Difficulties and Challenges Teaching Dyslexic Children - Essay Example

?Teaching Children with Dyslexia in Mainstream Schools Introduction- What is Dyslexia? Swarbrick and Marshall (2004 that, “Dyslexia is a learning disability that primarily affects one’s ability to learn to read and develop a strong understanding of language.” Dyslexia is not just related to difficulties faced in reading; instead, it also involves difficulties in “oral communication, organizational skills, following instructions, and telling time” (Swarbrick & Marshall 2004:1). Hence, dyslexic children may also be disorganized, having poor time management skills and memorizing potential. Children with dyslexia have many strengths and competencies despite their learning disability. However, the disability changes its context over time. A dyslexic child may gain competency over reading after much struggle in elementary school; but once he goes into high school, he may start facing trouble learning a second language. He may have learnt basic arithmetic after putting in effort; but as he goes into higher grades, he may start having problems with algebra. Hence, the context and level of dyslexia changes as the child grows older. Dyslexia, in short, means that the child will have difficulty reading as fast as his peers, and will also find it hard to comprehend. When dyslexia was not discovered, this disease would go unnoticed, because most of the children in olden times would discontinue their education before they went into high schools. But in today’s modern world, dyslexia is quickly diagnosed when a child is seen not to be coming at par with his peers in showing strong literacy skills in academic performance and standardized tests, when all students are expected to perform at least an average. Today, a child with dyslexia quickly lags behind in his class, converting the “learning difference” of olden times into “a learning disability” (Swarbrick & Marshall, 2004:4). This paper intends to discuss what challenges dyslexic children face in mainstream schools; and, what strategies teachers should adopt in order to help dyslexic children learn effectively. 2. Problems Dyslexic Children face in Mainstream Schools Dyslexia should not be understood as a product of poor schools and flawed teaching practices. It is also not a result of negligent parenting, nor is it a consequence of complicated family relations. These problems can hinder reading skills in all children who are not even dyslexic, but cannot develop dyslexia. Dyslexia is a disability that occurs when brain shows faulty or slowed down processing of information (Hartas, 2006:11). Still, it cannot be considered as a mental disorder. Hodge (2006, para.6) states that, “Of particular importance is an understanding of the problems that poor auditory short term memory can cause, in terms of retaining input from the teacher.” Dyslexic children show certain problems that are characteristic of this particular learning disability. These problems are associated with language processing barriers, mental processing difficulties, or the competency to imagine successively. To state a few, here are some of the problems that dyslexic children face in mainstream schools: They face difficulty in understanding phonics, like finding it hard to split apart and understanding little units of sound. For example, they will have to struggle with understanding that “cap” comprises of sounds of /c/, /a/, and /p/. They do not remember words, like names of items shown to them. Their vocal answer to visual stimulus is delayed because of not being able to store information in short-term memory. They show reduced digit span, like not being able to remember a short list of numbers. They find it difficult to organize things in order. They show poor visual perception, like confusing /b/ with /d/, /n/ with /u/, /p/ with /q/, /bin/ with /nib/, etc. 3. Teaching Strategies for Children with Dyslexia Helping dyslexic children learn and perform in classrooms can be a very challenging task for teachers, because they may confuse their underachievement with unwillingness to study or carelessness. The Code of Practice (Ramjhun 2002) suggests that teachers should devise strategies to help dyslexic children learn to read, comprehend, spell, and express, what they have understood, on paper with correct usage of grammar and tenses. Class teachers must make sure that the class room environment is free of bullying. It is crucially important to encourage inclusive education (Clough & Corbett 2000; Cowne 2003) where the classroom is converted into such a learning environment where dyslexic students are encouraged to learn and develop self-confidence, without having to face ridicule (Tassoni, 2003:11). 3.1. Recognition of Learning Styles Teachers must be well acquainted with the fact that every student has his own learning style. A learning style is described most simply as “the way a human being of any age concentrates on, absorbs, processes and retains new and difficult information” (Creative Learning Systems 2010, para.1). Every one of us has his own unique good or bad style of learning new things (Dunn 2000). Dyslexic children have difficulties following instructions, and teachers must make sure that they understand their learning style and work accordingly. A better idea is to consider dyslexia as a special learning style. For this, teachers must make sure that they are well acquainted with every child’s strengths and weaknesses, so that they can design their lesson plans according to them. While doing so, teachers may feel that the problems dyslexic children face can be tied to any of the popular learning styles. “There is no one learning style that all children with dyslexia share, but there are some common patterns that seem to be often associated with dyslexia”, state Swarbrick and Marshall (2004:5). 3.2. A Multisensory Approach Let’s consider that the dominant style of learning of a dyslexic child, Bob, is visual. Due to this, Bob may be good at watching a movie and then telling its story, but he may not be able to read from a visual clip. This is not because he is not good at visual sense, but because he is not able to sort out letters and words, or explain them in his own words. He is good at remembering words by sight, like how they were present on the page, but his dyslexic disability will prevent him from reading those words out. So, the fault is not with his visual memory, but with his reading ability. Hence, the best idea is to use a multisensory approach with Bob, using all the three kinds of learning strategies of the VAK model: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. To clarify, visual learners need to see things to understand them because they relate what they see with the content. Auditory learners learn by listening to things. They like to discuss things with peers, record lessons and listen to them, and engage in debates. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing things with hands for example, they highlight their notes and repeat lessons while jogging in the park. When all the three strategies are used, they will serve to help dyslexic children in retaining and processing the information. 3.3. Use of ICT With the growing use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in schools, there is no reason why children with dyslexia should be ignored. There are a lot of ICT tools available in the market and on the internet that help dyslexic children adapt to their new learning environment which is more efficient and more helpful to them. These tools help children who find difficulties such as language hurdles, cultural hurdles, writing trouble, reading difficulties, math difficulties, memorizing difficulties, and environmental disadvantages (Namibia Training Authority 2006:11). ICT resources, like internet, discussion forums, special interest groups (SIGs), educational softwares and e-learning centers, have helped a great deal in meeting the needs of dyslexic children. 3.4. Miscellaneous Teaching Strategies Teachers must be able to present an outline of the lesson that is to be taught, and also present a recapitulation of what has been taught at the end of the lesson, to the class so that dyslexic children may find the outline and recap helpful in processing the information from short-term memory to long-term memory. Teachers must check the home work diaries of dyslexic children to figure out if they have written their instructions clearly. Teachers should write, on the diaries of dyslexic children, phone numbers of their class mates whom they may call in case they find some difficulty with their home work. This way, they will not waste their time in doing wrong work. It is also important that teachers write down classroom activities and all instructions clearly on the diaries of the dyslexic children, instead of telling them to convey the instructions to their parents verbally. This is because dyslexic children will not be able to store any instruction in their short-term memory, and thus will not remember anything when they go home. Since dyslexic children are often disorganized, it is important to foster their organizational skills by encouraging the use of folders and dividers, with the help of which they can keep their written work in an orderly manner. Teachers should also break down the tasks into small, manageable parts. They must keep in mind the learning styles of dyslexic children, as described earlier. If their auditory memory is poor, teachers must not force them to learn through lectures. If their visual memory is not good, teachers must not make them copy from black board. Moreover, a dyslexic child should be seated with a supportive class mate who helps him with his disability. Teachers should also use chalks of different colors to write on the black board, and must highlight important points. This way, the dyslexic children will find it easy to understand the topic and remember the main points. Teachers should write clearly, and should not erase what is written before children have properly copied the content. Another significant technique that teachers must adopt is reading the lessons slowly, introducing new words in an unhurried fashion. A dyslexic child should not be forced to read the lesson aloud in front of the whole class, because this will de-motivate him, making him an object of ridicule in front of his peers. Spelling tests for dyslexic children should be different from normal children. They should be given small sets of words to memorize each week. They should be told to proofread their work before submitting, so that they may find their errors in the second go-through. This is because dyslexic children are not able to spot out their spelling mistakes spontaneously. Mathematics can also be a daunting task for dyslexic children. Teachers must make sure that the dyslexic children understand the basic operations of sums. They may have problems with calculations, sequencing, algebra, and sums which consist of many steps, like long division and multiplication. Also, they may have problems with their handwriting. They may find it easy to write with a cursive or joined handwriting. It is important for the teachers to keep their marking lenient for dyslexic children. They must understand the fact that the dyslexic children put more effort than their normal classmates in doing their homework, and nothing can be more discouraging for them than seeing their homework marked with red ink. Also, home work assignments for dyslexic children should also be pleasant and easy, because these children always have to put in extra effort and time completing their work. They need more thought and understanding of the concept. Teachers must listen to them instead of forcing them to write down their expressions, because dyslexic children are always good at verbal content rather than at written content. 4. Conclusion Dyslexia is a learning disability, and teaching dyslexic children in mainstream schools involves specially designed teaching strategies. It is important for teachers to understand the problems of dyslexic children, and plan their lessons accordingly. Dyslexic children need special support with their learning styles. A multisensory approach is the best which supports the child in all the three ways: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. ICT offers many solutions for dyslexic children. Teachers must understand that dyslexic children need extra time and effort in understanding the lesson, and hence they should be treated quite differently in lesson, but not in a way that makes them stand out. Hence, teachers must implement such learning strategies that help dyslexic children retain information in their memory for longer time, while helping them maintain their self-esteem at the same time. References Clough, P & Corbett, J 2000, Theories of Inclusive Education, illustrated edn., Paul Chapman, USA. Cowne, E 2003, The SENCO Handbook: Working Within A Whole-School Approach, 5th edn., Routledge, USA. Creative Learning Systems 2010, ‘What is a person’s learning style?’, Prashnig Style Solutions, viewed 10 March 2012, < http://www.creativelearningcentre.com/About-Learning-Styles.html> Dunn, R 2000, ‘Learning styles: theory, research, and practice’, National Forum of Applied Educational Research Journal, vol. 13, no.1, pp. 3-22. Hartas, D 2006, Dyslexia in the Early Years, Routledge, USA. Hodge, P 2000, ‘A guide for teachers and parents’, A Dyslexic Child in the Classroom, viewed 10 March 2012, Namibia Training Authority 2006, ‘Apply ICTs to gather information on learning difficulties and special needs’, Use ICTs for Learners with Special Needs, viewed 10 March 2012, Ramjhun, A.F 2002, Implementing the Code of Practice for Children with Special Educational Needs, David Foulton, USA. Swarbrick, J & Marshall, A 2004, ‘What is dyslexia?’, The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with Dyslexia: All You Need to Ensure Your Child’s Success, illustrated edn., Everything Books, USA. Tassoni, P 2003, Supporting Special Needs, illustrated edn., Heinemann, USA. Read More