My student has a learning disorder…
…What does it mean?
Dyslexia
Specific language impairment
Dyslexia is a difficulty with the alphabet,
reading, writing and spelling in spite of
normal or above-normal intelligence,
conventional teaching methods, and
adequate socio-cultural opportunity.
Dyslexia is thought to be genetic and
hereditary. It is thought to be the result
of a neurological defect.
Specific language impairment (SLI) is
a developmental language disorder that
can affect both expressive and receptive
language. It is not related to or caused by
other developmental disorders, hearing
loss or acquired brain injury.
(Dysphasie)
Dyslexia represent from 80 to 90% of all
learning disabilities.
Dyspraxia
Dysorthographia
Developmental dyspraxia is an
impairment or immaturity of the
organisation of movement. It is an
immaturity in the way that the brain
processes information, which results in
messages not being properly or fully
transmitted.
Dysorthographia is a disorder of
learning characterized by an important
and durable defect of assimilation of
grammatical/spelling rules (deterioration
of the spontaneous writing or under
dictation).
Like dyslexia, it is not related to or
caused by other developmental
disorders. Dysorthographia often
follows upon dyslexia, but this is not
systematic.
Remember…
*Students with learning disorders are intelligent, and they are not lazy!*
Maryse Valcourt, Maryse Laliberté, Sonia St-Martin, Julie Martin, Mélanie Bédard & Randy Hamlyn
…What can I do?
C1 To interact orally in English
Adaptation
Modification
The student MUST have an intervention plan to
go forward with the following modifications
-
Provide word bank and sentence starters.
Give time to organize message.
Explain and model task ahead of time.
One on one interaction with the teacher.
-
The teacher talks in the student’s place,
fills in words for the student.
C2 To Reinvest understanding of oral and written texts
Adaptation
Modification
The student MUST have an intervention plan to
go forward with the following modifications
The intervention plan isn’t necessary for the
following adaptations:
-
-
Give more time to complete task.
Use bigger fonts.
Provide a copy of the text on which the
student can write/highlight.
Arrange the sheet (cut, fold or cover) so
that the student only has to concentrate
on one task at a time.
Provide student with a referential for
graphemes/speech sounds (ex.:”ph=f”).
-
The student MUST have an intervention plan to go
forward with the following adaptations:
-
-
-
-
-
-
For reading comprehension, provide the
student with a recorded version of the
text (ReadPlease software).
For oral comprehension, provide student
with a written version of the text.
Take out questions that are too difficult,
based on your judgment.
Remind strategies to student during
evaluation.
Underline keywords and important
questions for student ahead of time.
Send the text at home to be read ahead of
time.
Give student immediate feedback.
Give the student the text at school ahead
of time (facilitating conditions – with the
ortho before exam).
Allow student to read questions before
listening or reading.
Eliminate redundant questions.
Read or reformulate questions and
instructions one on one with the student.
Pair with another student who is fluent
enough to read aloud clearly.
Maryse Valcourt, Maryse Laliberté, Sonia St-Martin, Julie Martin, Mélanie Bédard & Randy Hamlyn
C2 To Reinvest understanding of oral and written texts (continued)
Adaptation
Modification
The student MUST have an intervention plan to
go forward with the following modifications
-
-
Record texts ahead of time without giving
away the answers with intonation and
provide student with an MP3 player.
Use voice-recognition programs like
WordQ or Kurzweil 3000 to read texts
aloud to students.
Allow the student to answer written
questions orally during an evaluation
(one on one with teacher or record
answers).
The student MUST have an intervention plan to go
forward with the following adaptations:
-
For oral comprehension, allow student to
listen to a slower version of the text (read
script to student or use software such as
ReadPlease).
C3 To write texts
Adaptation
Modification
The student MUST have an intervention plan to
go forward with the following modifications
The intervention plan isn’t necessary for the
following adaptations:
- Allow more time to write text (1/3 of the
time)
-
Point out errors to student while he/she is
writing text.
Have a peer write text for student.
Allow student to write a shorter text that
only meets part of the evaluation criteria.
The student MUST have an intervention plan to go
forward with the following adaptations:
-
-
If student is fluent orally, allow to record
text before writing.
Allow student to use word processing
(computer).
Allow student to choose between cursive
and print script.
Allow student to write a shorter text that
meets all of the evaluation criteria.
Allow student to use a computer with
voice recognition (WordQ).
Allow student to use the corrector from
the word processing software.
Maryse Valcourt, Maryse Laliberté, Sonia St-Martin, Julie Martin, Mélanie Bédard & Randy Hamlyn
Remember…
* Flexibility is what you do for the whole class on a daily basis (ex.: letting
students choose between two writing topics, using flashcards.)
*When you adapt, you don’t change the requirements, the difficulty level or the
evaluation criteria for the task.
*When you modify, you change the requirements and you lower the difficulty level
and the evaluation criteria for the task. Therefore, you have to take the modifications
into account when grading the task.
IMPORTANT Italicized text = awaiting confirmation from MELS team
Bibliography
Tardif, M-J., Dussault C., Jalbert J. Guide sur la différenciation pédagogique au
primaire. CSDN 2009-12-22
Wikipedia <www.wikipedia.org>
Canadian Dyslexia Association <http://www.dyslexiaassociation.ca>
Dyspraxia foundation < www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk>
ReadPlease <www.readplease.com>
Maryse Valcourt, Maryse Laliberté, Sonia St-Martin, Julie Martin, Mélanie Bédard & Randy Hamlyn