EAL learners and dyslexia - NALDIC

EAL learners and dyslexiaProf. Tony ClineNALDIC Conference, LeedsSaturday 26 November 2011

Plan of the session1. An audit of the skills and knowledgeassociated with reading proficiency2. Identifying dyslexia in a child who islearning EAL and reading in English3. Basic strategies in teaching pupils withEAL who show learning difficulties inliteracyTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20112

Plan of the session1. An audit of the skills andknowledge associated withreading proficiency2. Identifying dyslexia in a child who islearning EAL and reading in English3. Basic strategies in teaching pupils withEAL who show learning difficulties inliteracyTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20113

An audit of the list on page 4of the handoutWhich of the skills and areas of knowledgelisted in the left hand column would expect tobe particularly weak in each of the childrendescribed at the top. Write a cross in that rowof the relevant column. Leave other cells blankbut put a question mark if you are not sure.Tony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20114

Audit of skills and knowledgeMonolingualchild who hasdyslexiaEarly stage EALlearner withreading difficultyEAL learnerwho hasdyslexiaTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20115

2. Identifying dyslexiaa) Weak phonic knowledge > underlying readingdifficulty?b) Weak reading comprehension < limitedunderstanding of English?c) Computer-based test batteries – value andlimitations?Tony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20116

3. Basic teaching strategiesa) Build on strengths and achievementsb) Compensate for areas of comparativeweakness when developing reading skillsc) Compensate for areas of comparativeweakness when developing writing skillsTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20117

A) Build on strengths and achievementsA.1 Competence in other languages, includingliteracy knowledge and skillsA.2 Breadth of cultural experienceA.3 Phonological awareness and skillsA.4 MotivationA.5 Self-esteemTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20118

B) Compensate for areas of weakness whendeveloping reading skills 1B.1 Consistent routines and demandsB.2 Contextualising word-level teachingB.3 Culturally appropriate materialsB.4 Practice in cognitive and metacognitivestrategiesB.5 Activate/introduce appropriate schemaTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/20119

Compensate for areas of weakness whendeveloping reading skills 2B.6 Develop habit of advance organisingB.7 Constant checks on comprehensionB.8 Slow down reading rate - for a purposeB.9 Employ multisensory approachesB.10 Stress over-learning (in meaningfulcontexts)Tony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/201110

Compensate for areas of weakness whendeveloping reading skills 3B.11 Modify tasks so that pupil can showcomprehension of what is read in a waythat does not place heavy demands onexpressive language or writing skillsB.12 Use pair and group work to enable peersto scaffold emerging skills and knowledgewith a struggling readerTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/201111

C) Compensate for areas of weakness whendeveloping writing skills 1C.1 Analyse the writing of children learningEAL closely so as to identify any specificdifficulties they may have with EnglishC.2 Draw learners’ attention to the roles thatadverbs and adverbial phrases playC.3 Expose EAL learners to different genres ofwritten EnglishTony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/201112

Compensate for areas of weakness whendeveloping writing skills 2C.4 Draw learners’ attention to ways in whichwriters develop plots and characters, linkideas, bring stories to an end and usefeatures of grammar and give them direct(explicit) teaching in these aspects.C.5 Provide direct instruction about specificfeatures of writing and give detailedfeedback to children on their writing.Tony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/201113

Compensate for areas of weakness whendeveloping writing skills 3C.6 Build on children’s cultural and linguisticexperiences by encouraging them to talkabout writing done at home and by forgingcloser links with families to understand theways they try to support their children withwriting at home.Tony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/201114

Questions• Which of those suggestions seems likelyto be helpful in working with pupils withsignificant learning difficulties whom youhave taught or are now teaching, inparticular those who are thought to havedyslexia?• What other suggestions would youmake?Tony Cline, NALDIC Conference 19,26/11/201115