Surrey Homes | SH71 | Sept & Oct 2020 | Kitchen & Bathroom supplement inside

Help is at Hand
Mr Nick Goodman, Principal at Frewen College in Northiam, East Sussex, explains how
to identify and support pupils who are experiencing difficulties with dyslexia
It is widely accepted that defining dyslexia is complex and
that there is not one universally recognised definition.
Every student who has dyslexia will have a unique
range of abilities related to their literacy learning. In 2009,
Sir Jim Rose gave the following definition, which was
subsequently adopted by the British Dyslexia Association:
‘Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills
involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.’
Although commonly regarded as a difficulty with reading
or writing, there are many other symptoms which can
help parents to spot dyslexia much earlier – being slow to
start talking, or reversing sounds in multi-syllable words.
Then, later, displaying difficulty identifying ‘directional’
opposites such as over/under, right/left, before/after, enjoying
stories but showing no interest in trying to read the words;
difficulty learning the names of letters or sounds; or learning
the alphabet, or telling the time by a clock with hands.
As well as problems with literacy, and the organisational
problems outlined above, many dyslexics have co-occurring
conditions such as dyscalculia, DCD or ADD and this can
affect the severity of their learning difficulties (e.g. in terms
of concentration, arithmetic and motor coordination).
Parents will want to support their children as much as
possible, and this will need patience and understanding.
Before making progress, a dyslexic child needs to believe
that they can succeed. Never compare their work with
that of their brother or sister; don’t get angry when they
lose or forget things, and be prepared to go over things
several times before it becomes embedded. If you have
reason to suspect your child is dyslexic, you should get
them assessed, in order to understand the nature of the
dyslexia and to inform the school, who should be able
to support them through 1:1 sessions with a dyslexia
specialist, and by ensuring teachers are aware.
Teachers need to use a range of specialist approaches. For
example, at Frewen College these include multi-sensory
teaching (sitting still, listening to the teacher and taking notes
will not work); constantly referring back to, and reinforcing
previous learning; modifying learning resources through use
of specific fonts, coloured paper etc; and the use of suitable
assistive technology.
Frewen College is a dyslexia school for young people
between the ages of 7 and 19, with Specific Learning
Difficulties (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and
dyscalculia, and speech, language and communication
needs. Further information, advice and instructional
videos can be found at frewencollege.co.uk.
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