An investigation into best lecturing practice for students with learning difficulties with

special emphasis on Dyslexia:

A comparison of two student cohorts

Dr Nicola Blackie

Introduction

• Dyslexia– 4 % of the population are seriously affected– 10 % of the population are affected to some

extent

• What is dyslexia??– Dys = difficulty– Lexia = with words (reading, writing, spelling)– Over 500 definitions of Dyslexia exist

Introduction

• Dyslexia in the classroom– Reading, writing, spelling– Difficulties ‘getting ideas down on paper’– Maths– Disorganisation– Difficulties in sitting and listening– Difficulties in following instructions– Distracting behaviour– Attention/focus problems– Low confidence– Loss of motivation– Poor attainment

Introduction

• However, – Dyslexia can be managed– Many dyslexic students find effective

strategies – Dyslexic students can be the most careful

Dyslexia does not affect:– Reasoning, problem solving, creativity or

intuition

Methods

• Questionnaire given to all the first year Agriculture and Animal Students– Total students = 139– Total responses received = 101– Response rate = 73%

• Mix of open and closed questions

• Emphasis on learning style and use of PowerPoint technology for teaching

Results – Basic student details

0102030405060708090

100

Agriculture Animal

Student Group

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

res

po

nd

en

ts Male Female

Results – Basic student details

0102030405060708090

100

17-20 21-24 25-28 29-32 33+

Student age group

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

spo

nd

ents

(%

)

Agriculture

Animal

Results – Basic student details

17 15

0

20

40

60

80

100

Agriculture Animal

Do you have a learning difficulty?

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

po

nd

ents

(%

) Yes

No

% %

64% of learning difficulties = Dyslexia, others include Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and Physical problems

Class Preference - Agric

0102030405060708090

Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Rank 4

Order of Preference

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

spo

nd

ents

(%

)

Practical

Lecture

Small Group

Other

Class Preference - Animal

0102030405060708090

Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Rank 4

Order of Preference

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

spo

nd

ents

(%

)

Practical

Lecture

Small Group

Other

PowerPoint Style

0

20

40

60

80

100

Agriculture Animal

Course

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

po

nd

ents

(%

) Dark writing on a light back ground

Light writing on a dark background

Other

PowerPoint Style

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Agriculture Agriculture LD Animal Animal LD

Dark writing on a light back ground

Light writing on a dark background

Other

PowerPoint Style - Colour

• What colour(s) if any cause you problems on PowerPoint slides for you?

• Red (8)• Yellow (34)• Blue background/ Yellow writing• Orange (5)• Blue (9)• Bright (5)• Pale/Light colours (12)

Blue background/ Yellow writing (8)

PowerPoint Style - Colour

• What colour(s) if any cause you problems on PowerPoint slides for you?

• Green (9)

• Dark

• Bright White (4)

• Purple (1)

• Not enough contrast

Dark background (9)*

PowerPoint Style - Colour• Learning difficulties specifically

– Yellow, red– White background – Blue or light colours– Dark backgrounds make text hard to read– Yellow (words)– Bright white (2)– Blue/Yellow hard to see– Red– No background colour, light lilac preferred– Green + Red (light blue on dark background

preferred)– Yellow on blue - hard to read – Bright colours such as Yellow/Orange

PowerPoint Style - Colour

• Generally students with Dyslexia gave more detail on colour

• We are encouraged to put everything on PDF format on Moodle – Student can’t adjust to requirements– Inclusive approach?

• Avoid Yellow and light colours??

Recording Lectures

63

9

010

2030

4050

6070

8090

100

Learning Difficulty No Learning difficulty

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

po

nd

ents

(%

)

Do not record lectures

Record lectures

%

%

18 % of students record lectures

Font Type

• Sans Serif– Arial– Calibri– Tahoma– Veranda

• Serif– Times New Roman

– Century– Footlight MT

Light

77%14%

9 % have no preference

Font Type – Learning difficulties

• Sans Serif– Arial– Calibri– Tahoma– Veranda

• Serif– Times New Roman

– Century– Footlight MT

Light

81%19%

What do students find useful?

92 % like Photos

What do students find useful?

61 % like figures

What do students find useful?

61 % likemind-

maps

Learning Styles

• All = 4 %

• Auditory = 7 %

• Kinaesthetic = 30 %

• Read/ Write = 16 %

• Visual = 16 %

• Visual + Kinaesthetic = 10 %

• Other combinations = 17 %

Learning Styles

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Auditory Kinaesthetic Read/Write Visual Other

Learning style

Per

cen

tag

e o

f re

spo

nd

ents

(%

)

Agriculture

Animal

So what do we do well?

• Repetition of complex or difficult topics• Miss out words so you have to fill them in• Pictures, examples• Give practical examples of information• Use videos and images• Clear text, interesting pictures and

diagrams• Use real world examples/ experiences to

describe case studies

What is not so good?

• Reading the slides out• Putting lots of info on one slide = hard to read• Speed, some lecturers go too fast, or putting up

irrelevant wording or text• Yellow and blue colours, too much text• Blocks of text, blocks of figures• Not explain or talk about any slides/ diagrams/

pictures etc• Covering over pictures with more pictures,

Figures etc too small and unclear. Adding additional slides that are not in the lecture notes.

What do they want more of?

• Provide PowerPoint's as a handout or on moodle before

• Ask questions at the end of lecture• More visual aids• Make lectures more interactive, work as groups

to answer questions

• Videos!• Online quizzes• Further reading sources• Have a visual and attractive PowerPoint so it

doesn’t look boring

Questions?