to be lazy in the classroom. (Hodge, 2000) As they are not able to process information efficiently or accurately, it has a direct impact on their ability to do the same tasks as other students. They also struggle to do the same homework tasks as other students, as they are often writing down the information wrong or misunderstand what they are being asked to do.

As a teacher, it is important to make children feel comfortable in the classroom. As dyslexia can have a direct impact on a child’s self-confidence (Humphrey, 2002), it is up to the teacher to make sure that the student feels comfortable reading and writing within the classroom.

To achieve this, there are several techniques which I can use to assist the child:

- Make sure all homework has been written down correctly. This will avoid the child having any confusion about what they are required to do. It would also be wise to make it a little bit different to the rest of the class, ie. make reading/writing tasks shorter, if it would help the student feel more comfortable about doing their word.

- In reading groups, introduce new words slowly, and have a lot of repetition. This will allow a dyslexic student to make the connections between the letters of a word, and gives them the ability to be able to say them out loud, to help them remember the letter and sound patterns.

- While writing on a blackboard/whiteboard, it is recommended to use a different colour for every new line of work, and to make sure there are ample spaces between words. Also making sure the ink is dark and clear to see helps all students, but in particular dyslexic students who need to be able to differ between words and object they are written on. Also make sure that writing is kept on the board long enough for all children to finishing copying, to ensure that children don’t rush.

- Never ask a dyslexic child to ‘read for the class’. This should be kept for a private time with the teacher, where the student is not feeling pressured to read quickly, and they can receive any help if they require it.

- Encourage proof reading. Many dyslexic children are able to pick up on spelling errors only after they have written them.

These techniques are simple, and can easily be incorporated into any classroom that has to cater for a child with dyslexia. As a teacher I would ensure that all children understand the work, and are all given equal opportunity to learn in the same way. Depending on the degree of dyslexia, I may ask the child to sit near the front of the room, where they are able to see the front more clearly, and are close to hand should they require assistance. As a teacher I need to be able to understand the characteristics of dyslexia, and to not judge, pressure or get angry at a child who is unable to do the same degree of work as everyone else.

__References__

Goldstein, B. H, & Obrzut, J. E, Neuropsychological Treatment of Dyslexia in the Classroom Setting, 2001, Journal of Learning Disabilities, vol. 34, no 3, pp 276-285

Humphrey, N, //Teacher and student ratings of self-esteem in developmental dyslexia//, March 2002, British Journal of Special Education, Vol 29, Issue 1, pp 29-36

Jordan, D. R. //Dyslexia in the Classroom//, 1992, Charles E. Merrill Company, Columbus, Ohio, pp 194

Bradford, J, What is Dyslexia?, 2003, Classroom Assistant Support, retrieved online from []

Hodge, P, A dyslexic child in the classroom: A guide for parents and teachers, 2000, Davis Dyslexia Association International, retrieved from []