Parent guide to dyslexia By Belinda Dekker founder Sydney Dyslexia Support Group This guide was written in response to the many queries that I have seen in dyslexia support groups for parents who have no idea what to do if they have a child they suspect has dyslexia or is recently diagnosed. Schools seem not to know enough about dyslexia to offer adequate guidance. A lot of this advice comes from international dyslexia associations and research organisations. This guide was written in good faith. I am not a dyslexic professional therefore please

undertake your own research and seek professional advice. I have volunteered my time

and take no personal responsibility for actions taken using this advice. The information

was extensively researched and all care was taken. I was a teacher for 10 years and my

daughter is dyslexic. I write guides about dyslexia for free and they are free to distribute. For further information check out my other guides available at

Dyslexia support Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/220307061381034/

Or

TES http://www.tesaustralia.com

GUIDE TO DYSLEXIA PRIMARY CLASSROOM GUIDE TO DYSLEXIA SECONDARY CLASSROOM MULTISENSORY SPELLING DYSLEXIA AND ANXIETY CLASSROOM ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DYSLEXIA DISCRIMINATION - includes relevant legislation and education policies What is dyslexia? Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that occurs across a broad spectrum. Dyslexia can not be

cured. Dyslexia is the most common learning difficulty and most recognised reading

disorder and accounts for approximately 85% of reading problems. It is estimated that

dyslexia affects up to 20% of the population and around 5% significantly. Dyslexia is a

combination of strengths and weaknesses that occurs across a broad range of intelligence

levels. Ability to read has been shown through studies not to be linked to intelligence

levels.

MRI studies have shown dyslexia to be primarily a phonological processing disorder.

Dyslexia is not a visual or auditory disorder but visual distress has been shown to occur as

a result of dyslexia. It is characterised by difficulty with phonological awareness,

phonological decoding, processing speed, orthographic coding, working memory,

organisation, sequencing, motor skills, language skills, verbal comprehension, and/or rapid

naming.

Further information at dyslexia basics fact sheets international dyslexia association http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/DyslexiaBasicsREVMay2012.pdf

http://www.lexxic.com/5/faq/29/am-i-dyslexic/

Is my child dyslexic? As a general guide if your child is not making realistic gains in reading it is worth following your instincts and getting your child assessed. Do not let anyone to tell you to wait and see or they are too young to be assessed. Early intervention is of paramount importance before self esteem and anxiety issues become ingrained. The Australian Dyslexia Association are able to assess children from the age of 5 1/2. Checklists are not always reliable so follow your instincts. Fact sheets below http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/IsMyChildDyslexic.pdf General indications http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/parents/indications-of-dyslexia.html Primary school indications http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/schools-colleges-and-universities/primary-hints-and-tips.html Secondary school indications http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/schools-colleges-and-universities/secondary-hints-and-tips.html

First steps • hearing test from GP • Optometrist to rule out eyesight • Psychometric testing (iq) conducted by the school counsellor is free. Low IQ does not rule out

dyslexia. Often in dyslexic children there will be a significant difference in results in the 4 main areas of the standard testing. Often scores are low in areas of working memory and processing speed but every dyslexic is different. This testing is not necessary but a place to start and schools like to see these results. "Research From the University of British Columbia,Vancouver Psychometric IQ (WISC) assessments and discrepancy are not required for the identification of dyslexia or related differences." ADA

The Australian Dyslexic Association (ADA) offers a free comprehensive pre assessment if a member ($90). This involves parent and teacher questionnaires and writing samples. The ADA require proof hearing and eyes have been tested. This indicates whether the child is likely or not to have dyslexia. This service is offered to avoid expensive comprehensive testing. Often this is

enough for schools and you do not necessarily require further testing. They do offer full testing but you are under no obligation to get them to do testing.

Dyslexia assessment The ADA recommend the following when choosing a dyslexia assessor; "The most important reason for assessing dyslexia is for effective educational literacy intervention not a label.There is no one single test which can identify dyslexia. The assessor must have post graduate specialist qualifications in language and reading development, be able to interpret how difficulties in the reading process affects learning and the required pedagogy. The dyslexia assessor must be formally qualified in the field of dyslexia, reading research and possess a knowledgeable of current diagnostic test selection and how to evaluate the results for educational instruction and/or provisions.There are numerous misinterpretations and misleading use of the terms screening, assessment and a profile." A good report will not just have a diagnosis it will have specific accommodations that need to be made in the classroom. A good report will spell it out in detail what a school needs to do. A good assessment will also come with backup if it needs to be explained further to the school. I would not recommend getting assessed by any organisation linked to a programme as it is in their interests to push you into that programme. My daughter was already seeing an educational psychologist who specialised in anxiety and had worked in schools. I still chose the ADA for her assessment as they specialise in dyslexia. Seek out a dyslexia specialist. SPELD in your state or the ADA are widely recommended by many parents. These organisations are not for profit and Independent. If they are not in your area they will be able to refer you to an appropriate assessor. It is worth travelling to a major city to get SPELD or the ADA to assess your child. Assessment is expensive ($600 plus) so spend your $ wisely.

Talking to your child about dyslexia Explaining dyslexia to your child will depend on their age and personality but it is good to focus on strengths. Encouraging them to identify with famous dyslexics can be really helpful and give them back their confidence. A suggestion: ......Dyslexia means you think in a different way. It means you are really good at some things such as......imagination, creativity, big picture thinking, pictures in your head but you find some school things hard like reading, writing, spelling, math. This does not mean you are dumb. You are smart and are good at lots of things. Many famous smart and talented and gifted people are dyslexic. Some useful you tube clips This is a cartoon from Nessy learning http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IEpBujdee8M This is from behind the news a news programme for kids http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3970047.htm This one is well presented and shows famous dyslexics and what people said about them. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l_qGJ9svUbM Talking to the school The reaction of the school will depend on the learning support and principal and the school culture. The school may only implement things just to silence your constant phone calls and letters. Assume the school and teacher knows nothing and set out to educate them as much as possible. One good year with one good teacher will set the standard for others who follow and give your child self esteem and resilience. Follow your instincts and if you are not happy ring the principal or arrange a meeting. If you continue to have problems go to area and cry discrimination. Dyslexia is a disability and is covered in the Disability protection act. Insist a meeting with the teacher and school learning support to discuss your child's strengths and weaknesses and how adjustments need to be made in the classroom to meet those needs. You have the right to contribute to this.

Sample letter to accompany the dyslexia assessment Please alter the letter to suit your child, the assessment, the state and your school. See my discrimination document as it is worthwhile to quote legislation and education department policies relevant to your state. You may also wish to include how the dyslexia has affected your child in the classroom and what you do not find acceptable.

Dear Principal,

Please find attached is a copy of Xxx dyslexia assessment from the xxxxx. We ask that

you review its content and the attached accommodations.

We would like to arrange a meeting with the appropriate learning support staff, classroom

teacher, head of learning support and an appropriate member of the executive. We would

like to discuss the recommendations in the report and implement appropriate classroom

accommodations and learning support for xxx.

"While dyslexia is a lifelong learning disability, early and effective intervention can help a

student keep-up and retain her grade level in school, as well as minimise the negative

effects dyslexia can have such as low self-esteem."

"Prime responsibility for meeting the specific learning needs of students with difficulties in

basic areas of learning lies with the school and the classroom teacher." NSW Dept of Education

"Students with dyslexia need the same educational opportunities as other

students.Classroom and support teachers can be trained in effective teaching practices

which will not only help the student with dyslexia learn but all students can benefit by

direct, explicit and systematic multisensory instruction." ADA

The NSW Department of Education ‘Professional learning for skilled and knowledgeable

teachers’ made the provision of access for more teachers and other support staff to

accredited online learning courses in areas of additional learning and support needs

including dyslexia and significant reading difficulties.

Our primary goal for this year is to restore xxxx self esteem by providing the appropriate

accommodations as well as assistive technology so she can use her strengths. We would

also like her to improve her weaknesses through appropriate remediation. Dyslexic

children can start to realise their full potential if taught within a caring, happy and

structured framework.

Dyslexia is recognised in Australia under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and

under the Human Rights Commission. Dyslexia is recognised under the special needs

section in the NSW Education Act Amendment 2008 for additional funding. " a child has a

significant learning difficulty if a qualified teacher or other qualified education professional

is of the opinion that the child is not, regardless of the cause, performing in the basic

educational areas of reading, writing, spelling and mathematics in accordance with the

child’s peer age group and stage of learning." Education Act Amendment 2008

Dyslexia friendly schools are schools that recognise a specific learning difficulty as a

learning difference. These schools make an effort to include and support dyslexic

students. These schools recognise that a dyslexic student learns in a different manner,

and places an effort in empowering the child to deal with her learning difficulties.

A dyslexia friendly school invests in educating their staff. A dyslexia friendly school also

invests in building a close channel of communication with the child’s parents, actively

communicating to them the progress and difficulties encountered by the child.

Yours sincerely,

OG AND MSL EVIDENCE BASED APPROACHES Both Dyslexia Support Australia and Dyslexia Sydney Support Group support MULTISENSORY STRUCTURED LANGUAGE TEACHING MSL ( often referred to as Orton Gillingham approach (OG ). This approach is recommended by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), Australian Dyslexia Association (ADA), Learning Difficulties Australia (LDA), British Dyslexia Association (BDA) which are not for profit organisations. MSL is evidence based treatment provided by trained tutors or through online training programmes. "Effective instruction for students with dyslexia needs to be explicit, direct, cumulative, intensive, and focused on the structure of language. Multisensory learning involves the

use of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously to enhance memory and learning of written language. Links are consistently made between the visual (language we see), auditory (language we hear), and kinesthetic-tactile (language symbols we feel) pathways in learning to read and spell." IDA For further information see the fact sheets from the IDA http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/MSLTeaching.pdf http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/OGBasedandMSLApproaches.pdf

Tutoring Tutoring by an experienced tutor trained in multisensory instruction approach ( Orton-Gillingham (MSL)) is well worth the investment. Research shows it is better to invest in one to one intensive instruction as early and as much as possible so compounding issues of low self esteem and learned helplessness do not arise. A good tutor will also expect parents to sit in on sessions so instruction can continue at home. Dyslexics need a lot of repetition so automaticity can be achieved. A good tutor will also help coordinate learning with the school and be a great source of advice. A good tutor will be able to provide you with an individual learning plan so that outcomes can be measured and so that the school can coordinate external tutoring and in class learning as much as possible. Effective reading instruction should include:

• Phonemic awareness • Phonics (synthetic and analytic) No experimental phonics. • Accuracy and Fluency • Vocabulary • Comprehension • writing

• spelling rules and structures

• Learning objectives used for planning and evaluation.

• systematic, sequential, explicit language instruction

• cumulative instruction i.e. helps the learner connect what is being learned to what is already known.

• over-learning, i.e. repetition and consolidation, through rehearsal to automaticity.

• Reinforcement of concepts at home. A Multisensory Structured Language Approach contains all the above elements. The ADA and SPELD in your state have lists of appropriately trained and approved tutors. These organisations are not linked to these tutors financially. Though they do provide tutor training any tutor with the appropriate training and experience can be accredited. Computer programmes These computer programmes are dyslexia specific, Orton-Gillingham (MSL) based and recommended by dyslexia organisations. For more extensive information see http://bdatech.org/learning/i-c-t-for-literacy/i-c-t-for-wave-3/

• • Nessy learning programme is a great phonics programme for primary level. Students can work

independently. • Word shark is a great programme but requires some tutor or parental input. • Earobics • Lexia Written/booklet programmes Anything based on the Orton-Gillingham (MSL) is preferable such as; • Alpha to omega • Barton programme

• Multilit- came out of years of research from Macquarie university. Is not multisensory or OG but is systematic and explicit. It is a structured language approach and can be made multisensory if doing at home.

Non evidenced based alternative treatments, programmes and complimentary therapies. I am not discounting alternative treatments or any specific programme I just believe that caution should be taken when seeking out non evidence based therapies. Some treatments may well be shown in the future to be groundbreaking interventions but some such as music to cure dyslexic brainwaves are just plain quackery. Parents are desperate to help their child and this can make them vunerable. The dyslexia industry is big business and there are many programmes and treatments out there. Time, money and effort spent on treatments needs to be wisely considered as any programme will add stress to children that are already under a lot of stress at school. When researching be very careful not to rely completely on research funded or sponsored by the programme that it is supporting especially when it is a profit making enterprise. If research is undertaken by the organisation it should be peer viewed research, random controlled studies. For longer term programs there are often meta analysis studies available which look at all available valid research.

IS IT A PIONEERING NEW TREATMENT OR IS IT QUACKERY?

• Avoid anything that promises a quick fix or a cure. If it is too good to be true it probably is.

• Please take care when assessing a program using anecdotal evidence. There are many things that can illicit a positive result. The human mind is an amazing thing.

• The Placebo Effect is well documented and can be vey significant and that is why studies need to be random controlled.

• The Hawthorne effect is a psychological term used to describe response of some participants in experiments or programmes. Some individuals work harder may change their behaviour and work harder due to the attention they are receiving from researchers rather than because of any manipulation of independent variables.

QUESTIONS TO ASK!

• Is there a scientific theory behind the treatment that is scientifically plausible?

• Is the treatment specific to dyslexia? If there are claims that the treatment works on a range of problems then this should be a warning sign.

• Does the practitioner reject conventional treatments? There are effective evidence based approaches so this should be a warning sign.

• Are those developing the program Interested in random controlled trials? If not. why not?

• Is the treatment only supported by anecdotes or testimonials?

• Can the practitioner answer the question of why mainstream medicine/education has not adopted their methods? If the answer refers to others having competing interests, be very, very suspicious. Remember, mainstream practitioners want to make people better, and anyone who can offer effective treatments is going to be more successful than someone who can’t.

http://deevybee.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/pioneering-treatment-or-quackery-how-to.html http://www.dyslexia.ie/information/general-information-about-dyslexia/alternative-therapies/ http://www.revophth.com/content/d/therapeutic_topics/i/1203/c/22689/ Support groups All these support groups will welcome you even if you are from a different state. You will have a range if feelings when you get your diagnosis and you will have lots of questions. Support groups are a place to vent, share and seek knowledge and advice. Dyslexia Sydney support group

Twitter :Dyslexia Sydney@sydney_dyslexia

Pinterest boards :dyslexia information and resources, spelling, maths, reading/phonics,

assistive technology, anxiety, guides. : http://www.pinterest.com/bdekker0059/dyslexia-

sydney-support-group/

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DyslexiaSydney/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dyslexia-Support-South-Australia/224633004229179 https://www.facebook.com/dyslexiacentralcoast Dyslexia support Australia https://www.facebook.com/groups/220307061381034/ (This is my favourite these people are amazing and happy to help) Defy dyslexia https://www.facebook.com/groups/defydyslexia/ Gold Coast Dyslexia Support Group~ Contact Tanya Forbes, Email:gcdyslexia@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/220307061381034/ Brisbane Dyslexics~ Contact Tracey Lucock, Dyslexia Support Group for Canberra~ Contact Jen Cross, Email: dyslexiacanberra@gmail.com Mackay Dyslexia Support Group~ Contact Brett Comerford, Email: brett@learningdifferently.net.au Tasmania Dyslexia Support Group~ Contact Amelia Jones, Email: amelia73@iprimus.com.au Resources Educate yourself as much as you can. Knowledge is power and strength. Great facebook pages to like https://www.facebook.com/bdadyslexia https://www.facebook.com/DyslexiaAction https://www.facebook.com/bdadyslexia https://www.facebook.com/interdys https://www.facebook.com/DyslexiaVictoriaOnline 30 pages recommended here http://blog.bigfoottutors.com/top-30-dyslexia-facebook-accounts/ For further information look at the following websites. British Dyslexia Association-http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk Australian Dyslexia Association- http://dyslexiaassociation.org.au SPELD association in each state International dyslexia association-http://www.interdys.org/FactSheets.htm Macquarie university http://www.cogsci.mq.edu.au/research/projects/dts/commonquestions.html

The positive side of things You already know the special strengths, unique characteristics, talents and gifts your child has and that is what you should focus on. Dyslexia comes with weaknesses, strengths and gifts. Utilise those strengths to remediate weaknesses. Identify, encourage and develop those strengths.

http://time.com/77432/the-surprising-upside-of-a-dyslexic-brain/ http://www.wired.com/2011/09/dyslexic-advantage/