Rose Farnhill (Learner Development Service Adviser and Faculty Link Adviser) Dawn Nicholson (School of Science and the Environment) Personal Learning Plans.

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Rose Farnhill (Learner Development Service Adviser and Faculty Link Adviser)

Dawn Nicholson(School of Science and the Environment)

Personal Learning Plans (PLPs)Training to support the Faculty-wide

adoption of recommendations for students with dyslexia (March 2013)

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Students’ experiences of being dyslexic

• “I know what I want to say, but I can never find the right word”

• “I see things from a different perspective”

• “I’ve got all the right ideas but I can’t get them down onto paper”

• “It takes me ages to read anything and I can’t remember it even if it read it over and over”

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What is Dyslexia/SpLD?Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills.

It is likely to be present at birth and to be life-long in its effects; not linked to IQ, gender, age, social class

It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual's other cognitive abilities.

(British Dyslexia Association, 2007)

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Dyslexia / SpLD is identified by:

• Referral

• Screening

• Educational Psychology assessment

… and students with dyslexia access institutional support via their

Personal Learning Plan

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Activity 1

• How do you think dyslexia will manifest itself in our students, their learning, and their work?

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Manifestations of dyslexia• Common weaknesses are:

• short-term and working memory, • speed of processing,• sequencing skills, • auditory and /or visual perception, • spoken language, motor skills.

Common strengths are: • good visuospatial skills, • creative thinking • intuitive understanding• problem solving

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This means that students will take longer (inter alia) to:• Read • Research• Comprehend and extrapolate key information• Make notes• Order or plan written work• Remember and recall information• Express their understanding accurately in writing• Handwrite• Spell• Proofread, recognise and amend errors

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Activity 2

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The Equality Act 2010 (subsequent to The Disability Discrimination Act 2005)

"Where … a provision, criterion or practice … places the disabled person concerned at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with persons who are not disabled…

… it is the duty of the employer to take such steps as it is reasonable … in order to prevent the provision, criterion or practice … having that effect.“

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Why is dyslexia classed as a disability?

A person is classed as being disabled if:

“He/she has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.” (Equality Act 2010)

Our context is education, specifically teaching and learning.

Negotiated deadlines

Extra time in exams

Loan period

The new process

Reasonable adjustments are provided ‘as standard’ for all students

CRO

Exams Officer

Library

Academic staff

Disclosure

Assessment

Info sheet

Circulation of list

Reasonable adjustments

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Embedding reasonable adjustments as standard• Information sheet for staff and students, includes:• Reasonable adjustments• Student responsibilities• Resources, people to contact• Working with the library

• Inclusive practice is really all about developing policies and practices that reduce barriers to learning and participation for all students (Fuller et al. 2004, Williams and Quinn 2007)

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Activity 3: PLP recommendations• Identify issues and challenges• Suggest strategies, solutions for

embedding ‘as standard’

1. Extra time (25%) given for timed in-class tests (e.g. timed computer, lab and practical tests)

2. Engage with students in re-negotiating coursework deadlines (for reasons related to a students’ disability) where necessary

3. Learning materials and resources provided in electronic format and 48h in advance of session

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Useful LinksPLP Pilot Project (as above PLPs)

http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/disability_ guidelines/plpproject/index.php

Centre for Learning and Teaching Support for Teaching Supporting Disabled Students

celt.mmu.ac.uk/disability_guidelines/index.php

Learner Development Service

mmu.ac.uk/learnerdevelopment

British Dyslexia Association

bdadyslexia.org.uk

Dyslexia Action

dyslexiaaction.org.uk/

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Here to help: How to contact the

Learner Development Service

Learner Development ServiceEmployability HubBusiness School and Student HubAll Saints CampusOxford RoadManchester

M15 6BH

0161 247 3491

[email protected]

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