Horrors of homework for kids with learning difficulties

With a daughter in high school I am now faced with the horrors of homework on a daily basis. It has been without a doubt difficult and stressful. Sometimes, before we even start, the mention of homework causes anxiety to rise. For someone with learning difficulties and slow processing speed saying “finish it for homework” inevitably sets the most homework for the child that is the least capable of getting it done.

In primary school I had an arrangement with teachers that her tutor and I would set her homework. This allowed us the freedom to assess her mental health before attempting any homework and focusing on remediation in areas that she desperately needed. My daughter is absolutely exhausted after a day at school. Homework can be extremely challenging to complete. We still have it in her adjustments that homework is at my discretion. So I decide whether it is worthwhile. Something I can do after working with my daughter for 6 years and as a former high school teacher. Often concepts have to be retaught by me before she can attempt homework as children with learning difficulties need repetition. Often concepts are either not understood or forgotten.

We have attempted most assessment task so far without adjustment but this has taken its toll and the latest extensive assessment task we have asked to be adjusted to meet her learning needs. If a child can not complete an assessment task or homework without significant help than that task needs to be adjusted. Parents you have already been to school and it is not your homework.

Assessment tasks and homework need to be adjusted to meet the learning needs of students with dyslexia. Modifications need to be made in format, content and amount. Failure to adequately adjust homework tasks and assignments may lead to increased stress on the child with dyslexia. This is an important consideration when secondary issues such as low self esteem, anxiety and depression are common. Not making adjustments to homework may see school’s in breach of the DDA and Disability Standards for Education.

Homework needs to be adequately explained to students with dyslexia. Teachers should check that the child understands the task. Organisational and memory difficulties are characteristics of dyslexia. Students should be encouraged to adequately record and keep track of homework through the use of assignment books, homework planners and written or digital calendars. Parents of younger students should be informed of assignments and homework tasks.

“It is generally agreed that teachers should assign homework that takes into account the needs of the students. This is especially the case of children with learning disabilities in mainstream schools. Research has shown that tasks which may be simple for some students may take a student with a learning disability a considerable amount of time to comprehend and complete.” Education and Training Committee, Inquiry into the approaches to homework in Victorian schools (2014)

Priority must be given to the remediation of a student’s weaknesses. This should include focusing on individualised homework set by dyslexia specialists and learning support teachers. The amount of homework set for students with dyslexia or other learning difficulties needs to be set with the consultation of the teacher, parent and student. Students with dyslexia require extra time to complete the same amount of work. Students with dyslexia are often extremely mentally and physically tired at the end of a school day due to the additional cognitive load required to produce the same work as their peers.

It is far more valuable for the student to be given less homework that can be completed well than to burden a student with excessive homework. Consideration must also be given to the fact that students with dyslexia will require assistance from an adult to complete homework thus affecting the harmony of the parent child relationship. Parents with children with dyslexia often report concerns about the anxiety, stress and battles that homework creates in the house.

It is important that homework priority is given to reading for students with dyslexia. Students should read 10 minutes out loud to a parent and 20 minutes of silent reading. Reading should also be modelled to the child by an adult. Daily reading is essential.

“Homework can be effective in supporting learning if it:
-Is varied and differentiated to individual learning needs
-Allows time for family, recreational, community and cultural activities and employment pursuits relevant to the student’s age, development and educational aspirations
-Is balanced across learning areas to avoid stress and overload
-Is achievable and leads to an increase in students’ self-confidence
-Is disassociated from any form of punishing students or a means of discipline
-Refrains from requiring dependence on unreasonable levels of parental assistance or resources that are not readily available to the student (e.g. when assigning homework which may have a computer component, where appropriate a suitable alternative should be made available)”
Tasmanian Department of Education Homework guidelines (2012)

Adjustments need to be made for children with learning difficulties in the setting of homework and assessment tasks. Often even the task itself has such a high literacy requirement that the child may not even understand what they are suppose to do. Homework that is set at a too difficult standard that substantial parental involvement is required not only destroys family harmony but is against the fundamental principle that homework should be a revision of class work. Take some time to adjust or discuss with parents the setting of homework for kids with learning difficulties.

 

 

Phonics Myth Buster 1 “The phonics tests will be too stressful!”

The inspiration for this blog is The President of the Australian Education Union Maurie Mulheron. I was blocked and a number of other dyslexia advocates were also blocked after telling their personal stories on a tweet about the PSC being too stressful for children. I tweeted a number of comments by parent members of Dyslexia Support Australia, with their permission. It was all too confronting I suppose? The overwhelming majority of parents with children with dyslexia in our group found the suggestion that a 40 word check would cause student hardship ludicrous. Because the reality is illiteracy causes far more hardship including children who self harm, talk of suicide, have school refusal, learned helplessness, behaviour difficulties and secondary mental health issues.

Parents and children enter school with the undeniably justified expectation that they will learn to read. My daughter who had loved books from before she could walk or talk went to school with a spring in her step loving the idea that soon she would be able to read books for herself. Day 1 after the term 1 holidays she cried going back to school and I had to peel her from my grasp.

Children require great resilience to resist the impact school failure has upon their self esteem. In school there is such a large importance placed on literacy and children who are failing to grasp the fundamentals of reading are faced all day with work that they can not do, whilst their peers in comparison learn quickly. Eventually a situation of learned helplessness results as the student will no longer even attempt to do something new or something they have failed in the past. They see no point in trying as they are convinced they will fail. Anxiety will increase the impact of dyslexia leading to a vicious cycle of increased anxiety, decreased motivation, frustration and failure.

By half way through year 2 my daughter would vomit before school, have headaches, come home with severe anger and was lost to a world of constant anxiety. She spent months with a psychologist for anxiety. Remediation of her reading by employing a structured literacy tutor was much easier then the learned helplessness, self esteem and anxiety they still persists in high school. Yet she is one of the lucky ones identified early enough and with a parent who could find and pay for evidenced based instruction.

If you are a parent and you think that 40 words read out loud to a teacher one to one is too stressful then maybe you are placing too much pressure upon your child. A year 1 child if not pressured or tutored is unlikely to find reading to the teacher different to any other day.
If you are selfish and think that my child does not need a phonics check because they have no problems than maybe you should consider the impact on society illiteracy causes. We are not just talking about children with dyslexia. We are talking about a large percentage of the population with poor literacy.

If you are a teacher and your students are stressed by reading 40 words to you then you have poorly taught phonics or are way too scary to be teaching infants. Maybe it’s time for a career change or some professional development perhaps.

The Phonics Screening Check is a simple 40 word check where a child sits one to one with their teacher. Failure to identify children at risk of reading failure has serious consequences.

Dyslexia Support Australia Comments about the PSC. Going back and reading these again broke my heart. We need to forget ideologies and listen to the evidence. I know the vast majority went into teaching to help children. So I challenge you to read these comments and not then have a desire to implement a 40 word check.

There were many more….

Parent comments
“Anxiety comes from being underestimated, unsupported and misunderstood, not from a short screening assessment. This screening assessment done in year 1 would have helped everyone to realise then that my daughter is dyslexic and we could have prevented her getting to year 4 and wishing she had never been born as she thought she was so stupid (and everyone at school treated her that way)”

“My child was in grade 1 when he told me he was “starting to feel stupid”. He was feeling stupid because his peers were finding reading much easier than him. The proposed phonics check would have picked up the weaknesses that the existing testing didn’t. Target intervention could have begun much sooner. When we know where the gaps are teaching can be more targeted. Let’s stop waiting for our kids to fail before they are supported.”

“I’d like to think that if my child now 9 had been screened when she started school the anxiety and school refusal that has been a feature of our lives every single school day for the past 3 years might have been avoided and her self esteem might not be so fragile.”

“If we had had that phonics check in year 1 my daughters life would have been completely different. Intervention could have started earlier (rather than year 4). She might not have the low self esteem that she still does today in year 6. We woudln’t be still trying to claw back the 2 years that she is behind.”

“My beautiful, clever, kind and amazing 9 year old dyslexic daughter told me she “wanted to go to a desert island and just die because I’m so dumb…” I knew something was wrong in year 1 when nothing would click with literacy but no one listened until I finally had her assessed myself in year 3…but by this time the anxiety, constant feelings of failure and self doubt have worn her down bit by bit whilst we work so hard to build her back up with love, support and most importantly evidence based instruction. If she had of had this screen in 1st grade and then the appropriate intervention, so much despair and heartache could have been avoided…. please don’t let more children feel like my little girl does. It is so avoidable and almost criminal.”

“I read with my kids every day! So I would have tested 100 percent. It didn’t improve my child’s reading or pick up his dislexia! What rubish. Only phonics tutoring improved his reading and a phobics test would have meant phonics help earlier.”

Specialist tutor comments

“One of my students repeatedly hit his head on a wall while saying ‘I am stupid’ IN YEAR 1. He did not want to go to school and was experiencing massive rages. Consequently his mother found me; after 1.5 years of MSL he now knows he is actually quite bright and is a different child. Thankfully his mother ignored the school who said things along the lines of ‘All in good time…’. He has since been diagnosed with severe dyslexia.”

“I’m an education advisor. Part of my role is take calls from distraught parents about their broken child who struggles with literacy and/or numeracy at school. I also work as a specialist teacher 1:1 with students who often blame themselves for their learning issues. My heart is broken every single day as I know that most of their problems could have been avoided if they had of been properly identified in Year 1 and provided with the appropriate intervention. None of their problems are their own fault… it is the fault of our broken system. Stop the heartache… bring in literacy & numeracy screeners for year 1 & educate our teachers in relation to research & evidence based strategies. Doing this will help all our teachers, our students and our community at large.”

“Every day I work with kids who’ve missed out on an intensive phonics based intervention that could have started immediately after a simple 5 min phonics check with a trusted adult. They wouldn’t now be in year 9 with a reading age of six and feeling ashamed and hopeless.”

“I’m about to graduate as a primary school teacher. I can 100% say that my teacher education course included no information about dyslexia or how to screen for it. There was also no teaching about evidence-based reading instruction through synthetic systemic phonics. I am glad the phonics check is being introduced because without it, I would possibly miss some struggling children who could benefit from explicit phonics instruction (as all children could). I know the pain of this first hand. I first raised concerns about my daughter in kindergarten. A series of very lovely, well-intentioned teachers failed to see the issue. It was only in year 4 that private assessment revealed the extent of her learning issues, including dyslexia. Explicit phonics instruction over the last year has seen her come along in leaps and bounds. It has also cost us $7000.”

“I’m a high school teacher (and mum to a Dyslexic 9 year old). The number of students I’ve taught over the years who clearly have learning disabilities/difficulties (and I suspect many of them, Dyslexia) is phenomenal. Most of them have never been flagged and have nothing in their school records about their learning difficulties. Instead they’re labeled as slow or disruptive or lazy. Many of them are disengaged or struggling with mental health problems. Life would be so much easier for these kids if they were identified early and had the intervention they needed.
As a teacher I laugh when I read comments such as “let the teacher’s just do their jobs”. If we were all doing it properly this wouldn’t be happening.”

Teaching Dyslexia Sorting through the facts

“I havn’t taught a child with Dyslexia before!?”

“Do we still even use the word Dyslexia?!

“Dyslexia doesn’t exist!?”

“We don’t have to provide anything for students with Dyslexia.!?”

Teachers have you said any of these? Thought any of these?

Let’s clear up a few facts.

Yes Dyslexia does exist.

In my experience as a Dyslexia Advocate and admin of Australia’s largest Dyslexia Support group there is nothing and I mean nothing, more upsetting than for a parent to go to a school with a diagnosis in hand and being told Dyslexia does not exist. We have had principals who have ripped up Dyslexia Fact sheets and binned them in front of desperate parents. Let’s approach Dyslexia with a bit of knowledge and some professionalism!

Dyslexia is a neurological disability that affects the language system and the development of literacy skills. It is defined as a specific learning disorder, more specifically a reading disorder. It is characterised by problems with spelling, accurate or fluent word recognition, working memory, processing speed, rapid automatic naming, reading comprehension, phonological decoding and weak phonemic awareness.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology has shown the neurological nature of dyslexia and identifying differences in the brain structure of people with dyslexia. MRI studies have also shown remediation of the brain structure through appropriate intervention.

Yes Dyslexia is a word still used officially as a term.

“The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the handbook used by health care professionals in the United States and much of the world as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders.” American Psychiatric Association (2017). Teachers and health care practitioners are under the misinformed impression that the term dyslexia is no longer used and has been removed from the DSM-5. This is categorically incorrect. The extensive 2013 revision of the DSM has most certainly NOT dropped the term dyslexia but has made the term more formalised as it is specifically stated in the section on specific learning disabilities (disorders).

DSM-5 includes dyslexia as a Specific Reading Disorder – “Dyslexia is an alternative term used to refer to a pattern of learning difficulties characterized by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities.”.(p.67, DSM-5) (APA), 2013

Yes you have taught a child with Dyslexia

Teachers you most certainly have taught a child with Dyslexia before. Because Dyslexia occurs across a continuum and varies in definition the percentage of people affected is often debatable. Some consensus is that it affects around 10% of the population with around 3-5% experiencing a significant impact. Based on statistics you would expect to find 2 to 3 children in every classroom with dyslexia.

Many children are certainly slipping through the net and not being identified, screened or diagnosed. In the early years you might see a child struggling with learning the basics, especially if they have not recieved systematic and explicit literacy instruction. In upper years you might see a child with complicated behaviour and emotional difficulties that has not had the underlying learning difficulty identified. (Please see Fact sheets below for more indicators)

Yes schools have legal obligations

Schools that are not acknowledging dyslexia are failing to adequately meet their legal obligations under the DDA and Disability Standards. Dyslexia is a disability recognised under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 Act. These acts are federal legislation so cover every educational institution in Australia in the public and private sector.

“The definition of ‘disability’ in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) is sufficiently broad as to include dyslexia within the meaning of that term as outlined in recommendation 1. Dyslexia would therefore be covered by the provisions of both the DDA and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 made under that Act. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 clarify the obligations of education and training providers to ensure that students with disability are able to access and participate in education without experiencing discrimination. All Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, as well as all government and non-government education authorities are required by legislation to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005.” Australian Government response to recommendations of the Dyslexia Working Party Report (2012)

“Perhaps the most significant feature of the Education Standards is the introduction of a positive obligation on education providers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities.[355] The Standards also impose an obligation on education providers to consult with affected students or their associates in relation to such adjustments.” Australian Human Rights Commission (2017)

Yes students with Dyslexia should be included in the Nationally Consistent Data Collection on Disabilities

Children with dyslexia are included in a school’s collection of data on disabilities, as dyslexia is covered under the Disability Discrimination Act . Schools should be including children with Dyslexia in the mandatory collection of data and outline the adjustments a child has been provided.

“The final report of the Trial of a model for collecting nationally consistent data on school students with disability (October 2011)1, published by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, officially designates dyslexia as a learning disability under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) with reasonable adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (DSE).”http://www.speldnsw.org.au/images/uploads/Dyslexia_Designated.pdf

Yes it is time all education departments across Australia had a consistent approach to Dyslexia

In Australia the attitude of Education Departments to Dyslexia does vary. Despite the fact that some Education Departments refuse to use the word Dyslexia or mention Specific Learning Disabilites in their policies they must adhere to legislation. Whatever State Departments may say to you every school in every state must meet the legal obligations of the DDA and the Educations Standards. The use of the term Dyslexia has certainly become more formalised in Education Department Documents since I have started advocacy in the space of a few years.

The NSW Educations Standards authority specifically mentions Dyslexia as a disability in the section on Students with Disability.

“Examples of disabilities include:

learning difficulties or disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia.” http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/diversity-in-learning/special-education/students-with-disability

The Queensland Department of Education States “Some examples of learning disability are: specific learning disorder with impairment in reading (dyslexia)” http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/disability/learning-reading-difficulties.html

The Victoria Department of Education and training has a section on Dyslexia specifically stating the term Dyslexia. “Dyslexia is generally described as a language-based difficulty of neurological origin that primarily affects the skills involved in the accurate and fluent reading of words.” http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/reading/pages/understandings.aspx

South Australia Department for Education and Child Development states “Dyslexia is a lifelong learning disability that predominantly affects a child’s ability to learn to read and write. A child with dyslexia will often make slower progress than their peers when learning to read and write, even when teachers provide special assistance.

It is estimated that 1 in 10 members of the population are dyslexic. This means that teachers are likely to have 1-3 children with dyslexia in each class.” https://www.decd.sa.gov.au/supporting-students/dyslexia/dyslexia-support-school

Times have changed but we certainly have a long way to go. We are moving slowly in the right direction. Over a decade ago before I had my children I taught High School for 10 years in NSW in the Public and Catholic system. I never heard the word Dyslexia mentioned once by a parent, teacher or student. Not once. My daughter started High School this year. She has the word Dyslexia specifically written on her adjustments distributed to all her teachers. In the first week a child in her class, when asked to introduce themselves, stood up and said “I have Dyslexia!”. In her group of 3 new friends 2 have Dyslexia. She no longer feels alone. She feels acknowledged and supported.

We need to as parents and teachers work towards the early identificationand early evidence based intervention of all children with Dyslexia. Until that happens I will not stop fighting. Illiteracy causes too much damage and life as a teen is hard enough without feeling stupid and not being able to read. The fallout of illiteracy affects all of society and is unforgivable. The fact remains it is the prime responsibility of schools to teach children to read.

Please see my daughter’s 2016 video entry for the Red letter competition. The Red Pen shows what it is like to be in a classroom with Dyslexia. Watch it to the end. It is a horror story. https://youtu.be/uNDd7u5qG4k

Please see why previous blog The Dirty D word. Should we use the word Dyslexia? https://dekkerdyslexia.wordpress.com/2018/01/27/the-dirty-d-word-2/

Please see teacher Fact sheets for more information on teaching students with Dyslexia.

Teacher Fact Sheet Secondary School https://www.dropbox.com/s/e5qpkfzzs7ln39r/Teacher%20Fact%20Sheet%20Secondary.pdf?dl=0

Teacher Fact Sheet Primary School https://www.dropbox.com/s/5zc3jl1ljwbxkpx/Teacher%20fact%20sheet%20primary.pdf?dl=0

Please see Dyslexia and the Law Fact Sheet https://www.dropbox.com/s/1sci4cews929j57/Dyslexia%20and%20the%20law%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf?dl=0

For more info DSM-5 and Dyslexia
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t9du5r1mm371wyt/Diagnostic%20and%20Statistical%20Manual%20of%20Mental%20Disorders%20DSM-5%20and%20dyslexia%20fact%20sheet.pdf?dl=0

References

Australian Government response to recommendations of the Dyslexia Working Party Report ‘Helping people with dyslexia: a national action agenda’. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan 17, 2017, from http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/09_2012/response_to_dyslexia_working_party_report_online_version.doc#_Toc331669022

Australian Human Rights Commission, Federal Discrimination Law: Chapter 5 The Disability Discrimination Act https://www.humanrights.gov.au/federal-discrimination-law-chapter-5-disability-discrimination-act#5_2_5b

Disability Discrimination Act 1992. No. 135, 1992. Compilation No. 31. 1 July 2016. Act No. 164, 2015. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 1 April, 2017, from https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00763

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2017, from http://www.ddaedustandards.info/obligation-to-make-reasonable-adjustments

DSM-5: Frequenlty Asked Questions. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2017, from https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/feedback-and-questions/frequently-asked-questions

Identifying Student Requirements and Making Reasonable Adjustments. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2017, from http://www.adcet.edu.au/inclusive-teaching/working-with-students/making-reasonable-adjustments/

My Red Letter competition 2017 – My daughter’s hero Jackie French

Before I found out that I was dyslexic I thought I was dumb, stupid and not capable of doing anything. I couldn’t read and I couldn’t write. At lunch times I used to tell my friends amazing stories about times past, portals, dragon attacks and other worlds. I have always loved books but I couldn’t read them. I thought I would never be able to go on the adventures that paper and ink holds.

When I was 8 I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Mum kept telling me stories about people with dyslexia and how they achieved. One night she read to me Jackie French’s story about her childhood and her first book. Jackie and all the other famous dyslexic authors gave me back the belief in myself. I now believe I can be an author. I now believe I can do anything if I try.

Jackie has also helped a lot of kids find the key to the door of the world of books. Mum says she does a lot for the dyslexic community.

With the help of my tutor Victoria, I have learnt to read and write. My spelling is about as good as Jackie’s! Mum is always telling me to get off the iPad. But when she tells me to put down my book for dinner she says it with a smile as she could have never imagined I would be so obsessed with books. I am no longer afraid of books. I now write my own. Now I can share my stories on paper for everybody to read.

Here is Chapter One of the book I am writing called The Four Of Planet Earth! One my main characters is dyslexic.

Ben got out of bed to the sound of his alarm clock. He ran down the stairs and put some bread in the toaster.

“Hey,” his older brother John said, “what are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Ben said. “I’ve got exams today. I hate exams!” Ben subconsciously tapped repeatedly on the bench.

“Breakfast,” Ben’s mum said happily, calling from the Kitchen. “Chocolate chip pancakes for all.” Mum scooped the pancakes onto three plates. “Ben you look ill.”

“I’m fine,” Ben said quickly, “I just had a late night.” Ben didn’t feel alright. He had that horrible feeling in his stomach.

Ben grabbed his school bag and walked out the door.

“Hey! Hi!” said his best friend Richard as he waved to him. They always walked to school together since they were eight years old.

Richard’s hair was black and springy, no matter how hard he tried, his hair would always stick up. His uniform was perfect cause his mum always did his tie and dusted his pants. He was great at bike riding.

“Ready for exams?” Richard asked

“No.” Ben admitted, he tried to stay positive as they walked to school. They walked down the corridor to their lockers were and Ben opened it up. A water balloon popped in his face.

“It works every time,” said a familiar voice.

“Annie,” Ben sighed.

“Hi,” said Annie as Ben turned around.

Annie’s hair was brown, messy and it stuck up in every direction. Annie’s eyes were ocean blue and her uniform was messy. Instead of a skirt Annie wore pants and her tie was loose. She was an excellent swimmer and she loved art.

“Where’s Tilly?” Ben asked

“preparing for the test,” Annie said.

Ding ding the bell went.

“We better get to class,” Richard said. Ben sat down at his seat, his hands trembled.

“Hey there shaky boy,” said an unfriendly voice.

“I’m just a bit nervous that’s all,”Ben stuttered.

“Oo I’m just a bit nervous.” The voice teased.

“Leave him alone Steven,” Richard said backing Ben up. Steven walked away.

“Thanks.” Ben said.

“Don’t mention it,” Richard replied.

“Ok guys what happens if l go at the bottom of the class?” Asked a voice behind Ben.

“You need to calm down Matilda, Annie’s at the bottom of the class,” said Richard

“I can’t help that I’m dyslexic,”Annie complained. “I’m going to get a drink from the bubblers.” Annie ran out of the classroom.

“Ok I’m fine.” Matilda said taking a deep breath. Matilda’s hair was bright red, she had plaited pigtails and she wore thick lens glasses with a purple frame. Her uniform was even neater than Richard’s, which was almost not possible. Her tie was always straight and her skirt had no creases. Her tights had no holes, she was amazingly smart, she new every thing.

“Sit down every one!” Yelled Mrs Mater “Miss Caper please hand everyone a test paper.”

“Yes Mrs Mater,” Matilda squeaked.

Matilda handed Ben a test paper. Ben gulped.  Then he heard lots of  screams. People ran down the hallway. “Quickly close the door.” yelled Mrs Mater about 5 seconds later a flood of water rushed past.

None of the kids in the school got Hurt. Annie ran up to them, “Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god,” Annie said.

“Where were you?” Ben asked.

“Like I said at the bubblers,” Annie answered. “I ran up to it, there was this rumbling sound and splash a hole gush of water came out.” Annie exclaimed.

“And you didn’t get taken out by it?” Matilda asked.

“What?” Annie cried.

“You didn’t get taken out by it?” Matilda asked again a little louder.

“No it just rushed past me,” Annie yelled frustratingly even louder than Matilda.

“Wow that’s really cool!” Richard exclaimed.

“No it’s not, I think I’ve gone mad.” Annie cried.

“That’s the the most likely cause,” Richard said calmly.

“Oi! You would have freaked out too,” Annie complained, “No way! It’s fine, you haven’t gone mad,” Matilda said.

My daughter is 12 and she finished writing her book over the school holidays. 12000 words. She still has to edit it which will be a learning process with her tutor. Like any good writer she is avoiding the editing stage! She has enjoyed writing it immensely. Only her sister has heard the full story so far. Her sister demands chapters to be read to her!

Click here to read about the My Red Letter Campaigns.

http://www.myredletter.com.au

The Reasonableness of Reasonable Adjustments!

• Reasonable adjustments are not cheating.
• Reasonable adjustments are not so a child can avoid work.
• Reasonable adjustments are not unfair to other students.
• Reasonable adjustments are not rocket science.

Reasonable adjustments are essential for students who can not complete class work at a level expected in the classroom. Schools are most certainly legally obliged to implement any adjustment for a child with dyslexia that is deemed “reasonable.” Reasonable adjustments should be adjusted over time and individualised for the student with consultation of parent, guardian and/or student.

Reasonable adjustments are a legal right under the DDA and The Disability Standards for Education. Students, parents and professionals all have a right to be involved in the process of determination of reasonable adjustments. “An ‘adjustment’ is a measure or action taken to assist a student with disability to participate in education and training on the same basis as other students. “Student Diversity.” Student Diversity – Students with Disability – The Australian Curriculum V8.3. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.

“Perhaps the most significant feature of the Education Standards is the introduction of a positive obligation on education providers to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities.[355] The Standards also impose an obligation on education providers to consult with affected students or their associates in relation to such adjustments.[356]” Admin. “Federal Discrimination Law: Chapter 5 The Disability Discrimination Act.” Admin. 16 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2017

• You should not except a school’s decision that a request is not reasonable.
• You should not accept a schools insistance that Dyslexia is not covered by the DDA and Education Act.
• Many schools are not aware of their legal obligations under the Acts and they should be!

Dyslexia is a disability recognised under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 Act. These acts are federal legislation so cover every educational institution in Australia in the public and private sector. The DDA also covers discrimination of the basis of disability in all areas of Australian life including the workplace.
Disability Discrimination act 1992

“disability, in relation to a person, means:
(f) a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction;
Disability Discrimination Act 1992

You can seek further clarification with the Department of Education, Human Rights Commission or Anti-discrimation organisation in your state.

“To determine if an adjustment is reasonable an education provider must properly consider:

• The barriers, needs or challenges confronting a student with a particular disability
• The views of the student or their associate
• Whether the academic standards or essential requirements of an educational course are affected by the adjustment
• What benefits or disadvantages the adjustment might have on other people affected by it
• The costs and benefits of making the adjustment”
  National Disability Coordination Officer Programme, Disability Standards for Education (2005) https://www.ddaedustandards.info/dda-edu/obligation-to-make-reasonable-adjustments.htm

 

Further information on adjustments to the Australian Curriculum can be found at
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/StudentDiversity/Pdf/StudentDiversity

Each child will have different needs in the classroom. Adjustments will change as a child moves through the school system and with remediation. Adjustments are not a substitute for good quality instruction but are essential to enable a student to access the curriculum whilst remediation is being undertaken. Adjustments are even more essential when a child is well behind their peers in Secondary School where the gap has become quite significant.

Examples of possible adjustments to learning

Reading

• Only ask the student to read aloud if student is comfortable.
• Allow use of audio books.
• Allow use of assistive technology such as c-pen and text to speech software.
• Limit amount of reading.
• Provide outlines, summaries, vocabulary words and preview questions.
• Provide texts appropriate to reading age of student.

Spelling

• Provide digital dictionary
• Teach the rules and structure of the English Language.
• Provide word banks.
• Do not focus on the marking spelling unless it is the goal of the task.
• Allow use of assistive technology such as predictive spelling and specialised programs.

Writing

• Allow use of assistive technology such as snaptype, screen shots, predictive spelling and word processor.
• Allow extra time to complete tasks.
• Do not expect large amounts of writing.
• Avoid copying notes from the board.
• Give student opportunities to express knowledge verbally.
• Give student scaffolds, graphic organisers and writing frames.
• Teach explicitly sentence and paragraph structure.

Organisation and memory

• Break large tasks into steps.
• Make instructions short, simple and clear.
• Ask children to repeat instructions back to make sure they have understood.
• Clarify and simplify directions.
• Use visual aids.
• Make allowances for poor memory in terms of handing in notes and in general school organisation.
• Sit student with a peer helper.
• Simplify worksheet design.
• Email parent important information, homework and assessment tasks.

 

See Dyslexia and the Law Fact Sheet link which outlines the education act and Disability Discrimination act and how they apply to Dyslexia and reasonable adjustments. https://www.dropbox.com/s/1sci4cews929j57/Dyslexia%20and%20the%20law%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf?dl=0