ü  language based learning difficulty

ü  affects reading, spelling & writing

ü  struggles with phonological awareness, verbal memory & processing speed

o   hard time connecting letters to sounds

o   unable to blend sounds into words

o   struggles with recalling words

o   mixes up the alphabets

ü  a neurological condition not associated with intelligence

o   processing language part of brain does not work properly

 

As LBS, the first thing I would have to find out the child’s overall perception on reading. Having dyslexia may have instilled fear or dislike towards reading and their confidence level in reading may have waned off. Thus I would focus on trying to instill and nurture the passion of reading in the child. Starting with me reading books with simple minimal words or phrases to the child, making sure the theme of the books is within the child’s knowledge context and ensuring the child that reading does not have to be a daunting task. Using the same book, try getting the child to read and again ensuring the child that reading is not daunting. Even if the child fumbles and struggles with the words, I would still acknowledge the child for the attempting to read the words. From the reading attempts of the child, I can then move on to tackling the child’s lack of reading capabilities such as phonological awareness or verbal memory and begin on working on that. Every child is different therefore they would blossom in their own unique way so instead of trying to ensure the child catches up on the reading skills, I would celebrate all the little successes of the child’s attempt to read.

 

ü  difficulties with oral language (linguistic area)

o   affecting grammatical and syntactic, semantic and phonological development

ü  struggles with understanding language or expressive language

ü  connected to other disabilities such as cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and autism

ü  does not involve global developmental delays (GDD)

ü  difficulties in non-verbal social interaction (non-linguistic area)

o   interacting with others including peers and adults

o   life skills such as feeding and dressing

 

If I were given a child with SLI, I would ensure that my instructions are short and simple when conveying them to the child. When conveying, I should use the child’s name, have eye contact and convey maximum 3 instructions (for a start). After conveying, ensure that the child understands and does what was instructed. If the child seems confused, repeat the instructions but this time conveying one at a time and check for understand by asking what the child should do. If the child struggles with expressing language, encourage the child by modeling the correct way to express a sentence. Do not quickly correct or dismiss the child’s attempt of expression but instead improve on the child’s language. The child may struggle orally but would do better through their visual spatial skills like drawing. So instead of pinning on high hopes and expectations of getting the child to overcome the difficulties, I would embrace and nurture the child’s strengths in other areas. I believe that apart from getting the child to achieve their “required scheme of work” (i.e. learn to read properly, socialize normally, expressing orally, etc.) the main task is to help the child to grow and develop as a person. Learning to embrace their own strengths and weakness and to love themselves as people.

1.     I have learnt better insight to Dyslexic conditions and what strategies work and don’t work for example, Give Explicit instruction- how language is structured, and show to the student, this becomes a  successful intervention for a student with dyslexia. I also understood that eye movement control, changing the child’s ability to balance are ineffective strategy. I have also learnt more on ADHD conditions and strategies that can help in intervention.  

Dyslexia – brain based condition – impacts reading, spelling and writing. NOT A PROBLEM WITH VISION, Problem with understanding and working with language – lifelong issue and runs family 

-  Brain is structured different

-  Dyslexia has nothing to do 
    with intelligence

-  B4 learning to read, can see  
   signs of dyslexia

-   Reading complicated 
    process, that needs to 
    recognise sounds of words

-   May not hear all phonical 
     sounds – EG: ElePHANT

-   Phonemic awareness difficult

-   Specialized reading approach

-   Decoding problem – specialized reading instructions – Orton-Gillingham  approach – break down sounds, match to letters and blend the letters

-        Trace letter while saying the letter and sound – effective methods

-        Audio books, text to speech and reading apps, reading aloud, can help dyslexic students

-        Younger children -  sing songs, rhyming games and reading nursery rhymes – build early reading skills

-        They don outgrow dyslexia, they can still become skilled readers n strong learners with the right support they can succeed in sch and in life

 

Brain researchers show what the brain looks like when ppl with and without dyslexia is

-        Help ppl understand each words and letters have certain sound, cat (has 3 sounds) to be aware there are 3 sounds .

2.     I always knew the Dyslexia was a learning difficulty and students need help for reading and language work. I never knew the strengths or gifts of a people with dyslexia. The video has given me a new angle to work with students in future.  In terms of tackling a creative approach of stimulating better  reading strategies. 

 

3.     I have a better understanding on the brain activity for the students with dyslexia. The importance of visual imagery and constant exposure to words. I also managed to learn 

 

 

·       To know that people with dyslexia have strengths, like being creative and seeing a bigger picture of things, opens so many avenues where I can also use to help in motivating the child and increasing their self-confidence. 

·       The importance of extra accommodations and how much more useful is it for the students. How the access arrangements help the child in terms of either processing information slowly or reading aloud or muttering to themselves as they solve questions. 

·       I will definitely use the strategies mentioned in the case study to assist me in intervention strategy with a similar case. 

·       Understanding SLI better, allows me to be able to better assess strategies and interventions to help the child according with a good idea of what is the actual difficulty they are facing. 

Firstly, dyslexia also known to be a type of specific learning difficulty identify as developmental difficulties of language and cognition.  It is classified as learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills which involved the accuracy and the fluency of word reading and spelling. Distinctive characteristics features of dyslexia are difficulties or struggles in phonological awareness, verbal memory and processing speed. In some instances, they may display difficulties in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, simple mental sum calculation, concentration and organising one’s thoughts. 

 

In addition, with the appropriate literacy programme and early intervention support, person with dyslexia will be able to learn to read and learn well. Using learning strategies such as phonemic awareness, phonics, oral fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Very often, in our work with the students when the students write with reverse letters we will have the assumption that they might be dyslexic. It has nothing to do with vision related problem. A study was done where dyslexics and non-dyslexics were asked to copy unseen symbols from the board and both groups did equally well. Therefore, to conclude it is not a vision related problem. 

 

Last of all, the wait-and-see approach may not be the advisable stand to take at this point. The importance of early intervention will be very helpful to the child. Therefore, parents or educators were encouraged to consider the routes of screening and assessment the moment they suspected that they have some concerns or feel uncertainty about the child’s learning capabilities. With that, it is vital to have strong collaboration between school and home to provide students with Specific Learning Impairment to have progressive learning experience. In general, most students with Specific Language Impairment run into similar indicative condition for dyslexia. Specific Language Impairment is diagnosed where a student has an average intelligence but the verbal scores fall below average. This profile is comparable with that of a child with dyslexia.

 

 

I need to uncover the true strengths and the weaknesses of the individuals with language difficulties through rapport building, empowering them with the necessary set of skills, strategies to succeed academically and emotionally. It will be investing for these students to show their abilities in other areas rather than feeling incompetent in their inability in language proficiency. 

 

I will ensure that praises are given generously during my withdrawal or in-class support. By teaching in a multisensory way such as the Orton-Gillingham approach and ensuring that all learning styles are incorporated in teaching instruction will benefit the students greatly. To enable my students to learn holistically, I also have to enrich the learning environment to be inviting such as including the use of manipulatives and games to reduce their load on simply just learning about language through printed texts. By providing adequate and substantial support, such holistic approach will maximise the learning outcomes. To further determine, the students' learning goals were met, i will need to review their IEPs to achieve at the independent level. 

 

I will also infuse my teaching using technology as the students need to keep themselves updated with the current learning methods. This will eventually be leading them to be independent when they are able to enjoy prints from various channels.

Students with Specific Language Impairment will benefit when clear instructions with visual supports are given to them in class. A set of the visuals can also be kept for their personal reminders whenever needed as reference to reduce the load of working memory. They will also excel in a classroom whereby their peers are receptive to their presence. Peer-led teaching will also be less intimidating for them instead of asking for teacher’s help during uncertainties. Therefore, I will need the support of the teachers to ensure such practices are adopted.

 

Keeping in mind that when informing parents about the child’s progress, I have to be open and honest to gain their support for them to also reinforced at home. I need to also keep a record with the parents to make sure they provide positive feedback and constructive ones too! This is very important as I can revisit their progress to see the effectiveness of the teaching tool used or whether there could be a possibility of poor attendance, attitude or even self-esteem.

 

To sum up, I must say their learning will take place when an educator believes in their ability. I cannot disregard their avoidance behavior lightly towards language. However, I need to find the best way to find their confidence to love the joy of learning. If it takes just one person to have assurance in that he or she can, certainly the child will want to make their transformation. My role is about giving them the means to not only be able to do well academically but also beneficial in the society.

1) Dyslexia is a brain-based condition that impacts reading, spelling and writing and it is not a vision problem. Therefore, they have difficulty with basic language skills. Even though children do not outgrow dyslexia, they can become skilled readers and strong learners. Dyslexia is unrelated to one’s intelligence. According to brain researches, they may have visual-spatial skills and other strengths such as creativity. Children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) have trouble directing attention, understanding social cues and organizing information. Children with Specific Language Impairment struggle with understanding language, using language and verbal social interactions but they do not have a general learning difficulty.

2) Reading uses different parts of the brain to sound out unfamiliar words, recognize familiar words by sight and thinking about how to pronounce the words. It relies on grammar and syntax; semantics; and phonological skills. Children with dyslexia have difficulty in reading and spelling as they struggle with phonemic awareness and decoding. Specialized reading instruction is important to help children in these skills. Orton-Gillingham approach helps children to learn to break words down into their component sounds, match sounds to letters, and then blend those sounds together. Effective intervention strategies include teaching the relationship between sounds and letters in a very explicit and structured way. For instance, explicit in instructing children about the rules of phonics and understanding how language is structured and then how it relates to the written counterpart, help struggling readers recognize words they have seen before and do not focus on things like balance or eye movement.

3) It is important to collaborate with teachers, parents and various stakeholders to provide inclusive support for students with Specific Language Impairment within school community. For instance, implement visual support system to promote understanding such as presenting information in a variety of ways and put in place a learning support plan that indicates the accommodations and/or modifications that are required. The learning support team could identify the child’s academic behaviours, social strengths, weakness and interest, personal preferences with regards to his or her learning support plan. 

I would provide a supportive and encouraging classroom environment to promote positive learning experience. Students with dyslexia are encouraged to share their success stories and experiences with others to motivate them to learn and preserve in learning. I believe that with the right support and accommodations, they can flourish and reach their full potential. I would help students with dyslexia to understand language and build their confidence in reading and writing skills. I would try strategies like choosing books that tap into the child’s passions which help develop an interest in reading, reading aloud together, retelling, building phonemic awareness, teaching decoding skills (sounding out words) etc. I would apply multisensory techniques based on Orton-Gillingham approach which traces letters in sand while saying that letter and its sound or clap out syllables in words. I would also explore tools such as audiobooks, text-to-speech software, reading apps to support their learning.

 

In order to support a child with Specific Language Impairment academically, behaviorally and socially, I would first seek to understand the child’s abilities, concerns and needs. Thus, assessment procedures would be carried out. In the area of academic skills, I could work with the teachers and parents to provide organizational support. In the area of social emotional needs, I could work with the school counsellor and teachers to provide support in resilience building, to help bolster self-esteem and encourage cooperative learning groups. Some of the in-class strategies include teaching with clickers, peer tutoring, flipped classroom. We could also consider curriculum accommodations such as additional time, technology, visual displays, alternative tasks to achieve the same learning outcome as peers.

 

Approaches to help students with Specific Language Impairment:

· Say their name to capture attention before asking them to do something or giving an instruction 

· Tell them which bits of information to focus on

· Give shorter instructions to make understanding easier (avoid figurative speech)

· Give them time to think about what I have said

· Check for understanding. Example: encourage them to tell me what they have not understood what I have said and work out which bits were difficult

· Talk through strategies to help them with communication and organizing themselves

· Practice using these strategies with ‘I DO WE DO YOU DO’ modelling method

· Help them link new words and ideas to their prior knowledge

· Give them good models to copy or add another word or two to their sentence to help them develop their talking

· Help them learn social skills so they can join in with other children

 

- We can see signs of dyslexia even before children learn to read. Reading is a complicated process that starts with being able to recognise individual sounds in words. A child with dyslexia tends to have trouble connecting the sounds that make up words with the letters that represent those sounds. Dyslexic pupils may have strength in their visual-spatial skills. Educators can work on this and find their other strength. A child with dyslexia can excel in the occupation which requires drawing such as artist, architect, entrepreneurs and engineers in the future.

 

- For Maths, a child with dyslexia can find addition and subtraction difficult at first. Once they are able to see the pattern to solve it, they are able to do it. A child with dyslexia is usually good at drawing 3-dimentional shapes that’s why they can make good architect and engineers. A child with dyslexia also tends to prefer hobbies that don’t require reading.

 

- Specific Language Impairment (SLI) is a communication disorder that interferes with the development of language skills in children who have no hearing loss or intellectual disabilities. It’s a puzzling condition that occurs in children with normal development. SLI is not linked to the child’s IQ level. SLI is heterogeneous and it differs from student to student. Students with SLI thrive in a non-language-based area like non-verbal social interactions play and self-help skills. A child with SLI tends to have low self-esteem and anxiety as they are unable to speak well. Early identification and intervention are important to provide students with SLI the best learning environment. To learn and develop to their full potential, they will require ongoing support throughout the school years. 

 

 

- Have reading programme based on Orton-Gillingham which uses multisensory techniques. Children can trace letters in sand while saying that letter and its sound or clap out syllabus in words. These methods are proven to be effective.

 

- Try to work together with the parents of a child with dyslexia. Parents can also help the child at home by reading aloud together everyday and choosing books that tap into the child’s passion can help develop an interest in reading. Playing rhyming games, reading nursery rhymes and singing songs can also be a fun way to help younger children build early reading skills. It’s important to know that even though children don’t outgrow dyslexia, they can become skilled readers and strong learners. 

 

-  Addressing the difficulties that students with SLI face means providing a supporting learning environment. LBS and work together with teachers to create classrooms with visual support systems to promote understanding and to present information in a variety of ways.

1)      Dyslexia is basically a condition which you have difficulty in reading, spelling and writing. But it has nothing to do with intelligence. Neither is it a vision problem. It is a problem with understanding and working with the language. Children with dyslexia do not outgrow it but once they have been identified, there are ways to overcome and manage dyslexia. It is a lifelong issue which runs in the family. For a person with dyslexia, it is trying to read a passage but with missing words. Dyslexia involves trouble connecting the sounds that make up words with the letters that represent those sounds. Reading uses different parts of the brain to:

- Sound out unfamiliar words

- Recognize familiar words by sight

- Think about how to pronounce the words

2)      There are effective interventions for kids with dyslexia:

- Teaching the relationship between sounds ands letters in a very explicit and structured way

- Help struggling readers recognize words they have seen before

- To not focus on things like balance or eye movement.

3)      Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) function within the typical developmental range in non-language based areas and they are heterogeneous. SLI is diagnosed when the language is mainly below the standard anticipated age and IQ. Children with SLI usually have low self-esteem as they are not able to communicate and express themselves well and they feel insecure when they need to speak or present in public. Hence, they are ways to manage children with SLI by using the following:
- class participation by using clickers so that they are able to answer without having to speak yet able to “answer” in class
- regular book checks that can be done and instructions to be written in their books or in hard copy as to minimise having to remember what needs to be done
- written lessons instructions
- peer tutoring and having small group discussions as to involve social interaction with a classmates and still able to contribute towards group work.

How I would intend to use what I have learnt as an AED (LBS)?
As I have had a student who has Dyslexia and ADHD, I wish I was equipped with the skills to have better understood her. However, there are some ways that I would like to do which would be to sound out unfamiliar words and repeat and understand its meaning. I would also provide timely feedback on the student's work and ensure that homework to be done is written explicitly in her journal and that I have a file for her to know that there is work to be done. Ensure there is constant communication with the parents for me to update on their child's progress and also for them to share any concerns that they may have.

1)     To help students with Dyslexia we need to have specialised reading instructions such as breaking down words to their component sounds, match sounds to letters and then blend those sounds together. 

2)     Use multi sensory techniques that will engage their other senses when learning. Such as using sand by tracing letters in sand while saying the letters and sounds. To also clap out the syllables when reading the words.

3)     Dyslexia is a brain based condition that impacts reading, spelling and writing but it is unrelated to one’s intelligence. Even though the children do not outgrow(cannot be cured) however they can become skilled readers if they’re taught the proper techniques.

I intend to start a buddy reading programme in which I have my students with dyslexia paired up with a friend who will be able to guide them and correct them when they make a mistake. By having them paired with others, this is a form of scaffolding in terms of zonal of proximal development.

I would also like to have a parent session to guide parents of students with dyslexia on how to help their children at home. An important part of home based intervention would be to have a time table at home so as to incorporate reading time as well as to get the student be used to a structure to follow.

1. Dyslexia is a language-based learning difficulty (neurological) in understanding and learning language. It can also be genetic. Dyslexia does not affect intelligence. A child with dyslexia faces challenges in word recognition, spelling and decoding abilities. 

2. Individuals with dyslexia face multiple challenges beyond academics. Dyslexia affects individual’s life aspects such as career, self-esteem and academic succession. This has great impact in the outcomes of their lives. 

3. With appropriate learning strategies, mentors and environment individuals can manage and cope dyslexia. With determination and perseverance, they can excel and overcome the challenges caused by dyslexia.

How you would intend to use what you have learnt to enhance your effectiveness as an AED (LBS):

Firstly, I will build rapport with the child and create a supportive learning environment. By building rapport with the child, it will give me an opportunity to learn about the child’s like, dislikes, circle of friends and feeling about school. 

Based on these inputs, I can plan upcoming sessions that are relatable and meaningful for the child. My priority will be to assure the child that the sessions are a safe place to learn and make mistakes. As dyslexia can cause an impact in the child’s well-being and self-esteem, I must be mindful about not overloading the child with too much content or practices.  The lessons must be objective with reasonable expectation. This will enhance the child’s sense of achievement and feel positive. 

During sessions, I can play word games, practice reading passages, utilise apps for sessions, use multi-sensory strategies such as the Orton-Gillingham approach and attempt mini-comprehension passages. This will ensure that skills learnt can be easily transferred to academic subjects. I will also create a chart to monitor the progress. 

To provide holistic support, I must work with the child’s teachers and parents in order to get timely feedback, monitor academic performance and lookout for signs of distress and customise my support to meet the child’s need. I must maintain a good relationship with the parents so that they can share their concerns and I can update them on their child’s progress. 

Understand which strategy is more suitable for the pupil is crucial. By using the correct strategies and provide timely feedback will make learning to be more effective. When good learning take place, this will help to increase the pupil’s self esteem and be able to learn better. 

2. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty in reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words. The Orton-Gillingham Approach is well known to help children to learn to break words down into their component sounds, match the sounds to letters, and then blend those sounds together.

3. Children with dyslexia are better at visual spatial task. Hence they are  remarkably good at drawing  three-dimensional objects.

 

 

Children with Dyslexia are just as smart as other children. Those with dyslexia face anxiety and fear of failure and embarrassment and if support is not provided, this can lead to feeling powerless and incompetent. As a result, they may experience loss of interest in learning and low in tolerance or patience with difficulties/challenges

In terms of reading, I can intervene by building the phonological awareness in students. Be explicit and structured in  instructing them  about the rules of phonics and understand how language is structured and how it relates to the written counterpart.

Besides language and literacy support, I can also:

2. From the video “The Gift of Dyslexia”, I have learnt that a dyslexic person are better at processing holistic kinds of visual and spatial tasks. It was also highlighted by the speaker that dyslexic person are particularly good at drawing 3D objects because they have the holistic ability to extrapolate from 2D to 3D as well as visualizing an object or item in the bigger form/picture. It was also mentioned in another video where the speaker Ben Foss, mentioned on how the concept of reading is an automatic process for most people however for a dyslexic person, it is a manual process. He mentioned that a dyslexic person will have to assemble each word and the words often ended up assembled in the wrong way.

3. Some of the key takeaways for me from all the resources are:

3.1 For an intervention to be successful, we must be explicit in instructing children about the rules of phonics and understanding how language is structured and then how it relates to the written counterpart.

3.2 Children with SLI will require ongoing support throughout their school years to ensure that they learn and develop to their fullest potential.

3.3 Some of the effective intervention strategies mentioned in the video “Dyslexia and the Brain” is to teach the relationship between sounds and letters in a very explicit and structured way (For example, the use of phonics cards) We must help struggling readers recognize words they have never seen before and do not put focus on balance or eye movement (For example, students who have problems with visual tracking can use finger tracking instead to help their eye movement.)

How I intend to use what I've learnt to enhance my effectiveness as an AED (LBS):
1.      First and foremost, I will ensure that I will build a strong rapport with the child before I start to plan for any intervention sessions to be conducted. Having a good relationship with the child will definitely help to create a positive learning environment as well as reducing the anxiety of the child thus making the learning experience to be more enjoyable and productive.

2.      I will incorporate ICT tools (E.g. using of ipads, text to speech softwares & reading apps) in my sessions to make the teaching more interactive and less pressuring for the child. This is to allow the child to build the self-esteem and self-confidence in them in answering questions without being judged.

3.      I will also incorporate certain strategies shared in the resources when presented with the opportunities in the future like creating classrooms with visual support systems to promote understanding, presenting information in a variety of ways as well as planning my sessions to include explicit opportunities to build speaking and listening skills. I feel that the strategies shared may be applicable to all instead of just adolescents with SLI.

1)      Dyslexia is a language-based reading disability, it is neurobiological that affects reading, writing and spelling. It is a lifelong issue and is hereditary. People with Dyslexia has trouble connecting sounds that make up words, with letters that represents the sounds. Reading uses different parts of the brain to sound out unfamiliar words, recognize familiar words by sight and think about how to pronounce. People with dyslexia may also exhibit language problems that overlaps vocabulary and grammatical development. People with dyslexia have poor motion discriminate and sequential balance; the ability to pick up motion, balance and eye movement. However, people with Dyslexia have better visual spatial skills – identifying information and seeing the big picture (a holistic vision). Young children who are dyslexic are able to draw 3D objects with ease.  Dyslexia and Specific language Impairments (SLI) can co-occur.
 

2)      SLI is a term that is used to describe difficulties with learning and using language. Children with Specific Language Impairment, or SLI, are as able and healthy as other children in all ways, but they have enormous difficulty talking and sometimes also understanding language. These difficulties are not associated with factors such as general learning difficulties, or other conditions, such as cerebral palsy, hearing impairment or autistic spectrum disorders. SLI looks different in all children. SLI can be identified when children are at preschool (or even earlier), at primary school and possibly not until they are at secondary school. The type of difficulties a child with SLI has can change as they get older. A child with SLI will need specialist help from a speech and language therapist and/ or a specialist teacher. A child with SLI in secondary school can become good at hiding their difficulties. They pick up on routines and find ways to manage their difficulties. They are often good at and prefer practical tasks at school, for example, experiments in science, even though they find the language for these difficult.
 

3)      Challenges
Both Dyslexia & Specific Language Impairment affects the confidence of learners as students are putting in time, effort and energy yet not seeing equal results. In addition, people with Dyslexia experiences anxiety and fearful because of their constant frustration and confusion in school. AS they anticipate or predict failure, learning something is distressing and they tend to avoid what “frightens” them (reading out load, spelling, showcasing of written work). As they grow, society expects them to become independent. The tension between the expectation of independence and the child's learned dependence causes great internal conflicts. The adolescent dyslexic uses his anger to break away from those people on which he feels so dependent.

 Individuals with SLI can’t learn language just by being spoken to and encouraged. They need language to be taught – often in a specific way. They need to get the right support to do this so that they can learn and develop to their full potential. Without this support, SLI may cause a child lifelong difficulty. They have difficulty working independently and prioritising. This might mean that despite being able to do the work, they struggle to complete it on time.

The struggles of students with Dyslexia and SLI are real. These students are at a higher risk for deep, intense feeling of sorrow and pain. When these emotions not addressed or unpacked, the depressed students with learning disabilities will experience pain in his present learning as well as a life heading for failure.

Firstly, I will need to have rapport with my student, to solicit his/her feelings towards reading.  The strategies met out should be relevant to the target audience. To aid and promote reading for students with Dyslexia, I can use specialised Reading instruction techniques eg. Orton-Gillingham approach. In young children we could make learning more interactive, tactile, experiential. We can teach tracing the letters in the sand, goop or air writing. We should start reading with materials that are of similar reading age of the student, so as not stress the child and not to have a steep reading-learning curve. If the child reads wrongly, we acknowledge the effort before addressing the mistake. We could introduce audiobooks to stimulate the interest in reading. Choose a book or story close to the child’s interest. We could conduct read aloud session where we take turns to read a paragraph, be dramatic whilst reading so that the child can be immerse in the story. Model “I DO, We Do, You Do” till he is confident for independent reading.

It really helps if you say a child’s name before you ask them to do something. Break down what you want them to do into small steps. Encourage a child to communicate in any way, not just through words. Actions and gestures will help to develop words. If a child says something in the wrong way, repeat the right way back to them first, instead of immediately correcting them.

Regardless of the diagnosis (dyslexia or specific language impairment), make sure that you give them time to think about what you have said. They will need longer than most people to process information, so try and leave a few seconds for them to reply. Encourage them to tell you when they have not understood what you have said and help them to scaffold and solve.  Show them and model data organising skills. We should try to promote supportive learning environment in school and at home. Work with parents to understand the child better and to share their child success stories and accomplishments. Wherever possible, present information visually and in variety of ways. 

 Regardless if the child is diagnosed or undiagnosed, we should prepare the necessary documents so that Access Arrangements (extra time, assigned reader, computer aided) can be made for exams.

1. Dyslexia has nothing got to do with vision rather it is a problem with understanding and working with language. It is a lifelong issue and it tends to run in the family like parents and/or siblings. Eventhough the are differences in how the brain is structured and function, it has nothing to do with intelligence. Children with dyslexia is just as smart as other children but they are struggling with basic language skill which is phonemic awareness. Therefore, they need to learn the skills using specialised reading instruction. 

2. Specific Learning Impairment  children are often misunderstood and wrongly diagnosed as may show certain traits of the other disabilities. They are unable to articulate well because of their inability to process the correct syntax and use of vocabulary. They usually decode from the action they see of others. They are smart and they do have the ideas but because of the restrictions of their condition, it hinders them from expressing it properly.

3. Dyslexia: In order create awareness, tapping into their interest such as playing rhyming games, singing song, playing sound games like CVC words, e.g. Snack Attack to help them build early reading skills. These children can succeed with the right support and intervention. 

Specific Learning Impairment: Children are just as bright and they can excel when provided with the best learning environment regardless of the type of school they went to.  The right intervention and/or resources such as visual support system, teaching assistance, therapists, explicit instructions, questions amd communication can help the child to succeed.

How I intend to use what I've learnt to enhance my effectiveness as an AED (LBS) 

As an AED (LBS), assessing the child is the first step to understand what are the difficulties they faced and depending oh the severity of the condition and take the necessary steps. 

Through the assessment and observation, I will plan out an appropriate approach and/ or resources and work together with the teacher so that the child will not get confused with different instructions. 

I would follow-up with the other stakeholders like the parents  so that we could be on the same page and understanding in order to support the child as a whole.

·       By providing access accommodation to special needs students during examination allows them to perform in a way she is expected to. With this special arrangement, not only they are given extra time, they can read the questions out loud to process their thoughts. 

·       I learnt that person with dyslexia has good visual-spatial skills example visualizing an object in a 3-dimensional picture. They are creative in their special way. 

As LBS, the first thing I would do is to build rapport with the student. Having a good rapport with the student can minimize anxiety, encourage social interaction and foster a positive learning environment. Students with dyslexia need more help in sorting, recognizing, and organizing the language learnt. They also need time to process their learning. By using multi-sensory activities help them to absorb and retain information in a retainable manner. It involves them in using their senses like touch and movement. Teach them the relationship between sounds and letters in a very explicit and structured way; example clap hands when saying each syllable or trace letter while saying that letter and sound. As dyslexia affects their reading ability, I would focus on building interest in their reading. I would allow them to choose books that tap on their passion and practice reading using the “I Do, We Do, You Do” method. Allow students to move from one step to the next as they build fluency for each level of language skills.

For students with Specific Language Impairment, language needs to be taught explicitly. Say their name before asking them to do something or give instruction. This helps them to know that I am talking to them thus they can listen better. To help them to understand better, I would give shorter instructions and leave a bit of time for them to process what I’ve said and given a response. Break down what I want them to do into small steps. I can also provide visual support systems to promote understanding. With the right support, they can succeed in school and life.

- Dyslexia is a lifelong issue wth understanding and learning with words or language. This neurological learning difficulty does not have anything to do with a person's intelligence. It will require the learner to go through different forms or strategies to help with learning. Individuals with Dyslexia can complete the same task as others but they require more time to process, understand and apply. Surprisingly, children with dyslexia are better at visual spatial tasks.

- Individuals with Specific Language Impairment are as normal as others with one exception, they have a huge difficulty talking and understanding language. SLI are not associated with other conditions like celebral palsy, hearing impaitment or ASD. Individuals with SLI struggles with reading and writing. They can talk but their speech may be difficult to comprehend. 

- Dyslexia and SLI affects students' confidence and self-worth. They feel that they always have to do something extra. More time to decode, etc. It causes students to feel frustrated, anxiety, fearful and may be withdrawn. 

- Having a good rapport with students with Dyslexia and SLI sets the foundation to getting to know them better
 - We need to give them emotional support as well, continue to encourage, motivate and be patient with them
 - Celebrate small successes to infuse confidence
 - Provide literacy intervention and paced them to the student's ability
 - Set realistic goals together with them
 - Reward students for their efforst and provide timely feedback for them to improve
 - Always listen to them and give them process time 
 - Prepare necessary documents for AA 
 - Provide necessary accomodations to help them feel safe and comfortable while learning

2.       It is important to have visual cues around the classroom and schools to help children with SLI. These will help them cope with information that needs to be remembered. Because they have a hard time processing language, sometimes instructions over the PA or from a teacher may sound incoherent to them and in turn they do not get the message nor know what is required of them. 

3.     Both children with SLI and dyslexia are smart. With the correct support, they can thrive and excel in their education. However, identifying the correct support is important too. Though both SLI & Dyslexia may appear to look alike, both require a different support strategy. For example, children with SLI requires support throughout their schooling years and may not necessarily be able to catch up with their peers in terms of education and development. This is unlike children with dyslexia - they need to be taught explicitly the relationship between sounds and letters. Even in adulthood they can teach themselves to be better readers and there are many tools out there that can assist them. 

After learning from the resources, I have a better understanding of SLI, which I have not heard of. While I read the SLI Handbook, a student came to mind. Though he was not identified with any learning disability, I have often noticed something “amiss” in my interactions with him. He often speaks incoherently and would be very random in his responses to questions asked of him. He does not seem to react quickly enough to instructions until he sees his peers doing something other than what he is doing. 

Knowing what I know now about SLI, I would be able to identify and help many other students like this boy, who would otherwise not be noticed at all as having any learning difficulties.  There is a need to properly diagnose such children so that they can get the necessary support for them to thrive in school. 

As AED (LBS), this is where my role is crucial – identifying students who would otherwise fall through the cracks as their learning needs is not obvious and often brushed off as “lazy” or “playful”. 

1)      Dyslexia is a lifelong neurological disorder that does not necessarily affect one’s intelligence. People with dyslexia are capable of doing the same things that a typical person can do, they just require a lot more time to complete it. Due to the way their brain work, they require more time to process information and apply the skills. Most of the time children with dyslexia have difficulties that results from their poor phonological awareness. People with dyslexia however have better visual-spatial skills, which makes them better at working with their hands and they tend to excel in things like art and crafts, designing, building, etc. 

 

2)      The 3 prominent features of ADHD are hyperactivity, Inattention, and impulsivity. These features differ from person to person. Just because 1 person with ADHD displays one or more features of ADHD, it does not mean another person with ADHD will display those same features. People with ADHD have poor processing capabilities and they have trouble diverting their attention and organizing information. 

 

3)      SLI is a disorder that affects the language skills which affects one’s capability in speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Children with SLI have trouble expressing themselves and are often not able to participate in conversation and discussion because of their poor language understanding. Just like dyslexia, SLI does not necessarily affect intelligence. 

 

1)      It is important to be understanding and provide the proper support to children who face these disorders. To do so, it is important to highlight their strengths and build on it to boost their confidence. Find out what are their hobbies and what are the things they like to do. Craft activities and lessons based on the things they like to entice them, and they will feel much more excited to learn. 

 

2)      I would also like to try out the strategies mentioned in the videos for children with dyslexia like activities that uses multi-sensory techniques. This will help them to retain information better. It is also important to teach them the relationship between letters and its sounds in an explicit and structured way. For example, incorporating “I do, We do, You do” and explicitly showing the letter and making the sound of the letter and giving a word example that uses the letter and the sound. 

 

3)      It is also important to engage all the other stakeholders as well. Not only the child. Their parents and teachers play an important role in supporting the child. Everyone should have the same mindset to help this child and support him/her as a whole. When everyone is on the same page, it creates a much more conducive environment for the child to learn. 

1. Dyslexia is a brain-based weakness that affects reading, spelling and writing. It is a lifelong issue that is usually hereditary and someone in the family already has it too. Brain imaging studies have shown that there are differences in how the brain is structured and how it would function in people with dyslexia compared to those without. However, it is not a problem with vision but an issue with understanding and working with languages. Reading and spelling are hard for children with dyslexia but they are just as smart as other children. Even though they do not outgrow dyslexia, they can become skilled readers and strong learners. They can succeed in school and life with the right support.

2. Children with Dyslexia have difficulties with basic language skill called phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. Dyslexia involves trouble connecting the sounds that make up words with the letters that represent those sounds. In other words, children would face difficulty in rhyming or matching letters to their sounds. 

3. Specific Language Impairment (SLI) is a type of speech, language and communication need. Children with SLI are usually healthy and have the skills and means just like other children in every way except that they have huge difficulty talking and understanding language. This is their main area of difficulty. Children with SLI may have difficulty saying what they want to, even though they have ideas. They are able to talk in sentences but be difficult to understand. Children with SLI tend to have difficulties with reading as it relies on grammar and syntax; semantics and phonological skills, which are difficult for them to understand. Hence overall, they have difficulties with reading, literacy and academic achievements. Not being able to understand information, other people or express feelings and thoughts easily can lead to ridicule, bullying, social isolation and behaviour problems due to anger, frustrations and high levels of anxiety which can hinder their learning. 

I would use effective interventions for children with Dyslexia and SLI as follows:

·       Teach the relationship between sounds and letters in a very explicit and structured way like modelling the “I do, we do, you do” by providing step-by step demonstrations so that the student is able to understand the lesson clearly. Use praise when appropriate and maintain a positive, encouraging and motivating composure throughout the lesson.

·       Help struggling readers recognise words they have seen before like regularly using fry list flash cards.

·       Use multi-sensory techniques like tracing letters in sand while saying that letter and it sound or clap out syllables in words.

·       Use tools and resources like audio books, reading apps, playing rhyming games, singing songs, reading aloud together and choosing books the child like to help create an interest in reading. 

·       Provide a supportive learning environment like creating classrooms with visual support systems to promote understanding and present information in a variety of ways.