Full details and downloads of the report are available at the Foresight Website click here.
Below is an extract from the Learning Difficulties: Dyslexia section that has some good ideas for differentiated learning:
Appendix 2:
Johnny’s father is dyslexic. He appreciates his son’s difficulties. Below are extracts from notes he wrote for Johnny’s teachers in order to help his son cope in class. In italics are Johnny’s own comments.
Johnny - Recommendations for differentiation
Johnny has been diagnosed as severely dyslexic and is statemented for these difficulties. His intelligence is good, but he has a number of processing difficulties that affect him adversely in an academic situation and mean that his results in most literacy-based tasks are unlikely to reflect his ability. He is likely to have visual strengths regarding his learning style. Close, continuous and consistent working links between the specialist teacher and all staff are essential if Johnny is to succeed. In summary his principal difficulties are:
Limited sight vocabulary and very poor reading fluency.
Inability to produce target words in phonic form reliably and poor fluency in writing.
Slowness in committing ideas to paper.
Weak computational skills.
Word-finding difficulties.
Poor planning and organisational skills.
Inability to remember and understand oral instructions.
Please make homework manageable (breaking into smaller tasks).
”It needs to be explained or I don’t know how to do it properly.”
Stagger homework; if several tasks come together he becomes very stressed and angry. If this is unavoidable then give guidance as to which tasks have priority and consider extending deadlines on one or two others until he has regained control of his workload.
“Yes! For History nearly every time we have a piece of homework. I have to waste my time doing stuff like maths or an essay and I don’t get time to do what I want to do.”
Check that his homework in the planner has been accurately recorded and that he understands what he has to do and is aware of deadlines.
“Some times they look, but mostly they don’t bother, and when I get home I can’t remember what I have to do.”
When covering new vocabulary in lessons, ensure that he reads, understands and is able to use it in context. Liaise with Johnny’s specialist teacher and pass on new words.
”I do find it difficult.”
He should have at the start of the lesson, copies of all handouts and lesson notes for annotation.
“I get these sometimes now and it’s good because I don’t have to keep looking up at the board.”
Use multi-sensory teaching techniques, presenting information in a variety of styles.
“It makes it easier to understand, so I don’t always do the same thing. I find it easier to learn in pictures than in words.”
Ensure that all photocopied sheets are no smaller than 12 pitch and of good quality that Johnny can read.
”8 pitch I can’t see it!”
If required to copy, make sure Johnny has finished before rubbing off the text from the board; also check it has been accurately copied down.
”When I do copy I get words wrong and then they say I should have got it right.”
If he asks for help, please check that he understands before moving on as he gets stuck.
”I get stuck but nobody helps me. They just help the other people.”
He needs extra time for writing.
“I don’t know why but I do – it could be the spelling.”
Internet searches take a long time so give named sites for research.
“I can never find the information I am trying to find.”
He is unable to write while you are speaking/dictating.
”If this happens, like in History, it’s that I can’t keep up.”
Reading aloud is very stressful. Please do not ask him to do so in a group setting.
“It happened in a mini play. It made me really annoyed as I ended up doing the longest part. It’s really embarrassing as I stumble over words.”
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