www.dessdys.eu NEWSLETTER November 20 Belfast Met Hosts DESSDYS project DESSDYS Changed My Life! The fourth visit of the DESSDYS Project took place in Belfast from 20 th – 24 th October 2010. The programme involved an intense work programme coupled with focussed cultural visits. The Belfast hosts ensured that both dyslexia tutors and dyslexic learners had a voice. Louise, a dyslexia tutor at Belfast Metropolitan College, gave a short input on the methods she used to teach dyslexic learners. She stressed the importance of multisensory approaches to teaching and gave some practical examples of activities. ‘I really enjoyed giving my input. It was so refreshing to meet people from other parts of Europe who, like me, have an interest in dyslexia’, she said. The group also had an opportunity to visit John Clarke, Director of the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Centre. John, whose brother is dyslexic, has been involved with dyslexia for many years and has many contacts with similar institutions in other parts of Europe. The most nervous contributor was Lydia, a dyslexic student studying at a local university. Lydia had been asked to come along and address the group to give dyslexic learners a voice. She explained that she had never done anything like that before and was very nervous. Several days later she wrote to say ‘Thank you so much for letting me talk at your meeting. It was the hardest thing I ever did. I couldn’t believe that people wanted to listen to me. It’s changed my life! I feel more confident now and just can’t stop talking.’ Lydia still keeps in contact with the Belfast hosts. She has now joined a local drama group and has contributed to many other meetings on dyslexia. DESSDYS links with learning games EU funded project share ideas Dys2 www.dys2.eu The Dys2 project is about development of a series of some 300 games that are intended to improve those skills that underlie literacy skills, namely auditory (memory, discrimination and sequencing), visual (memory, discrimination and sequencing) and spatial skills. Countries: The material is available in English, Bulgarian, Czech, German, Greek and Lithuanian. Caldys2 www.caldys2.eu The Caldys2 project is an extension of the original Calldys project that provided games to help motivate dyslexic individuals learning English, with the help of a mobile phone. This extended version looks to use more web 2.0 techniques to allow the users to generate their own content, and to adapt the learning to their own needs. Dyslexic Students in Balkan States) is just drawing to a close. The extensive Countries involved: UK, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy and Turkey. DESSDYS Web site www.dessdys.eu
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www.dessdys.eu
NEWSLETTER November 2010
Belfast Met Hosts DESSDYS project DESSDYS Changed My Life! The fourth visit of the DESSDYS Project took place in Belfast from 20th – 24th October 2010. The programme involved an intense work programme coupled with focussed cultural visits. The Belfast hosts ensured that both dyslexia tutors and dyslexic learners had a voice.
Louise, a dyslexia tutor at Belfast Metropolitan College, gave a short input on the methods she used to teach dyslexic learners. She stressed the importance of multisensory approaches to teaching and gave some practical examples of activities. ‘I really enjoyed giving my input. It was so refreshing to meet people from other parts of Europe who, like me, have an interest in dyslexia’, she said.
The group also had an opportunity to visit John Clarke, Director of the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Centre. John, whose brother is dyslexic, has been involved with dyslexia for many years and has many contacts with similar institutions in other parts of Europe.
The most nervous contributor was Lydia, a dyslexic student studying at a local university. Lydia had been asked to come along and address the group to give dyslexic learners a voice. She explained that she had never done anything like that before and was very nervous. Several days later she wrote to say ‘Thank you so much for letting me talk at your meeting. It was the hardest thing I ever did. I couldn’t believe that people wanted to listen to me. It’s changed my life! I feel more confident now and just can’t stop talking.’
Lydia still keeps in contact with the Belfast hosts. She has now joined a local drama group and has contributed to many other meetings on dyslexia.
DESSDYS links with learning games EU funded project share ideas
Dys2 -‐ www.dys2.eu
The Dys2 project is about development of a series of some 300 games that are intended to improve those skills that underlie literacy skills, namely auditory (memory, discrimination and sequencing), visual (memory, discrimination and sequencing) and spatial skills.
Countries: The material is available in English, Bulgarian, Czech, German, Greek and Lithuanian.
Caldys2 -‐ www.caldys2.eu The Caldys2 project is an extension of the original Calldys project that provided games to help motivate dyslexic individuals learning English, with the help of a mobile phone. This extended version looks to use more web 2.0 techniques to allow the users to generate their own content, and to adapt the learning to their own needs.
Dyslexic Students in Balkan States) is just drawing to a close. The extensive
Countries involved: UK, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy and Turkey.
DESSDYS Web site www.dessdys.eu
www.dessdys.eu
Teachers’ workshop in Budapest Helping the Dyslexic Language Learner As part of cooperation between 2 dyslexia related EU funded projects, Dessdys and Caldys2, a teachers’ workshop was held in Budapest in 2011 February. The two projects were introduced and teachers were asked for feedback and further ideas, with special respect to teaching foreign languages to dyslexic students. Dr Ian Smythe presented on assistive technology, Eszter Bakos showed results of her research on the difficulties of teaching grammar to dyslexic language learners.
In the second part of the workshop language teachers were interviewed on practices and priorities of language teaching practices. The results added to the international review carried out for Caldys2 project.
Contacts Country Partner Institution Reference E-Mail Web site
Bulgaria Dyslexia Association - Bulgaria Daniela Boneva [email protected] www.dyslexia-bg.org
Hungary BF EDU Kft Anna Győrfi [email protected] www.bluefountain.hu
Italy Fondazione Padre Alberto Mileno Onlus Anna Scafetta [email protected] www.fondazionemileno.it
Northern Ireland Belfast Metropolitan College Joe Higgins [email protected] www.belfastmet.ac.uk
Turkey Kocaeli Rehberlik ve Araştırma Merkezi Binnur Küçükyıldız [email protected] www.kocaeliram.com
United Kingdom Ibis Creative Consultants Ltd Ian Smythe [email protected] www.ibisconsultants.info
DESSDYS in Bulgaria Special Attention to 16+ learners Dyslexia Association – Bulgaria (DABG) has been involved in different dyslexia related projects for more than five years. DABG was the first organisation in the country that paid attention to the problems of the over 16 year old dyslexic learners.
In Bulgaria there is not a system for testing children for symptoms of dyslexia, therefore most of them come to the higher education undiagnosed, and so struggle with their studies and underachieve. There is quite a big number of young people in high schools, colleges and universities that give up and leave the educational institutions.
DESSDYS has been developed to address the problems of these students. Materials developed so far will help them to understand the origin of their difficulties and will give them practical advice how to improve their study skills which is the main point of the project.
Turkish Activity Dessdys Materials make studying easier: Based on our knowledge of the great need for the dyslexia related materials throughout the country we are happy to announce that the e-book of ‘Ten Tips to Better Study’ and ‘Tutor’s Guide’ are published on Dessdys Website in Turkish Language. Izmit Guidance and Research Centre took part in local and regional events in order to promote the Dessdys Project and introduced project products to the school counsellors and professionals who work with dyslexic individuals. Izmit RAM has been using its website to disseminate project related activities and outcomes.
�zmit RAM has been using its website to disseminate project related activities and outcomes. Since August 2010, the number of visitors are determined as 75 914. Moreover Dyslexia related websites which has been set up by Turkish Institutions and associations cite the link of DESSDYS Project’s internet address as an example of recent studies and a source about dyslexia
Dessdys Pilot test We started testing Dessdys material over 40 students The Dessdys study material was distributed at the State Economic and Technical Institute “De Sterlich” in Chieti Scalo (Italy) to 20 students with learning difficulties and other 20 students with unknown learning difficulties. Furthermore teachers and tutors are also involved in testing the Dessdys tutors guide. The first impressions are very positive and many students are already successfully appliying the guidance of the guides. The pilot testing will end February 14, 2011.
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