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Information & Advice

...for Students

...for Staff

Dyslexia: From Further into Higher Education

Lindsay Peer

 

Introduction

Dyslexia is a condition that is not uncommon. Approximately 4% of any given population are affected to a severe degree and a further 6% to a mild-moderate degree (BDA 2003). The number that make it into Further and Higher Education Institutions is smaller however. This is more likely to be due to failing to get over the hurdles whilst at school, together with a consequent lack of self-belief, rather than a lack of intellectual ability.

What do we mean by dyslexia? A description might be:

A combination of abilities and difficulties that affect the learning process. It is most noticeable in areas of reading, writing and spelling. Accompanying weaknesses may be identified in areas of speed of processing, short-term memory, sequencing and organisation, auditory and/visual perception, spoken language and motor skills' (         )

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Not all dyslexic people exhibit every aspect listed above, but they are likely to have a significant cluster of weaknesses alongside at least normal intellectual ability.

There is a range of dyslexic people who enter Further Education (FE) institutions - some of them more academic than others. Of these students, some will wish to enter Higher Education (HE) and attempt the degree route to their future careers. Such successful dyslexic young adults appear to have particular personality traits that include:

Many of them have family members or friends who are dyslexic and have achieved. Fundamentally they view themselves as having learning 'differences and abilities' as opposed to learning 'difficulties'.

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Dyslexic students in FE will have experienced differing attitudes in their previous educational lives - the results of which they take with them, academically and emotionally. They are not all positive, which means that many do not feel as strong as the successful students described above . There are those who were identified and offered appropriate support in schools and others who were misdiagnosed and/or badly treated. There are yet others who discovered their own dyslexia through the identification of their own children, which led them to the realisation that they had experienced similar difficulties when young. Personal reactions to these scenarios are all different. As tutors we need to understand and support them along a journey that we appreciate will not be easy for them. Whatever their educational history they will all face similar challenges which will at some point lead to a questioning of their long-term perception of themselves. Some will fundamentally be afraid to try and will expect to fail or underachieve, as this is an expectation borne out by past experiences.

‘I have had the opportunity to work with many children and adolescents with learning disorders during the past thirty years. In conducting therapy with these youths, I became increasingly aware that most were burdened by feelings of low self-worth and incompetence and that many believed that their situation would not improve. Not surprisingly, this sense of hopelessness served as a major obstacle to future success. Once children believe that things will not improve, they are likely to engage in self-defeating ways of coping such as quitting or avoiding tasks, blaming others for their difficulties, or becoming class clowns or bullies. Thus, a negative cycle is often set in motion, intensifying feelings of defeat and despair’

(Brookes R 2002).

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If dyslexic learners do enter a phase of anxiety, they may try to conceal their difficulties when they see others around them succeeding when they are not. In many cases they may be well aware that other students are less knowledgeable than they are, but as they can write better they will achieve better marks. This can be very dispiriting at any age. There are many ways to conceal failure. Montgomery (1998:36) cites: withdrawal, avoidance, evasion, distraction, digression, disruption, clowning, daydreaming, negativism, absenteeism, cheating; clowning being a common response of able students.  If this is their response to a stressful learning environment, we must understand and support them appropriately and ultimately help them break the cycle of anxiety - fear - failure. Even those who have experienced positive educational situations in the past may well feel that they are traversing a path that is challenging to say the least. Many dyslexic students over the years have reported feeling intimidated by 'academia'. Each and every one of them will find themselves alongside other students who seemingly experience very little difficulty. This may be a significant challenge to their self-esteem (Riddick et al. 1997).

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The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 and Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001

The law has now changed to the benefit of disabled students. As a result, it is incumbent upon institutions to make appropriate provision. The DDA modified by the SENDA  imposes an obligation in law:

  • on colleges not to treat applicants and students less favourably for reasons of disability and
  • to provide reasonable adjustments to support them.

The Code of practice (post – 16) outlines the practice implied by the Act (DRC 2002).

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Essential Requirements from institutions

It is vital that there be total commitment from senior management to the establishment of a range of effective cross-college policies and systems to ensure that good practice is embedded. Such good practice should cover

Identification, referral, diagnostic assessment and support.

It is highly recommended that awareness training for all staff is offered that reflects their responsibilities to individual dyslexic students (Morgan 2001). Funding should be made available to enable academic and vocational staff to study and gain specialist qualifications where appropriate. It is highly recommended that staff have opportunities for continuing professional development in the field. A large enough team of well-qualified specialists should be established to meet predicted demand for assessment and support for dyslexic learners.

Specialists should guide the setting up of a specifically individualised and adult approach to support in an environment appropriate for adult dyslexic learners. Internal systems and appraisal should inform professional development planning. A network should be set up to share good practice and ideas for improving provision.

Advertising of support offered to dyslexic students should be made available in a variety of media, including internet/intranet, college prospectus, handbooks, notices, personal contact, leaflets and tapes. This should be published in local schools, job centres and careers offices, college information centres, guidance units, libraries and canteens. It is important to ensure that the word ‘dyslexia’ is highlighted and that publicity is ‘dyslexia friendly’, which means that it is easy to read, inviting and uncluttered.

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Liaison and Admission

FE and HE Colleges should ensure ongoing links with all organisations that refer and should have access to available information on new dyslexic students; this will ensure a more effective transition. Staff should be made aware that many students would need to overcome fears due to past failures, as outlined above if they are to have a chance for success. To help, institutions should offer an induction or pre-entry course, help with form filling and special arrangements. Applicants should also be encouraged to bring advocates at interviews if they feel the need. This will enable them to demonstrate their strengths as well as identify weaknesses when being placed.

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Support for all

It is important to note that both full time and part time students need dyslexia support. As there is likely to be a growing number of such students over the coming years due a greater level of awareness, it is recommended that there be a dyslexia specialist on each site for support and referral. Some institutions only offer basic skills assessment. This is most definitely not sufficient for dyslexic students, as results of such tests provide very little relevant diagnostic information. If they are to be used, there is a need to implement them with an additional  range of dyslexia tests.

Identification at as early a stage as possible is critical. Some students will come with assessment reports that were written whilst they were at school; others will  need to be assessed for the first time. Self-referral should be encouraged as well as tutor referral; such students should be sent to a dyslexia specialist. As a follow-up, all screening methods and referral systems should be monitored and evaluated, and systems should be in place to ensure that referrals are adhered to. There should be a set process of action after referral. It is important that both student and tutor understand that support is for skill development and successful achievement of primary learning goals. If support is to be successful, students should understand the purpose of referral, assessment and the learning plan and agree to it all. This 'buy-in' will motivate the learner.

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Diagnostic assessment

Even if students have arrived with assessments from school, unless these are recent they will need to have a further diagnostic test to establish current levels of functioning. Assessments should demonstrate the pattern of strengths and weaknesses and enable learners to understand their learning styles. It is important for tutors also to know how these individuals best learn, so that they can adapt their teaching to students' preferred styles of learning. The purpose of recommendations for support is to ensure equal access to the curriculum and therefore should be relevant to course demands.

Institutions should ensure that assessors are dyslexia trained. Reports should indicate levels of functioning in reading, writing and spelling and include any compensatory strategies used, together with an explanation of the nature of difficulties and probable impact on learning. Strengths should also be noted.

A full psychometric assessment should follow if results indicate a deeper level of difficulty. Results should always be fed back to students; staff should be made aware that ultimately the student owns the report. As assessments are private and confidential, it is the right of the student to decide who is to know about the referral.

The purpose of the assessment is to inform a plan. This should make recommendations in relation to special arrangements in examinations, one-to-one specialist support, course and cross-college support and referral to outside bodies or specialists.

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Learning Support

Learning support should be timetabled and formally agreed with the student. It is an enactment of an action plan based on results of the assessment. It should always focus on the development and use of the student’s strengths and be relevant to their course or other contexts. Support offered should be flexible to meet the individual student’s needs and should aim to foster independent learning.

It is the responsibility of the special needs department to monitor, review, evaluate and revise regularly any support offered throughout the year. This is to ensure that it is effective and appropriate.

All dyslexic students should be entitled to appropriate in-class and subject support by subject tutors as well as one-to-one specialist support if necessary. They should also be offered support with examinations and other assessments.

Further levels of provision should include:

Counselling where needed with dyslexia trained counsellors.

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Monitoring and recording

Details of teaching sessions with learning outcomes should be made in relation to previously set goals. Specialist support tutors should monitor attendance and punctuality, and send reminders for new sessions if some have been missed. Lack of organisational skills with a poor short-term memory often contributes to unintended lack of attendance. Reminders may well help. Contact might be made with parents with student permission, but should definitely be made with tutors, Examination Boards and other agencies where necessary.

 

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Assessing Achievement

Achievement should be measured against initial assessment, showing academic development as well as ‘value –added’. Students who are dyslexic should be assessed on content and not be penalised for writing errors.

Cross-college guidelines for marking to suit the needs of dyslexic students should be developed. Written feedback on students’ work should include:

separate comment on content and technical aspects, readable and constructive criticism, concrete examples of how to improve and be followed by oral checking with students to ensure their understanding.

 

Alternative assessment methods should be offered if conventional ones are not suitable. If the student accepts them, training in their use should be provided long before the day of examination and/or assessment. In order to further aid the student, time management should be taught and extra time offered. It is the responsibility of the colleges to apply for special arrangements. Support should be given in examinations, mocks and practices. It is the duty of the college to ensure that if readers and scribes are provided, they understand regulations for supporting dyslexic students.

Finally, students should be given opportunities to practice and plan prior to examinations and given separate accommodation and breaks where appropriate during the examination itself.

 

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Dyslexia – Friendliness

 

This relatively new term is now being used across the education world in relation to work with dyslexic students. In order to fulfil the needs of the DDA in relation to dyslexic students, the college should provide a sympathetic and enabling environment. This will manifest itself in the following ways. Dyslexia support should be given cross-college, quality arrangements having established performance indicators. Course tutors should be encouraged to liaise with specialist support staff on a regular basis under the guidance of the dyslexia co-ordinator who is responsible for monitoring the service. Colleges should note that it is imperative that relevant records are kept to monitor up-take and success of support.

 

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College Framework

Targets for the support of dyslexic students should be in the strategic plan. In order to ensure that this happens, policies should be put in place to ensure that there is equal access to all departments and programme areas. As it is the responsibility of all staff to work effectively and sympathetically with all students, job descriptions should include responsibilities to students with all disabilities including dyslexia.

 

In order to ensure that all staff understand the importance of this area of work, it is recommended that the dyslexia support co-ordinator should report to a senior manager to ensure a high college profile and access to resources. The dyslexia support service should be included in all college systems and the service should have strong links with the basic skills and additional learning support departments. The co-ordinator should have a delegated budget or access to identified funding through a shared budget.

 

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Further thoughts

 

It has been suggested (Hall, 2003) that dyslexic students, with their weaknesses in organisational skills, should be given priority for campus accommodation in their first year to alleviate the extra stress of finding their bearings in a totally new environment. This would be an early indication of the 'dyslexia-friendly' status of a HE institution and would increase the likelihood of the student completing their course successfully. There is also a need to help these students find their way around a new area. FE and HE institutions are much bigger than schools and can be overwhelming if the person does not have a good sense of direction.

 

The organisational structure in FE and HE is much looser than it was at lower levels. Life was more organised for dyslexic students whilst at school and living at home. Whilst there is an obvious need to support students with structure in learning and academic life, there is also a necessity to recognise the need for support in everyday living such as laundry, cooking, shopping and the like.

 

With the current loan structure in place, often students have to hold down a job in order to support themselves. This will add strain to the learning process. Dyslexic students have to spend more time studying than their peers in order to complete assignments. The added pressures of a substantive job must not be underestimated.

 

Some dyslexic students will find that managing money is not easy for them. This needs to be recognised and structures put in place to help them if and where appropriate. Whilst these problems may be common to all students, for the dyslexic person, leaving FE and the security of home, entry into HE can be overwhelming.

 

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Curriculum factors and feedback

Feedback for dyslexic students following an assignment is critical in overcoming stresses. One to one feedback is essential to highlight strengths and weaknesses of written work.

 

Tutors must realise that dyslexic students will spend more time than others in preparation of essays, and will become discouraged if results do not equate with effort. Dyslexic students need acknowledgement of their efforts and high intellectual capacity alongside recognition of, and support for, their often poor literacy and organisational skills.

 

Prior to and during the writing of an essay, tutors might offer support in the following ways: precise guidance on reading, an interim discussion on progress and guidance so that they do not expend more effort than is necessary for a task and over-prepare.

 

Tutors should help the students use a development plan, which keeps a record of their activities.

 

Students need to be taught how to develop their skills for assignments. Metacognitive training will help support this process. Asking the ‘why’, ‘purpose’ and ‘how’ of oneself in relation to task fulfilment is key to an analytical mind and to presentation of an argument. It is of particular value when learners have weak memories and often need to find alternative ways of retrieving information for academic success.

 

Tutors and support staff should comment helpfully on the following areas: introduction, organisation, use of evidence, relevance of argument,

spelling, grammar, and finally the extent to which the question has been answered. Examples should be offered of ways in which the argument could be developed.

 

Throughout feedback opportunity should be given for dyslexic students to develop their arguments orally. This will enhance their confidence. Tutors should offer them coping strategies and encourage them to join a student support group to understand how other people learn too. A key aspect is that tutors should offer sufficient support so that ultimately the student can manage their own learning and determine their own model of support. Finally, tutors must ensure that there is effective communication between course tutors and directors of study so that the student is supported at all levels.

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A check-list of study skills issues:

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13. Course work:        

14.   Practical work:

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16.         Examinations:

17.         Strategies for development of work should always be given. Coles (1995) describes some stages of essay writing:

Entry into HE from FE can be overwhelming for many dyslexic students. However with support and understanding from the institutions, the process today should be much simpler than ever before. With the DDA in support of all such students and much guidance available in the market, life should now be easier for tutor and student than ever before. A comprehensive list of useful resources (from the University of Hull) is to be found in the reference section below.

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References:

BDA (British Dyslexia Association) (2003) 

http://www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk/main/information/adults/a01what.asp

(accessed 19th August 2003)

 

Brookes RB (2002)   Personal communication. Cambridge, Massachusetts,

Harvard Medical School

 

Coles M. (1995) A Student's Guide to Coursework Writing (University Writing Series). University of Stirling

 

DRC (Disability Rights Commission) (2002) Disability Discrimination Act 1995:Part 4: Code of Practice for providers of Post 16 education and related services. Available as a link from http://www.drc-gb.org/law/codes.asp  (Accessed 19th August 2003)

 

Dyslexia Support Network (2002) A Catalogue of resources to support students with dyslexia in Further and Higher Education.  University of Hull

 

Hall C. (2003) Personal communication

 

Montgomery D. (1998) Reversing Lower Attainment: Developing Curriculum Strategies for Overcoming Disaffection and Underachievement.  London: David Fulton

 

Morgan E (2001) Staff development in higher education: a student-centred approach. In Hunter-Carsch M and Herrington M: Dyslexia and effective learning in secondary and tertiary education. London, Whurr.

 

Riddick B, Farmer M and Sterling C (1997)  Students and dyslexia: growing up with a specific learning difficulty. London, Whurr.

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