History

Potential Barriers for Dyslexic Pupils:

• Accessing text
• Recording in writing
• Copying from board
• Poor working memory - problems following instructions, particularly multiple instructions
• Reading aloud in class
• Completing tasks - an expectation of failure developing
• Source based tasks - choose carefully to ensure text is accesible
• Understanding the principles of coursework marking

 

Ideas and Strategies to Overcome Potential Barriers:

• Simplify text - larger font; use text boxes and/or colour to separate text; bullet points rather than sentences; labelled diagrams rather than extended text; reduced amount of information generally.
• Mindmapping presentation by teacher.
• Choose alternatives forms of recording if writing is not an objective of the task: cartoons; storyboards; posters; Powerpoint presentations; videos; dictaphones; dictation to a peer; cloze passages.
• Shared writing in groups - one student designated as scribe.
• Writing frames - but use as a scaffold and gradually lessen the support.  Sometimes involve more fluent writers in generating frames.
• Oral presentations - role plays; debates; teaching other students or groups or whole class.
• Provide a copy of information if it is needed for future reference - print out from laptop if on an interactive whiteboard or photocopy.  
• Give instructions in small chunks and provide visual support or prompts for memory.
• Never ask a student to read aloud unless you have checked with them first that they are happy to do so and they are able to do so.