Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

INSIDEINSIDE1 A word from the President and Executive Offi cer

2-3 When educational promises are too good to be true

4 Using Assistive Technology to support the writing process of students with LD

5 The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia

6-7 Introducing our new Management Committee

8-10 Developmental Impairments of Working Memory: Profi les & Interventions

11 Assistive Technology which App to use

12 Book Review

13 SPELD Qld Seminars

14 Who’s Who at SPELD Qld

Assistive Technology Service

Specialist Teacher ServiceAre you a qualifi ed and experienced teacher who enjoys working with children individually? We need you!

SPELD Qld is looking for qualifi ed teachers with experience in catering for children with Learning Differences.

You will need:• Queensland Teacher Registration (Primary or Secondary teachers)• A current blue card or exemption card• Satisfactory assessment of your application and an interview• SPELD Qld Specialist Teacher membership – renewed annually• To attend professional development annually• To forward semester progress reports to the student’s family and

to SPELD Qld

The Specialist Teacher coordinator will refer SPELD students to youfor tutoring in your areas of expertise. See the website under ServicesSpecialist Teacher Service for more information or to download theSpecialist Teacher Application.

Assessment ServiceSpeld Qld. Inc. now conducts Psychometric and Academic Assessments including a Dyslexia Screening test for Speld members. Assessments are conducted at the Speld Qld offi ce on Fridays and Gold Coast, Ascot, Petrie, Warwick, Ipswich, Caboolture and Victoria Point, by appointment. Academic Assessments provide Standardised and diagnostic tests that are used to ascertain the levels of a student’s Literacy and Numeracy. The Dyslexia Screening Test presents the student with a battery of short tests which are analysed and give the student an overall Dyslexia index. At an extra cost, a Psychometric Assessment is available in conjunction with the Academic Assessment and Dyslexia Screening test.

The cost of the assessment service to Speld Members is $675.00 (incl. GST) for an Academic Assessment and $875.00 (incl. GST) to include a Psychometric Assessment.

Please complete and submit the Assessment Information Form online and our Assessment Coordinator will contact you to discuss the assessment process and booking.

See the website under Services Assessments for more information and to complete the Assessment Information Form.

Our Assistive Technology Advisor offers help to members. Specialising in teaching children who have dyslexia, Technology can lighten the load for many students and for parents and teachers who want to help them.

Members, both parents and teachers, can be shown programs that arefree and programs that can be purchased. Workshops for Schools are also available by negotiation. Contact SPELD Qld for costs and conditions.

The number of attendees is limited to six. The costs and conditions for 2014 are:

Time Limit Member Venue Cost

Two Hours MembersNon Members

SPELD QldOffi ce

$99.00 per hour$154.00 per hour

Various MembersNon Members

On SchoolPremises

$300 p/h + mileage costs$350 p/h + mileage costs

Note : All prices are inclusive of GST

Front page image: 2014/2015 Management Committee Members at the AGM. See pages 6-7 for more information about our new committee members.

1SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014WS | VSPELD No 3 Spring 2

A Word from the President and Executive Offi cer

This week marks my fi rst anniversary at Speld, so it is a wonderful time for me to refl ect on the year just gone and become excited about the year ahead. As we move forwards with our new management committee and implement the Strategic plan, it is certainly an opportune time to again thank the outgoing committee under the direction of Adele Stoneley who guided and supported the organisation for many years. Your contribution will be forever remembered. Thank you!!!

Yes in 12 months, there has beenas beenchange. As John F Kennedy once saidnce saChange is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are present are certain to miss the future.c WWe are very confi dent that with everyy little tweak, cwe have moved closer too meeting the w ave movneeds of all of our memberers.eeds of all of ou

We are more than happy to meet themeet theWe are more thanneeds of the regions but as you would needs of the regiohave seen from the fi nancial report ave seen from in the last eNewsletter we have to the last eNhave our costs met. We hope in kindsponsorships for travel, accommodationand venue hire, will help meet these and

nses and allow us to be more expensin the future.mobile

is bringing Neil MacKay to Speld nsland for a week in October. Queens

We hope that his presentations inWe Cairns, Townsville and Warwick willbe successful and assist us to meet his presenters fees and Internationalpresenters travel. Neil and I will also be presentingravel. Neil and I wsessions at the ICPA conference in sessions at the

Townsville, and Dr Amanda Tocci, ci, from the Queensland Literacy Clinic, w, will joinJulie Tasker and myself to prpresent on Saturday 25th also in Townwnsville. We have also been invited to CCalliope for 2 days and look forward to working with d working withthe schools there. t ere.

Were you lucky enough to have marked u lucky enough tothe 17th October in your calendar? Why, October in your caI hear you ask? We held a cocktail party ou ask? We held a on the front lawn of the historic Queen ont lawn of the hAlexandra Home to celebrate 45 years Home to ceof Speld Qld and also launched DefyDyslexia week. A special presentation to recognise and celebrate the celebratecontribution of our past members waspast members held and the event provided the perfect provided the perfoccasion to launch our new logo.

In conclusion, please heed the words of e heed the wordBritish philosopher, writer and speaker,riter and spAlan Watts who says The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.e with it, an

Marion

I am excited and proud to be accepting the role of President for the upcoming year. I fi rst came to the work of Speld  in the late 1980’s and have been quietly involved as a consumer in the many years since. In doing so, I have seen much research and many changes that have the capacity to assist in Supporting People Experiencing Learning Differences. Speld  has always been a key resource for developing

best practices, tracking trends and providing education and support.

With the support of our ManagementCommittee, the staff of our offi ce, andthe many members of our associationwe will focus on three key directionsfor Speld, the fi rst of which is growth.The importance of growth for the organisation cannot be overstated.Growth to our membership will provideus with additional lobbying ability withinfl uential partners and government, resources, an expansion of knowledge,and importantly - better opportunity for collaboration between our counterpartsacross the state.

Our second direction isis designedto assist with bothh enhancedcommunication and acccessibility tosupport and services – a sophisticatedwebsite that facilitates reeady fl ow of information but also in timme, access tolearning opportunities.

The third direction is in our reebadging so

that we can contemporise our services, image and strategic documents to more realistically refl ect our work and those we serve.

These key directions will unfoldovertime, however we look forward to providing a good insight at our Cocktail Function on October 17th. Please dojoin us for this important event as we celebrate all we have achieved as anorganisation over the last 45 years; launch Dyslexia Empowerment Week and share our plans for the future.

Finally, I would like to thank Adele Stoneley for her leadership, knowledgeand expertise with which she served Speld as President for 18 years. Also in anticipation, I have to acknowledgeinMarion and her staff whose energy and Mcommitment have already begun to cbring positive enhancements within our borganisation.

I look forward to a fabulous year.

Ken

2 SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

JUST THE FACTS… Information provided by The International DYSLE IA Association®

When Educational PromisesAre Too Good to Be TrueWhen a child struggles to read, parents and educatorswant to do everything possible to help that child keepup with his or her peers and be successful in school. Butas much as we want that to happen overnight, that is nothow it usually works. It can take years of hard work, evenwith the best teachers and instruction. Unfortunately,some organizations or individuals may take advantageof parents when they are most vulnerable by makingexaggerated claims or false guarantees based on“pseudo science.” This fact sheet provides guidance in learning to critically evaluate programs, avoid scams,and move forward toward providing instruction thatwill truly help the children who need it.

Exaggerated ClaimsSome organizations and individuals make exaggeratedclaims about their products or offerings. They maysay that their students quickly learn to becomebetter readers and thinkers. They may insist that their programs can accomplish in a few short months whatmore realistically can take years of hard work. Theymay use tactics such as parent testimonials to luredesperate parents into spending thousands of dollarson programs that do very little to help children.

Parents must learn to be skeptical of any organizationor individual making claims that seem too good to be true. Such claims should raise serious questions aboutthe credibility of those who make them. False promisesoften create frustration and loss of self-esteem for a child who does not make the gains predicted.Organizations touting unfounded or unrealistic successalso do a disservice to professional organizations doingcredible work using evidence-based strategies, albeitwork that may take many months or even years.

False Guarantees—Read the Fine PrintParents desperate to fi nd help for their children need to be aware of “quick fi xes.” They should ask questions and request evidence to support claimsof success. Some programs offer guarantees but it isextremely important to read the fi ne print regardingany guarantee offered by an organization or individualbeing considered for working with a child.

Science or Pseudo-Science?To trick the consumer, concepts that are complicated—such as neurology and brain function may be oversimplifi ed. Consumers may be lured to believe that by “curing” a “single underlying condition,” a complex pattern of diffi culties will disappear.

Results of brain research, much of it sponsored bythe National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), suggest that different parts of the brain working together are responsible for complexcognitive processes and that the communicationbetween these brain centers is required for successful learning to occur. There is much research evidencedemonstrating that when these systems are notworking well together, learning will be negatively affected. There is also evidence to show which types of instructional approaches are likely to be effectivefor helping people with different patterns of learning. Unfortunately, none of these instructional approaches is a “quick fi x.”

Advertisements can be misleading too. A program can sound very scientifi c, even though the claims being made are not supported by evidence. Parentsmust become “consciously skeptical” of such claims. Actually, most learning disorders arise from a highly complex genetic-environmental interplay, but the unsuspecting parent can be fooled by “pseudo-scientifi c” jargon and miss the lack of solid, supporting documentation.

Questions to AskIf you are trying to determine the effectiveness of a program or therapy, the following questions are a good place to start.• Do the claimed gains in skill development transfer

to gains in reading, writing, math, or study skills?Children can become very good at exercises, such assorting, if they are given the time to practice, but doesthe skill actually transfer to better reading, spelling, writing, or math skills? Computer games are sometimes incorporated in the therapy or instruction and may or may not target the academic skills a student needs. Be wary of programs or products that do not seem to actually target the child’s learning needs.

3SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

• Do the claimed short-term gains in specifi c skills translate to long-term gains? Are the gains permanent?

Sometimes students work intensely on specifi c drills or computer learning games and make impressive gains in post-therapy testing on the specifi c skills they were practicing. Yet these skills often diminish over time,much like children who take music lessons. Children can learn skills while they are taking lessons andpracticing, but if they put the instrument down for any length of time, they begin to lose these fl edgling skills.• Are there independent scientifi c studies showing

the effectiveness of a given treatment?Before choosing a specifi c program for your child –especially one that makes claims that seem too goodto be true – ask for studies that examine the effi cacyof the program. Make sure the studies are reportedin legitimate educational or scientifi c journals that are reviewed by other researchers for their results. There isa big difference between company research, consumer testimonials, and an independent scientifi c study of a specifi c therapy’s effectiveness.It is essential that the studies are well designed whether they are conducted by the organization itself or independent researchers. No single factor determinesthe quality of research, but the following questions areimportant to consider.• Were there adequate controls to determine the

impact of the treatment?• Could the results be determined by factors other

than the program or therapy used?• How many students were included in the treatment

or study?• Were appropriate assessments used to track

student achievement?• Did the tests or assessments measure the skill or

skills that the researchers claim the instructionimproved?

• Are the results reported in language that is understandable and do they target the academic areas at the focus of the therapy or instruction?

• What kinds of student gains are documented?• Was there adequate supervision to ensure that

implementation of a program was performed withfi delity so that the impact of student achievement could be determined?

• Did the individuals providing the instruction or therapy have adequate training and skill to use the program or materials as specifi ed by the programor product developers?

• Was there suffi cient training, support, and supervision to ensure that the instruction or therapy was performed with fi delity and with appropriate intensity?

Fortunately, most organizations and individuals donot aim to take advantage of unsuspecting parents.An organization such as the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) offers support to programs thatprepare professionals for helping children who are having diffi culty reading. IDA has developed the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading to guide the preparation, certifi cation, and professional development of teachers and therapists who provide educational programs for individuals in need of reading instruction. Colleges and universities that offer programs to train individuals to teach students to read may apply for accreditation through a standards review with IDA. Programs that meet these standards should be equipped to prepare professionals to effectively work with individuals who have challenges learning to read or write.For guidance in choosing educational professionals,the following IDA Fact Sheets (http//www.interdys.org/FactSheets.htm) may also be useful:• A Parent’s Guide to Effective Instruction• Evaluating Educational Professionals• Helpful TerminologyMost of us agree that it’s important to ask diffi cult questions when buying a car, purchasing a house, or determining a best medical treatment. Shouldn’t we do the same when choosing effective instruction for teaching our children with learning challenges?

ReferencesLof, G. L. (2012). Science vs. pseudoscience in CSD: A checklist for skeptical thinking. Poster presentation at ASHA Convention, Atlanta, Georgia.Melby-Lervaq, M., & Hulme, D. (2013). Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic view. Developmental Psychology. 49(2), 270–91.Owen, A. M., & Hampshire, A. (2010). Putting brain training to the test. Nature. 465, 775–778.American Speech-Language-Hearing Assocation. What to ask whenevaluating any treatment procedure, product, or program. Retrieved2/26/14 from www.asha.org/slp/evaluate.htmThe International Dyslexia Association (IDA) thanks John Alexander,M.Ed., Head of School Groves Academy, for his assistance in the preparation of this fact sheet.

“promoting literacy through research, education and advocacy”™The International Dyslexia Association · 40 York Road · Fourth Floor · Baltimore · MD · 21204Tel: 410-296-0232 · Fax: 410-321-5069 · E-mail: info@interdys.org · Website: http://www.interdys.org© Copyright 2014, The International Dyslexia Association (IDA). IDA encourages the reproduction and distribution of this fact sheet. If portions of the text are cited, appropriate reference must be made. Fact sheets may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale.

4 SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Using Assistive Technology to Support the Writing Process of Students with Learning Disabilities For many students, the process of producing writtenwork is a diffi cult and arduous task, made morechallenging when placed under the demands of time, or when the student has a specifi c learning disability thatimpacts on their written skills. Whilst acknowledgingthe importance of fl uent and automatic handwriting,there are some students who will require support tocompose text through the use of technology.

The use of assistive technology, for some students,can reduce the burden of handwriting and/or spelling diffi culties and allow them the opportunityto demonstrate their skills and knowledge at a levelmore consistent with that of their peers. Selectingthe right technology to support a student can only bedone following a review of their individual strengthsand weaknesses and the development of a goodunderstanding of the functional impact that their diffi culties may be having on their overall academicperformance. The success of using assistive technologyis also dependent on the level of training and supportthat is provided during the initial introduction of technology and through the individual’s ease andcomfort with technology. For many students, theusefulness of technology and the type of technologythat is used will change over time, as task demands varyand as the impact of their learning disability changes.

There are currently a large number of software andhardware options available to support the writingprocess (handwriting, spelling and composition)and these options can often be used as stand aloneproducts or easily integrated into existing technologiesand teaching/learning practices.

Speech Recognition SoftwareDesigned to help those students whose oral languageability is better than their writing skills, a speechrecognition program works in conjunction with other programs such as Microsoft Word, Pages and InternetBrowsers. The user “dictates” into a microphone,and this is converted to text on the computer screen.Examples of this type of software include: DragonNaturally Speaking (PC), Dragon Dictate for Mac, SpeakQ and inbuilt voice control features of MicrosoftWindows.

Talking Spell-checkers/Electronic DictionariesThe inbuilt spell check function in word processorssuch as Microsoft Word serves as an initial scan for spelling errors. Talking spell checkers and electronicdictionaries can help a poor speller identify or selectappropriate words and correct spelling errors duringthe process of writing and proofreading. These spellcheckers “read aloud” and display the selected words

onscreen, so the user can see and hear the words and this allows them to make a more accurate selection.Word Prediction Software ProgramsWord prediction software can help a student during the writing process by “predicting” a word they intendto type. Predictions are based on spelling, syntax, and frequent or recent use. This allows students who struggle with writing to use proper spelling, grammar, and appropriate word choices, with fewer keystrokes and can also help with generating sentences and expanding on written vocabulary. Examples of thissoftware include WordQ (PC and Mac), Typo-HD (iPad),CO:Writer Solo and Read Write: Text Help Gold.Graphic Organisers Graphic organisers can assist those students who have trouble organising and outlining information as they begin a writing project. Students can record all of their ideas and information in an unstructured manner and later organise the information into appropriatecategories and order. Examples of this type of softwareinclude: Inspiration (PC, Mac and iPad), Kidspiration(PC and Mac), and Draft Builder (PC and Mac).Paper-based Digital Pen (Smart Pen)This special pen records and links audio to what aperson writes using the pen and special paper. It allows the user to take notes (or draw diagrams) whilesimultaneously recording someone (e.g., a teacher) speaking. These notes are easily transferred to the computer and have a search function so that study notes can be accessed at a later time. An example of a SmartPen is the LiveScribe Smart Pen.Handwriting SupportThere are a number of software options available that use handwriting recognition to convert handwriting to text. Students can freely record their ideas through handwriting whilst storing this information in digital format that is easily edited and formatted depending on the requirements of the task. Examples of this software include : WritePad for ipad, and inbuilthandwriting recognition function in Microsoft Word (needs to be installed).Abbreviation ExpandersAbbreviation expanders allow a student to create,store, and re-use abbreviations for frequently-usedwords or phrases. This ensures the correct spelling of words and phrases they have coded as abbreviations.Students can save a list of “tricky” words and these are easily inserted into text using shortcut or “hotkeys”. Examples of this software include Type it for me,Penfriend and text Expander (iPad).

Kelly FullartonSenior Psychologist

DSF Literacy & Clinical ServicesThis article fi rst appeared in the Winter 2014 Edition of the Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation’s Bulletin and is reproduced with permission.

5SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Join Speld Qld and International Speaker Neil MacKay for aWine and Cheese NightTownsville Cairns Warwick 21st October 23rd October 28th October

6.00pm to 8.30pm

Cost: $30.00 per person

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The evening will cover:

• Learning Differences and how to accommodate these in all classrooms Marion McMahon,

• Viewing of the movie: The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia

BOOK NOW! www.speld.org.au

6 SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Speld Committee

Ken AvenellPresident

Ken Avenell Dip Teach, Dip Theol, B. Ed., Grad. Dip ECE (Hons), M. Ed. Admin, FAIM, FACEL, FQIEA, MAHRI, was previously a Principal and senior bureaucrat in state education and has been for several years, Principal Education Offi cer for Brisbane Catholic Education. Main areas of work are in coordinating professional learning across Catholic Education andin individual, team and organisational leadership development.

Eduarda van KlinkenSecretaryEduarda van Klinken is an Early Childhood teacher at The Glenleighden School. She presents regularly on the topics of early mathematics acquisition, dyscalculia and mathematicsdiagnostic assessments. She has been a committee member of SPELD for two years.

Shaun ZiegenfuszCommittee MemberIs employed as a speech pathologist and Level Coordinator at a Brisbane special school.Shaun has completed a Bachelor of Science (Developmental Biology) in 2005, as well as aMaster of Speech Pathology in 2007 and Master of Special Education (Early Interventionand Leadership) in 2012.nd

Anel WesselsTreasurer

Anel Wessels is a Chartered Accountant with diverse experience in the Banking Industry. She has lived and worked in South Africa, UK, Bermuda and has now anchored herself and

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her family in Australia. Currently employed by NAB as a manager in Strategic Business Services, her responsibilities include the management of high value and complex assets

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SPELD has assisted Anel and her daughter Mia by identifying Mia’s learning differences and assisted with a developing a fi rm plan of action. By volunteering her time and fi nancial

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experience, Anel is able to support an organisation which has had an invaluable impact onp pp p

her life.

Tracey LucockCommittee MemberTracey is a co-founder of Brisbane Dyslexics and Defy Dyslexia and is a parent of Bailey who has Dyslexia and ADHD. She has a Bachelor of Business with a strong career in Marketing and Commerce. She has run her own successful business Lifestyle Parenting. She has been a member of the committee for 12 months.

Jan HughesCommittee Member

A experienced classroom teacher and worked as a Learning Support Co-ordinator in a P-12 college for many years.In 2005, she took over the role as Tutor Co-ordinator at Speld Qld. and in 2007, established the Academic Assessment Service which continues to experience high demand with families.Jan also completing post graduate studies with the Australian Dyslexia Association.

7SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Tracey LennonCommittee Member

Tracey Lennon has completed a Bachelor of Arts (UQ), Bachelor of Applied Science Interior Design (QUT) and Cert IV’s in Professional Writing and Editing and TESOL. She hascompleted an International Diploma Part A with Dyslexia Action and is a certifi ed Phono - Graphix tutor. Tracey has had 4 educational novels for children published including: Bad Hair Days, Fish Tales, The Fish Files and The Great Island Adventure. She works as anEnglish tutor for grades P-12 and takes writing and illustrating workshops in schools.

Jutta DempseyCommittee Member

Psychologist and Principal of Directions, Learning, Behaviour and Emotional Resolutions.

Townsville North Queensland, Jutta has been an active member of SPELD since the 1990’s.

Jutta has been actively encouraging more workshops to the North as well as the use of electronic media.

2013/14 Committee

2014/15 Committee

Denise MehmedCommittee MemberDenise Mehmed works for the Queensland government writing information books that accompany webinars for small business owners. She has previously been a police offi cer, a computer programmer, a project manager and an adult educator. Her qualifi cations include a Bachelor of Science, a Graduate Diploma of Education, a Bachelor of Education Studies, along with certifi cates in project management and workplace training.

She has been a volunteer at SPELD for last six years and has a good knowledge of the services produced. She is passionate about providing the best possible education for all Queenslanders and believes she can work with the team to keep SPELD effi cient and accountable.

8 SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Developmental Impairments of Working Memory:Profi les and InterventionsImpairments of working memory (WM) are a feature of many of the most common cognitive disorders and have been suggested to contribute to many of the associated learning diffi culties (McLoughlin & Leather,2013; Rose, 2009). Understanding the origins of these problems is a vital step toward identifying waysof effectively supporting the struggling child. In this article we review recent developments in this fi eld that have the potential to advance therapeutic and educational practice to improve learning outcomes for individual children.

WM provides the temporary storage of information necessary to support many everyday cognitive activities. This system involves the coordination of high-level executive control of attention with temporary storage, providing the ability to work with the items while they are in temporary storage. According to one infl uential model (Baddeley, 2000; Baddeley & Hitch, 1974), higher-level control is provided by the limited-capacity central executive. This is supplemented by specialised verbal and visuo-spatial stores, often referred to as short-term memory (STM).

The subcomponents of WM act in concert to provide consciously accessible representations of recent events that are vital to a wide range of cognitive abilities including mental arithmetic (Adams & Hitch, 1997), following instructions (Yang, Gathercole, & Allen, 2013), and the comprehension of language (Cain, Oakhill, & Bryant, 2004). Failures of WM are closely associated with inattentive and distractiblebehaviour both in children and adults (Gathercole, Alloway, Kirkwood, Elliott, Holmes, & Hilton, 2008; Kane et al., 2007). This may refl ect the loss of crucial task-relevant information from WM needed to guide goal-directed mental activity.

Profi les of Working Memory ImpairmentsThree profi les of impairment and their links with patterns of learning diffi culties are described below.

Defi cits in Verbal WMVerbal WM is assessed by tasks such as reading span (a test in which the participant reads each of a succession of sentences and then attempts to recall the fi nal word of each in the same sequence) and backward digit span (involving the immediate recall in reverse order of a sequence of spoken or written digits). Such tasks depend both on the storage of verbal material(STM) and the attentional control of working memory (Alloway, Gathercole, & Pickering, 2006; Kane et al., 2004). Defi cits on these measures and also on verbal STM tasks have been widely reported in groups

with Specifi c Language Impairment (SLI) (Archibald& Gathercole, 2006; Montgomery, 2000). The magnitude of the defi cits in complex WM tasks is often greater than would be expected on the basis of the verbal STM problems alone (Majerus, Heiligenstein, Gautherot, Poncelet, & Van der Linden, 2009). One possible reason for this is that the low quality of thetemporary memory representations in STM requires executive involvement even in simple storage tasks. This may lead to even greater problems in complex tasks that place simultaneous demands on both the storage of verbal information and other processing too, which then must compete for limited executive resources (Archibald & Gathercole, 2006).

Defi cits in Visuo-Spatial WMA disproportionate impairment in WM for nonverbal information such as patterns, movements, and other detailed physical features has recently been reported for children with dyscalculia, a condition characterised by impaired mathematical abilities but age-typicalreading (Szucs, Devine, Soltesz, Nobes, & Gabriel, 2013). However, domain-general impairments of WM are more typical of children whose academic learning diffi culties extend across both reading and mathematics diffi culties. There may therefore be two distinct pathways through WM to impaired mathematical learning.

General Defi cits in WM Some children have defi cits extending across verbal and visuo-spatial WM, and these have been widely interpreted as arising from an impairment in the executive control of WM. Domain-general defi cits of WM are characteristic of many children with ADHD(Martinussen, Hayden, Hogg-Johnson, & Tannock, 2005) and can also be detected through screening in the general school population (e.g., Archibald & Joanisse, 2009). Children with this profi le are at high risk for poor academic progress in reading and mathematics (Gathercole, Pickering, Knight, & Stegmann, 2007; Swanson & Sachse-Lee, 2001).

9SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Causes of WM ImpairmentsThere is no single WM disorder, but multiplepatterns of impairments that overlap acrossdifferent specifi c learning diffi culties manyof which, such as reading diffi culties and attention defi cit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cooccur.

WM profi les provide important clues to theunderlying cause of the child’s cognitiveproblems but are not in themselves suffi cientto pinpoint the core defi cit. This is because, asshown in Figure 1 (below), working memory isan integral part of a broader cognitive system.It receives inputs from perceptual systemsthat process phonological and visuo-spatialmaterial, and the quality of these inputs will inevitablyhave an impact on the quality of their representationsin WM. For example, poor perceptual processing skillswill lead to defi cient storage in verbal STM, which willlimit the ability to perform more complex verbal WMactivities that depend in part on this system.

Phonological processing defi cits have been extensivelydocumented in SLI and dyslexia (Bishop & Snowling,2004), and provide a plausible explanation for theassociated verbal WM impairments. However, it cannot be assumed that impaired phonological inputsare invariably the cause of verbal WM impairments.In some cases, the defi cit may originate specifi cally within WM. Direct testing of phonological processingabilities is therefore vital to establish whether verbal memory problems are the consequence of perceptualprocessing diffi culties.

As Figure 1 shows, interactions between WM and thebroader cognitive system extend beyond the interfacewith perception. The attentional control of WM is partof a broader network of executive functions mediatedby frontal networks in the brain. Other functions includeselective attention, inhibitory control, set switching, and planning (Miyake et al., 2000; Pennington & Ozonoff,1996). Weak or ineffi cient frontal networks will disruptmultiple executive functions, including the executivecomponent of WM. A domain-general defi cit in WM is therefore not in itself suffi cient to conclude thatthe source of the performance impairment originateswithin the memory system.

Broad impairments of WM characterise many childrenwith ADHD and also some individuals with low WMidentifi ed through community screening (Archibald &Joanisse, 2009; Gathercole, Alloway et al., 2008). Couldtheir problems be a consequence of more pervasiveexecutive function defi cits? Evidence on this issue ismixed. Studies of children with general defi cits in WM, reported impairments in shifting between response

sets and planning, but not in inhibitory control (StClair-Thompson, Stevens, Hunt, & Bolder, 2011) or teacher ratings of other aspects of executive control(Gathercole, Alloway et al., 2008). In children withADHD, the greatest executive function impairments are found in WM, planning and response inhibition (Willcutt, Doyle, Nigg, Faraone, & Pennington, 2005). Thus, problems in the executive control WM appear to lack specifi city and are associated with impairments in at least some other executive functions. This raises important issues concerning the extent to which learning diffi culties are consequences of problems in working memory perse, or in the broader network of executive functions.

Interventions for WM Problems The past decade has seen an explosion of interest in whether working memory can be enhanced through intensive training regimes that adapt continuously to maintain challenge as performance improves through repeated practice. In adults, WM performance shows sustained improvement after adaptive training, and is associated with changes following trainingin the fronto-parietal network serving WM (Jaeggi, Buschkuehl, Jonides, & Perrig, 2008; Westerberg & Klingberg, 2007).

The Cogmed® WM Training (CWMT) program employs intensive adaptive training of multiple visuo-spatial and verbal working memory tasks over 25days. Suitable for children from 4 years, it is effective in boosting performance both on the trained activities and on other similarly structured tasks (Klingberg, 2010). These gains have been found to persist for upto a year after training in children with ADHD (Chacko et al., 2013; Dunning, Holmes, & Gathercole, 2013; Klingberg et al., 2005) and in children with low workingmemory (Dunning, Holmes, & Gathercole, 2013; Holmes, Gathercole, & Dunning, 2009). However, the functional gains following CWMT are disappointingly

Figure 1. Working memory in its broader cognitive context. For thepurposes of illustration, executive functions shown are restricted toworking memory, selective attention and inhibitory control.

10 SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

limited. Gains are largely restricted to tasks similar to the trained activities, with little evidence of more consistent transfer either to tasks approximatingmore closely to classroom activities that tax WM or toeducational attainments in key areas such as readingand mathematics (Diamond, 2011; Dunning et al.,2013; Melby-Lervag & Hulme, 2013).

Another approach is to encourage children to use effective mnemonic strategies that might relieve thepressure on relatively low memory capacities. St Clair Thompson and colleagues (2010) reported promisingfi ndings using the Memory Booster program to teachtypically developing fi ve- to eightyear- old children to use strategies such as rehearsal, visual imagery,creating stories, and grouping. It is also valuable totarget the classroom environment of the child withpoor WM more broadly to minimise the adverseeducational consequences of WM overload (Elliott,Gathercole, Alloway, Holmes, & Kirkwood, 2010). Akey step is boosting teacher understanding of WMinvolvement in classroom learning and of practicalissues such as the warning signs of WM failure (failing tosee multistep tasks through to completion, inattention,and distractibility). When these warning signs aredetected, the WM loads of classroom activities canoften be reduced. This can be achieved by reducingthe length or complexity of verbal information tobe remembered (e.g., breaking down multistepinstructions or having the children write down thingsthey need to remember). External memory aids for thechild (such as digital audio recorders or personalisedmini whiteboards) can also be useful, as well as practicein using mnemonic strategies in areas of strength(Archibald & Gathercole, 2006). Further informationon classroom-based approaches is provided byGathercole and Alloway (2008).

For children with core WM defi cits, the most promisingapproach may be to combine intensive training,strategy training, and classroom-based support. For other children, such as those with verbal WM defi citsassociated with phonological processing diffi culties,training may be of less value as it fails to address thelikely underlying defi cit of analysing and representingphonological forms. Instead, phonologically basedtraining is a priority (Hulme & Snowling, 2009) andmay indeed boost verbal WM (Melby-Lervag & Hulme,2010). However, these benefi ts will take time to accrueand may not be suffi cient to enable children withphonological defi cits to match the WM capabilities of their typical peers. This will cause continuing problemsin meeting the high memory demands of the classroomand is likely to result in inattentiveness and diffi cultiesin following instructions (Gathercole, Darling, Evans,Jeffcock, & Stone, 2008), as well as problems inlanguage understanding (Pimperton & Nation, 2012).

Classroom-based support and strategy trainingmay therefore be valuable adjuncts to phonological training for these children.

OverviewImpairments of WM are common and are linked with problems in learning and academic attainment. They take several different forms and may refl ect defi citseither within WM, in earlier perceptual processes, or inthe network of executive functions. A broad assessment of cognitive functions including but not limited to WMis therefore vital. Methods of supporting children withWM problems include intensive training, practice in using mnemonic strategies, and modulating the classroom environment to avoid WM overload. Choice of suitable methods of support is best guided by an understanding of the child’s core defi cit. Although this defi cit will be the priority target for interventions,effective management of WM loads may improve classroom functioning while interventions targeting the core defi cits are ongoing.

Susan E. Gathercole and Joni Holmes

This material is used with permission of The International Dyslexia Association Inc.

from Perspectives on Language and Literacy, Spring Edition, July 2014. www.interdys.org

A very special thank you to Variety Qld for their generous donation of $10,000. These funds will purchase 200 copies of the resource UnderstandingLearning Diffi culties: A practical guide which will bedistributed to participants at Marion’s presentation at the ICPA Conference in Townsville later this month.

11SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Which app to use?

Writing

OpenTyp-O HD

Do my work

Save

Copy

Paste in Creative Book Builder - choose the right book

Mind mapping,Brainstorming,

Planning,Note taking

Open AudioNote

Do my work

Save to a folder have a title

with the date

PaperWorksheet

Ask the teacherto take a photo

Open Prizmo

Import photo and then

'Recognize'

EmailedPhotocopy PDF

or Photo

Open email andexport PDF to Prizmo

'Recognize'

Export as PDFto ClaroPDF

EmailedProper PDF

Open ClaroPDF

Open emailand export PDF

to ClaroPDF

Save

Do my work

Save

Copy and save to Creative Book Builder- choose the right book

Put date on page

Save

This page is part of a 6 page laminated pack explaining how to use these apps. Available in the Speld Qld offi ce for $5.00.

12 SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Book ReviewsTeaching Students with Learning Diffi culties: Why Some People Learn Differently and Effective Strategies to Help ThemWritten by Tanya Dickson

Every school year teachers search for simple and effective techniques to successfully support students with learning diffi culties, memory, processing, language and concentration challenges. As a Mainstream and Special Education Teacher, Tanya Dickson knows this all too well. She also knows that most teachers are already overworked and stretched to their limits. This is the reason she wrote Teaching Studentswith Learning Diffi culties. This book shares a wealth of information and practical strategies to help teachers, parents and educational assistantseverywhere. It clearly explains the characteristics between different ‘invisible’ learning diffi culties, and how to arrange and approachassessments. The ideas suggested can be utilised and easily integratedwith individuals of all ages. Tanya also shares her personal experiencesand proven strategies to teach, support and assist students living with these challenges – without adding to an already busy teaching schedule. Teaching Students with Learning Diffi culties is essential reading for all teachers and educational assistants.

Tanya Dickson presented a workshop for Speld Qld on 1st October 2014. A copy of this book is available in our Library.

Understanding Learning Diffi culties: A Practical Guide.Written by AUSPELD

The handbook is designed to provide principals, teachers and school psychologists with a greater awareness and understanding of the signifi cant impact learning disabilities can have on students, and to outline the most effective remediation and accommodation strategies available. The CD contains a copy of the Guide plus a wide range of effective resources and strategies, all of which can be saved and printed for use throughout the school.

This book is something ALL schools, teachers, SSO’s and parents will fi nd useful.

This book is available at Speld Qld. Cost: $60.00

13SPELD QLD NEWS | Volume 1 No 3 Spring 2014

Speld Qld Seminars 2014 DATE TIME TOPIC PRESENTER

TERM FOUR 20149 October 3.30pm – 5.30pm ...but what CAN they do? How to help children

experiencing diffi culty with mathematics.Eduarda van Klinken

15 October 9.30am – 11.30am Understanding the Development of SpellingSkills, Causes of Spelling Diffi culties and Strategies for Intervention

Julie Tasker

19 October All Day Staff Professional Development (Calliope SS) SPELD Qld

20 October All Day Neil MacKay with Samford SS Neil MacKay

21 October 6.00pm – 8.30pm The Big Picture Event (Townsville) Neil MacKay &SPELD Qld

23 October 6.00pm – 8.30pm The Big Picture Event (Cairns) Neil MacKay &SPELD Qld

25 October 8.30am – 12.30pm Working Memory: Learning & Reading AssistiveTechnology and Practical Strategies for Studentswith Learning Differences (Townsville)

Speld Qld &Amanda Tocci

27 October 9.30am – 11.30am Using Technologies to Support StrugglingStudents (Parents)

Geoffrey Kaye

27 October 6.00pm – 8.00pm Using Wordshark and Numbershark to Support Students with Literacy andNumeracy Diffi culties (Teachers)

Geoffrey Kaye

27 October All Day Neil MacKay with Samford SS Neil MacKay

28 October 6.00pm – 8.30pm The Big Picture Event (Warwick)

29 October 9.30am – 11.30am How do I identify a student with specifi c learning differences? (SLD) What can I do to assist?

Jan Hughes

3 November All Day Professional Development Teacher Aides and Parents (Calliope SS)

SPELD Qld

5 November 3.30pm – 5.30pm AD/HD Dispelling the Myths and Controversies– Improving Teacher Knowledge and LearningOutcomes for Students with AD/HD

Dr Kathryn Gibbs

5 December 7.00pm-8.00pm How we suppress Genius & Create LearningDisability

Scott Sonnon

TERM ONE 201521 February 8.30am – 3.30pm Understanding Learning Diffi culties...

A practical guideMandy Nayton

4 March 6.30pm – 8.30pm Assistive Technology 101 Julie Tasker

7 & 14 March

8.30am – 4.30pm Teaching to the Instructional Needs of Childrenwith Reading Weakness: Theory & Practic

Dr Susan Galletly

18 March 4.00pm – 6.00pm The MindUP Program for an optimistic classroom Sheryl Batchelor

STAFF

Marion McMahonExecutive Offi cer

Dip.T., B.Ed., Grad Dip aSpec Ed, Cert IV WTA

Monday - Thursday 7am - 3pm

Jeanette ConwayAssessment Coordinator

BA Dip Ed M Ed Ld

Tuesday & Wednesday 8.00am - 2pm

Melinda GoopyAdministrative Assistant

Monday - Thursday 8am - 2.30pm

Emily ThompsonAdministrative Assistant

Monday & Wednesday 9am - 2.30pm

Megan SmithFinancial Assistant

Monday - Thursday 8am - 2.30pm

Cathy GardnerSpecialist Teacher Advisor

BA (JntHons), PGCE (UK), Grad Dip SLD (UK)

Tuesday & Thursday 9am - 1.30pm

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEKen Avenell

PresidentEduarda Van Klinken

SecretaryAnel Wessells

Treasurer

Tracey LucockJan Hughes

Shaun ZiegenfuszTracey Lennon

Denise MehmedJutta Dempsey

SUPPORTERS OF SPELD QLD

Clem Jones

Dick Smith

Variety Qld

Feral Arts

Parent to Parent

Edna Furey

Mac and PC Doctor

HOURS OF BUSINESSTelephone: 3394 2566 and 1800 6671 114Fax: 3394 2599Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 3ppm

LIBRARY FACILITYOur library books are available for borrowing to Members only.Email: library@speld.org.au. Postage costs will be added.Library Hours: Mon – Thurs: 8.30am-3pm

WEBSITEwww.speld.org.au

FACEBOOKwww.facebook.com/SpeldQldVisit our Facebook page and Like us today to keepup to date with the latest news and information.

SPELD QLD ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES Individual/Family : $66.00 Concessional : $44.00 Professional / School : $132.00See the website to become a Member and view the benefi ts

RESOURCES FOR SALESee website for list of Resources available for purchase. By telephone order / purchase order or via our online order form.

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POOL

SPELD Qld Office

QA BUILDING

No parking on site, best parking available on Halstead Street and surrounds

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