Dyslexia

What are the strengths and difficulties experienced by students with dyslexia?

Strengths	Students with dyslexia may have difficulty with.....
Average to above average intelligence	Delayed language development
Creative and strong verbal skills	Learning letters and their sounds (blending and segmenting)
Logical thinker	Organizing written and spoken language
Can easily grasp new concepts when presented orally	Difficulty memorizing and recalling facts
Excellent oral comprehension	Reading quickly enough to comprehend
Artistic or musical	Reading with fluency and automaticity
Solves puzzles and work in 3D	Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments
Technological	Spelling
Athletic	Copying words with accuracy
Inclination to think outside of the box	Correctly solving math operations
Understands abstract ideas	Weak decoding skills; slowness in figuring out multi-syllabic words

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia. A f-MRI (functional MRI) is the only way to definitively diagnose dyslexia.  However, dyslexia screeners in reading, language, and writing skills can highlight specific characteristics of dyslexia a student might be experiencing.

What type of reading instruction best serves students with dyslexia?

As students with dyslexia have difficulty with phonological processing and word recognition, effective reading instruction should include

explicit, systematic, cumulative and multi-sensory instruction in:

·      Phonology

·      Sound/Symbol Association

·      Syllable Instruction

·      Morphology

·      Semantics

·      Syntax

Students often  also need explicit instruction in vocabulary and comprehension. 

For more information:  http://eida.org/effective-reading-instruction/

What are some classroom accommodations and supports that can be provided to students with dyslexia?  (as recommended by the Alabama State Dept. of Education)

Accommodations Involving Interactive Instruction

• use explicit teaching procedures
• repeat directions and clarify written instructions
• establish and maintain daily routines
• provide copies of lecture notes
• provide students with graphic organizers
• use step by step instructions
• identify key points or words
• use mnemonic instruction
• emphasize daily reveiw
• make instruction as multi-sensory as possible (involving at least 3 senses)

Accommodations Involving Student Performance

• encourage use of graphic organizers
• place student close to teacher and away from distractions, when possible
• reduce student hand-copying of information
• uses cues to denote important items
• display models of expected student work for projects
• use flexible work times and adjusted assignments, as needed
• encourage note-sharing
• provide additional practice
• arrange handout information from easiest to hardest, when possible

Accommodations Involving Materials

• use technology, such as Chromebooks, particularly its text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities
• present a small amount of work at a time
• highlight essential informaiton
• help student locate place in consumable material
• provide additional practice activities
• provide a glossary in content areas
• develop reading guides that emphasize key details and help students determine important information
• allow use of instructional aids (spell checker and Google Calendar, for example)
• some students read better with a light blue, yellow, or green colored background on their Chromebook. Th3 color may help to stabilize the images (words) being processed by the brain.

Talking to Your Child about Dyslexia--A Q&A

What does dyslexia mean?

Dyslexia is a scientific word that means, "trouble with words."  It means your brain is wired in a way that makes it harder to connect sounds and letters for reading and spelling.

Can you cure dyslexia?

No, dyslexia is not a disease, and you can't cure it.  You have it your whole life, but you can learn ways to overcome it.

Does dyslexia mean I am dumb?

No, people with dyslexia are just as smart as everyone else, and many successful people have dyslexia.

Is it ever too late to get help for dyslexia?

No, dyslexic readers can be taught strategies that can be applied throughout their lifetime.  Programs involving multi-sensory strutured language techniques have been shown to help adults as well as children.  Early intervention is better,m but intervention at any time can be effective.

Where can I find additional information about dyslexia?

International Dyslexia Association (IDA): http://www.interdys.org

Dyslexia in the Classroom: What Every Teacher Needs to Know:

https://app.box.com/s/fsxvph0hmseucs0we0jpix1c3qhjo95v

All Kinds of Minds: Understanding Differences in Learning: http://www.allkindsofminds.org

Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD): http://www.cldinternational.org

Learning Ally:  http://www.learningally.org-

Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA): www.LDAAmerica.org

LD Online:  www.ldonline.org

University of Michigan Dyslexia Help:

https://app.box.com/s/fsxvph0hmseucs0we0jpix1c3qhjo95v

Signs and Symptoms:

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/dyslexia-what-youre-seeing

Reading Remedy: http://www.reading-remedy.com/dyslexiawarningsigns.html

Advantanges: http://www.mariannesunderland.com/2012/08/13/10-little-known-advantages-of-dyslexica/

The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity http://dyslexia.yale.edu/Technology.html

"Would you like paper or plasma? That's the question book lovers face now that e-reading has gone mainstream. And, as it turns out, our brains process digital reading very differently."  -Raphael

The line above is a quote from an article on the Public Radio International website (PRI.org). With the movement of "one to one" initiatives, technology in the classroom, and standardized assessments on the computer one must ask themselves is there a difference? 

According to this article, the more we read from a screen the less we use our "deep reading" part of our brains. To access this area, we must read from paper daily. Instructionally thinking, teachers need to make sure there is a balance between integration of technology and the good ol' fashion book and paper approach. 

Read on to find out more behind this research: 
Your paper brain and your Kindle brain...

 "If (7th and 8th grade) teachers, and those who follow, were to require that kind of work 1-2 days per week through 12^th grade, these kids would have 500-1000 pages of pre-college reading experience in those technical subjects alone... "  -Dr. Shanahan

Are we preparing our college bound students for success? The following article touches on why our Literacy Standards across all content areas are so crucial to student success in school and beyond. 

Here is the link to the blog:
Is it fair to expect college bound students to read?

Computer Technology for Students Struggling with Handwriting Skills

Read about computer technology that reads text out loud.

 

 

 

Click here to read article:

http://studyingwithdyslexia.blogspot.com/2015/12/how-to-write-confidently-with-dyslexia.html

What's Going On Inside A Dyslexic Student's Brain?

There’s no such thing as a “normal brain.” In fact, there’s a lot of diversity in how different brains process information — a challenge for educators tasked with teaching a diverse group of learners. Dyslexia is a common variation that affects how kids read, but what’s really going inside the brain of someone affected by it? Kelli Sandman-Hurley’s TED-Ed video explains. 

https://youtu.be/zafiGBrFkRM


http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/11/whats-going-on-inside-a-dyslexic-students-brain/

The Six Syllable Types

In English there are 15 vowel phonemes (sounds) but only 5 vowel letters.

 (Okay–7 if you count <y> and <w>). But how does that work– with twice as many vowel sounds to represent as there are letters to represent them!?

For his 1806 dictionary, Daniel Webster figured it out (and changed the spelling of some words to make it work more consistently).  Basically, context predicts the vowel’s letter-sound association.
The syllable type is largely determined by what comes after the vowel in the syllable.  In phonetically regular words, the sound of the vowel is predicted by its syllable type.  More than 90% of English words follow the six-syllable type sound-spelling pattern.
But note this important caveat:  The English language freely absorbs words from other languages, and words with origins other than English do not necessarily follow the syllable types patterns.  Even so, the majority of commonly-used English words follow this pattern,  so it is definitely worth learning the six syllable types.
While the fluent use of these patterns for reading and spelling will require an ongoing commitment to word study, a habit of word analysis will pay enormous dividends in terms of improved spelling and reading and vocabulary growth!

Follow the link to see the 6 syllable types: http://www.lexercise.com/blog

 

 

 

 

Learning Labs at Scottsboro Junior High

“It is virtually impossible to create and sustain over time conditions for productive learning for students when they do not exist for teachers” (pg. 145). Seymour Sarason (1990) from The Predictable Failure of Educational Reform.

This year, Scottsboro Junior High (SJH) has taken on a new positive challenge—Learning Labs. They are using Learning Labs and Lesson Studies to make informed decisions concerning student learning. This in-house professional development model incorporates “learning by doing,” student evidence, and teacher collaboration among the participants.

Their first round with the labs were hosted by two math teachers with a focus on outcome mastery as well as student engagement. The learning lab committee consisted of various content specific teachers (history, ELA, science) and a special education teacher. The student evidence collected was very eye opening. It was also amazing how every teacher involved took something back no matter their content area. This “productive learning” opportunity is proving to be very impactful on our ultimate goal—student achievement.

Here are some guiding principles and pictures of our work:

Guiding Principles for Student-Centered Collaboration

• It’s about student learning.

• Student evidence always informs instructional planning.

• Norms are set and participants are held accountable to the norms.

• Protocols provide a clear structure for the meeting time.

• Ownership is shared among group members.

Think before you test. Are you testing to test? Students have the right to learn, not just to get a grade. Are you using the data for learning and for changing instructional practices?
Love these Student Bill of Assessment Rights!! Your thoughts?

Learning Doesn't Happen Because Something is Taught

"If we are simply covering the curriculum, or letting textbooks or vendor products divine our practice, how do we really know that students have learned what we intended for them to learn?"
-- Michael Fisher

"Something is not taught, until it is learned." 
-- Dr. Katherine Mitchell

It's that time again!  Feverishly working in classrooms, trips to school supply stores, eraser crumbs on our calendars, and of course regular trips to the Keurig.  However, no matter the time of day, our thoughts are on what matters most...the students that are now sitting in our classrooms.  With this in mind, we shift our attention to a critical question.  How do we begin planning for instruction?  It goes without saying that we begin with data and the support of our peers in that analysis.  Then it gets messy.  We are then faced with what often times is a very tumultuous ordeal, navigating our curriculum.  Michael Fisher (author, educational consultant and instructional coach) offers some valuable insight into the common trap of "covering" the curriculum vs. "uncovering" the curriculum.  He shares some background connected to his field experience in New York state along with 6 conclusions that will hopefully provide some new thinking as we begin the planning process in our schools.

Covering the Curriculum

      

Ala. Reading Intervention Stands Test of Time

                                              

CHAT (Live)

How Alabama Coaches Up 

Early-Grades Reading Instruction

Sponsored by:

Tuesday, May 26, 2015, 2 to 3 p.m. ET

http://www.edweek.org/ew/events/chats/2015/05/26/chat-how-alabama-coaches-up-early-grades-reading.html
Panelists for today's chat:
Building Coaches: Christy Mathews and Daphne McClendon
Alabama Reading Initiative's Regional Coach, Tim Cobb   

Article    By Stephen Sawchuk 

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/05/13/ala-reading-intervention-stands-test-of-time.html 

Kindergartners Jaylen Rivers, Jalisha Lee, and KenmaJ Shell, left to right, practice literacy skills with their teacher, Diane Daniel, at Southside Primary School in Selma, Ala. Educators credit teacher professional development for the state’s reading gains. —Julie Bennett for Education Week

"Alabama has made a huge commitment to literacy, and we feel that we've gotten a return on our investment," said Judy Stone, an Alabama education department official who serves as the state's ARI coordinator.

“So what should we say when children complete a task—say, math problems—quickly and perfectly? Should we deny them the praise they have earned? Yes. When this happens, I say, “Whoops. I guess that was too easy. I apologize for wasting your time. Let’s do something you can really learn from!”
― Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Having a 2-year-old is not only fun, but mind-blowing at the same time.  I find myself thinking about what lies ahead for him; the obstacles he faces, the successes he will feel in all parts of his life, friendships that will come and go, etc.  It's at these times that I also reflect on my experiences from the classroom and wonder whether I truly motivated my students to learn or if I rather gave them false hope without even knowing.  I now find myself searching for a balance between being a father and being an educator.  In my son's life, I want to do whatever it takes to motivate and challenge his cognitive growth in the years to come.  The following article delves into four essential qualities connected to student motivation (autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance).  I hope that you find it as informative and compelling as I did.  Without question, I now have a broader view of what to consider moving forward as a father and an educator! 

 

Strategies for Helping Students Motivate Themselves

The Role of Automaticity in Reading and Test Taking

The discussion of fluency instruction is nothing new in the elementary world, but lately middle and high school teachers are beginning to see the benefit of a fluency awareness at this level as well!

In a webinar by Dr. Timothy Rasinski, a well-known expert in this field, he begins to lay out the importance of focusing not just on the idea of fluent reading, but more importantly on automaticity.  He stated that:

• ·      67% of students who perform poorly on state mandated high stakes reading comprehension test exhibit difficulty in reading fluency (specifically word recognition which equals automaticity).
• ·      25% of the variance in silent reading comprehension on a state assessment given through sixth grade attributed to fluency (word recognition/automaticity).
• ·      25% of young adults lack basic literacy skills required to get a job.

Could a lot of this be prevented from a more focused instruction in word recognition and automaticity? Dr. Rasinski suggests providing students with “guided wide reading” as well as “guided deep reading”. To best develop automaticity a student must experience “intensive, wide and deep, guided and targeted instruction and practice.” Students at all levels must be able to read text in a reasonable amount of time and fully understand what they have read. This impacts a student’s development as a reader as well as their ability to complete high stakes assessments in the mandated time frame. To learn more about this follow the link to the free webinar and article.

Free webinar at http://www.scilearn.com/blog/tim-rasinski-reading-fluency

Wiesen, N. (2013, April 23). Why Dr. Timothy Rasinski Thinks Reading Fluency Should Be "HOT!" Retrieved March 27, 2015, from http://www.scilearn.com/blog/tim-rasinski-reading-fluency

Review: Concepts & Tools to Develop a Collegial, Credible, Student-Centered Coaching Cycle

 Reviewed by Janet Kaylor

Professional reading has always been the investment I make in myself to stay on top of my practice as a reading specialist, instructional coach, team member, and leader. Fortunately, my spouse merely smiles when I hand him my personal work expenditures (the professional book bill) at tax season. And since it is an investment in my work with districts, leaders, teachers and students, I want to get the most out of any book I read professionally.

Student-Centered Coaching: A Guide to K-8 Coaches and Principals (2011) by Diane Sweeney was an impulse purchase. The draw for me was strictly the title, “student-centered.” (Read Sweeney's introduction.) As always, I made sure to read this informational text with these three questions foremost:

1. What will I learn and be able to do after reading this book?

2. What logistical considerations in this book will help me apply new learning to my practice?

3. What potential does this book have for impacting the longevity of my work?

With these questions in mind, I want to share some highlights from my learning.

Do you want to read more?  The full review can be found on the Alabama Best Practices Center Blog.
http://www.bestpracticescenter.org/blog/review-concepts-tools-to-develop-a-collegial-credible-student-centered-coaching-cycle/

The 8 Minutes that Matter Most

Some recent coaching conversations sparked my interest in looking deeper into designing effective lessons.  We all have separate tools we use, various ways to prepare, an almost innate systematic approach, etc. when it comes to lesson planning.  So in my 'web' travels I stumbled upon an article written by Brian Sztabnik, an ELA teacher from New York.  His take on what matters most really sparked some connections to what I've experienced when planning for standards based instruction, both past and present.  Below is an excerpt and link to the article.

"If we fail to engage students at the start, we may never get them back. If we don't know the end result, we risk moving haphazardly from one activity to the next. Every moment in a lesson plan should tell. The eight minutes that matter most are the beginning and endings. If a lesson does not start off strong by activating prior knowledge, creating anticipation, or establishing goals, student interest wanes, and you have to do some heavy lifting to get them back. If it fails to check for understanding, you will never know if the lesson's goal was attained."


The 8 Minutes that Matter Most -- 8 Ways to Make it Magical

The Ultimate Goal

The ultimate goal of reading is comprehending or understanding the text. Teachers are always trying to support students with “fix-up” strategies like “re-read”. But, do our students truly understand what to do when they are merely told to “re-read” it?

These strategies have to be taught in connection with thinking strategies. It is not only the act of re-reading, but what are we actually expecting them to think and do when they reread the text?

The link below leads to a blog that goes in-depth with the importance of sharing our thinking with our student so that they can better understand what these “strategies” really look like, feel like, sound like, and think like!

“Maybe we don’t understand what readers really do - and why it matters”

This blog shares great examples, like the one below, that help us better understand why the students are still struggling.

Lexile Levels, Readability, Text Complexity?

The College and Career Ready Standards are designed to increase rigor for the students of Alabama through the use of complex text.  Educators and parents would gain a greater understanding of rigor and how to help their children grapple with elevated learning expectations by gaining more knowledge about Lexile Levels and text complexity. Learn more about how they work together to build a better reader:• https://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/grade-equivalent/grade-equivalent-chart/• https://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/grade-equivalent/downloadable-pdfs/• http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/55202• http://reading.org/General/Publications/Books/BK478.aspx