Dyslexia Assessment
Joyce Fullarton
Psychological Service
British Psychological Society
Working Definition
• “Dyslexia is evident when accurate and
fluent word reading and/or spelling
develops very incompletely or with great
difficulty. This focuses on literacy
learning at the ‘word level’ and implies
that the problem is severe and
persistent despite appropriate learning
opportunities. It provides the basis
for a staged process of assessment
through teaching.”
Defining ‘dyslexia’
Definition
• Specific learning difficulties can be
identified as distinctive patterns of
difficulties relating to the processing of
information within a continuum from very
mild to extremely severe which result in
restrictions in literacy development and
discrepancies in performance within the
curriculum.
(Reid, 1996)
Terminology
• Concept of ‘diagnosis’ flawed. We now
state that we ‘identify’ dyslexia
• Better to refer to a ‘learning
difference’ or ‘learning needs’.
• Teachers assess strengths, learning
style and areas in which teaching
style may need to be adapted or
additional support may be required
ER Dyslexia Guidelines
• Guidelines adhere to the above definitions
• Assessment should be contextual and
completed over a period of time
• Assessment embedded within ER STINT
system
• School make considered assessment
• Psychologist involved on a consultative
basis in most cases
ER Dyslexia Guidelines
• Assessment should include:
-A balance between child factors and
environmental factors
-Assessment of learning style
-Assessment of the learning environment
-Assessment of the learner’s perspective
-The perspectives of parents and carers
-Views of relevant professionals
-Compilation of assessment profile
ER Guidelines: Role of the
Dyslexia Advisor
• Support class teacher in terms of
identifying literacy difficulties
• Support class teachers to differentiate
curriculum
• Provide additional support to individuals of
groups as appropriate
• Support teachers with preparation of IEPs
where appropriate
Braidbar Primary Dyslexia
Assessment Protocol
1)
2)
Early comprehensive screening in P2
Screening involves class teacher(s) dyslexia advisor
School management and psychologist
3) STINT agreed
4) School complete further assessment on identified
pupils
5) Further discussion with psychologist
6) Parents invited to attend feedback meeting
** If there is uncertainty or if it is felt that there may
be more complex difficulties it may be decided that
the EP will undertake further assessment
Reading
Indicators
(but depends on age and stage)
• Difficulty learning the connection between sounds and
letters
• Difficulty separating words into sounds and blending
• Difficulty decoding words
• Misses sounds out
• Reads slowly
• Reading by memory
• Word substitutions (e.g. horse for home)
• Confusion of similar looking words and sounds (e.g. d
for b)
• Transposals E.g. tip for pit
• Poor directionality (e.g. difficulty moving from left to
right, misses out lines )
Writing Indicators
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Delay in learning to write
Poor spelling
Limited written output
Transposition of words and letters (e.g. tip for pit)
Reversals and inversions of letters (m for w, d for b)
Mixing upper and lower case letters
Badly or wrongly formed letters
Difficulty copying from the board
Disorganised sequencing in a story
Confusion over punctuation and grammar
Language
• Poor phonological awareness
• Speech sound difficulties (present or in
past)
• Sequencing difficulties (difficulty
following a sequence of instructions,
days of week, months of year)
• Word finding difficulties
Associated difficulties
• Visual stress/Meres-Irlen
• Memory difficulties
• Difficulty with maths (e.g. difficulty
decoding mathematical symbols, difficulty
with working memory affects mental
maths ability, long term memory difficulty
affects learning of multiplication tables,
difficulty reading language embedded
within maths activities)
• Difficulties with motor coordination
Discussion