There is a large body of research linking speech and language difficulties in early childhood to later literacy problems. Because much can be done pre-school to help a child at risk, early identification is really important. Although some children may have difficulties with some parts of their learning, they are just as bright and able as their peers - in some cases even brighter! They are often creative and imaginative. At the same time they also have difficulties. If a child shows a cluster of difficulties, you will need to take action.
Here are some hints on identification. The list is worth keeping handy - the chances are there's at least one dyslexic child in each nursery class.
Watch out for the child who does not outgrow the following possible indicators:-
•has difficulty learning nursery rhymes
•finds difficulty paying attention, sitting still, listening to stories
•likes listening to stories but shows no interest in letters or words
•has difficulty learning to sing or recite the alphabet
•has a history of slow speech development
•gets words muddled e.g. cubumber, flutterby
•has difficulty keeping simple rhythm
•finds it hard to carry out two or more instructions at one time, (e.g. put the toys in the box then put it on the shelf) but is fine if tasks are presented in smaller units
•forgets names of friends, teacher, colours etc.
•poor auditory discrimination
•finds difficulty cutting, sticking and crayoning in comparison with their peer group
•has persistent difficulty in dressing, e.g. finds shoelaces and buttons difficult
•puts clothes on the wrong way round
•has difficulty with catching, kicking or throwing a ball
•often trips, bumps into things, and falls over
•has difficulty hopping or skipping
•has obvious 'good' and 'bad' days for no apparent reason
A child who has a cluster of these difficulties together with some abilities may be dyslexic, but remember that the levels of development and speed of learning at the pre-school stage differ significantly for each child.
If you find at risk children, consult with the special needs advisor. There are programmes and games to help with development in speech and language, motor skills, auditory and visual perception and memory.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Linking screening and diagnostic assessment to effective intervention through successful teaching and learning strategies.
TRAINING - ASSESSMENT AND TUTORING - CONSULTANCY AND ADVICE
MISSION STATEMENT
From screening and diagnostic assessment to successful intervention and effective teaching strategies combined with liaison with fellow professionsals, whatever is required to help each and every learner, infant to adult, early years to workplace - become more successful and independent learners, we will seek to provide.
We are all trained in specific learning difficulties, especially Dylsexia, although we specialise in all learning difficulties such as Apserger Syndrome, Adhd and have training and experience in Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and Speech and Language Difficulties. We also appreciate that many learners have learning difficulties that are co-occurring with others.
Via a free initial consultation with the learner we will be able to screen and diagnose difficulties, suggest suitable teaching strategies or refer to other professionsals or simply offer advice. This is why this first consultation is free of charge - so that the next course of action is discussed without undue stress and free of any pressure on the learners, parents, family or loved ones.
We have a learner-centred approach and believe on basing our teaching and diagnosis of learning profiles on what has been learnt already, individual skills and strengths and by identifying different learning styles. All learners are unique! We believe in using strengths to overcome weaknesses and that learners are encouraged to reach their potential. We believe all learners can if they do what is required.
We have worked in primary, secondary and tertiary education and are available for consultation in workplace assessment and advice also. We have also been accredited to assess for Disabled Student Allowance as well as for JCQ extra examination time and other concessions.
The service we offer learners.
The service is split into initial and ongoing assessments of learning strengths, difficulties and styles and teaching programmes which are tailored towards this learning profile.
We will often use a positive multi-sensory teaching programme which has been advocated by many respected dyslexia specialists as being the best way to teach pupils with specific learning difficulties, particulary Dyslexia. We feel that Literacy and Numeracy, in particular, have to be taught in a different way in relation to pupils with learning difficulties to be effective.
We will often use a positive multi-sensory teaching programme which has been advocated by many respected dyslexia specialists as being the best way to teach pupils with specific learning difficulties, particulary Dyslexia. We feel that Literacy and Numeracy, in particular, have to be taught in a different way in relation to pupils with learning difficulties to be effective.
Screening and Diagnostic Assessment
During our initial meeting we will look at whatever types of assessment have been carried out by either teachers, informally through class observation or formally through screening assessments, or diagnostic assessments by an Educational Psychologists before deciding how to proceed. We can carry out a wide range of screening asessments, to look at various areas of cognitive abilities and skills before either using them with other previous assessments or as our foundation for further teaching intervention. By intervention, we simply mean taking particular interest to certain areas of learning difficulty and deciding how we are all going to improve these areas and educational performance generally. We means, parents as well as learners, and other learning assistants such as teaching assistants in school and teachers. Anyone with an input into the learner's learning. It is important that the learning plan is as integrated as possible with everyone involved following the same direction to ensure the greatest success.
TRAINING AND AWARENESS RAISING
We have developed a number of Powerpoint and interactive learning packages to raise awareness of various learning difficulties, particularly, Dyslexia, in order to illustrate what it is like to have a specific learning difficulty, literally what it is like, and, with this new awareness in mind, how best to design most effective classroom and teaching practice to allow for various learning differences. These courses and relevent Powerpoints can be easily customised to suit any learning environment, through pre-school, primary, secondary, post-compulsory and workplace scenarios, all tailored to your particular need. We have included a number of Powerpoints on this blog to help illustrate some areas that can be covered - some are incomplete as they are waiting to be accustomised for whatever learning environment or are rather extensive, waiting to be appropriately cropped to fit whatever training scenario they are required. For now, they give very important information about various learning difficulties and one of them was created by a Year 7 pupil himself, to show his classmates what it is like to have ADHD and raise his own self-esteem in the process.
Consultancy and Advice
We aim to provide consultancy in providing for learners and employees who experience learning difficulties and on appropriate adaptations to both learning and working environments. We also give advice on various areas of legislation relating to various learning dificulties to teacher/pupil and employer/employee alike.
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Multi-Sensory Teaching
We believe the best way to teach dyslexic learners, especially in relation to phonetic awareness is via a cumulative, structured, multi-sensory approach and using visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and auditory channels to retain information and help allow learning become more automatic and the learner more independent. It is also more fun! The teaching programmes we use are as follows:-
Speech and Language Difficulties
DYSCALCULIA
Raising self esteem - Check out this link www.olchfa.org.uk/whatsthedifference/?p=196
We firmly believe that a proper assessment and the right teaching strategies should be allied with and, in fact, aid the raising of self-esteem. We have found that improving self-concept is essential to enabling learners to improve and become more independent. We will encourage leaners to think and act on their own awareness about their learning strategies and also counsel those who have had negative experiences of school and the learning process.
While working in a secondary school setting, one of our tutors decided the best way to raise awareness of learning difficulties while simultaneously raising awareness of those with learning difficulties in the class was to collaboratively write, direct and produce a play with the class! This was then performed to over 250 pupils and teachers at Year assembly.
Whatever technique or approach works!
While working in a secondary school setting, one of our tutors decided the best way to raise awareness of learning difficulties while simultaneously raising awareness of those with learning difficulties in the class was to collaboratively write, direct and produce a play with the class! This was then performed to over 250 pupils and teachers at Year assembly.
Whatever technique or approach works!
You Can Do iT!
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