Learning Disabilities John Keenan j.keenan@worc.ac.ukj.keenan@worc.ac.uk

Learning Disabilities

John Keenan j.keenan@worc.ac.uk

Learning outcomes• Define dyslexia and ‘autistic spectrum

disorder’• To consider aspects of literacy presenting

difficulties to such learners.• To discuss good practice for working with such

learners.

We are all disabled

What labelled disabilities are there?

BipolarADHD Autism Dyslexia Sensory Dyspraxia

•Self-fulfilling prophecy

•Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968)

•Pupils with learning difficulties (Good and Brophy, 1984)Teacher smile at them less often; they call their names to answer a question less often; they demand less work from them

20% - learning difficulties physical, sensory, emotional, behavioural

Cited in Doyle, 1996: 72

Autism – what do you know?

Valuing the learner’s voice“I have Asperger's Syndrome, a 'milder' form of Autism, (yeah right!). That means that I have difficulties with social interaction, communication and imagination. Of course you could say that that is a matter of opinion because after all, interaction and communication are a two way thing - maybe I have it right and others have the difficulties!!”

(Luke Jackson, aged 14)

http://www.theaudiobookmart.com/audiobook.php?abid=BK_RECO_000322

The learner’s voice• http://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/index.cfm/book_number/1252/page_number/3/index.cfm?

fuseahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9142946/Police-officers-assaulted-autistic-boy.htmlction=printable&book_number=1252

What does it feel like?

http://simdis.jisctechdis.ac.uk/Autism/autismhome.htm

Background• Autistic Spectrum Disorders: communication,

imagination and socialisation. We are all on it -AQ

• First described by Leo Kanner in 1943.

• ASD affects 1 in 100 people, approximately and is more prevalent in males (National Autistic Society).

Autistic Spectrum Disorders

(The Triad of Impairments)

Social interaction

Social Communication

Social imagination

Lack of interest in

others

no understanding of body language / facial expression

communicates to express needs only

excessive talking or no talking

at allirrelevant

aspects brought into

conversation

taking everything

literally

repetition of

phrases

aloof and withdrawn

lack of eye contact or

body language

passive in conversation

involved but inappropriate

actions

difficulty accepting the

ideas of others

inflexible in behaviour

relies on set

routines

inability to transfer

skills

'role plays' characters

unable to predict

situations

unable to interpret

signals and moods

Inability to interpret words

Difficulty in making friends

obsessive and compulsive tendencies

What might it mean in your lesson?

Autistic Spectrum Disorders

(The Triad of Impairments)

Social interaction

Social Communication

Social imagination

Difficulty in accessing group activities / games

May annoy others in group / be

misunderstood

Unable to express views and opinions

in discussion

Inability to infer meaning in text or

speech

Inapproriate behaviour leads to exclusion by others

Lack of participation in lesson

Cannot 'see' reason for certain activities / learning

outcomes

Odd, repetitive or compulsive

behaviour, not linked to lesson

Inflexible if learning situation / style

changes

Takes no interest in peers / shared work Body language and

eye contact not indicators of

learning

Refusal to access learning materials

Unable to accept the views and

opinions of others

Cannot apply skills learned to a new

situation

Literacy and language difficultiesSome learners on the autistic spectrum may have particular difficulties with:

• Speaking and listening – following ‘conversational maxims’, using/recognising paralinguistic features, prosodic features, functions of speech, adopting different registers.

• Reading - understanding any ‘non-literal text’, inference, de-coding unfamiliar words, idioms or figurative language, unfamiliar typeface, using semantic reading cue.

• Writing - about other people, re-presenting information, understanding text genre, phonically irregular spelling, handwriting.

ESOL and ASDThe issues for adult literacy learners and ESOL learners are largely the same, but additional issues will appear with:

• ‘Interlanguage’ issues – the move between different syntactical patterns and vocabulary (especially where a word does not exist in first language) may present increased difficulties.

• Paralinguistic features – the lack of acceptance and use of ‘cultural alternatives’.

• Cultural recognition – some languages have no word for ‘disability’ or ‘learning difficulty’ and some cultures would not, therefore, recognise ASD; some would see it as highly detrimental.

• Diagnosis – unless educated for some time in the UK, formal diagnosis is less likely.

Some brain-based explanations

Diagram Source: http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/21692469/

A) The cortex

http://health.ucsd.edu/news/2011/Pages/11-08-autism-neurons.aspx

C) The cerebellum

http://www.autcom.org/articles/Cerebellum.html

B) The limbic system

http://legacy.autism.com/medical/limbic.htm

• What can we do?

Learning styles and inclusive practice

Howard Gardner's 7 Intelligences

Logical mathematical

Kinesthetic

Musical

Language

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

Visual spacial

Kinaesthetic

Further reading

DysLexicos

‘Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty of neurological and biological origin that is most often characterized by a significant discrepancy between measures of working memory and reasoning ability together with a weakness in the speed of processing information that may be manifested through weaknesses in a variety of educational attainments, particularly literary skills, as well as everyday tasks’

Lawrence, 2009: 38-39

ReserchAsisstent

KloZing Dait: oh3-tooØØ11 SallarRee: BannEdd Fiyv, AytEen, 7Øniyn pownz - - TweNteeWun,68Wun pownz pURr anNem (prOw raRtur fourpart tiym ars)Deppartmunt: WourSSter Bizness Skool - SenTEr foRe PeEpl @ Werk (SeaPeA@Dubbleyou) ARS: FlecKsabl beTweAnØ.6 FTE andfOoltIym (thertee7 ars purrweak) - buyneggociacean Start Dayt: AzsooNazpoSsable Dyouracean: Apoyntmant to0thurteefurst Jooliy2ØØ9inisherlee Ressponssabl tWo: Dirrekterof SeePee@Doubleyoue Ressponsabl fOUr: EnN/ay Inturvuedayt: NiynteanthMrcahTWOØØ11

• What does it pay for 21+?• How many hours per week?• What’s the closing date for applications? • When are they interviewing?

Opposing hand up and say the third word of the question backwards

ReserchAsisstent

KloZing Dait: oh3-tooØØ11 SallarRee: BannEdd Fiyv, AytEen, 7Øniyn pownz - - TweNteeWun,68Wun pownz pURr anNem (prOw raRtur fourpart tiym ars)Deppartmunt: WourSSter Bizness Skool - SenTEr foRe PeEpl @ Werk (SeaPeA@Dubbleyou) ARS: FlecKsabl beTweAnØ.6 FTE andfOoltIym (thertee7 ars purrweak) - buyneggociacean Start Dayt: AzsooNazpoSsable Dyouracean: Apoyntmant to0thurteefurst Jooliy2ØØ9inisherlee Ressponssabl tWo: Dirrekterof SeePee@Doubleyoue Ressponsabl fOUr: EnN/ay Inturvuedayt: NiynteanthsMrachTWOØØ11

Leftrightleftrightleftright…

• Port is left starboard is right

• Port has a green light, starboard has a red light

• Dexter is right, sinister is left

• http://simdis.jisctechdis.ac.uk/Dyslexia/dylexiahome.htm

What do you already do for dyslexic pupils?

Support strategies• Write down main points • Use pictures, flow-charts, mind-maps• Colour all crucial information on the walls• Practical/kinaesthetic work• Interact one-to-one• Signpost topics and key points• Allow students time to absorb information.• Use recorders• Always give out homework instructions ready printed• VAK• ‘primacy and recency’ rule• Use a font without serifs; Arial or Comic Sans.• Print some copies on blue and cream paper.

Your score out of 13?

Kussmaul 1877 – word blindnessBerlin 1877 – dyslexiaHinshelwood 1895 – congenital Norrie 1938 - organisation for dyslexic people

Miles and Miles 1990 Dyslexia: A Hundred Years On

History of dyslexia

‘It is illogical for a person to say, ‘My child cannot read because he is dyslexic’...It tells us no more than saying a person is bleeding badly because he has a haemorrhage or that someone has a high temperature because they are feverish.’

Doyle, 1996: 69

Pumfrey and Reason (1998) 11 definitionsRice and Brooks (2004) 40 definitions

Cited in Mortimore, 2008: 50

‘It seems to be a natural human phenomenon to want to classify events and concepts and then apply labels to them....the use of the label ‘dyslexia’ should present no problems just as long as it is understood that it may describe a variety of behaviours...it remains a challenge to educate the public regarding the concept of dyslexia’Lawrence, 2009: 139-140

AlexiaAuditory dyslexiaDeep dyslexia vs Surface dyslexia (rules)Dysphonetic dyslexiaGraphemic processor dyslexiaHyperlexia (speaking)Morphemic dyslexiaSemantic processor dyslexiaStrephosymbolia (mirror)Visual processor dyslexia

Doyle, 1996: 70-71

PhonemesGrigorenko (1977) Chromosomes 6 and 15 linked to a weakness in phonological awareness

LateralizationMcLoughlin et al (2002) memory in the right and left frontal lobe, right more than left (Galaburda, 1989) but less dominance so ‘confused laterality’

MagnocellularStein and Walsh (1997) speed of movement between cells

Dyslexia

sequencing

memoryvisual

processing

speech processing

automaticity

left/rightconfusions

time management

spellingessay

structure

visual memory

visual discrimination

Meares/Irlen

syndrome

phonological awareness

articulation may be fine

long term

memory OK

visual and

auditory loops poor

overall picture good

OK for e.g.

bicycle, swimming

Not OK for

coding and

decoding

auditory discrimination may be fine

What does it mean for your lessons?

How do I recognise a dyslexic pupil?

*They ask the right questions, lively and interested, but any written work is relatively poor and/or poor handwriting.

*They arrive late, hand in work late

*They mix up instructions

Typical issues

Reading – 86%Spelling – bizarrreLeft-right – 67%B and d – 65% Sentence memoryRhyme

Miles (1983) cited in Doyle, 1996: 91-97223 pupils

Gardner, dyslexic people have a different way of learning

Intelligences: kill smn

Teacher Response 1Multiple Intelligence

Teacher Response 2

Mindmaps

Previous experience of lifeShared knowledge

Purpose of languageLanguage structures

Letter soundswords

Reason 1990

‘Effort after meaning’

Bartlett 1932 cited in Pumfrey and Reason, 1991: 59-60

Information processing: dyslexia

Possible strengths

• Colour• Pics, diagrams, • Talk• Hands-on stuff• Empathy • Logic

Likely weaknesses

• Black on white text• Tracking print• Copying• Remembering

short-term

Fernald Multisensory ApproachOrton-Gillingham MethodGillingham-Stillman Alphabetic MethodAlpha to OmegaEdith Norrie Letter CaseThe Bangor Teaching ProgrammeBannatyne’s Colour PhonicsThe Hickey MethodPeabody Rebus Reading ProgrammeAston IndexAston Portfolio AssessmentSpelling Made Easy (Brand, 1984)The Icon ApproachReading Recovery (1988)The English Colour Code Programmed Reading Course (1976)Patterns of Sound (1968)Pictogram System (1973)Signposts to Spelling (1978)ARROW (Aural – Read – Respond – Oral – Written) (1990)Attack – a-TrackSimultaneous Oral SpellingPsycho-motor programmesEmbedded picturesMnemonic drawingsFinger spellingSyllabificationCursive script

Teacher solutions

http://www.dys-add.com/DV3Handout.pdf

Screening and assessment• LADS; Lucid Adult Screening Test is available

on UW campus terminals. Cost to student £100

Bibliography

Bennett, D. 2006 Dyslexia Pocketbook Teachers’ pocketbooksBuzan,T. 1997 The Mind Map Book London : BBC Saunders & White 2002 How Dyslexics Learn Evesham: patossEckersley, J. 2004 Coping with Dyspraxia Sheldon PressBiggs, V. 2005 Caged in Chaos Jessica Kingsley Pubs.Mortimore T 2008 Dyslexia and Learning Styles Chichester: John Wiley and SonsHunter-Carsch M and Herrington M 2001 Dyslexia and Effective Learning London: WhurrPumfrey P and Reason R 1991 Specific Learning Difficulties London: RoutledgeDoyle J 1996 Dyslexia: an Introductory Guide London: Whurr PublishersMassey J 2008 Meeting the Needs of Students with Dyslexia London: Network ContinuumEdwards J 1994 The Scars of Dyslexia London: CassellStirling EG 1987 Help for the Dyslexic Adolescent Chippenham: St David’s CollegeTurner E and Pughe J 2003 Dyslexia and English London: David Fulton PublishersBritish Dyslexia Association www.bda-dyslexia.org.ukDyslexia Institute www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk

More information

British Dyslexia Association www.bda-dyslexia.org.ukDyslexia Institute www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk

Dyspraxia Foundation www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

Sarah Nichols, MA, Dip RSA, AMBDASpecialist Academic Support Tutor, University of Worcester

s.nichols@worc.ac.uk

Bibliography

Bennett, D. 2006 Dyslexia Pocketbook Teachers’ pocketbooks

Heath & Ellis 1997 Beating Dyslexia Celebration of Life

Buzan,T. 1997 The Mind Map Book London : BBC Pubs 

Saunders & White 2002 How Dyslexics Learn Patoss, Evesham

Eckersley, J. 2004 Coping with Dyspraxia Sheldon Press 

Biggs, V. 2005 Caged in Chaos Jessica Kingsley Pubs.

Henderson, A. 1998 Maths for the Dyslexic David Fulton

Chinn, S. 2007 Dealing with Dyscalculia; Sum Hope Souvenir Press