Muhammad Ahmed

Lecturer NIU
 WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

• Specific Learning Difficulty

• The most common special educational

need found in schools.

• 10% of the population show some

aspects of dyslexia.
 Definition of Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning difference

which can occur at any level of intellectual ability.

It can cause difficulties in one or more of the following

areas:
• spoken language

• reading

• writing

• maths
 Characteristics often seen are:

• weaknesses in auditory perception skills

.
• weaknesses in visual perception skills

• slower speed of processing

• poor working memory

• problems with personal organisation

• difficulty with sequencing

 Strengths of Dyslexic People
Thinking Creative
Musical

Dramatic
Good at
sport
Imaginative

Artistic Sociable

Good at
Design Good at Talkative
making
things
 LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR
CHILD IS GOOD AT.
If a pupil finds literacy challenging it’s
really important that we know about their
strengths and interests.
Famous Dyslexics
 What are we like?
Clumsy ‘I
can trip
Easily
over my
Disorganised distracted
own feet’.

Hard to
concentrate Hard to do
more than
one thing
at a time
I get
confused Forgetful
 Why are some
people
dyslexic?
.
 The Brain
Working Memory

Prefrontal lobe

Cerebellum
The cerebellum affects
the speed of information
Biological Differences - genetic processing and the ability
to reflect on the sounds in
words.
Chromosomes
1

15
 • Patterns, pictures and
• Words and symbols graphs
• Numbers • Rhythm
• Sequence • Learning from whole to
parts
• Learn from part to
• Difficulty concentrating
whole
• Lateral/divergent thinker
• Analyse
• Good imagination
• Able to concentrate
• Colour
• Like lists • Daydream

LEFT BRAIN RIGHT BRAIN

 Visual Difficulties:
‘Sometimes my eyes go ‘The words are
funny and I can’t see like bumper
them – it looks like cars’.
they are going wavy
and they get mixed up
and small words look
like black things with
white in between’.
 ‘My mind is like
spaghetti junction’.

‘I wish people were like

robots and you could plug
a printer in your head so
you can print out what’s in
your head.’
 How do we feel?
Everybody else
is better than
you
Embarrassed Anxious

Frustrated Cross

Slow Dumb
A
 Then what happens?
Take it out
on my Have a go at Chew
friends and everyone pen
family

I’m Just want to

stubborn sit there don’t
want to do
nothing

Bite my Shout and

nails misbehave
 MEMORY
We Remember:
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we discuss with others
80% of personal experience – what we do
90% of what we TEACH someone else

Get your children to teach you what they have

learnt.
What can you do to
support your child ?
ORGANISING AND SEQUENCING

Have week by week calendar on wall – shade

in school holidays and weekends in colour –
cross days off one at a time – plot when
Home Learning has to be handed in etc.

Have school timetable on wall. Colour code PE

lessons etc so they know when they have to
have kit etc
Have box at home for any
school books (which are colour
coded) and equipment

Have tick list on wall of all equipment – glasses, pens

etc, organiser, PE equipment.

If possible, have a computer or i-pad

Play Memory Games

eg Kim’s game (things on a tray)

My Grandma went shopping
Brain Box
Trump Cards

Play Spelling Games

I spy
Alphabet games
Phonic Games …
 PHONIC GAMES
Syllable Recognition and Counting.
How many syllables in…….
Names, superheroes ?
Clapping; jumping (kinaesthetic)
Robot talk (oral)
Lotto (visual)
Syllable rhythms (music)
Hand under chin (mouth opens each time
vowel sounded)
Graphemes & The Shape of
Words

right
 Mnemonics
Support your child in finding funny ways
to remember how to spell words.

Use pictures and rhymes.

Build up a pack of mnemonic cards.

 Learning Spellings
Roll the die – if it lands on:
1. Think of a picture to
represent the word.
2. Draw a mnemonic to help
spell the word.
3. Spell out word using letter
names.
4. Write word in air with
finger.
5. Write word down on paper.
6. Close eyes and imagine the
word in your head.
 FED UP WITH READING?
Play games phonic games

Read to younger siblings.

Read factual books (often have lots of pictures about something really
interested in).

Make own books using word processing.

Read comics, magazines, newspapers, internet

Look up what’s on TV in a magazine or newspaper.

Play literacy games on the computer.

Read text found throughout the home – instructions on food boxes etc.

Listen to books on CDs.

USING TECHNOLOGY

If possible your child should have access to a

computer or I pad

Develop their literacy skills

Free games & aps available on line
Bug Club & Maths Club

Developing key board skills is vital

Nessy fingers
Sebran
 HELPING TO BUILD INDEPENDENCE

Key word lists

Key word place mat
Mnemonic cards
Word books
Give it a Try pads
Spell checkers
Ace Dictionary
Word processing

Dyslexia Pack
 Maths Support
• Ensure your child has access to objects and maths
equipment to handle when doing Maths Home
Learning
eg Bead strings; objects for counting; 2d & 3D shapes; number facts
flip book; number lines; 100 square

• Help your child to learn to use a blank number line.

 LEARNING NUMBER FACTS

Use the same sequence to learn all

number facts…
 HOME LEARNING

Ensure it is readable and understood by your son or daughter.

Let us know if it is too easy or too hard for your son or daughter.

Allow them to record it in different ways

eg word-processing, drawing, you scribing.

Find out how long your child should be spending on their home learning;
Indicate when they have completed the set time for home learning.

DON’T ALLOW IT TO BECOME A BATTLE!

 Parent Champions
Empowering Parents and Carers

• The Parent Champion Initiative is a National project created by the Dyslexia-

SpLD Trust.
• It aims to empower and inform parents and carers so that they have the
confidence to make the best choices for their children.
• Parent Champions is a network of parents and carers of children and young
people with dyslexia, who are passionate about helping others in their local
community with dyslexia.
• They are supported by the Dyslexia-SpLD Trust in accessing reliable
information and resources.

Why not become a Parent Champion for Dyslexia?

Log on to
http://www.parentchampions.org.uk/about-us/parent-champions-partners/
 WHO CAN YOU GO TO FOR HELP?
Sue Plechowicz – Assistant Head Teacher SEND Coordinator / Dyslexia Advisor
Mandy Rich – HLTA / Dyslexia issues

British Dyslexia Association

www.bdadyslexia.org.uk 0118 966 8271

Action Dyslexia
www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk 01784 222300

www.thedyslexia-spldtrust.org.uk

http://www.parentchampions.org.uk/about-us/parent-champions-partners/

Cornwall Dyslexia Association 01872 274827