Dyslexia Awareness Training
YOT project
• Based on successful BDA work with Liverpool YOT
which is seen as a DF Beacon Service.
• Liverpool YOT has achieved Dyslexia Friendly Quality
Mark and shows a commitment to removing barriers.
Aims of the project
• Training aimed to those working with young
offenders to make the Youth Offending Service
more accessible for those young people with
dyslexia
Scope of the project
• Partners British Dyslexia Association, Helen Arkell
Dyslexia Centre and Dyslexia Action
• Training offered to all 143 YOTs and 25 chosen
• ID card to be created which will allow the person to
access further help and support if in a situation
where needed eg in custody
• Project culminates in a National Conference in
Autumn 2014.
Session Objectives
By the end of today, you should have a good
understanding of…
1. What is dyslexia? Definition of dyslexia and consider
its tell tale signs - how to start to recognise it…
2. How does it feel? Understand how it may feel to have
dyslexia
3. What to do next? Become aware of the practical ways
of supporting young people with dyslexia and further
develop your inclusive practice
The Overlapping Nature
of Specific Learning
Difficulties
Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder
Dyscalculia
Dyslexia
Aspergers
Syndrome
Dysgraphia
Dyspraxia
Thanks to Dr Amanda Kirby, Medical
Director of the Dyscovery Centre,
University of Wales, Newport
Part 1…
Think about/discuss for 5 minutes what you
know about dyslexia…
Think about a young offender you may have
come into contact with…
Dyslexia - Definition…
From the ‘Rose Review’ 2009
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in
accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.
• Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness,
verbal memory and verbal processing speed.
• Dyslexia occurs across a range of intellectual abilities.
• It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct
category, and there are no clear cut-off points.
• Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of
language, motor coordination, mental calculation,
concentration and personal organisation, but these
are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia.
Revised Code of Practice 2013
Areas of SEN
Special educational needs and provision can be considered as falling
under four broad areas.
1. Communication and interaction
2. Cognition and learning
3. Social, mental and emotional health
4. Sensory and/or physical
Many children and young people have difficulties that fit clearly into
one of these areas; some have needs that span two or more areas;
for others the precise nature of their need may not be clear at the
outset.
A significant proportion of young offenders are
found to have some level of SEN
YOTs’ role working with these young people, identifying the factors
contributing to their offending and planning the resettlement of
those released from custody, makes them key partners for local
authority SEN services:
•
Helping to develop the local offer and reviewing
provision;
•
Supporting SEN assessments and the development of
Education Health and Care plans for those at risk of
offending or already in the Youth Justice System;
•
Notifying a young person’s local authority about their
detention in custody, transfer or release;
•
Coordinating the prompt sharing of assessments and
other relevant information with youth justice system
practitioners when a young person enters the secure
estate.
Education in Custody
Local authorities must ensure that Youth Offending Teams are
involved in local commissioning arrangements and in
assessment and planning for EHC plans.
• Where a young person has an EHC plan immediately before
entering the YOT the host LA must ensure they receive
appropriate SEN provision ‘as soon as possible’.
• The home LA is under a duty to monitor the education and
training of YOs and ‘promote the fulfilment of his or her
learning potential’
• Appropriate provision is the provision that was in place
immediately before custody or ‘as close to that as possible’.
Highest Incidence
Disability
Latest research shows that 15% of
the population carry the genetic
background which makes them
Predisposed to Specific Learning
Difficulties (SpLDs). Typically we see
about 4% with very serious issues
and another 6-8% with mild to
moderate difficulties so that’s
about 5-6 in a classroom of 30
A cluster of difficulties
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Phonological skills
Language Processing
Memory
Sequencing
Motor Skills
Organisation
Literacy
Numeracy
Self-esteem
Behaviour
A Young Person with
Dyslexia…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Have difficulties reading, writing, spelling, maths.
Finds it difficult to concentrate.
Get letters or numbers mixed up.
May have difficulties with auditory and/or visual
processing.
May have experienced developmental delay
eg. Speech development
Have difficulty meeting deadlines or being on time.
Academic achievement does not seem to reflect
intelligence.
Appear forgetful.
Have good and bad days.
Tends to excel at subjects such as art, music,
drama, sports, building/designing.
Impact of Dyslexia
• Low self-esteem, lack of
self respect; may lead to
lack of respect for others
• Unexplained physical
symptoms – caused by
stress/anxiety?
• Emotional and behavioural
difficulties may follow
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Don’t Forget the Strengths!
Innovative thinkers
Excellent trouble shooters
Intuitive problem solving
Creative
Lateral thinkers
Good communicators
Vivid imaginations
Curiosity – questioning
things that others do
Hidden Dyslexia
• Poor concentration – gets ‘off task’ easily and finds it
hard to get started.
• Issues around reading and writing – avoids reading
and writing
• Not fulfilling potential – poor school record?
• Badly organised – time-keeping, dates, forgetful
• Rejection from peers
• Lack of self-control: sulky, argumentative, aggressive,
difficult to handle…
• Finds it hard to listen – therefore ‘over-talks’
Part 2… How does it
feel?
“Letters shift around and it hurts my eyes.”
“Can’t think how to spell words quickly, I have to take my time.”
“I can’t always read what I’ve written because of the way I’ve spelt
it.”
“I’m scared to read out loud and I read too fast because I’m nervous.”
“ If I get myself into trouble and am sent out of class I can avoid
having to answer any questions or read anything out aloud”. “ I keep
my head down to avoid eye contact”
“I’m embarrassed to tell people I have dyslexia…”
Facts and Figures
Statistics
• Pupils with SEN statements are around eight times more
likely to be permanently excluded than those pupils with no
SEN (DfE)
• Over 25% of children in the youth justice system have a
learning disability (DfE)
• Over 75% have serious difficulties with literacy. (Department
of Health, cited by Newman et al., 2012)
• 50% of the prison population have poor literacy skills
• 20% of offenders were found to be dyslexic, which is
10% above the population norm. (Dyslexia Action –
Rack, 2005)
• 53% of (2,029) prisoners at Chelmsford were
diagnosed as having dyslexia, compared to 10% of
the population. (Hewitt & Main 2012)
Write for 2 minutes
about your last holiday
This time
Instead of e, write
อี
Read the following text
Note any hesitations, errors or other tendencies
ehT. srehto eht fo ngis on llits saw erehT
gnignis
.pmac eht dehcaorppa yeht sa deppots dah
yeht, nehT .nees eb ot eno on saw ereht woN
taerg a sexob eht fo eno fo pot eht no was
tuB .derbhguoroht on saw tI .god etihw
eht ekilnu – tsop sti ot kcuts dah ti
deraeppasid dah yehT .step rehto
yeht woN .nageb tsrif elbuort eht nehw
.deppart erew yehT .tops eht no erew
Spelling
• Please copy down these three spellings – think
about the strategies you used as you write
them.
What does this mean to
the Young Offender?
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•
•
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Problems with reading and filling in forms
Problems with spelling
Organisational difficulties
Problems with the concept of
time- might miss appointments
Anything else?
Liverpool YOT
• As a result of the dyslexia training
there was - a change in attitudes…
• Introduction of a Dyslexia checklist – induction
questionnaire
• Devised initial best practice – on their shared
drive - and in your pack
• Review of team’s understanding –
self audit.
• Changed paper/ communication
styles, use of coloured overlays
• Creation of a Dyslexia Mentor
Part 3…
What can be done to support the
Young Offender with dyslexia?
Dyslexia Friendly
Written Communication
Sheet 1 - look at the sheet and
highlight areas that may cause
concern...
Reading Difficulties
 The various stages of the criminal justice system
make considerable reading demands on offenders
 The majority of offenders have low levels of
literacy, but have to cope with:
checking their statement to the police
responding to communications from the
courts
dealing with letters from their solicitor
completing self-assessment documents
Reading rulers
Each YOT will receive reading rulers as part of the
project
and a copy of Toe by Toe……
Dyslexia Friendly
Verbal communication
Sheet 2 – look at the sheet and
highlight potential causes for
concern...
Case studies
In pairs please read the case studies and
discuss the strengths and weaknesses of
the young offenders and how you might
support them in your YOT.
What to do if I suspect
an SpLD?
• Checklists
• Screening – LADS
• Signposting – SENCO and/or professional
eg GP or Educational Psychologist.
What if I suspect I have
dyslexia or one of my
colleagues…..?
• Raise concerns with your line-manager
• Screening? (LADS - Lucid Adult Dyslexia Screening)
• Get assessed – via your employer’s Human Resource Department
• Access to Work can help.
• Technology support/ team support/ job coaching
• Dyslexia Action offer Work Based Consultations and free advice
www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk
• Ring the Helpline – number at end of presentation
Changes…
Children and Families Bill…
• An all encompassing assessment report covering Social, Health
and Education
• A local offer will be made – post code lottery?!
• More power for parents – will it be exercised
• GCSEs/ Apprenticeships:
• Less course work – exams to get more rigorous
• More course work connected to ‘practical’ courses
What next…?
• Please fill out the evaluation form and indicate if you are happy
to be contacted later
• Think about one small change you will make in your practice
• What might that be?
• What about the Quality Mark for your YOT?
After the training…
• Think about becoming a Dyslexia
Mentor
• If you need more help or advice
use the dedicated email address–
[email protected]
• Book one of the free YOT webinars
• Attend our free National YOT
conference in 2014
Thank you
[email protected]
British Dyslexia Association Helpline:
[email protected]
0845 251 9002
Any Questions?