A dyslexia friendly school should do all it can to help all learners in school, including those who have dyslexia. They should have the skills to recognise, identify and support learning differences. Their teaching and learning should be fun, multi-sensory and appealing to all intelligences. A dyslexia friendly school will allow mistakes and provide a safe and happy environment to learn.Good communication between school and parents are also needs to ensure children are supported consistently.
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What does a dyslexia friendly school look like? ...
Provision ...
Learning in the Classroom tips ...
Make your classroom a happy place to learn, where mistakes are never frowned upon but seen as learning experiences.
Have the right conditions - well lit, not direct sunshine, the right temperature.
Remind me to have a drink of water and give me brain/wriggle breaks.
Not too much noise- when it's time to work I can find it very distracting.
Ensure I am sitting in the right place so I am focussed and see see and hear what is going on.
Don't always put me on the bottom table I may be quite articulate and have good subect knowledge. I might just need help with getting my ideas down.
Use different methods to record, not always pen and paper. (Camera, table, mindmaps, graphs).
Provide pictorial/ colour coded cues in my marking- not just the written word to let me know how I have done.
Cursive handwriting should be taught to help spelling, fluency, neatness and speed.
Thumbs up, stickers, a smile, a clap, a pat on the back or a piece of music is a great way to reward my good work.
Always look at the content rather than presentation, if it is an issue let me use a word processor.
In test situations I may need a scribe or reader. I might need to complete the test in several chunks of time.
If I am a dyslexic learner please give me opportunitesin class based tests to have another go, if I make a silly mistake.
Educate the whole class on different learning styles. Make us aware of the different ways to learn.
Remember I might need help in other subjects such as maths (reading a question) or Geograohy (spelling a word). My dyslexia is not just apparent in literacy- it is with me all of the time.
Don't be cross if I am unorganise and forgetful, provide me with a checklist, keyring, visual timetable to ensure I remember the things I need.
Ensure your classroom is organised and clutter free. Everything should have a place and be clearly labelled.
Allow me to have all the support I need- practical resources are great or a piece of jotting paper so I can get my ideas down, or draw out problems. Highlighter pens will also help me to identify improtant information quickly.
Allow me to always ask for help if I need it.
Keep worksheets unclutterd and in a readable font such as comic sans.
Remember I find it difficult to copy of the board- print out a copy for me or have a copy in my book.
Make sure my homework it clearly communicated as I will probably forget when I get home.
Remember I will be adyslexic learner forever... help me to learn life skills that I will be able to use when I am older.
Make lessons fun and stimulating- VAK or in other words multi-sensory- this will ensure my brain is stimulated switched on and ready to learn. Also consider the multiple intelligences.
