Dyslexia and Design & Technology (Bda Curriculum)

Join us for our one day conference in March! With two more schools having achieved the award within November along with a Pupil and School Support Service the reach of dyslexia friendly good practice continues to widen further. Is your school a dyslexia friendly school? For more information please contact: This course provides training for individuals who have completed a L5 accredited course or equivalent and who would like to be qualified to diagnose dyslexia. This course is modular and flexible and can be undertaken part-time through online learning.

You will be allocated a tutor and will have access to a discussion forum to liaise with other candidates. At the end of the course you will be ab Want to find out more about how to support dyslexia at university? For more info contact: To participate you must be 18 years or older, currently studying as an undergraduate at university, and have been formally diagnosed with Developmental Dyslexia OR have no diagnosis or suspicion of a learning difficulty. For more information and to participate - https: T Levels are due to be introduced from the academic year to Find out what they are and what they mean for you.

The BDA recognises the vital role that a SENCO plays in a school and agrees wholeheartedly that they should have the time to carry out this role ring fenced. It is proving invaluable in our discussions with his school regarding his ongoing support. Six studies were granted a medium level of internal methodological coherence because the authors' interpretations were not always supported through participants' quotes 1; 2; 7; 8 or the study failed to provide detailed information on the students' perceptions of an intervention 4 or some of the analytic procedures were not described 6.

Three studies 5; 10; 11 presented a high level of methodological coherence due to the transparency and solidity of their research designs, and their ability to provide in-depth characterization of the students' views. With regards relevance for the review question, one study 4 presented low relevance because only one dyslexic student had been informally interviewed. Four studies had medium relevance because they did not always discriminate between the views of dyslexic students and those of other participants 2; 7 , or the findings were primarily based on the perspectives of other types of participant and only secondarily on those of dyslexic students 8 , or the study design allowed only limited exploration of the students' experiences 6.

The remaining studies 1; 3; 5; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15 were highly relevant for the review question. Three studies 5; 10; 11 earned an overall high weight of evidence having scored high both in internal methodological coherence and relevance for the review question. The remaining studies scored between medium-high and medium-low. Because no study scored low, we included all the studies in the final synthesis.

Overall, the critical appraisal and mapping of the relevant literature yielded a picture characterized by a limited amount of high-quality evidence we will discuss some of the gaps in the available evidence throughout the analysis. Nevertheless, our inclusive approach to data extraction see Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction section allowed the retrieval and synthesis of a significant amount of evidence, with considerable areas of thematic convergence across the studies.

In what follows, we present the thematic areas in a narrative synthesis of how students experienced the impact of teaching, adjustments and support throughout their learning journey in HE. We use quotes from the primary studies to exemplify some of the themes. Eight studies 1; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 15 dealt with how students with dyslexia overcome or compensate for difficulties in the HE environment; four themes were identified: Study skills that the students employed included strategies to deal with written texts, such as reading slowly and out loud 5 , identifying key points 1 , and underlining or copying sentences from books Some students positively valued the opportunity to access materials in multiple formats visual and oral; 5 and to study using visual techniques concept maps and colour coding, which are helpful for memory; 7; 10; 12 and oral techniques talking about study contents with others rather than writing down notes; Compensatory strategies were used by students in the context of lectures and include receiving copies of notes and transparencies from professors 5 , downloading and printing PowerPoint presentations before lectures writing notes on the printed copies spared the students from moving their gaze back and forth between the screen and the notebook; 5 and tape-recording lectures 5; 6; 7.

Many students relied on help from family members, friends and fellow students in several aspects of their work, such as writing revising and editing drafts; having someone type for the student; 5 , and obtaining or integrating notes borrowing lecture notes from other students; 5; 14; Many students described meta-cognitive and meta-affective skills. Meta-cognitive skills include self-organization strategies such as time planning 6; 7 and using essay-plan diagrams Some students selected the most productive times and places to study to maximize one's own ability to learn 1; These strategies reveal students' knowledge of their own abilities, weaknesses and preferred learning styles.

Additionally, they signal students' understanding of their own emotional responses and their ability to manufacture environments that minimize negative effects. Some students displayed awareness of the fact that their level of interest in the subject matter at hand could significantly influence their opportunities to succeed 5 ; that is, enthusiasm could compensate for earlier negative school experiences, which could otherwise prevent dyslexic students from productively interacting with the learning environment 1. Another learning strategy to which several students recurred was repetition e.

Six of the reviewed studies 6; 7; 11; 12; 13; 14 focused on the students' experiences of being identified as dyslexic while being enrolled in HE. Several students reported that assessment procedures could cause stress and anxiety e. For the majority of students surveyed, though, the diagnosis ultimately had a positive impact. The diagnosis, then, provided an explanation for the difficulties encountered by the students Secondly, and related to this, the diagnosis opened the door to the possibility of building a more realistic view of one's own strengths and weaknesses 11 , with the possible effect of bolstering self-esteem 13 , increasing confidence 14 and fostering encouragement to carry on with one's own studies Ten studies dealt with students' experiences with academic staff 2; 5; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; The most critical aspect raised by the students was the lack of awareness of dyslexia on the part of some lecturers and tutors 13; Some teachers expressed scepticism about the very existence of dyslexia 7.

Some consequences of these teachers' attitudes were that students had to struggle to obtain teachers' attention and insist on obtaining modifications 9; 13; In addition, some teachers failed to take dyslexia into consideration when grading students' work e. Some academic staff members were also reported to have expressed concerns about equality 13; For instance, some teachers withheld the provision of lecture notes in electronic format, claiming that this would give unfair advantage to the students with dyslexia over other students 2; 3.

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Conversely, the students appreciated teachers who demonstrated knowledge and awareness of dyslexia 2; 7; 8; 9; 11; Responsiveness and readiness to provide resources and adjustments 10; 11; 12; 14 , availability 2; 7 and willingness to answer questions 5 were positively valued qualities. In some specific settings such as the blended course described in 10 , rapport was seen as an integral part of the learning process see also 7; Valued tutor qualities included empathy 10; 12 , sympathy 2; 13 , trustworthiness 11 and open-mindedness 10; Congruence between tutor values and student values was also important Students valued teaching approaches that took into account learners' differences.

In two studies 5; 12 , students made positive comments about interactive teaching styles, in which their contribution in discussing course content was welcomed. These students described themselves as willing to engage actively in the learning process and to interact with course materials and other students when given the opportunity to do so 5.

Practice and hands-on experience were also valued significantly compared with more traditional pedagogical formats e. A student-centred style was described in one study 10 ; this was regarded as a non-judgemental, appreciative style that acknowledged students' background knowledge and gave them responsibility. This outlook is compatible with overcoming the deficit model of dyslexia and adopting a more nuanced, multi-layered view of this condition, taking into account not merely students' weaknesses but also their strengths e.

A student-centred approach was also regarded as empowering, insofar as it enabled the students to speak in their own voice and to use their own language. Graphic-rich presentation styles, formative feedback and making the lecture structure explicit at the outset were also regarded as useful It has been argued that many obstacles to the inclusion of dyslexic students can be prevented by adopting a universal design for learning UDL; Dziorny, ; that is, designing education to simultaneously accommodate students with diverse learning needs, including students with disabilities and SpLDs.

In this framework, instruction is designed with an orientation towards the diversity among student needs. This reverses the traditional instructional approach in which adjustments for diverse students must be negotiated on an individual basis. In UDL, an orientation to the needs of all students is incorporated in the instructional design from the outset. This review identified three studies 4; 5; 10 that explored students' experiences of instructional interventions that were designed to simultaneously accommodate the needs of students with and without SpLDs.

All interventions used ICTs. For instance, Dixon showed that a Code-Memory Diagram Animation Software Tool enhanced students' self-reported understanding in a computer programming module. According to Dixon, the software helped foster learning for all students but dyslexic students especially.

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However, the critical appraisal raised concerns about the ability of this study to describe in detail how the software improved students' understandings. The study thus had limited relevance in the context of the present review, whose goal was to elucidate students' own understandings of what enhances their instructional experience. Another limitation of Dixon is that only one dyslexic student was informally interviewed in this study. Hughes, Herrington, McDonald, and Rhodes studied the implementation of an e-portfolio-based course delivered to students with and without dyslexia.

After describing how, in the view of two students with dyslexia, the e-portfolio enabled the personalization of their learning processes, the authors suggested that the course was also beneficial to students without dyslexia; however, this finding was derived indirectly from the reports of the two learners with dyslexia who took part in the study. Finally, Dziorny studied the impact of an online instructional design using Second Life on the learning experience of students with and without dyslexia.

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Nevertheless, when drawing conclusions from the data, Dziorny focused exclusively on whether the course met the needs of the students with dyslexia. These studies show how it is possible to design inclusive courses to meet the learning needs of students with and without dyslexia. More research is needed, however, to compare how dyslexic and non-dyslexic students experience working together and utilizing the same learning tools and materials. Written exams as described in the reviewed studies were associated with several difficulties, such as having insufficient time 12; 13; 14 and lacking adequate prompts to help recollect relevant information Moreover, emotional tension and stress could be associated with declining performance in spelling and grammar 12 and with forgetting otherwise known information Some students felt discriminated by the use of written examinations as the dominant assessment modality because their writing performance did not reflect their actual level of knowledge and mastery of the subject matters 12; As for lectures , many students found it useful to receive printed handouts with appropriate font type and size 7; 12 , to download electronic presentations and notes and to read them in advance 3; 7.

These resources can help compensate for the difficulties associated with having to coordinate note-taking and listening to teachers in real time, especially when they talk fast.

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Some students lamented excessive reading requirements in the context of online courses 5. Twelve studies dealt with issues of accessibility and adjustments 1; 2; 3; 5; 6; 7; 8; 11; 12; 13; 14; Modifications of examination protocol included additional time, note-takers, use of laptops, providing alternative testing environments, and expanding or substituting written with oral examination. While assessing students' work, teachers could take into consideration their dyslexia and, hence, make allowances for incorrect spelling and grammar.

In addition, extended deadlines were often provided to complete course assignments, such as essay writing. Useful adjustments to lectures included the following: Riddell and Weedon observed that the students they interviewed had limited awareness of their right to request alternatives to written examinations and coursework.

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Students from two studies expressed the view that it was not possible for lecturers to modify their teaching to fit individual needs 12; To the contrary, other students expressed the expectation of receiving adjustments to fit their individual needs Access to adjustments was contingent on the students' willingness to disclose their diagnosis of dyslexia, which could be costly in psychological terms. Some students expressed ambivalence regarding this matter 13b. Others regarded such disclosure as strategic to access support. Finally, some students preferred to be open about their dyslexia and to inform others at the first available opportunity.

Regarding ATs, several students found the computer to be useful, insofar as word processing grants greater control over the medium. In addition, while the spell-checker spots mistakes, it can also present limitations e. Some students found voice-recognition software useful 1; 11; 12 , and mixed opinions were observed about tape-recording lectures. For some, this was a useful strategy in compensating for the difficulty of listening to a lecturer's voice while simultaneously taking notes For other students, tape-recording lectures was not a viable solution e.

The main reported advantage of ICTs was that they enhanced student control over the learning process. For instance, ICTs enabled the students to highlight text, to maintain position while reading 3; 4 , to engage in mind-mapping 10 and, more broadly, to employ visual models or working styles 3; 4; ICTs were also useful in retrieving information 3; 4; 10 and helping with auditory memory Electronic learning environments—such as the ones used in online courses 5; 10 —helped to slow down the flow of information presentation, making the learning process more predictable and enabling repetition.

Reading on screen which allows one to adjust font type, size and colour increased reading speed. Therefore, the material can be accessed repeatedly at one's own pace. The students found online courses to be more accessible when the volume of information 3; 4; 10 was reduced and concise materials were offered 5. Additionally, the students saw summaries of contents as useful 5. A systematic review was performed to retrieve and synthesize the available evidence on how the inclusion of students with dyslexia can be fostered in mainstream educational institutions.

After initially mapping the available literature and through progressive refinement of the initial question, the in-depth stage of the review focused on the following research question: In the thematic area of being identified as dyslexic , the findings suggest that although students can react negatively when originally informed of their dyslexia diagnosis, the diagnosis brings awareness of one's own condition and thus an opportunity to improve the learning experience.

In time, students can acquire a more balanced view of their strengths and weaknesses and develop cognitive and affective strategies that enhance their learning experience. The diagnosis can also have a motivational effect by encouraging the students to pursue HE. In the area of interactions with academic staff , the students positively evaluated teaching approaches that went beyond traditional formats such as straight lecturing.

They favoured teaching styles that allowed them to employ the full range of their communication and expression abilities to exhibit their knowledge and competence. This became possible in learning environments that provided ample opportunities to access study materials in multiple formats and to autonomously regulate the speed of information processing. The possibility of gaining control of the medium was, hence, a key component of successful learning experiences and was enhanced by the use of ICTs. The students also favoured interactive and student-centred teaching approaches.

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In the area of accessibility and adjustments , individualized adaptation and lenience helped the students to navigate HE, especially in the assessment domain. Some students felt that standard adjustments such as the use of a laptop and extended time were sufficient. Others felt discriminated against by the dominance of written assessment because it does not enable them to fully express their actual level of knowledge and competence Students can be unaware of their right to require adjustments and modifications in the practices of assessment.

This finding raises the need to inform students of their right to require adaptations and support. Sometimes, students prefer not to use adjustments because they want to prove to themselves or to others that they can succeed without external help. At the same time, this preference might reflect students' adaptation to teaching environments that are unreceptive to diverse student needs.

The results of this systematic review further show that disclosing one's own dyslexia is sometimes costly in psychological terms and that many students may prefer to give up the opportunity to receive support to avoid embarrassment or stigmatization, especially when they have suffered these effects in previous school experiences. The implication is that HEIs should work to establish environments where the disclosure of dyslexia is welcomed. These have been put together by New Zealand teachers for teachers and students.

A short multi-media chapter from the article 's Learning Landscape: The chapter describes how a UDL approach to supporting literacy has unlocked learning for many students. A collection of videos that outline how digital technologies can be used within literacy to support student engagement and increase learning outcomes. In this video tutorial, US educator and UDL consultant, Kit Hard explains how to use text-to-speech to access digital text across the curriculum. They are also a useful literacy tool for second language learners and readers who need additional support.

Visit Media Access Australia for more information. Department of Conservation NZ. Introduce students to free or inexpensive tools that can remove barriers and provide support for literacy learning. MyStudyBar is a tool which helps overcome problems that students commonly experience with studying, reading and writing. The tool consists of a set of portable open source and freeware applications. Digital tools to assist children with learning and attention issues. Take a reflective look at your classroom, including your teaching methods, assessment processes, materials and the ways you construct learning tasks.

Consider how it works for your students who have dyslexia.

Primary teacher Linda Ojala describes how she talks with students with dyslexia in her class to find out what most effectively supports their learning. Support students to develop strategies for "getting out of the pit" when they get stuck in their learning. Recognise and eliminate situations that students may find difficult or embarrassing because of their physical or cognitive differences. Give ongoing prompts and positive feedback and provide the student with strategies to help them when they get stuck.

Gifted students with dyslexia respond positively to a responsive learning environment approach , especially if a Universal Design for Learning framework is used, leading to improvements in motivation, commitment, performance and self-concept. Use this dyslexia aware self assessment to consider the options available to students with dyslexia. This resource outlines 5 common social challenges a child with dyslexia may face, and provides suggestions to help them combat these issues.

A self assessment to consider the options available to students with dyslexia in your classroom. This checklist includes consideration of resources, environment, time, communication, and classroom culture. A web page with information from the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand. Included in this information is a diagram — It's not rocket science — that outlines the optimum learning journey for students requiring extra support in reading and writing. Strong advocacy by parents is needed to ensure the legal rights of dyslexic students are recognised. UDL-aligned strategies are instructional methods and tools used by teachers to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to learn.

These guidelines help to select strategies that remove barriers in instruction so that all students can achieve their learning goals. Linda Ojala describes how she uses visuals alongside text and spoken language to support access to information and increase understanding for all students. At Southfield School, teachers use multisensory methods to support students with dyslexia in the classroom alongside their peers.

Dr Kate Saunders British Dyslexia Association and Southfield School teachers reflect on the impact of these class-wide strategies for all students. Take a multisensory approach — use real experiences, physical activities and manipulables to support understanding. Provide multiple visual and physical examples of information, using infographics, real objects, images, video and interactives on devices.

Offer digital alongside printed text so that students can personalise it by choosing fonts, font size, screen brightness and digital tools such as glossaries. Use blogs, wikis, and online tools such as Moodle to bring together different versions of content in one place for example, a YouTube video, a graphic and some text. Use digital technologies to support independent access to rewindable information students can revisit.

How to find YouTube videos with closed captions using a laptop or desktop computer. Select a video from the selection of filtered videos presented by YouTube.

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Watch the selected video with the closed captions turned on to check for accuracy before sharing with students. In this video on the UDL: Supporting diversity in BC schools website, Canadian teachers share some of the ways they prepare learning materials to address diverse student needs in their classrooms. Model and practise creative ways to present information that supports student engagement and understanding. A downloadable list of ways for students and teachers to share ideas and information.

A video introducing text-to-speech to access digital text. Developed by US educator Kit Hard. A free browser add-on and app that turns any web page into a clean, clutter-free view for reading. It can also store and save articles and pages for later. A multimedia online resource introducing the UDL principle of Representation. Collated by the Alberta Regional Consortia.

This planning tool has been developed for teachers by the Ministry of Education. It is designed to assist with developing a classroom curriculum that works for all students, from the outset. A one-page summary of the UDL Guidelines and associated checkpoints. Flexible learning environments enable students to adjust and adapt them to meet their needs. Innovation in reducing distractions can lead to unique solutions.

Use charts, visual calendars, colour-coded schedules, visible timers and visual cues to increase the predictability of regular activities, transitions between environments and activities, and changes in discussion topics. Make graphic organisers and flow charts available to support breaking tasks into chunks, and thinking and planning in all curriculum areas.

Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas and relationships using visuals, mind maps, 3-D manipulatives, outlines, flow charts and real objects. Give students multiple opportunities to engage with new ideas and concepts. Provide extra time for students to think and process before needing to respond in a discussion. Support group and class discussions with visual annotations to prompt later recall of key ideas. Offer students a variety of graphic organisers and flow charts to support thinking in all curriculum areas.

The first part of a UK video showing a buddy or paired approach and how alternatives to paper and pencil tasks can overcome reading and writing difficulties. Advice about how to support students in the effective use of a variety of graphic organisers on the Resources for Teachers website. A series of templates are available for download. An example of a collection of 3D interactives used to illustrate concepts visually. For Felix, a student with dyslexia, joining an iPad class has had a significant impact on his learning.

Felix uses the iPad to listen to instructions, text, and emails. He also uses iWordQ to help him with his writing and reading. Introduce students to hidden supports and add-ons in Google Docs such as highlighting, word prediction and text-to-speech tools. Discuss with students what support they need to demonstrate their understanding in assessments. A free extension for the Chrome browser which includes highlighting tools, text-to-speech, picture dictionary, and word prediction. To register and activate your subscription, go to rw. Consider how it works for your students with dyslexia.

Students and teachers discuss the impact of dyslexia on learning in a secondary context. They highlight effective whole-class strategies that can be used across all learning areas. Education not Limited UK. Students and young adults with dyslexia talk about how recognising and valuing their strengths and the different ways they learn turned around their approaches to school and life in general. Enable students to show their strengths and contribute their ideas in collaborative work, without the challenge of lengthy writing tasks.

Give ongoing prompts and positive feedback, and provide the student with strategies to help them when they get stuck.



A student from Kapiti College describes the impact of dyslexia on his learning and self-esteem. He then reflects on what has made a difference for him and makes some recommendations for teachers. Teachers need to be alert for signs that a student is feeling bad about themselves as a learner or that their contributions are not valued.

A visual guide to understanding the experience of young people with dyslexia. A toolkit from the International Dyslexia Association. It includes information about dyslexia, classroom strategies, tips and tools. Piper Otterbein, a senior student at Cape Elizabeth High School in the US, talks about her experience of dyslexia and discovering her strengths in When using videos, consider using videos that have closed captions, where the accurate narration also appears like subtiltes at the bottom of the video.

Create digital rather than only hard copy content and information. This enables students to personalise how they access. They can listen to it, add digital sticky notes, or sync it to online calendars and organise it in ways that work for them. Take a multisensory approach — use real experiences, physical activities, manipulables, photos, graphics and video alongside text or spoken content. Present digital rather than printed text so that students can personalise it and use tools such as text-to speech. Turn on the closed captions on videos. Model and practise creative ways to present information that support engagement and understanding.

For the teachers blog. A series of informative blog posts supporting educators to use digital games for learning. A student with dyslexia at Fraser High School reflects on managing her learning. This is one section of a longer video. Present information in a range of ways over an extended period of time for example, a week to help students to retain information, build their understanding, and stay stimulated and focused.

Discuss the effectiveness of the classroom with students and make modifications and remove barriers where needed. Make effective use of visual prompts and cues to support understanding and navigation in online environments. Encourage students to adapt the environment to meet their needs by, for example, wearing headphones, moving to a quiet working environment or taking a walk to support their thinking. Use charts, visual calendars, colour-coded schedules, visible timers and cues to increase the predictability of regular activities and transitions. Encourage students to use their mobile devices to schedule alerts and reminders for regular and novel events and task deadlines.

Model and make available graphic organisers and flow charts to support planning and thinking in all curriculum areas. Break tasks and lengthy assignments into small manageable parts. Schedule workflow using Trello to organise what needs to be done and when. For students with dyslexia, a visual representation of time passing can help support personal time management. Access the Time Timer Apps , or visit the link in the resources section, to find timers that might be useful for your students. The Toolkit software enables any curriculum developer or researcher to design web-based curricula or interventions — from scratch, as well as to retrofit existing curricula into a UDL-supported, scaffolded learning environment for middle and high school students.

A wide range of graphic organisers from Education Oasis that can be printed and some that can be filled out online. Identify and minimise potential barriers to students successfully demonstrating their understanding. Create opportunities where students can personalise learning tasks and build on their knowledge, experience, and strengths.

Encourage independent and collaborative work in different formats, such as mind maps, videos, photos, podcasts, and diagrams. Provide opportunities for students to gain confidence using a range of media so they can select the most appropriate to express their learning. Make learning support tools available to all students text-to-speech, graphic organisers, planning tools, storyboards and so on. Sandra Gillies, Onslow College, explains the importance of thinking aloud to model the process of decoding.

Sandra suggests that thinking aloud helps students to connect with their own background knowledge and build meaning. Offer students a range of options and supports to enable them to confidently and creatively express their thinking. Visit the blog post, Creative ways to show what you know for more ideas. Students describe the difference that having access to text-to-speech has made to their achievement.

National Center on Aim US. A group of US high school students describe the positive impact text-to-speech technologies have made to their independence, their confidence as learners, and to their increasing achievement. Video with closed captions. Building a world-leading education system that equips all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills, and values to be successful citizens in the 21st century.

Did you want to Search all of TKI? Search all of TKI? Welcome to Inclusive Education. Home Guides Dyslexia and learning Dyslexia is common. Effect on learning Indications. Adaptations Digital tools Phonological awareness Teaching approaches. Adaptations Organisation skills Participation Processing skills Self-esteem. Information about dyslexia Students with dyslexia need support in literacy-learning tasks and thinking strategies.

An overview of dyslexia video Video source: Dyslexia - so what is it all about? No captions or transcript available Source: A definition of dyslexia Dyslexia is a term used to describe a range of persistent difficulties with aspects of reading, writing and spelling.