Milton Keynes Dyslexia Policy
Guidance on the assessment of dyslexia
and other reading and spelling difficulties
May 2017
This document links with MK Dyslexia Policy (2016)
Compiled by Janet Probert, Specialist Teacher, IIT
and Paula Williams, Senior Educational Psychologist, EPS
Contents:
1 Introduction
2 The definition of dyslexia
3 Good quality first teaching
4 Key features in defining dyslexia
5 Gathering relevant information
 Assessment of reading accuracy
 Assessment of reading fluency
 Assessment of spelling
 Reading and/or spelling difficulties are priority areas of need
 Measuring severity of difficulties
 Evaluating persistence
6 The provision of appropriate learning opportunities
7 The role of support services
8 Parental involvement
9 Pupil involvement
10 The Assessment of other Literacy Difficulties
 Comprehension
 Handwriting
Appendix 1: References
Appendix 2: Resources
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1
Introduction
This guidance has been prepared to assist schools in developing their
assessments of pupils with literacy difficulties. It has been developed in
response to requests for advice on the use of standardised assessment for
diagnostic purposes, target setting and programme planning. It should be
read in conjunction with the range of guidance on curriculum entitlement for
pupils with special educational needs.
When planning for pupils with special educational needs, teachers need to
ensure that they set suitable learning objectives. The SEN Code of Practice
2015 (CoP) specifies that schools have a duty to identify pupils’ needs and
make appropriate provision. The role of the Teachers and SENCo is to identify
pupils making less than expected progress given their age and individual
circumstances. This is characterised in the CoP 6.18 (2015) by progress which:
 is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same
baseline
 fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
 fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
 widens the attainment gap
This includes the assessment of pupils who have specific learning difficulties,
some of whom may have dyslexia (CoP 6.31).
This guidance assists schools in carrying out detailed literacy assessments for
pupils with dyslexia and other literacy difficulties. It considers the use of
National Curriculum and other curriculum-based assessments and when
standardised tests may be appropriate. It also addresses the issue of selecting
relevant and valid measures to supplement other curriculum-based
assessments.
The guidance on assessment supplements Milton Keynes Dyslexia Policy (2016)
and Dyslexia: Information for Parents (2016). Milton Keynes Dyslexia Policy
was developed to clarify the role of schools in assessing pupils with significant
difficulties in literacy that may be classified as dyslexia.
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2 The Definition of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling
develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy
learning at the ‘word level’ and implies that the problem is severe and
persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. It provides the basis of a
staged process of assessment through teaching.
Milton Keynes Dyslexia Policy (2016) and British Psychological Society (1999).
3 Good Quality First Teaching
All children should have access to regular good quality teaching (CoP 6.19). The
first response to identifying a child making lower than expected progress is to
provide high quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness. Where
progress continues to be less than expected the class or subject teacher,
working with the SENCo, should assess whether the child has SEN. This will
involve:
 gathering relevant evidence (including the views of the pupil and their
parents)
 putting in place extra teaching or other rigorous interventions designed to
secure better progress, where required
 assessing the pupil’s response to such support to help identify their
particular needs
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Every action should be taken to remove barriers to learning and put effective
special educational provision in place. This SEN support should take the form of
a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited,
refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of
what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes.
This is known as the graduated approach. It draws on more detailed
approaches, more frequent review and more specialist expertise in successive
cycles in order to match interventions to the SEN of children and young people
(CoP 6.44).
The ASSESS - PLAN - DO – REVIEW cycle
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4 Key features of dyslexia
When assessing whether a pupil has dyslexia the following key features must
be considered (taken from the Rose report 2009):
 The pupil has difficulties in reading accuracy and fluency.
 The pupil has difficulties in spelling accuracy.
 Difficulties in word reading and/or spelling are one of the priority areas of
need.
 Difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal
processing are common.
 The difficulties are severe despite good quality first teaching.
Milton
Keynes Dyslexia Policy uses the criteria of at least two cycles of assess –
plan- do- review. Interventions have been planned and delivered to meet
individual needs and have been reviewed to inform the next stage of
intervention.
 The difficulties are persistent and the pupil has received effective additional
provision.
 The pupil has received appropriate learning opportunities through quality
first teaching.
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5 Gathering background Information
The school needs to consider the following areas when checking why a child
might be making lower than expected progress:
Factors to consider Some questions to ask
Absence from
How much schooling has the pupil missed?
school
Changes of school
How many schools? When did the changes occur?
Changes of staff
Has the pupil’s education been disrupted by several
changes of teacher?
Has the teaching been of a consistently high quality?
Have evidenced based interventions been used?
Was the impact of interventions measured?
What early experiences may have contributed to
learning disruption? Illness; emotional issues?
Are there any family reasons why the pupil may not
have acquired literacy skills? Separation?
Bereavement? Is there a history of dyslexia within
the family?
Many pupils who experience early literacy
difficulties have had sensory issues.
Hearing – when was their last test; what was the
result? Do they have frequent colds or waxy ears?
Vision – when did they have their last eye-test? Have
they had regular eyesight checks (these are free at
the opticians and recommended every two years)?
Can the pupil read in their first language? Are the
scripts and grammar from the first language similar
or is the pupil having to learn new rules about the
language?
Are there any reasons why the pupil may not be
acquiring literacy? Have they missed days through
illness?
Are emotional difficulties preventing the pupil from
listening, attending and progressing? Has their
behaviour disrupting their learning?
What is the pupil’s attitude towards reading? Is the
perception the same for reading at home as at
school?
Quality of learning
and teaching
Early development
Family history
Sensory
impairment
English as an
additional
language
Medical conditions
Social, emotional
and mental health
issues
Engagement and
motivation
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6 How to assess key features of dyslexia
A detailed analysis of reading needs to include the assessment of:
 Phonic knowledge, including decoding skills
 Accuracy of reading
 Types of errors made
 Pace
 Expression
 Comprehension
Analysis of spellings needs to include:
 Phonological awareness
 Encoding skills
 Assessment of types of errors made
 Fine motor skills / handwriting
 Visual discrimination skills
These are set out in more detail below
Reading and/or spelling difficulties must be the priority areas of need
It is recognised that some pupils may have additional difficulties that
accompany dyslexia. Difficulties with phonological awareness, verbal memory
and verbal processing are frequently associated with dyslexia. It is also
common for pupils with dyslexia/literacy difficulties to have a history of speech
and language difficulties and conductive hearing loss (glue ear). In particular, it
is common for pupils with dyslexia to have a history of speech and language
difficulties. A common underlying factor in dyslexia is poor phonological
processing. See below for assessing and responding to phonological difficulties.
Measuring severity of difficulties
The pupil would be receiving additional provision in school but continues to
make slow progress. It is expected that progress would be thoroughly
monitored through regular assess-plan-do review cycles, with increased
intensity of interventions or a change of action should a pupil not be
responding/ making progress.
Evaluating persistence
The difficulty may be described as persistent if the pupil has received effective
provision at SEN support. The pupil’s progress has been evaluated, over at
least three assess-plan-do review cycles.
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7 Provision
In order to use the term dyslexia, the pupil needs to have had access to:
‘Quality First Teaching’: the effective inclusion of all pupils in classes where
high-quality literacy has been taught.
This would include ensuring that
materials are accessible, age appropriate and conceptually relevant. Schools
may be working towards establishing dyslexia friendly classrooms. See
Dyslexia Friendly schools in the resources section, for more information on
this.
SEN Support: Specific targeted approaches for individual pupils identified as
requiring SEN intervention.
Pupils at SEN support may have particular needs related to literacy, or needs
associated with other barriers to their learning. Provision at SEN support may
draw on specialist advice.
It may involve the adjustment of learning
outcomes and teaching styles, and/or additional provision. It aims to reduce
gaps in attainment and facilitate greater access to the curriculum.
Pupils at SEN support will be part of a regular cycle of assess, plan, do and
review. Some pupils at SEN support may have received small group provision
in the past, e.g. ELS, ALS or specific literacy interventions. All schools have to
produce an SEN report detailing the provision they offer and must evaluate
the effectiveness of interventions.
Suggestions for strategies can be found in the resources part of this guidance.
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8 The role of support services
The Inclusion and Intervention Team (IIT)
The Inclusion and Intervention Team works in partnership with schools and
other settings to increase their capacity to teach pupils who have SEN and/or
a disability. IIT support is based on the needs of individual pupils, broader
school issues and issues across groups of schools. IIT aims to:
 contribute to raising achievement by promoting inclusive practice through
which barriers to learning are overcome, suitable challenges set and
pupils’ diverse needs met
 develop the knowledge, skills and expertise of practitioners and work
collaboratively with other divisions and agencies
 encourage early intervention
The Educational Psychology Service
Educational Psychologists work through a consultation framework to:
 support schools to meet children and young people’s complex needs
 evaluate interventions and projects
 work closely with parents/carers
This work would be commissioned by the school.
An Educational Psychologist will always be involved if the Local Authority is
making a statutory assessment of a pupil’s special educational needs.
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9 Parental involvement
Parents/carers should be involved in discussions when there are concerns
about progress in literacy. The information that they can contribute to
assessment can be valuable in identifying their child’s needs and possible
ways forward. Parents/carers need to be aware of the actions the school is
taking and their role clearly stated. Schools should refer parents/carers to the
leaflet ‘Dyslexia: Information for Parents’ available on the Local Offer.
E: [email protected]
www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/SENDlocaloffer/
Facebook : www.facebook.com/mksend
10 Pupil involvement
The pupil should be involved in the setting, involvement and monitoring of
their learning targets. During the assessment process, they are likely to have
some insights into what their strengths are, what helps them to learn, and
what barriers they are experiencing. This information could be presented in a
one page profile – these are best done collaboratively with the child/young
person taking a lead on the content and the adults who know them well
adding additional information (see resources).
All of the information gathered from the child, parents/carers and staff
should be used in the planning and reviewing of the intervention.
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11 The Assessment of other Literacy Difficulties
The definition adopted in this policy proposes that dyslexia primarily involves
difficulty with reading and/or spelling at the word level. However, reading is a
complex process that involves both word level recognition and language
comprehension. This is illustrated in the diagram of the simple view of
reading (Gough 1986).
Some children and young people experience
difficulties in language comprehension and other areas that affect their
progress in literacy.
Simple model of reading. Gough and Turner, 1986
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Comprehension
Reading comprehension can only be assessed at text level.
Informal
assessment can be carried out using a range of reading books, curriculum
texts, magazines, etc. taking into account a pupil’s interests. Some
standardised text-reading tests include miscue analysis, which provides useful
information about the particular strategies being used. These can provide
ideas for programme planning.
Many children and young people who have problems in reading
comprehension have difficulties in language development. Advice is available
to schools from support services including the Speech and Language Therapy
Service.
Handwriting
Some pupils with literacy difficulties have problems in developing handwriting
skills.
Handwriting speed needs to be assessed for special arrangements for GCSEs
and in some circumstances for SATs.
For assessment and Intervention strategies please refer to the resources
section.
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Appendix 1
REFERENCES
Backhouse, G. and Morris, M. (2005) Dyslexia? Assessing and Reporting: The
Patoss Guide Hodder and Murray, London
British Psychological Society Division of Educational and Pupil Psychology
(1999) Dyslexia, Literacy and Psychological Assessment. Report by the Working
Party, British Psychological Society, Leicester
DfE (2015) SEN Code of Practice
Milton Keynes Dyslexia Policy (2016) Milton Keynes Council
Dyslexia: Information for Parents (2016) Milton Keynes Council
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Checklist to gather relevant information
PRIMARY PUPIL (taken from the National Strategies 2014)
Name of Pupil
Year Group
Age
History
Family history of Specific Learning Difficulties/dyslexia
History of ear infections or hearing loss
Late to start talking
Classroom
Slow in processing instructions/information
Problems with sequencing, e.g. getting dressed for PE
Poor concentration
Does not retain concepts from one lesson to the next
Problems with fine or gross motor skills
Writing
Mixed left/right hand preference
Poor handwriting
Reverses some letters when writing, e.g. b/d, p/q, m/w
Older child does not write cursively
Writing badly arranged on the page
No spaces between words
Slow writing speed
Problems copying from the board
Spellings
Inaccurate spelling
Omits letters within words
Errors in discriminating individual sounds, e.g. middle sound
Letters in words in the wrong order
Unusual spellings
Written work
Content does not reflect ability
Good at thinking of ideas, but cannot get them down on paper
Uses simple ideas and vocabulary that do not reflect verbal ability
Written work often not completed
Reluctant to write
Difficulties in structuring written work
Problems with grammar, e.g. tenses or words muddled
Problems sequencing ideas, e.g. when writing a story
Ideas not logically linked together – rambling style
Inaccurate punctuation
Other comments:
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SECONDARY PUPIL (taken from the National Strategies 2014)
Name of Pupil
Year Group
Age
History
Family history of Specific Learning Difficulties/dyslexia
History of ear infections or hearing loss
Late to start talking
Learning support at primary school
Classroom
Slow in processing instructions/information
Problems with sequencing, e.g. times tables
Poor concentration
Does not retain concepts from one lesson to the next
Problems with fine or gross motor skills
Writing
Mixed left/right hand preference
Poor handwriting
Reverses some letters when writing, e.g. b/d, p/q, m/w
Does not use a cursive script
Writing badly arranged on the page
No spaces between words
Slow writing speed
Problems copying from the board
Spellings
Inaccurate spelling
Omits letters within words
Errors in discriminating individual sounds, e.g. middle sound
Letters in words in the wrong order
Unusual spellings
Written work
Content does not reflect ability
Good at thinking of ideas, but cannot get them down on paper
Uses simple ideas and vocabulary that do not reflect verbal ability
Written work often not completed
Reluctant to write
Difficulties in structuring written work
Problems with grammar, e.g. tenses or words muddled
Problems sequencing ideas, e.g. when writing a story
Ideas not logically linked together – rambling style
Inaccurate punctuation
Other comments:
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Assessments
The list below is not an exhaustive list but is aimed at giving teachers and
SENCos some guidance when choosing assessments.
Phonological Skills
Skill
Oral/ aural blending and
segmenting skills
Word Reading
Skill
Phonically regular words
High frequency words
Sight vocabulary
Reading regular words and
non-words
Confuses words that are
visually similar (e.g.
was/saw)
Poor tracking of
words/loses place
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Assessments
 Sounds-Write and Playing with Sounds screening
materials.
 Letters and Sounds
 Phonographix exercises
 PhAB Alliteration and Rhyme tests
Assessments
 Phonics screener
 Phoneme/Grapheme correspondence (Hear to
write)
 Grapheme/phoneme correspondence (See to
say)
 Running record of natural reading
 High and Medium Frequency word lists (list 1 and
2)
 TOWRE 2 sight word efficiency
 WRAT 4 Reading
 TOWRE 2 phonemic decoding efficiency sub-test
 PhAB non-word reading test
 Decoding task (Playing with Sounds)
 Words from schemes, e.g. Sounds-Write
 Running records
 TOWRE 2 sight word efficiency sub-test
 Tracking activities
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Fluency
Skill
Formal assessment
This may be described as
rate/speed or pace of
reading
Informal assessment




Assessments
NARA reading fluency
York Assessment of Reading for Comprehension
(YARC)
Miscue analysis
SATs Reading Comprehension
II
 Running record of natural reading
Comprehension
Skill
Reading comprehension





Assessments
NARA reading comprehension
NFER progress tests: Reading Comprehension
SATs Reading Comprehension
York Assessment of Reading for Comprehension
WRAT4
II
Attitude
Skill
Reading attitude




Assessments
Running record – to illustrate number of
words read accurately
Precision monitoring
Elementary Reading Attitude Scale – McKenna
and Kear
Reader Self Perception Scale – Henk and
Melnick
Spellings
Skill
High frequency words
Sight vocabulary
Regular words








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Assessments
Letters and Sounds
National Curriculum lists
Encoding
Phoneme/Grapheme correspondence
(Hear to write)
Regular words from schemes
Randomised alphabet
Wide Range Achievement TestIII (WRAT 4)
Single Word Spelling test (NFER)
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APPENDIX 2 Information on Individual resources
Title
Date
Letters and Sounds
2007
Neale Analysis of
Reading Ability, 2nd
revised British
edition (NARAII)
1989
Reading Reflex
(Phonographix)
1998
Publisher
Age Range
DFES
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Neale, M D
NFER-Nelson
http://www.nfe
rnelson.co.uk/
catalogue
6 – 12 years
11 months
McGuinness, C
and
McGuiness, G
Penguin
5 -11 years
2014
Phonological
Assessment Battery
2 (PhAB 2)
Gibbs and
Bodman
GL Assessment
5-11 years
Sounds-Write
2004
Case, S;
Philpot, D and
Walker, J
Available locally 5 -11 years
after training
Single Word
Spelling
2000
Sacre, L and
Masterson, J
NFER-Nelson
Torgesen, J K;
Wagner, R K
and Rashotte,
CA
Pro-Ed (from
Harcourt
Assessment)
1999
Test of Word
Reading Efficiency 2
(TOWRE 2)
Authors
5 - 15 years
2 months
6 -24 years
11 months
Vernon Graded
Word Spelling Test
1997
Vernon, P E
Hodder and
Stoughton
6 - 18 years
Wide Range
Achievement TestIII
(WRAT 4) Reading,
Spelling and
Arithmetic
York Assessment of
Reading for
Comprehension
1993
Wilkinson, G S
Wide Range Inc
(from Harcourt
Assessment)
5 - 18 years
2012
York University GL-Assessment
P - 6-11
S - 12-18
This list is not offered as a definitive list but as guidance of commonly used
resources in MK.
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