What is Dyslexia?
Strengths
 May be very creative and enjoy active tasks
 Strong visual thinking skills
 Good talking skills and good social
interaction
 Good at seeing the whole picture
Weaknesses
 Problems with reading and taking notes
 Remembering someone’s details
 Difficulty with time keeping
 Difficulty organising work
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Problems with spelling and writing
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Difficulties with number skills
 Have trouble remembering things
Difficulty following given instructions
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Problems with behaviour
Problems with spatial awareness
 Lack confidence
 Difficulty with complex words (photosynthesis)
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Learning styles
It is important to identify which learning style you are most suited to. We
completed a critical skills carousel to explore different learning styles and to
identify the type of learner we think we are.
Visual learner – See it
Looks at what is being taught
Well organised, neatly kept work
Visualises and constructs
Good speller and reader
Follows the rules
Observant
Works quietly
Memorises by picture
Would rather read than be read to
Has trouble remembering verbal instructions
Gives the teacher eye contact
Benefits from the use of colour in learning
Auditory Learner – Hear it, Say it
Talks under breath and mutters
Good mimic, can repeat word for word
Remembers what has been said
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Easily distracted by noise
Can ‘tell’ an essay better than write it
Moves lips/says words when reading
Likes music
Learns by listening
Often sits with head to one side – dominant ear
turned to the teacher
Cannot ‘tune out’ sounds very easily – irritated by
someone talking when the teacher is talking
Kinaesthetic Learner – ‘Do’
Moves out of seat a lot
Reaches out or goes to teacher frequently
Likes to read words with finger and touch the paper
Likes to be ‘part of’ and learns by muscle memory
Committed to comfort and movement
Touches people and stands close
Gestures a lot
Responds physically
Memorises by walking, seeing
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This is what we find hard about being a visual/auditory/ kinaesthetic learner.
What we find hard about being a visual learner:
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Concentration when lots to see
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People talking too much
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Noises when people come in the room
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Memory - I could forget when it is time to write it down
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No instruction on what to do ( step by step )
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You can’t see the board or demonstration
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Being distracted
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People blocking your view
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If you too far away from board
What we find hard about being an auditory learner:
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I can get bored easily
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Feeling sleepy / switching off
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Background noise
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Distracted by noise
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Poor behaviour
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Outside noises
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Might not hear what is being said
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Speaker talking too quickly or loudly
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Speaker mumbling
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People talking about other things that are
nothing to do with the work
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Finding other peoples’ speaking difficult to
understand
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It’s hand to listen to teacher when people
shout out / interrupt
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Difficult if more than one person is talking
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Helps if we have a talking object
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If you can’t see peoples’ face when the speak
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Loud noises stop me thinking
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Helps if people sound happy what they teach
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When people change the subject
What we find hard about being a Kinaesthetic learner:
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Might miss out on other bits of learning
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Find it difficult to sit quietly – start to daydream or carry on
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Go away on a tangent and do their own thing
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It could take up time
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If your don’t have the resources it can be
hard
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It can be distracting to others
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It can be hard in a group task
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These learners sometimes do this a bit
differently
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It could be hard if you are doing an
assessment
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People who support our learning:
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Key teachers/Classroom assistants
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Peers
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Senior management team
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Guidance teachers
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Parents
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School community – police, kitchen staff, janitor, clerical staff,
nurse, dental hygienist
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Educational Psychologist
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Speech and language therapist
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DFS steering group
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College specialist
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Fire services
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Dumfries House staff
We have positive learning experiences because of:
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Oscar boxes
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Our individual targets
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Critical skills challenges
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Assessment for Learning
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Golden tickets – Pupil of the Week
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Visual timetables
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My views questionnaire
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VAK questionnaire
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Shanarri
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Nurture classes
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ICT
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DFS classrooms
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Positive mindset
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School planners
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Lunchtime clubs
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Homework
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Learning logs
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Public transport
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Oscar boxes
There is an Oscar box in every box in every classroom with the following
contents.
Magnetic Letters
Post-its
Highlighters
Reading Rulers Overlays
Timers
White Boards
Duster
Glue Sticks
Colouring Felt Pens
White Board Markers
Stress Ball
Alphabet Letters
Foam Letters
Double Blend Letters
Ear Defenders
VCOP pyramids
100 Square
Multiplication square
We will continually review how useful the contents of the Oscar box are.
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Pupil Responsibility
The following pupils will be responsible for checking the contents of the Oscar
box and they will make sure they are tidy and replenished if needed.
G01 – Deryn
G02 - Kira
G06 – Shannon and Heather
G07a – Jade
GO7b - Brandan
G08 – Rebecca Saunderson and Rebecca Cooper
G28 – Ian
Reading – how we are supported:
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Using our finger to follow
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Helping people with words in the
book
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Reading strategies – sound it out
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Use a dictionary or a word book
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Peer support and paired reading
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Look for WOW words
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Walt and Wilf
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Ask someone if it is pronounced
correctly
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Teacher and pupils do not laugh at
you getting it wrong
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Rainbow Reader CD
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Research different subjects
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Poems, stories and plays
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Pat spelling
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Use newspapers, magazines and books
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Read syllables
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Comic sans font
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Writing - how we are supported:
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Plan using mind maps and lists
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Use coloured paper
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Coloured background on
promethean board
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Magnetic letters and use WOW
words
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Have a go with spelling on a
whiteboard
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Use VCOP wall
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Check your own work
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Use Walt and Wilf
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WOW words for home work
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Use a world book or dictionary
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Carousel, group work or in pairs
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Challenges are chunked
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Word process on the computer
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Wooden letters to help form
letters
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Grammar fans
Listening and Talking – how we are supported:
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No distractions
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Peer support
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Sounding out words
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Whiteboards and pens
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Talk about spelling with peers
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Use WOW words and the VCOP wall
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Discuss reading books
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Using Rainbow Reader
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Use a dictionary
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Walt and Wilf
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Being confident to talk in front of a
class
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Oral presentations
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Lunchtime clubs
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Group work
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Listening and talking about news articles
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Nurture
Numeracy – how we are supported:
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Number fan
Hundred square
Number line
Multiplication square
Cubes and other concrete resources (pens, pencils) for counting
Place value board
Days of the week
Months of the year
Calendars
Stopwatches
Challenges – group and individual
Calculators
Whiteboard and pens for workings and games
Board games
Interactive board games – Countdown
ICT – Numeracy workout, teaching time, teaching measure, teaching
tables, teaching money, EDPAX, Sumdog
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Concrete coins, notes for counting money
Textbooks – Teejay
Individual work folders – worksheets
Resources for weighing and measuring – meter sticks, scales, measuring
jugs
 2D and 3D shapes
 Wee Red Box mental strategies
 Big 100 board
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Health and Wellbeing - how we are supported:
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Nurture
Healthy snacks with occasional treats
Recognise healthy and unhealthy food
Boxall targets
PE
Outdoor learning
College – blend in with other people
Handwashing
Learning how to do everyday tasks e.g. iron, wash clothes, cook, make hot
drinks, make easy hot snacks using the microwave and cooker
 Positive mindset
 DFS group are a club who enjoy being part of the team
 Access to mainstream classes – improves confidence and social
interactions
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Go to the dinner hall with mainstream peers
G08 – safe place at break times
Wait our turn to speak, listen to others
Teachers support our needs
Our ideas and opinions are listened to and valued by all
Swimming trips – staff cheer us on
Sportsability events
Celebrating success - Picnic in the park, Celebration Day
Positive behaviour – golden tickets, pupil of the week, golden happygrams,
golden time
 Golden time circle - celebrates all our achievements and communicates
vital information and models appropriate behaviour
 Prefects and uniforms
Homework
We have developed a new homework policy. Information will be available on the
school website.
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Journey towards a silver award
We will continue to develop dyslexia friendly approaches towards all aspects of
learning and teaching in the SLC.
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