Chapter 1: Introduction.

This is an independent, empirical study which addresses the issue of dyslexia within the

primary school. The Task Group Report (2002) states that; “an accurate indication of the

prevalence of dyslexia is extremely difficult to ascertain due to a variety of factors.”

These include such things as variations in definitions; the fact that dyslexia can occur

with a range of other disorders and that common usage of the term is often used without

any clear understanding. Therefore it was of interest to the researcher to gain an

awareness of teachers’ attitudes towards identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with

dyslexia.

The research questions for the study are;

1. What difficulties does a pupil with dyslexia exhibit in the classroom?

2. What teaching strategies are used by teachers to enable a pupil with dyslexia to

learn?

3. What training do teachers receive in order to help them deal with a pupil with

dyslexia?

An understanding of these areas will provide an insight into how dyslexia is addressed in

the primary school and if it follows the guidance given in relevant literature. To gain an

understanding of these areas both quantitative and qualitative methods for gathering data

will be employed.

The project is a small scale study and due to time restrictions the study is limited to one

school, and allows for a maximum of two methods of data collection.

The study is divided into five chapters:

• The introduction.

• Literature review- critically analyses relevant literature focussing strongly on the

research questions for the study.

• Methodology- an outline of how the study was conducted and discusses the

research methods employed.

1

• The results and analysis- presents research data collected, discusses and analyses

the findings with reference to the findings in the literature review.

• Conclusion- brings the study together, summarising findings and states potential

for further research.

To conform to ethics the primary school and teaching staff who participated in the study

will remain anonymous.

2

Chapter 2: Literature Review.

The term ‘Dyslexia’ is not new; however, (Poole, 2010) makes us aware that there is a

debate concerning the nature and even existence of dyslexia as a form of learning

disability.

‘Dyslexia’ is derived from the Greek language. ‘Dys’ means difficulty, and ‘lexis’ means

language. Dyslexia can literally be translated as ‘difficulty with words.’ It implies that the

problem is not simply with reading which was once a perception, but includes spelling,

writing and other aspects of language. Ott (1997, p.1)

(Cosh, 2011) states that an estimated 15% of children may have dyslexia. Years ago the

figures given were less- not because there were fewer cases of dyslexia but because

slowly understanding and acknowledgement of dyslexia has improved.

Dyslexia can be characterised at behavioural, cognitive and biological levels. (DENI,

2002) states that, the behavioural level deals with the “symptoms”, the cognitive level

deals with the processes underlying the observed deficits and the biological level seeks to

identify the processes within the brain.

There is a wide range of difficulties presented by pupils with dyslexia; difficulties vary in

degree from mild to severe. Dyslexia is typically described by (DENI, 2002) as

inefficient information processing, including difficulties in phonological processing,

working memory and automaticity of basic skills. The main educational effects of

dyslexia may appear in Literacy and Numeracy.

Difficulties with reading are often the first point at which a child is recognised as having

particular needs in learning. Intellectual grasp of facts, logic, reasoning, imagination and

lateral thinking may be present, though the child seems unable to cope adequately with

the written word. Pollock et al. (2004, p.52) states that reading difficulties may manifest

themselves initially with the mechanics of reading but even if these are mastered there

may be problems with comprehension. Literacy skills require good visual recall of words,

good phonological skills and kinaesthetic strengths. These skills make for fluency in

3

spelling and handwriting. A teacher should be alerted to a child with dyslexia if problems

arise, either by spelling being totally bizarre or purely phonic. Many of these mistakes are

common in the writing of young children but normally disappear at 7-8 years old.

However this does not happen in the case of a pupil with dyslexia, mistakes will continue

in their work. As (Exley, 2003) has indicated, “Spelling in fact poses the greater problem

for dyslexic children, and this difficulty can continue long after the reading difficulty has

been improved.” Children with dyslexia may also experience difficulties with

handwriting, for neurological reasons pupils may find difficulty in manipulating the

pencil.

Traditionally, dyslexia has focused very much on literacy however for some people with

dyslexia, difficulties also transfer into mathematics. (Joffe, 1981), suggests that about

60% of dyslexics have some difficulty with maths. Ott (1997, p.140) highlights that;

people with dyslexia appear to have difficulties with operations which involve short term

memory, sequencing, directional awareness and language aspects of mathematics. Maths

has it own language and this can be the root of many problems. General mathematical

terminology may be unfamiliar as they are not used in other contexts, however, some

mathematical words have other everyday meanings, and this can cause further confusion.

The four core mathematical symbols can also cause problems, the symbol/language

connection may account for the fact that some pupils with dyslexia find algebra terribly

confusing.

Despite these difficulties it must be remembered that most people with dyslexia are

motivated to succeed academically, as a result early identification and intervention are

crucial. Pollock et al. (2004, p.1) states that “Dyslexia should be seen as a different

learning ability rather than as a disability. It only becomes a disability if it goes

unrecognised and the teaching is inappropriate.”

(Miles 1990, cited in Ott, 1997) states that, the presence of dyslexia will be obvious to

anyone with appropriate experience, whatever their qualifications. (DENI, 2002)

highlights that formal diagnosis of dyslexia at an early age would be inappropriate,

however, certain difficulties can be observed and responded to long before the diagnosis

can be appropriately applied. This early identification enables the teacher to use

4

appropriate methods of teaching, preventing the self-perpetuating chain of failure and

frustration that can occur. Interventions should include whole school policies, within-

class approaches and individual interventions, as well as external support through the

ELB Services.

Targeted support needs to be put in place when needs are identified and not follow the

‘wait to fail’ model. Everybody has an individual learning style, understanding how they

learn best, and being flexible to adapt teaching approaches, are vital factors in enabling

pupils with dyslexia to learn. (Chasty, cited in Chinn & Ashcroft, 1999) importantly

states, “If a child does not learn the way you teach then teach the way he learns.”

Much of what teachers do is common to good educational practice, the difference in a

child with dyslexia lies in the need for extra intensity at the point of teaching, for greater

structure to help them learn, for more support while they practice and for explicit

instruction throughout.

(Mac Kay 2006) highlights how the working environment can be the ‘make or break’ for

a pupil with dyslexia. If the classroom environment works against them, they will not

succeed. When teaching children with dyslexia, teachers should use multi-sensory

methods of teaching and learning when possible, (DENI, 2009) states that, these methods

use all the senses so that information is most effectively absorbed. The pupil with

dyslexia must be enabled to show their knowledge and skills, despite their difficulties

with writing. Often they will be able to ‘shine’ orally or through the use of appropriate

ICT resources, therefore it is important that teachers actively encourage these methods.

Reading is a stressful experience for many people with dyslexia, so the individual

approach taken to reading is very important. Ott (1997, p.51) highlights four main

methods that may be used to teach reading- the ‘whole word’ method, involves showing

the whole word accompanied by pictures, the idea is that repeated visual inspection helps

to memorise and read the word. The ‘phonic’ method, involves being taught the

relationship between the letter names and the sounds, this method is useful for

deciphering unfamiliar words. The ‘whole sentence’ method, when the pupil learns to

read sentences and is encouraged to use the meaning of the sentence to help make sense

5

of individual words. Lastly the ‘alphabetic multi-sensory’ method, teaches the pupil to

‘see, hear and feel’ letters and sounds simultaneously. The proficient teacher will be

familiar with all methods and will incorporate elements of each into the teaching.

Spelling differs from reading; it requires the production rather than the recognition of

spelling patterns. Ott (1997, p.108) emphasises how pupils with dyslexia should be taught

spelling using multi-sensory methods- the pupil looks, says, writes and finally reads the

written word. Teachers should combine the teaching of handwriting with spelling. The

Bullock Report (1975) observed that ‘if a child is left to develop handwriting without

instruction, he is unlikely to develop a running hand which is simultaneously legible, and

effortless to produce.’ When learning to write, pupils may practice writing in the air or

tracing letters with their finger, before progressing onto paper. Hickey (1977, cited in Ott,

1997) argued that all children should be taught cursive handwriting, as it provides

directional left to right emphasis and eliminates the need to lift the pencil, therefore

lessens the chance of reversing letters.

As with the teaching of literacy the approach to teaching Numeracy to pupils with

dyslexia, should also be multisensory. (Miles and Miles 1992) highlight that taking a

kinaesthetic approach by using concrete materials before the abstract concept is

introduced proves advantageous. Numeracy games work particularly well with pupils

with dyslexia as they have an aversion to plain work sheets.

(Jacob, Wadlington & Bailey 1998) emphasise that all students with dyslexia will not

need help in all the above areas; specific strategies should be developed for individual

pupils.

Training, knowledge and understanding of dyslexia is crucial to ensure that the specific

needs of pupils are met. However unfortunately, one of the main reasons the Task Group

Report on Dyslexia (2002) was undertaken was due to the noticeable lack of knowledge

and training of teachers in the area of dyslexia. The report felt it necessary to devote one

chapter to the issue of current training in special educational needs.

6

The Report highlighted that there is no accredited training in dyslexia in Initial Teacher

Education, final year BEd students may select a module in Special Educational Needs,

within which they may opt for a placement with pupils with dyslexia, however the

module is not compulsory. For qualified teachers there are a small number of relevant

training courses and conferences organised by other bodies. However, (DENI, 2002)

highlights that attendance at these is voluntary, occurs outside school hours and is usually

self-funded.

To enhance teacher training in relation to Dyslexia, the Task Group recommends that

consideration should be given by the Department of Education to the dyslexia training

component of Initial Teacher Education courses, with a view to offering students the

opportunity to gain accredited training and the Department should also reconsider its

position on the funding of Continued Professional Development courses.

In conclusion, (Richardson, 1992) highlights that the treatment for dyslexia must be

educational. Teachers must accept that more students with dyslexia will be entering

classrooms and that personal classroom philosophies may be challenged. Teachers must

accommodate the pupil with dyslexia and modify teaching styles accordingly, giving the

pupil the opportunity to succeed. Ultimately, it must be remembered that teaching

strategies utilised to assist pupils with dyslexia can also be beneficial to all pupils in the

class.

7

Chapter 3: Methodology.

“The aim of methodology is to help understand, in the broadest possible terms, not the

products of scientific inquiry but the process itself.” Cohen et al. (2000, p.45)

The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of; the difficulties a pupil with

dyslexia will display in the classroom, the teaching strategies which are used to enable

the pupil to learn and the training teachers receive to help them deal with a pupil with

dyslexia.

In order to gain an understanding of these areas it is important to focus on a variety of

research methods to produce reliable data which can be collated and interpreted (Walker,

1985). To triangulate research findings quantitative and qualitative methods of research

have been selected for this study. Cohen et al (2000, p.112) defines triangulation as, “The

use of two or more methods of data collection in the study of some aspect of human

behaviour.” Using more than one method of data collection adds validity and reliability to

the study.

The research was carried out in a small rural primary school with 6 teaching staff and a

total of 105 pupils, 16 which are on the special needs register. The quantitative method of

data collection the researcher chose was a questionnaire. “Questionnaires provide

structured, often numerical data, being able to be administered without the presence of

the researcher, and often being comparatively straightforward to analyse.” Wilson and

McLean (1994, p.245.) Despite the many advantages there are disadvantages when using

a questionnaire- the time factor involved when designing, limited flexibility in terms of

response format and the impossibility of checking the honesty of answers provided. The

qualitative method of data collection which the researcher opted for was an interview, “an

interview is an interchange of views between people on a topic of interest” Cohen et al.

(2000, p.267.) A major advantage of an interview is its adaptability; the interviewer can

follow up ideas, probe responses and investigate motives and feelings. Despite the many

advantages there are also some disadvantages witch must be addressed, interviews can be

time consuming and the responses given may be biased.

8

Conducting the research brought to the fore ethical issues; the researcher adhered to

guidelines issued by BERA and an ethics form was completed in line with college

requirements. Respondents were assured that information provided would be strictly

confidential, remain anonymous and would not be used for any purpose other than this

study.

The questionnaire comprised 11 questions, which entailed open-ended and closed

questions, which included dichotomous, multiple choice and rating scales. Closed

questions were predominate, as they are quick to complete and straightforward to code

for the purpose of analysis. Norton (2009, p.93) makes us aware that open-ended

questions are used when we want to find out how the respondent thinks or feels about a

topic, closed questions are used when we want to have some measurable count of

respondent’s behaviours. When designing the questionnaire the researcher was aware that

there are several caveats about the framing of questions, so a conscious effort was made

to avoid leading questions, complex questions and questions that are replete with

ambiguity.

Before distributing the questionnaire the researcher piloted it to a group of under

graduate student teachers “A pilot has several functions, principally to increase the

reliability, validity and practicability of the questionnaire” Oppenheim (1992, p.260.) The

feedback from the pilot study was positive with only minor adjustments required.

Having been granted permission from the principal, the questionnaire was personally

administered at the beginning of the week to the six teaching staff in the school and

collected at the end of the week; affording the teachers’ adequate time for completion.

Before carrying out the interview the questions were piloted with another teacher in the

school and no changes were deemed necessary. The researcher then contacted the

SENCO, explained the purpose of the interview and participation was kindly agreed in

writing. The SENCO was chosen by the researcher as it was felt; due to experience this

professional would provide most information on the area of dyslexia.

9

A semi-structured interview was carried out; the majority of the questions were pre-

determined; however there was a level of flexibility and an allowance to develop

questions further. The interview consisted of six open-ended questions, opting for open-

ended questions allowed the interviewer to probe and to make a truer assessment of what

the respondent believed.

What was said in the thirty minute interview was simply transcribed. The researcher was

aware by choosing this method that there would be potential of data loss; however also

felt that an audio recorder may constrain the respondent when answering. The interview

was carried out in the classroom after school hours, thus minimising distractions and

interruptions.

Once the data was collected from both the questionnaire and interview, the researcher

was required to present, discuss and analyse the results. Fortunately the researcher did not

encounter problems when carrying out the research; since all participants were honest,

obliging and forthcoming.

10

Chapter 4: Results and Analysis.

As this was a small case study the data collected from the questionnaire was simply

coded by hand and then transferred to Microsoft excel, where a number of tables and

graphs were created. Smoothey (1995) comments that ‘graphs can appeal to visual

memory in ways that mere tallies or frequency distributions cannot.’ The data collected

from the interview was almost inevitably interpretive; the responses to the questions

asked are simply discussed and interpreted in the analysis.

The response rate from the questionnaire was extremely pleasing with a 100% return rate;

this was very beneficial as views are representative from all key stages within the primary

school. In answering some questions the respondents were often asked to select more

than one answer, it is important to keep this in mind when reading the data.

Experience-

To gain an insight into the respondent’s experience the researcher felt it was appropriate

to ask how many years teaching experience they had, excluding initial teacher training

and how many pupils with dyslexia they had taught.

Table 1- Years Teaching Experience.

Years Teaching Experience. Number of Teachers.0-5 15-10 210-15 015+ 3

11

The results reveal a wide spread of teaching experience. The researcher also asked the

interviewee for how long they had been SENCO, it was discovered that they had been in

this position for 5 years. With this experience the researcher expected the SENCO to

have acquired a certain amount of knowledge and understanding about dyslexia.

Only one of the respondents had never taught a pupil with dyslexia, unsurprisingly this

was the respondent who had 0-5 years teaching experience. The one teacher, who had

taught 10+ pupils with dyslexia, was one of the three teachers who had 15+ years

teaching experience. Half of the respondents had taught between 1-5 pupils with dyslexia

despite some having 15+ years teaching experience, this small number of pupils taught

with dyslexia may be due to the size of this rural school where the research was carried

out. In the interview the SENCO informed the researcher that currently there are three

pupils in the school with dyslexia and these pupils receive outreach support from the

SPLD service.

Early Indicators-

12

0

1

2

3

4

0 1-5 6-10 10+

Number of Teachers

Number of Pupils

Figure 2: Graph showing number of pupils taught with dyslexia

Quite an array of answers were given when asked to highlight the most common

indicators of dyslexia

When briefly defining dyslexia all six respondents referred to it as a difficulty in a

particular area of literacy, between the six respondents, the three areas of reading, writing

and spelling were all highlighted. When stating the most common indicators of dyslexia,

respondent’s selected poor spelling skills and difficulty with reading accurately as being

most common this was to be expected considering how the respondents had previously

defined dyslexia. It was quite surprising that when asked for a definition no respondent

referred to any difficulties in numeracy, as (Joffe, 1981) highlights, “about 60% of

dyslexics have some difficulty with maths.” The definition the respondents gave may be

due to the fact that traditionally dyslexia was focused very much on literacy. However in

the interview the SENCO highlighted the difficulties a pupil with dyslexia may have in

numeracy stating, “they generally have poor recall of number bonds and times tables.”

Action Taken-

When asked about the immediate action taken if a pupil is suspected of having dyslexia,

the responses given were varied.

13

Figure 3: Chart showing early indicators of dyslexia Poor concentration

Good oral communication, butcan't put into wirtten formPoor spelling skills

Poor quality/illegiblehandwritingDifficulty followinginstructionsEasily distracted

Difficulty organising time andmaterialsPupil appears clumsy

Significant difficulties insequencingDifficulty with readingaccurately

The immediate course of action taken by the majority of teachers is, more focussed

observation. This emphasises that knowledge and understanding of dyslexia is crucial. If

teachers are to successfully identify a pupil of having dyslexia then they must be aware

what indicators to look out for. The ‘other’ area which was highlighted by a respondent

was consultation with principal. The researcher would assume that the majority of

teachers would not take this immediate course of action as the principal is occupied with

many other issues and knowledge and expertise is commonly attributed to the SENCO.

All teachers would most likely address all the above stated areas at some point if they

suspect a pupil of having dyslexia, however it must be remembered that the question

asked was- immediate course of action. During the interview the SENCO informed the

researcher that a pupil cannot be referred for testing until screening is made available and

this does not happen until the pupil is 7.5 years old. Until this point the pupil generally is

on IEP and the class teacher puts in place their own strategies which they feel

appropriate.

14

Figure 4: Chart showing immediate action taken if a pupil is suspected of having dyslexia

More foucused observation

Consultation with parent

Consultation with SENCO

Refer for testing

Other

Early Identification-

All respondents strongly agreed that pupils experiencing dyslexia ought to be identified

as early as possible. The code (1998, 2.14) affirms that, “It is important that children’s

special needs are identified at an early stage.” When asked about the benefits of early

identification six out of the six teachers agreed that early identification enables the

teacher to use the most appropriate teaching methods to help the pupil, as being most

beneficial. (Chasty, cited in Chinn & Ashcroft, 1999) importantly stated, ‘If a child does

not learn the way you teach then teach the way he learns.’

Strategies-

When teachers were asked to rate the following strategies when dealing with a pupil with

dyslexia, quite an array of responses were given.

Table 5- How teachers rated the following strategies when dealing with a pupil with dyslexia.

Strategy. Very Beneficial. Beneficial.

Not Beneficial.

Use a multi-sensory teaching approach when possible.

6

Seat the child near to the teacher. 1 5Minimise copying from the board. 2 4

When providing notes/hand-outs use various colours and underline.

5 1

Promote the use of the computer for word processing.

4 1 1

Encourage ‘phonic method’ when teaching reading.

5 1

Encourage the use of story tapes for enjoyment and to enhance vocabulary.

3 3

Encourage the use of Numeracy games to develop mathematical concepts as opposed to worksheets.

5 1

When marking work, credit for effort as well as achievement.

5 1

When marking work, only highlight spelling mistakes appropriate to the child’s level of spelling.

3 3

15

(The figures in table 5 show how many of the six teachers ticked each column- very

beneficial, beneficial or not beneficial.)

It was unanimously agreed by all six respondents that using a multi-sensory teaching

approach was very beneficial when dealing with a pupil with dyslexia, this supports what,

(DENI, 2009) stated, “these methods use all the senses so that information is most

effectively absorbed.” The rating of the other strategies was quite varied; it may be

assumed that the respondents rated the strategies, considering how beneficial they were

for a particular pupil they had taught with dyslexia, what was very beneficial for one

pupil may not have been beneficial for another. Respondents were also asked to state any

other strategies which they find useful. Three of the six teachers listed additional

strategies which were, using magnetic letters to build words, give no more than two

instructions at a time, use coloured pens on whiteboard and put less emphasis on the

amount of work recorded if the pupil has responded orally. These responses illustrate to

the researcher definite knowledge of particular strategies. Three respondents left the

open-ended question blank this could suggest that they have no additional strategies to

add or perhaps indicates unawareness of specific strategies.

During the interview when asking the SENCO about beneficial strategies, the researcher

sub-divided the question so the response given would be more focussed. Additional

strategies which the SENCO stated which were not highlighted in the questionnaire are;

General- Pair the pupil with a study buddy for extra help and support. Give pupils with

dyslexia duties as they can often be restless, this keeps them active but with a purpose.

Reading- Generally a pupil with dyslexia will have a lower reading age so it is very

important to select books with age appropriate interest but still at their ability level.

Writing- Put less emphasis on written work- give the pupil the opportunity to respond

orally and use various ICT resources.

Spelling- Use the multi-sensory approach- look, say, cover, write and check.

Numeracy- Incorporate appropriate songs into numeracy, to help pupils learn. The

SENCO highlighted that pupils with dyslexia will generally be better at number work

than literacy so it is very important to praise that.

16

Knowledge and Training-

When teachers were asked where they had gained their knowledge on dyslexia a range of

responses were given.

The majority of teachers gained their knowledge from additional courses. The ‘other’

area which respondents stated was knowledge from other teachers, this highlights that

these respondents and those who gained knowledge from personal library research,

actually have no specific training on dyslexia. Such a void presumably impinges on the

effective delivery of the curriculum for those pupils with dyslexia. The respondents, who

gained knowledge from initial teacher training, were the most recently graduated. This

shows that more emphasis must have been put on the area of dyslexia during initial

teacher training in recent years; this may be due to publication of the Task Group Report

on Dyslexia (2002), where the noticeable lack of knowledge and training of teachers in

the area of dyslexia was highlighted. In the interview the SENCO was asked if they had

any additional training in special educational needs. On getting the position of SENCO

they received training on how to update files and how to manage the SEN register,

through a school based course. As SENCO they have attended additional courses on

various special educational needs. With regards to dyslexia specifically the SENCO

17

Figure 6: Chart showing where teachers have gained knowledge on dyslexia

Initial teacher training

Personal libraryresearch

Additional courses

Other

attended an ‘added cluster course’ which was one session per week for six weeks.

Currently the SENCO is undertaking a course in Queens University part- time called ‘Co-

ordinating support for Learning in the 21st Century’ the course is part of a Masters

programme, it is self-funded and the SENCO is doing it in their own time in an attempt to

further develop their own professional development.

All respondents stated that they would like to receive more specific training in the area of

dyslexia, this could infer that none of the teachers are fully satisfied with the level of

training they currently have, or it could also be assumed that teachers would simply like

more training to keep up to date with relevant information and strategies to ensure they

are providing pupils with dyslexia the best possible learning experience.

18

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Yes No

Number of Teachers

Response

Figure 7: Would you like to receive more specific training with regards to dyslexia?

It was disappointing that none of the respondents rated their overall knowledge and

training in the area of dyslexia as very good or excellent. Despite teacher’s efforts, pupils

with dyslexia cannot be receiving the best possible teaching approaches to help them

learn effectively, as training, knowledge and understanding of dyslexia is crucial to

ensure that the specific needs of pupils are met. However on a more positive note, none

of the respondents considered their training and knowledge in the area of dyslexia as

poor.

19

0

1

2

3

4

Excellent Very good Good Average Poor

Number of Teachers

Rating

Figure 8: Graph showing rating of training and knowledge in area of dyslexia

Chapter 5: Conclusion.

When designing the questionnaire and interview the researcher ensured that the data

acquired would answer the research questions and indeed the responses fully answered

the research questions for the study.

The findings from this study were diverse as much as they were in agreement; this

presents a realistic synopsis of current practice and thinking in the area of dyslexia. As

literature has highlighted, dyslexia is not manifested in exactly the same manner twice.

As a result there may be pupils attending the same school having being diagnosed with

dyslexia, yet displaying characteristics unique to them.

A summary of the main findings from the study are;

• There are a wide range of difficulties presented by pupils with dyslexia; the

difficulties vary in degree from mild to severe, from pupil to pupil. The main

educational effects of dyslexia appear in literacy and numeracy but according to

the responses from the teachers, difficulties are primarily within literacy.

• The strategies used by teachers to enable a pupil with dyslexia to learn also vary

from pupil to pupil. Consideration and adoption of teaching styles is

a critical part of any strategy. It was agreed by all respondents and

literature also supports the view that using a multi-sensory approach to teaching a

pupil with dyslexia is very beneficial.

• Undisputedly teachers feel that they lack training in the area of dyslexia, all

respondents aspire to be better trained and more knowledgeable, but unfortunately

due to lack of time and funding are not given such training. It is clear that in

order to make amendments to this area the teacher must be given opportunities for

further training. If teachers are given this opportunity, it will undeniably improve

their confidence in identifying a pupil with dyslexia and devising and

implementing strategies to deal with dyslexia.

The biggest limitation of this study was the fact that it was conducted on such a small

scale and limited to one school. Therefore generalisations of the results to other schools

are not known. While there is no reason to doubt that somewhat similar results would be

20

obtained in other school settings, future studies with larger numbers would be useful, and

would increase the external validity by allowing across-group comparisons, perhaps

between schools in different areas. If time permitted further research could be conducted

at a wider scale, the views of educational psychologists and parents of pupils with

dyslexia could also be sought; this would add greater reliability and validity to the study.

Completion of this study has been very beneficial for the researcher it has helped to gain

a better knowledge and understanding of the common indicators of dyslexia and

appropriate strategies which may be beneficial when teaching a pupil with dyslexia.

21

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Pollock, J., Waller, E. & Pollitt, R. (2004) Day-to-Day Dyslexia in the Classroom. Second Edition. Oxon: Routledge Falmer.

Poole, J. (2010) Dyslexia: a wider view. The contribution of an ecological paradigm to current issues, Educational Research, 45 (2), pp. 167-180.

Rose, J. (2009) Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties. Nottingham: DCSF Publications.

Richardson, S. O. (1992). Historical perspectives on dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 25, pp. 40-47.

Smoothy, M. (1995) Graphs. New York: Marshall Cavendish.

Walker, R. (1985) Doing Research- A Handbook for Teachers. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd.

Wilson, N. & McLean, S. (1994) Questionnaire Design: a Practical Introduction. Newton Abbey, Co. Antrim: University of Ulster Press.

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I am a final year student and I am currently engaging in a study about dyslexia at primary

school level. I would be most grateful if you would take time to complete this

questionnaire to help me with this study. The primary aim of this questionnaire is to

investigate the difficulties a pupil with dyslexia will exhibit in the classroom; the

strategies used to enable the pupil to learn and to ascertain the level of training teachers

receive in order to deal with a pupil with dyslexia. Before distributing this questionnaire

an ethics form has been completed in line with college requirements. All information

provided is strictly confidential, remains anonymous and will not be used for any other

purpose other than this study.

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1) How many years teaching experience have you got? (Not including initial teacher training. Please tick.)

0-5 5-10 10-15 15 + 1

2) Approximately how many pupils with dyslexia have you taught? (Please tick.)

0 1-5 6-10 10+

3) Briefly how would you define dyslexia? (Please state.)

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_____

4) Which of the following would you consider to be the most common early indicators of dyslexia? (Please tick up to 5 boxes.)

Poor concentration. Easily distracted

Good oral communication Difficulty organisingbut unable to put it into written time and materials.form.

Poor spelling skills. Pupil appears clumsy.

Poor quality/ Significant difficulties in

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illegible handwriting. sequencing.

Difficulty following instructions Difficulty with reading (written or oral.) accurately.

5) What is your immediate course of action if you suspect a pupil has dyslexia? (Please tick one box.)

More focussed observation Refer for testing

Consultation with: Other (Please state.) Parent ______________________

SENCO ______________________

______________________

6) Pupils with dyslexia should be identified as early as possible. (Please circle.)

Strongly agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly disagree

7) What do you think are the benefits of early identification? (Please rank in order 1-5. 1 being most beneficial, 5 being least beneficial.)

Enables the teacher to use the most appropriate teaching methods to help the pupil.

Prevents the self-perpetuating chain of failure.

Extra time can be provided for completion of work.

Pupil is generally more responsive to remediation at a young age.

A classroom assistant may be provided.

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8) How do you rate the following strategies when dealing with a pupil with dyslexia? (Please tick.)

Strategy. Very Beneficial. Beneficial.

Not Beneficial.

Use a multi-sensory teaching approach when possible.Seat the child near to the teacher.

Minimise copying from the board.

When providing notes/hand-outs use various colours and underline.Promote the use of the computer for word processing.Encourage ‘phonic method’ when teaching reading.Encourage the use of story tapes for enjoyment and to enhance vocabulary.Encourage the use of Numeracy games to develop mathematical concepts as opposed to worksheets.When marking work, credit for effort as well as achievement.When marking work, only highlight spelling mistakes appropriate to the child’s level of spelling.

Please state any other strategies you find useful when dealing with a pupil with dyslexia that are not listed in the table.

a) _________________________________________________________________

_

b) _________________________________________________________________

_

9) From which of the following areas have you gained your knowledge on dyslexia. (Please tick.)

Initial teacher training Additional courses

Personal library research

Other (please state.)

_______________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

___

10) Would you like to receive more specific teacher training with regards to dyslexia? (Please tick.)

Yes No

If yes is there any particular area of dyslexia you would like to receive more training in? (Please state.)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

___

11) How would you rate your overall training and knowledge in the area of Dyslexia? (Please circle.)

Excellent Very Good Good Average Poor

Thank you for taking the time and effort to complete this questionnaire, this information is much appreciated, as it will prove very beneficial to me in completion of my study.

Signed: __________________________

Email address: ______________@____________Interview Questions.

1) For how long have you been SENCO in the school?

2) How many pupils with dyslexia are there in the school and what additional

support are they receiving?

3) From your experience, what are the most common early indicators of dyslexia?

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4) What action is taken within the school if a pupil is suspected of having dyslexia?

5) What strategies do you feel are most beneficial when dealing with a pupil with

dyslexia?

• General- classroom management/ marking work etc.

• Literacy -Reading.

-Writing.

-Spelling.

• Numeracy.

6) As SENCO have you additional training in SEN? (If so was dyslexia addressed

specifically?)

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