Idendification of literacy needs. A dyslexia assessment is a full process that focuses on the students abilities, but involves the curriculum, teaching strategies and the learning context.

University Degree Education and Teaching

MARIUS DAN B4007481 E801 TMA04

Assessment of dyslexia and identification of literacy needs is an issue that has to be addressed in schools by teachers. Through a whole school approach, putting together a collaborative and multidisciplinary effort, students with literacy difficulties can be identified (Reid, 2009). The purpose of an assessment is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the student, considering the learning environment. Within the staged approach of the Code of Practice, all children with special educational needs should have these identified and addressed through school-based interventions, with additional external assessment and support where appropriate.

A dyslexia assessment is a full process that focuses on the students abilities, but involves the curriculum, teaching strategies and the learning context. The approach should move from being a condition within the child, to an interaction between the child and its learning environment. There is the expectation that a teaching programme will be adjusted regularly on the basis of the child’s response to instruction Reason (2001). An assessment would have a diagnostic purpose to identify Sam’s (all names are pseudonyms) learning difficulties and enable the teacher to adapt teaching strategies. Therefore assessment should be linked to teaching, because assessment practices are always representational and interpretative (Johnston & Costello, 2009).

Assessment is a dynamic part of ongoing social-activities and has consequences for individuals. Practitioners and in particular teachers of dyslexic pupils maintain that their difficulties are much further reaching than just at the word level, and would argue that account needs to be taken of their difficulties in recall, short-term memory and poor organisational skills, Nicholson (2001). These would need to be assessed and included in any learning plan for it to be effective. Parents should be informed as research undertaken by (Reed, 2009) shows the importance of collaboration of school, parents and child. Therefore I have made arrangements prior Sam’s assessment, contacting his parents.

When deciding to use a particular test, we need to consider the validity of the results. For example, standardised tests provide information to measure progress. All children should have the opportunity to achieve their full potential; therefore The SEN (Special Educational Needs) Code of Practice (2001) places an emphasis on early identification and support. It clearly states that the school and teacher have statutory duties and responsibilities to identify and assess a child with special educational needs as soon as possible. Although assessment has a technical aspect of accurate measuring instruments, it is a set of social practices (Johnston & Costello, 2009).

As dyslexia. is a difficulty with information processing, my assessment will focus on the processing skills involved in literacy acquisition. Children with dyslexia can have difficulties in relation to cognition (Reid, 2009). The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-II) provides insights into literacy acquisition, although guidance regarding the reading process is not offered. WIAT-II provides composite measures on key aspects: reading, mathematics, written and oral language, although the pseudo word decoding subtest doesn’t indicate the type of phonological difficulty the student experiences (Ott, 2007). The information obtained from these tests would be an important point for an effective intervention.

This approach has been the subject of criticism. Snowling (2000) points out that it is open to be over-inclusive. For example, a pupil who does no reading is unlikely to have a reading age in line with their predicted score. However, the discrepancy is just as likely to be as a result of lack of reading experience, as of dyslexia. In contrast, poor readers are those pupils who have a measurable delay in their reading level. Although where the difference between their expected reading age and actual reading age is not statistically significant, their performance is in line with what could be predicted given their age and Intelligence Quotient(IQ).

Stanovitch (1991) argues against the use of IQ in the definition of dyslexia. He points out that the verbal skills of poor readers tend to decline as a consequence of their limited reading experience. If this is the case, then their lowered verbal IQ will predict a lower expected reading age, and may not give a statistically significant difference. The discrepancy model may fail to identify these pupils, even though they have real difficulty

with reading. Therefore I consider that pupils who have learned to read but continue to have significant spelling or writing difficulties will be missed, unless these skills are included in the criteria. Snowling (2000) recommends that if the discrepancy approach is used, then it should be supplemented by positive diagnostic markers that will allow practitioners to identify children who show early or residual signs of dyslexia that require intervention.

Sam has been in our school for about 2 months. The English teacher had some concerns about Sam’s understanding of text and use of avoidance tactics when asked to produce a written piece of work. Following this information I had a meeting with his tutor to discuss Sam’s targets and grades. I observed poor results in English and Maths and he is also below targets in other subjects. I had a discussion with Sam’s mother about his lack of progress at school and we agreed that an assessment would be beneficial to establish Sam’s strengths and weaknesses regarding literacy skills.

A short discussion with Sam showed that he doesn’t always fully comprehend what is expected of him. This soon results in him going off task. When extra support is provided Sam feels embarrassed to ask for help; therefore I have encouraged Sam to ask for support any time when he doesn’t know how to approach the task. At the same time his behaviour is sometimes poor in some lessons. My observations would suggest that his poor behaviour may be a consequence of his lack of understanding. When a starter activity is provided, Sam will try to approach the task. If it becomes much of a challenge for him he will give up quickly. To establish Sam’s level of functioning and in an attempt to find how efficient support can be offered, full assessment by myself was undertaken.

Collecting background information about a student is important prior to an assessment (Backhouse & Morris, 2010). I agree with this because knowing the student environment is an advantage when assessing his needs. Sam is a social child, enjoying playing football in the park nearby with his mates, and he is very keen about his play station. While talking with Sam I have found that he can get frustrated and is struggling to cope with work in school and shows a lack of credibility with his peers. Sam wants to do well, though he gets easily frustrated by his lack of success in tasks that involve literacy and numeracy.

The assessment took place in the Blue Room, a quiet room designed for SEN students to work and calm down. I have explained the assessment to Sam, ensuring that I had parental consent before proceeding. Sam told me that he finds tests stressful, so at the end I had debrief him, including positive feedback. Sam tried his best while answering the questions, he found some parts challenging. The comprehension test was a difficult part for Sam. The free writing task was concerning because he struggled to find a favourite topic. Once started he showed less tension, but found it difficult ...

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From discussions with Sam and his teachers, there is evidence that Sam’s difficulties with organisation and concentration are associated with dyslexia (Rief, 2010). Visual perception difficulties can cause reading to be problematic. I have checked Sam’s reading with different coloured overlays. His favourite colour is purple and it seems to make a positive difference while reading. Spectacles with an appropriate tint could be looked at by an optometrist. Sam’s test scores suggest that his reading comprehension is average; it is underlying his literacy skills that are less well developed. This points to his difficulties which include problems with phonological awareness.

Sam’s score on WIAT-II indicates that he has got a reasonably good vocabulary and skills to be able to cope with class work. His comprehension score in silent reading indicates appropriate skills and strategies are in place to help him understand the context. His skills with written language however are an issue with word reading and writing/spelling being below average. Relating to the working definition of dyslexia, Sam has difficulty with reading, writing and spelling, associated difficulties with phonological awareness and organisation. This has resulted in Sam becoming demotivated with low self-esteem. Sam experiences stress when reading, which in turn results in low achievement in most subjects. His difficulties have persisted despite the support of appropriate learning staff. The profile exhibited is one of dyslexia (MacKay, 2006).

Standardised tests provide scores that are compared with the average ones, obtaining, for example, a reading age or IQ scores. The information provided shows how student’s progress in relation to their peers and can be used diagnostically. WRAT test has high validity and reliability; however it is important to check how the test has been constructed. The four subtests provide a reliable indicator of the student’s literacy skills. The psychometric tests establish what would be the norm for a specific age group. The downfall is that these tests say little of the child’s strategies, for providing a response (Reid, 2009). I consider that the WRAT test is effective for the identification of literacy difficulties and sustains developing a teaching plan.

Where a standard score is given, a score of 100 is the average level that would be expected at the student’s age. Standard scores for the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT 4) subtests have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15 for each of the normative groups. WRAT 4 standard scores range from a low of 55 to a high of 145. A standard score of 85 is one standard below the mean, a standard score of 115 is one standard deviation above the mean. Percentile ranks show the percentage of individuals in the normative group obtaining scores below a particular standard score (Kerr, 2009). Percentile ranks range from a low of 1 to a high of 99, with 50 representing the typical performance. A margin of error should be allowed for in all scores as test performance can be affected by a number of different variable factors such as test conditions and student’s behaviour.

The purpose of assessment is to recognize individual strengths, to diagnose difficulties and to plan intervention. Children with dyslexia are taught through a multi-sensory approach using visual, auditory and motor/kinaesthetic means, where teaching is structured, sequential and cumulative. Multisensory teaching methods will show Sam how to use all his senses and work more effectively (Norwich, 2009). When designing Sam’s teaching plan, I have to prioritise, underpinning and developing his literacy skills.

Sam will require a structured multisensory programme of teaching for phonic skills and writing/spelling to accelerate his progress. Further one to one intervention based support of word attack skills and miscues when reading will give more detailed information on reading development and help planning for specific aspects. Analysis and explanations of spelling and grammar errors when writing will identify the different types of errors that Sam makes. Numeracy too requires further detailed investigation to identify gaps, as Sam seems to have sufficient ability to cope. Assessment should consider writing at word, sentence and text level, insisting on accuracy, and speed of handwriting (Backhouse & Morris, 2010). I partially agree with this statement because only a complete picture of student abilities would allow choosing a word attack model or a ‘top-down’ model which implies mainly comprehension.

I consider that assessments are only as useful as the interventions that results from them (Reid, 2009). Therefore through a consistent and evaluative teaching approach, Sam will discover his learning strengths and is given structured support to practice in areas of weakness. He is helped increasingly towards greater independence in learning through practical guidance in organisational strategies. Guidance and practice in developing a consistent handwriting style and strategies for improving presentation of work will be put in place.

Formal teaching of writing skills includes planning, drafting, editing, re-editing. Instruction and practice in skimming and scanning text is given to develop higher level literacy skills. Sam is encouraged to use mind maps as a means of organising his thinking (Ott, 2007). Support should be provided with decoding, comprehension, and, particularly, spelling and punctuation, but attention may also be given to study skills, strategies for accessing subject knowledge through non-print materials and examination strategies.

An Individual Education Plan, (IEP) is a work plan that has specific targets that the student will be focusing on (see appendix 3). The SEN Code of Practice recommends that there should be about 3 targets in an IEP. Sam’s IEP contain a phonic, spelling, reading and writing target that are specific SMART targets. It would list a number of phonic patterns that he should learn to improve his phonic knowledge or a particular reading skill that needs to be mastered. It could also contain other targets like, concentration, or visual tracking. The IEP targets must be reviewed every term and can be adjusted according to new or additional issues that are highlighted while working with Sam. High Frequency words are important for Sam to learn because they are the most common words in reading and spelling. Another key part of an IEP is the strategies and resources that are going to be used. The strategies should be of a multisensory approach for a child with dyslexia (Mortimore, 2008).

Sam is reassured by the fact that his difficulty is a specific one and his practical abilities fall within the average range. Miscue analysis has indicated that Sam hasn’t got a good understanding of the context, so promoting a set of ‘top-down’ strategies would be recommended. His difficulties are typical of dyslexia since the main problem is with the application of his phonic knowledge. Syllable division teaching would enable him to tackle longer words when writing.

Teaching methods should consider individual interests and learning style. The aim is to use the student’s strengths while supporting their difficulties (Vellutino et al., 2004). From my observation when working on reading, using books and magazines linked to Sam’s hobbies is likely to increase his confidence. Sam should be encouraged to access books through digital recordings, school library resources and podcasts. Learner’s personality type has an impact on cognitive and learning style (Mortimore, 2008). I agree with this because my own experience has shown different teaching strategies for each student’s needs have helped them to cope with learning task and situations.

Through literacy intervention, generally short-term targets can be demonstrated (Vellutino et al., 2004). Working with Sam I have observed progress. It is crucial to design teaching approaches and programmes related to the individual’s learning style, therefore each child has to be viewed individually (Reid, 2009). The use of appropriate software should be investigated like Inspiration for planning work and laying out, Bubblus for mind mapping, Nessy Learning Programme, Word Shark for games that will reinforce literacy and numeracy skills.

Teaching approaches would involve individual support as well as assisted learning in the classroom context, according to the SEN Code of Practice. Sam should use a netbook for word processing of longer pieces of writing, like projects, essays. This will facilitate redrafting of work, and with use of a spelling checker, should improve his spelling. An informal assessment would bring relevant details regarding the student in the learning context and can be used in the development of an individual programme (Ott, 2007).

Students with dyslexia need effective, well-designed instruction and materials in order to maximize their learning (Rief & Stern, 2010). Appropriate intervention is only possible once learning’s needs have been recognised. As students move through school, their need to be able to read and write independently increases. Using the knowledge gained from observation and assessment of Sam’s skills and abilities will provide access to support him accessing the curriculum. Provision of differentiated learning opportunities would enable Sam to learn more effectively. My experience indicates that the learning style approach seems to offer to all students a chance to consider how they learn.

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Appendix 1

List of assessment strategies

Informal assessment has been carried through lessons observation, discussions with Sam, his mother, English teacher and his tutor. Also I have studied sample of Sam’s written work and his coping strategies when in a examination context. Dyslexia Screening Test has indicated moderate signs of dyslexia. Free writing speed was average at just 15 words per minute.

Details for used tests and summary of scores.

Literacy Attainment

Cognitive Processing

Appendix 2

Summaries of the assessment data

Sam’s difficulties are consistent with a profile of dyslexia, with specific difficulties in word attack skills, reading accuracy, decoding, spelling and writing. Phonological skills are below average and Sam seems to have problems tracking the text when attempting reading. Sam had difficulties in numeracy and doesn’t understand some of the mathematical concepts. Sam has shown poor organizational skills and often confuses left and right. He is very polite, enjoys drama and shows strengths in media.

This conclusion is based on the following working definition of dyslexia that has been developed by the Scottish Government, Dyslexia Scotland and the Cross Party Group on Dyslexia in the Scottish Parliament. Dyslexia can be described as a continuum of difficulties in learning to read, write and/or spell, which persist despite the provision of appropriate learning opportunities. These difficulties often do not reflect an individual's cognitive abilities and may not be typical of performance in other areas.

The impact of dyslexia as a barrier to learning varies in degree according to the learning and teaching environment, as there are often associated difficulties such as:

• Auditory and /or visual processing of language-based information

• Phonological awareness

• Oral language skills and reading fluency

• Short-term and working memory

• Sequencing and directionality

• Number skills

• Organizational ability.

Motor skills and co-ordination may also be affected.

Dyslexia exists in all cultures and across the range of abilities and socio-economic backgrounds. It is a hereditary, life-long, neurodevelopment condition. Unidentified, dyslexia is likely to result in low self esteem, high stress, atypical behaviour, and low achievement.

Learners with dyslexia will benefit from early identification, appropriate intervention and targeted effective teaching, enabling them to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

Sam’s difficulties have persisted even though support has been offered in the classroom. Sam is therefore considered as having dyslexic difficulties.

Reading

Single word reading: Wechsler individual Achievement Test-IIUK –T (WIAT-II-T)

This standardised test of single word reading requires the student to read single words out of context from a list that gradually increases in difficulty. The assessment was used to consider Sam’s skills at decoding words and to investigate his skills in word attack. Sam was able to sound out many words he did not immediately recognise. He also sounded out some common words and even though they did not match Sam’s pronunciation, he still managed to say the right words. Sam scored a standard score of 81, that’s below average.

Comprehension: Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-4)

In this test, Sam is asked to read short passages silently or aloud as they choose. We read the sample together, just to get him started and to boost his confidence. For this test Sam had to read the sentences aloud or silently and then find one word that completes the meaning of the sentence, therefore a measure of comprehension is calculated. On this test, Sam chose to read silently and did reasonably well gaining a standard score of 85. Sam has put some effort in this test, he needed time to process the information and getting the appropriate word.

Spelling

Spelling assessment was taken from Vernon and was used to consider spelling ability for single words. The words gradually increase in difficulty as the child progresses through the test. A target word is given and then repeated in the context of a sentence.

Sam’s standard score was 80 in the below average range. Several of his errors were phonetically close to the target word, writing ‘thum’ for ‘thumb’ and ‘royel’ for ‘royal’.

Writing

Free writing timed (10 minutes)

In free writing Sam’s handwriting was quite poor, with poor letter formation. Spelling was weak and slow paced, but the work could be reasonable understood . Sam started off keen to write about his favourite game, but got tired and asked for ideas during the allocating time. I have explained that I can’t tell him what to write, but to choose a favourite topic. Sam was encouraged to complete the task and then asked to read it out loud, he was happy with that. Writing speed was average at just 16.9 words a minute. His seating position was normal, almost leaning his head on the desk, close to the paper. He shuffled his feet when not actually writing. His writing was in a linked script, no paragraph and poor joining of letters.

Sam made spelling errors with reasonable phonic alternatives for most of the errors – ‘milleon’ for ‘million’, ‘lieve’ for ‘leave’. There were many grammar and punctuation errors with a capital ‘B’ in the middle of the sentence at the word ‘bye’ spelled incorrectly. There was only two full stops in the whole piece – one at the end. Sam used a basic vocabulary, although His description had lots of details.

Sam was asked to read back what he had written. Though the piece was short, Sam read quickly and needed some prompting, but overall he has done well. Consider copying from board, Sam took a long time to get the information on his paper. He is better off when copying from a close document, already photocopied for him.

Numeracy

The math teacher has indicated that Sam struggles with math. Standardized assessment of numeracy was carried out, WRAT4 – blue, math computing. Sam had been working on problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Sam was able to carry out the computation. Sam have some knowledge about multiplication tables, but he struggles with three digit numbers. His standard score was 78, that is below average.

Underlying ability

Receptive vocabulary:

This vocabulary scale provides a measure of the understanding of single word vocabulary. The child is asked to select pictures which best describe a word or words.

For this I have used Dyslexia Screening test. Sam performed very well on this, attaining a standard score of 112, and stanine of 7, which is above average for his age. This indicates that his understanding is advanced for his age. I could say that the difficulties Sam is having are not likely to be due to weak receptive skills.

Cognitive Processing

On the rapid Naming subtest of Dyslexia Screening Test, Sam was average. His accuracy in naming was very good. In the Visual Search subtest Sam has done very well, above average, probably because Sam plays computer games. The Spoonerisms subtest is more demanding as students are asked to replace phonemes in single words and then to swap the initial phonemes of two words – e.g. changing ‘sad cat’ to ‘cad sat’. Sam had difficulty with this task, his score was 86 placing him in the low average band.

Auditory working memory Digit memory test

The Digit Memory Test measures how well a child can remember a series of digits spoken aloud by the tester. The number of digits increases as the test progresses. First the student must repeat the digits in the order given (forward). This measures short term recall. Then the student has to repeat a sequence of digits, but in reverse order. This measures short term recall and working memory.

Sam’s standard score of 86 is below average. He used a chunking strategy which worked well for him, and regarded the tasks as a challenge.

Other relevant information

Sam is good at

Good orally – when he wants to make up a point or a message
Shows good understanding of spoken information
Good at media and enjoys PE.
Good at problem solving when no reading is involved, he can take initiative and offers support to other pupils.

Weaknesses

Sam

Shows difficulty in decoding of unfamiliar words
Lacks automaticity in literacy tasks
Shows tendencies of guessing words from context, or reads made up words
Has spelling difficulties including some high frequency
Has some phonological weaknesses
Is weak at written language skills including grammar and punctuation.

Recommendations

Sam will benefit from additional support, in classroom and small group intervention to develop his literacy skills.

Sam will benefit from a multisensory approach to learning ensuring that kinaesthetic and visual strategies are emphasised, using magnetic boards.

Sam should use a netbook for word processing of longer pieces of writing, like projects, essays. This will facilitate redrafting of work, and with use of spelling checker, should improve his spelling.
Sam will benefit from using the keyboard, but should also investigate the use of a program such as TextHelp that will provide auditory feedback to reading and writing.
The use of appropriate software should be investigated – e.g. Inspiration for planning work and laying out, Bubblus for mindmapping, Nessy Learning Programme, WordShark for games that will reinforce literacy and numeracy skills.
Wordtalk (www.wordtalk.org.uk) reads text-based worksheets documents and other materials. It improves reading rates, comfort and comprehension and helps increase student independence. It is a free text-to-speech reader for Microsoft Word which can be downloaded to a PC.
Use of a digital recorder to record Sam’s responses can provide an alternative to writing or the Dragon programme.
Visual factors should be further investigated, with the possibility of tinted glasses/ overlays if found to be beneficial. Referral can be made via Sam’s GP. Sam has tried out texts on different coloured paper to establish if this makes reading of text any easier. Tracking exercises where Sam has to track along each line of print to find certain letter patterns too may help eye control.
It will be worth investigating if font and size of text makes reading any easier for him so we could provide appropriate worksheets.
Sam should be encouraged to access books through digital recordings, school library resources, podcasts.
Sam would require support to use the tehnology suggested above. His parents will play an important role at home, supporting him with homework and reading tasks.

Appendix 3

REFERENCES

Backhouse Gill, Morris Kath, (2010) Dyslexia? Assessing and Reporting: The Patoss Guide, Hodder education, London

Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (2000) ‘Supporting Pupils with

Special Educational Needs in the Literacy Hour’, National Literacy Strategy,

London, DfEE.

Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008) Inclusion Development Programme Primary/ Secondary Dyslexia and Speech, Language and Communication Needs, The National Strategies, DVD.

Gathercole, S., Alloway, T., (2010) ‘Working memory and learning: a practical guide for teachers’, Sage, London.

Kerr H. (2009) Dyslexia and Adult Literacy: Does Dyslexia Disempower? in Fletcher- Campbell; Soler, J.; Reid, G. (ed) Approaching Difficulties in Literacy Development: Assessment, Pedagogy and Programmes, London, Sage/Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Johnston P., and Costello P., (2009), ‘Principles for literacy assessment’ in Fletcher- Campbell; Soler, J.; Reid, G. (ed.) Approaching Difficulties in Literacy Development: Assessment, Pedagogy and Programmes, London, Sage/Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Hornsby, B., (1986) Overcoming dyslexia, London, Garamond.

MacKay, N. (2006) Removing Dyslexia as a Barrier to Achievement, Leeds, SEN Marketing.

Mortimore, T. (2008) Dyslexia and learning style: a practitioner’s handbook, Chichester, John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Murphy, Sharon, (1997) ‘Literacy assessment and the politics of identities’ , Reading & Writing Quaterley, vol 13, issue 3, (accessed through Open Univ. on 19/05/2011)

Nicolson, R.I., and Fawcett, A.J., (1995) Dyslexia is more than a phonological disability, Dyslexia: An intervention journal of research and practice, 1, 19-37

Nicolson, R.I. (2001) in Fawcett (Ed) Dyslexia Theory and Good Practice

London: Whurr,

Norwich, B., Lewis, A., (2009) ‘Maping a Pedagogy for Special Education Needs’ in Fletcher- Campbell; Soler, J.; Reid, G. (ed) Approaching Difficulties in Literacy Development: Assessment, Pedagogy and Programmes, London, Sage/Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Ott, P. (2007) Teaching children with dyslexia a practical guide, Abingdon, Routledge.

Pollack David, (2009), ‘The self-concept and Dyslexia’ in Soler J.; Fletcher- Campbell; Reid, G. (ed.) Understanding Difficulties in Literacy Development: Issues and Concepts, London, Sage/Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Reid, G. (2009) Dyslexia: A Practitioner’s Handbook, 4th ed, Chichester, John Wiley.

Reid, K. and Valle, J. (2004) The Discursive Practice of Learning Disabilities: Implications for Instruction and Parent-School Relations in Journal of Learning Disabilities, vol. 37, no.6, pp. 466-481.

Reason, R. (2001) Educational practice and dyslexia: The Psychologist 14, 6, pages 1 – 4, (accessed on 15/05/2011)

Riddick, B., (2010) Living with dyslexia, 2nd edition., Abingdon, Routledge.

Rief, S., Stern, J., (2010) The dyslexia checklist: a practical reference for parents and teachers, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

Rose, J. (2009) Identifying and teaching children and young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. An independent report from Sir Jim Rose to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. DCSF-00659-2009

Snowling M. J. (2000) in Dyslexia: 2nd edition. Oxford. Blackwell

Soler, Janet (2009), ‘The historical construction of dyslexia: implications for Higher Education’ in ; Soler, Fletcher- Campbell J.; Reid, G. (ed) Understanding Difficulties in Literacy Development: Issues and Concepts, London, Sage/Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Spinelli, D., Brizzolara, D., De Luca,M., Gasperini, F., Subtypes of developmental dyslexia in transparent orthographies: A comment on Lachmann andVan Leeuwen (2008), Cognitive Neuropsychology, 2009, 26 (8), 752–758 accessed 18/05/2011 through Open Univ.

Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2001) DfES/581/2001

(Accessed on 12/05/2011)

Stanovitch, K. E. (1991) Discrepancy Definitions of reading disability: has intelligence led us astray?. Reading Research Quarterly 26: pages 7 - 29

Vellutino, F., Fletcher, J., Snowling, M., Scanlon, D., (2004) ‘Specific reading disability (dyslexia) what have we learned in the past four decades?’ in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 45:1, pp. 2-40

Good to state this early on in your TMA/research paper. Therefore your rationale for assessment is to inform future teaching strategies and ….

Can you link this to previous readings, models, theories you have learnt about on the course?

√Yes make strong links between the assessment and learning plan.

√

I consider to be

It is part of the information you are gathering as assessment is a process of building up a holistic picture of a student’s skills.

Changed to correct format for you.

I like the way you also gathered information from observations.

Ethics are important. Do you think Sam had a right to say no to being assessed?

Great glad you remembered point from tutorials.

√

It is good when you give your view with backed up evidence.

Good ideas here.

☺

At times you have been a little divergent however, generally covered all criteria. Well done.

Idendification of literacy needs. A dyslexia assessment is a full process that focuses on the students abilities, but involves the curriculum, teaching strategies and the learning context.

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