Saint Mary’s University College

A study to investigate the difficulties faced by children with dyslexia in the

mainstream school and the most beneficial strategies in dealing with these
difficulties

Student Number: 17627079

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 A project study submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
degree of Bachelor of Education. Queens University Belfast. May 2011

Contents

Chapters

Chapter 1: Introduction Pages 2- 3

Chapter 2: Literature Review Pages 4 – 9

Chapter 3: Methodology Pages 10 – 13

Chapter 4: Results and discussion Pages 14 – 23

Chapter 5: Conclusion Pages 24 - 25

References Page 26 - 29

Appendix

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Principal Consent Letter Page 31

Questionnaire and Cover Letter Page 32 – 42

Interview Questions Pages 39 - 41

Pilot questionnaire Pages 42 - 46

Chapter 1

Introduction

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Dyslexia is a term used increasingly frequently in schools as advances in research on dyslexia
have led to a greater understanding of the once hidden disability. Given dyslexia is often
wrongly interpreted as a difficulty with reading (Frith, 1999) the purpose of this study is to
investigate the extent of the difficulties children with dyslexia have in the classroom and
since all teachers are expected to be teachers of special educational needs it will be
interesting to note how aware the teachers are of beneficial strategies to support the learner
with dyslexia.

Two research questions were identified which underpinned the study:

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 • What difficulties do children with dyslexia display in the mainstream classroom?

• What are the most effective strategies that can be put in place to meet the needs of the
pupil with dyslexia in the mainstream classroom?

Although this study had many positive aspects, there were limitations which must be pointed
out. It was quite a small scale study, with only 8 teachers and the headmistress of a small
rural school involved, this may have meant the results were not completely reflective of
dyslexic difficulties and the most effective strategies. The study was completed over a
relatively short time period, and given the demanding school day, the respondents found it
difficult to dedicate a great deal of time to the study.

Chapter 2

5
Literature Review

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Dyslexia is a very prevalent learning difficulty affecting approximately ten percent of
children. (Pavey, 2007) Whilst dyslexia can occur across the ability range, difficulties
associated with the learning difference are more obvious in a child who has good cognitive
abilities but does not progress in literacy skills. (Blackhouse & Morris, 2005)

The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek Language and it literally translates as ‘difficulty
with words’. Dyslexia is a term used increasingly frequently in schools, yet, it is unfortunate
that its definition and explanation have long been surrounded by much confusion (Frith,
1999). Crombie (2001 cited in Reid 2009) states that “Dyslexia as a term has long been
misunderstood, misinterpreted and sometimes disbelieved” This may be due to the fact that
not all children present the same pattern of abilities and difficulties.

“Dyslexia is not one thing but many – to the extent that it may be a conceptual clearing
house for a variety of difficulties with a variety of causes” (Rice & Brooks, 2004 cited in
Blackhouse & Morris, 2005)

The recognition of dyslexia as a more complex range of difficulties, than reading and writing
resulted in an update of the definition of dyslexia to:

" a combination of abilities and difficulties which affect the

learning process in one or more of reading, spelling, writing and sometimes
numeracy/language. Accompanying weaknesses may be identified in areas of
speed of processing, short-term memory, sequencing, auditory and/or visual perception,
spoken language and motor skills” (British Dyslexia Association, 2005)

Dyslexia is termed a specific learning difference, as an individual experiencing it may have

“a deficit in some of the processes of learning, but not all” (DOE, 2002)

Difficulties experienced by individuals with dyslexia can be explained by a number of

hypotheses. As the knowledge base regarding literacy acquisition and dyslexia has increased

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enormously there is a wide consensus that a phonological processing deficit is strongly linked
with dyslexia. (Blackhouse & Morris, 2005)
Hatcher and Snowling (2002 cited in Reid, 2009) suggest that the most consistently reported
difficulties in dyslexia are limitations of short term memory, resulting in children facing
difficulties following classroom instructions and problems memorizing the days of the week
or the months of the year. It has been reported by the Department of Education (2002) that
the most easily identifiable difficulty in the classroom, are those faced with phonological
awareness, with many children finding the relationships between letter name and letter sound
difficult to acquire. Children facing dyslexia may also have difficulty formulating these
speech sounds and therefore are often late in developing language. (Siegel, 2008) It is
probable that all the literacy difficulties faced by children with dyslexia ensue from these
phonological difficulties. (Hatcher & Snowling, 2002, cited in Reid, 2009) Often the child
with dyslexia may have difficulties in literacy including poor reading and spelling accuracy
as well as a lack of fluency in both reading and writing. (Squires and McKeown, 2003)

In addition to literacy difficulties, there is emerging evidence that dyslexia is also associated
with mathematical development, but the extent to which it impacts on different mathematical
skills varies. These difficulties may include development of fact recall and also the store of
these facts in long term memory (Simmons & Singleton, 2009), as well as problems with
sequencing, spatial awareness and language aspects of maths. (Ott, 1997) Also since
mathematics is a symbolic language, pupils who have problems identifying letters may find
numbers equally hard to recognise. (Squires and McKeown, 2003)

Research has also shown clumsiness due to motor skills problems, (Alexander-Passe, 2007)
as well as poor organisation of information and materials (DOE, 2002) to be associated with
dyslexia. Children experiencing dyslexia may also have an underdeveloped ability to deal
with timekeeping, failing to differentiate between the bell signalling lunchtime and time to
leave school for home. (Alexander-Passe, 2007)

It must be acknowledged that dyslexic learners are often as effective as their peers during the
oral, group work phase of a lesson. Often the key to recognising dyslexia in mainstream

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settings is for teachers to focus on “unexpected” behaviours and aspects of performance in
relation to ability. (BDA, 2005)

Owing to the variability and inconsistency of these difficulties identification of those learners
with dyslexia is often difficult. Early identification, however, is crucial and can make a
significant difference to the achievement outcome of children who are at risk. (Reid, 2009)
Early warning signs of dyslexia which teachers could identify include coordination
difficulties, difficulties with pencil grip, immature use of language, sequencing or
organisational difficulties prior to the teaching of reading skills. (Reid, 2009)

Failure to identify dyslexia in light of persistent problems can cause distress to children and
their parents, as they struggle to make sense of a seemingly unknown problem (Crombie,
2001 cited in Reid, 2009) It must be stressed that children later identified as being dyslexic
are likely to question their intellectual abilities and lose motivation. (Palombo, 2001;
McNulty, 2003 cited in Burden, 2008)

For these learners with dyslexia the official diagnosis is critical in order to maintain self
esteem. Research has indicated that teachers have a significant influence on the development
of self esteem in pupils with dyslexia and unfair treatment from teachers can impact
negatively on self esteem (Humphrey, 2001 cited in Glazzard, 2010) Teachers’ understanding
of dyslexia is key to the protection of the self esteem, reduction of stress and attainment of
full potential of the learner with dyslexia. (Regan & Woods, 2000) Teachers can motivate
pupils and raise self esteem by continuously encouraging pupils strengths and talents and
creating opportunities for their success in order to restore self belief. (Turner and Nicholas,
2000)

According to the British Dyslexia Association (2005), all teachers should be assisted through
training and the ethos of the school, to readily identify learning issues and take front line
action to target them, i.e. translate strategies into their classroom practice.

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 “Dyslexia friendly schools are inclusive schools,” responding to social, emotional and
intellectual inclusion, focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses, on abilities rather than
on problems (MacKay, 2005 cited in Reid & Fawcett, 2005 p.233)

Although there is a huge need for early identification and intervention, most needs of children
with dyslexia can be met through “effective classroom practice and flexible use of resources”
(Coffield & O’Neill, 2004 p.254)

Even from the early years of primary school, taking instructions from teachers and
remembering, retaining and recalling them in order to finish the task may cause strain to a
child experiencing dyslexia (Alexander-Passe, 2007). (BPS, 1999 cited in Reid, 2005) These
difficulties could have a harmful consequence for the child’s ability to participate to their full
potential in classroom activities, from the outset.

A teacher with an advanced knowledge of the difficulties faced by pupils with dyslexia, will
make provisions to make the classroom experience as positive for the pupils as possible.
These might include additional time for the completion of tasks, repetition of instructions
(Alexander-Passe, 2007) the strategies of over learning or mnemonics or introduction of
assisted learning approaches. These are of great support to the learning process and can be
utilised across the curriculum. (Reid, 2009) Assisted Learning methods such as these include
peer tutoring, cued spelling and paired reading. Paired reading studies have shown that
releasing students from the burden of decoding can facilitate or enhance comprehension and
vocabulary (Evans, 1984 cited in Reid, 2009) It can also have a role in reducing the anxieties
of reading for dyslexic children. (Topping & Hogan, 1999, cited in Reid, 2009)

The British Dyslexia Association (2005) believe that appropriate adaption of the classroom in
order to assist learners with dyslexia includes consideration of seating and lighting, use of
resources such as ICT as well as accessible alternatives to copying from the board. Other
suggestions which may assist the children with dyslexia in the classroom include access to

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word banks, spelling aids and coloured overlays. However, use of these coloured overlays has
not been found to be differentially effective for children with dyslexia (Iovino et al, 1998)
Books encompassing different reading ages including the same reading content are effective
in dealing with reading difficulties. In order to select a text to support children with reading
difficulties it is necessary for the teacher to consider sentence length, syllable counts and
word familiarity. Additionally use of boxes, diagrams, pictures and paragraphs within text
can be less overwhelming to the children. (Squires & McKeown, 2003) Broomfield and
Combley (2003) believe visual cues in books to provide additional support and confidence to
readers with dyslexia.

There is significant evidence that intervention strategies for teaching reading and spelling
skills to dyslexic children should be both multisensory and phonological. (Reid, 2005) The
multisensory approach using a combination of auditory, visual and kinaesthetic methods,
reinforces the input, using all the senses so that information is effectively absorbed and stored
(BDS, 2005) Supporting the common difficulties learners with dyslexia may experience such
as in auditory processing, visual sequencing or visual perception (Thomson & Watkins,
1998). Phonological factors are also of considerable importance in teaching reading and
spelling, to ensure that the child has an awareness of the sound/letter correspondence, so they
can tackle new words and hence extend their vocabulary. (Reid, 2005)

In terms of writing, children experiencing dyslexia often show difficulties with structure,
sequencing, grammar and punctuation, as well as displaying a reluctance to write or slow
writing speed (Reid, 2007). Wray (2000 cited in Reid, 2005) suggests teacher modelling can
also be useful in developing writing skills. Writing frames and key words can help children
with dyslexia by providing a structure. (Reid, 2007)

“Dyslexic children need to learn initially by operating with materials, only later should they
be introduced to symbols” (Miles, 1992 cited in Ott, 1997 p145) Mathematical difficulties
can be supported in the dyslexia friendly classroom through use of concrete materials such as
Dienes blocks, Cuisenaire rods and even number lines. (Ott, 1997). Mathematic lessons
should also be made as multisensory as possible and children should be given access to
computers which provide much mathematical practice and can be invaluable (BDA, 2005)

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The child with dyslexia does not need radically different teaching approaches but more
careful and intensive support across the curriculum. This supports the conclusions of recent
studies. There is no doubt that these factors could offer an effective classroom framework for
all pupils, just not the children experiencing dyslexia. (McPhillips & Shevlin, 2009)

Chapter 3
Methodology

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The study was undertaken in a rural primary school in Northern Ireland which has 151 pupils,
with 20 on the special educational needs register due to their dyslexic difficulties. The school
has 8 teachers excluding the school principal who is currently non-teaching

Research Questions

• What difficulties do children with dyslexia display in the mainstream classroom?

• What are the most effective strategies that can be put in place to meet the needs of
pupil with dyslexia in the mainstream classroom?

Firstly 2 research questions were identified, as can be seen above. Chapter one encompassed
reviewing literature around the research questions, setting the context of the study. Next it
was decided how the research study would be carried out within a primary school. The
methods of questionnaire and interview were considered as research methods. Observation
and use of documents were also contemplated.

Qualitative and Quantitative research were considered. Each has its own characteristics. It
was decided that both of these would be part of the study.

Following much refection on the methods of research, questionnaires and interviews were
chosen.

Questionnaires were chosen as a method as they can be administered without the presence of
the researcher (Cohen et al, 2000), making efficient use of time. (Munn and Drever, 1999)
They also have an advantage in allowing anonymity. Questionnaires are; however, quite time
consuming to develop, as the appearance, layout and ease of completion is vitally important,
in order to maximise the return rate and quality of completion. (Cohen and Manion, 1994)

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Open ended questions were distanced through the questionnaire as it was noted that these can
be quite time consuming and difficult to answer. (Wellington, 2000) Closed questions were
widely used, taking the forms of multiple choice questions, rank order and rating scale
questions (Cohen et al, 2000)

Interviews allow a researcher to investigate and probe and respondents are generally well
motivated. The type of interview used was a semi structured interview, allowing flexibility on
the part of the interviewer over the range and order of questions. (Wellington, 2000)
Interviews may however, include bias on the part of the interviewer as well as the respondent
feeling uneasy, if they feel the questioning is too deep. (Cohen et al, 2000). The interview
consisted largely of open ended questions, allowing for greater understanding of the
respondent’s perspectives. (Cohen et al, 2000)

Piloting

Bearing in mind that “the wording of questionnaires is of paramount importance and that
pretesting is crucial to its success” (Cohen et al, 2000 p260) before the questionnaire was
distributed, it was piloted by fellow undergraduate students. This was in order to increase the
reliability and practicability of the questionnaire. A piloted questionnaire can be found in the
appendix section, this highlights where changes were made. (Page 42-46)

Ethics

The researcher considered ethics when preparing for the study and adhered to the guidelines
which had been issued by BERA. An ethics form was submitted prior to the study, this was in
line with the college requirements, that no children or vulnerable adults would be used and
also no children’s parents would be asked to partake in the study.

The headmistress of the primary school was asked for permission that the study on dyslexia
could proceed. The copy of the letter given in order to receive her consent can be found in
the appendix. (Page 31)

Data Collection and Sample

A questionnaire was drawn up based around the research questions and likewise an interview
was built. Copies of each of these can be found in the appendix. (Page 32-41)

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The sample group included 7 teachers and the headmistress of the school which was in close
proximity with the researcher. Each respondent completed a hand delivered questionnaire.
They were made aware of the research aim through a cover letter. They were assured
anonymity and informed their participation was much appreciated. All questionnaires were
returned to a box in the staff room one week later. A time was arranged with the special
educational needs coordinator for the interview to be completed. She was told the methods
that would be used to record responses. The researcher took care not to allow their own
biases, opinions or curiosities affect their behaviour during the interview.

The questionnaires were examined and the results drawn up within tables and graphs before
being analysed and discussed. The interview was used to support the results from the
questionnaire.

Review of methodology

Following the completion of this methodology a limitation was that it was quite a small scale
study, if it were to have been completed in a larger scale, the study may have been more
reliable. Reflecting on the study, it was completed over a relatively short time period, and
given the demanding school day, the respondents found it difficult to dedicate a great deal of
time to the study. It was extremely difficult to arrange a time for interview within the special
educational coordinators busy schedule. If the project were to be done again it would be
ensured that she was given the interview questions in advance to allow her time to prepare, as
it was felt that she was anxious about the questions she would be asked.

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 Chapter 4

Results and Discussion

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Following completion of the study, all respondents state that they have received in-service
training on dyslexia. The special educational needs coordinator explains that this training was
undertaken due to the high incidence of dyslexia in the school. She believes that in the village
in which the school is situated, dyslexia is hereditary.

This chapter describes and discusses the findings from the research questionnaire and
interview, including the main difficulties which children with dyslexia face in the mainstream
classroom, and the respondents interpretation of the strategies most effective in dealing with
these.

Table 1

Table showing the reading difficulties experienced by the child with dyslexia who the respondents
considered
Reading difficulty Number of Respondents

Difficulty in word recognition 6

Difficulty with remembering sounds 4

Substitution of words with those with
2
similar meaning
Substitution of words with those which
3
look similar
Difficulty with rhyming 3
Poor word attack skills 6
Reading slow and hesitant 8
Other 0

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The majority of the respondents reported the pupil with dyslexia who they considered have a
reading speed which is slow and hesitant as can be seen in Table 1. According to Reid (2007)
this may be due to the child with dyslexia focusing on their reading accuracy, resulting in a
loss of emphasis on meaning, expression and a loss of reading fluency.

In terms of reading strategies a number of respondents discussed that the reading strategy
they used in supporting children with dyslexia was simply to ensure books are suited to the
child, in terms of both content and ability. This is a suitable strategy, as “It does not matter
how interesting or exciting the book is if the child cannot read it”. (Thomson and Watkins,
1990 cited in Ott, 1997) Others discussed their use of synthetic phonics in order to help
children to decode words presented to them in text, this is encouraging as according to Reid,
(2007) a bottom up emphasis on phonics is a necessary component of a reading programme
for children with dyslexia.

Of all difficulties pupils with dyslexia can face, reading difficulties are those which in 75% of
the respondents experience most face in the mainstream classroom.

Table 2

Table showing the writing difficulties the respondents reported when they considered a child
with dyslexia who they have taught.

Number of respondents who chose

Writing Difficulty
this
Slow writing speed 4
Unusual writing grip 5
Inability to get ideas on paper 6
Use simple vocabulary 3
Reluctance to write 8
Problems copying from board 8
Inaccurate punctuation and grammar 2
Reversal of letters 1

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 Problems with sequencing 0
Other 1

In terms of writing difficulties, as can be seen in Table 2, 75% reported an inability to get
ideas on paper while all reported difficulties in copying from the board and a reluctance to
try.

On the rating scale for strategies in dealing with writing difficulties 75 % of respondents
indicated that the most effective was shared writing. Some additional comments included that
children can contribute ideas they otherwise may be unable to. It is encouraging that this
formed the most effective strategy, as the majority of the respondents reported children with
dyslexia have an inability to get ideas on paper. The least effective strategy for writing
difficulties as chosen by the teachers was that of writing frames, with 50% of respondents
placing this as number four on the scale. This may be due to the fact that often learners with
dyslexia find them difficult to use and may merely copy words or phrases from the frame.
(Broomfield and Crombley, 2003)

Contrasting with the views of the respondents and of Broomfield and Crombley (2003) it has
been stated by Reid (2005) that a frame for the written piece is a very useful strategy in
helping improve the independent writing skills of children with dyslexia. Since all
respondents reported a reluctance to try as a common writing difficulty, it is important to
provide children with these opportunities for independent writing as Montgomery (2007)
discussed how it may be consistent lack of practice which has a serious influence on writing
development.

Table 3

Table showing the spelling difficulties the respondents reported when they considered a child
with dyslexia who they have taught.

Number of respondents
Spelling Difficulty
who chose this
Tendency to spell words as they sound 4
Unable to recognise their errors 3
Poor awareness of sounds 6
Letters in the wrong order 2
Omission of letters within words 2
Other 0

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As can be seen in Table 3, 75% of respondents stated that a main spelling difficulty is a poor
awareness of sounds.

The spelling strategy which was numbered as the most effective in dealing with spelling
difficulties was look, cover, write, check. Walker (2000) discusses, how this method omits all
grapheme-phoneme links, which are an important part of the spelling system; given that the
majority of respondents reported a poor awareness of sounds as a difficulty in terms of
spelling, it is surprising that this has been chosen, over phonics, as the most effective
strategy.

Table 4

Table showing the emotional difficulties the respondents reported when they considered a
child with dyslexia who they have taught.

Number of respondents who

Emotional Difficulty
chose this
Over reliant on adult support 2
Reluctance to try 5
Low self esteem or confidence 8
Anxiety 6
Task Avoidance 0
Boisterous Behaviour 4
Other 0

All teachers’ selected low self esteem as a common emotional difficulty as can be seen in
Table 4. In addition to this, 75% of the respondents stated children often are anxious, while
50% of them stated boisterous behaviour is common. This is interesting as Thomson (1996
cited in Alexander-Passe, 2007) isolated two types of reactions to low self esteem among
dyslexics. Firstly he discussed “under reactions” of withdrawal and extreme anxiety.
Secondly, an “over reaction” whereby children try to hide their failure under their attitude
and manifest silly behaviour. The teachers who did not state boisterous behaviour as an
emotional difficulty, interestingly had had the most experience of teaching pupils with
dyslexia. Morgan’s (1997 cited in Alexander-Passe, 2007) study of self esteem in dyslexia,
found that children who were receiving insufficient support could feel devalued, and may

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turn to deviant behaviour. The pattern here may be that teachers who were more experienced
in working with children with dyslexia support the child to a greater extent.

Interestingly all respondents highlighted a good knowledge of the importance of early

identification of dyslexia and reported it to be very significant; however, all respondents
continue to find pupils with dyslexia to have a low self esteem. This contradicts research by
Glazzard (2010) who discuses how early identification is crucial in order to increase self
esteem. Given the fact that over half of the respondents discussed reading difficulties as an
early warning sign of dyslexia may show that the respondents have not been fully trained on
early identification, as Reid (2005) highlighted indicators of dyslexia to include coordination
difficulties, difficulties with pencil grip, immature use of language, sequencing or
organisational difficulties prior to the teaching of reading skills.

Circle time was discussed by the majority of respondents as an effective strategy to target the
emotional difficulties of children who have dyslexia. This may be accountable to the fact that
the school in which the research was completed, recently had a training day based on circle
time, as reported by the school special educational needs co-ordinator during the interview.

Figure 1

Bar graph to show the % of respondents who reported the child they considered had mathematical
difficulties

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The findings of the study suggest that dyslexia impacts on some children’s mathematical
development to some extent; however, the impact on different mathematical skills varies
greatly. 37.5% of respondents stated that the child they considered during the competition of
the questionnaire had no mathematical difficulties. This can be seen in Figure 1. This is
interesting and reflects a pattern found by Miles (1982 cited in Ott 1997) that 10% of children
with dyslexia are likely to be really successful in maths, 30% exhibit no particular problem;
and the other 60% can experience difficulties.

Table 5

Table showing the mathematical difficulties the respondents reported when they considered a
child with dyslexia who they have taught.

Number of respondents who

Mathematical Difficulty
chose this
Place Value 0
Attaching meaning to symbols 1
Mathematical language 3
Recognition of patterns 0
Mental Maths 2
Number recognition 0
Fact Recall 2
Other 1

Over half of those who found mathematical difficulties to be a problem, stated mathematical
language as an area the child they considered had problems in as can be seen in Table 5. An
additional difficulty recorded was with reading the questions. Mathematical language
difficulties may arise through discrepancies in the way the language is used either formally or
informally. As Pollock and Waller (1994 cited in Ott, 1997) pointed out, additional problems
may arise if the teacher uses different words to those in resources to support lessons.

All respondents chose concrete apparatus as the most effective strategy in dealing with
mathematical difficulties. Blackhouse and Morris (2005) support this as they state
mathematical concepts need to be understood at a concrete level by pupils with dyslexia
before they are abstracted into symbolic representations.

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It is quite remarkable that given the main difficulty recorded was that of mathematical
language, all respondents chose concrete materials. It would have been thought that class
discussion would have been the most effective strategy, as Clayton (2000) stresses that pupils
must be given opportunity to talk through procedures, using precise mathematical language,
allowing the teacher to see whether they understand.

The special educational needs coordinator discusses how she believes a “buddy system” is
necessary for mathematics in the classroom. In the interview she explained about the child
she is considering “Although he is dyslexic, he is the best in the class at maths, I ensure that
he has a study buddy to read the questions for him, he is of great support to his study buddy
who finds maths tricky”.

Also in terms of differentiating for the child with dyslexia, taking into account their
intellectual ability as well as their special educational need, a quarter of the respondents
suggested group work or assisted learning methods should be in operation in the classroom.
This is impressive, as although the child with dyslexia may not have the reading or writing
ability of the others in the group, they generally do have the verbal ability and their
contribution will be valued by the group. (Reid, 2007)

Table 6

Table showing the memory difficulties the respondents reported when they considered a child
with dyslexia who they have taught.

Number of respondents who

Memory Problem
chose this
Difficulty remembering instructions 5
Problems with sequencing e.g. days of
0
week
Poor organisation of work and materials 0
Poor concentration 4
Difficulty time keeping 2
Other 0

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As can be seen in Table 6, 62.5% of teachers reported that the child with dyslexia who they
considered, had problems in the area of following instructions in the classroom setting.

None of the respondents highlighted poor organisation of work or materials to be a memory

problem.
Classroom method Number of respondents
Concurrently
Lighting Appropriate 3
all respondents Child in suitable seat 8
Sufficient space 3
state they have
Board writing in different colours 7
in place the Resources clearly labelled 4
procedures of Key words placed around classroom 4
Desktop aids available 3
class timetable,
Coloured overlays used 0
daily book and Cream paper instead of white 0

equipment Font size changed 0

Flow charts used 0
checklist and
Additional time provided for completion 3
homework Overlearning 3
Mnemonics 1
book to assist
children with their organisational difficulties. There clearly is a relationship between the use
of the strategies in relieving the children of these organisational difficulties.

Table 7

Table to show the how the respondents in the target group have their classroom currently adjusted to
assist pupils with dyslexia

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Another strategy that all respondents stated that they incorporated in their classroom
environment to support a child with dyslexia was an appropriate seating position in the
classroom, this can be seen in Table 7. Some respondents discussed that they should face the
front of the room and be free from distractions.

Interestingly only a quarter of respondents stated that they use desktop aids as a classroom
strategy to assist the child with dyslexia. This may be due to the fact that it is usually only in
the Foundation Stage of school that children are provided with desktop aids. Goldup and
Olster (2000) discuss how these aids should be accessible to pupils of all ages and could be of
help to the whole class not just those with dyslexia.

All respondents acknowledged multi sensory learning to be very significant for the learner
with dyslexia. This is encouraging that all respondents are aware of the benefits of multi
sensory learning for pupils with dyslexia. The strategies reported to be used by the
respondents included talking and listening activities, practical activities, audio books, picture
cues and the majority of respondents mentioned ICT.

ICT was also recorded as an alternative method of notation by over half of the respondents.
During interview the special educational needs coordinator discussed the importance of ICT to
enable multisensory learning as well as allowing the child to work at their own pace. She stated
all classrooms are equipped with relevant technology in order to allow regular access for
children who have dyslexia. When analysed closely it was the teachers who have fewest years
of teaching experience who stated ICT as a multisensory method and alternative method of
notation. This may be due to the fact that teacher education has only recently had a huge
emphasis on ICT as “children now entering the school system are using computers at a much
earlier age than their teachers did” (Rooms, 2000)

Following this study, the researcher has developed their own knowledge for the future in terms
of the variability of the difficulties of individual pupils with dyslexia. The researcher has,
therefore, become more confident in their ability to identify pupils who may have dyslexia and
the strategies which are most effective in dealing with their individual difficulties.

25
Chapter 5

Conclusion

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To conclude, it seems, children with dyslexia certainly face difficulties in a wide range of
areas. The respondents each reported that the child they considered had some difficulty
within the areas of reading, writing, spelling, organisation and memory and also emotional
difficulties. Over a quarter of respondents didn’t highlight numeracy as a major problem.
From the results it is indeed apparent that dyslexia is undeniably a learning difference
inherent with a cluster of difficulties, cutting across the whole curriculum (Regan & Woods,
2000) and not all children present the same pattern of abilities and difficulties.

The strategies highlighted most effective in dealing with difficulties in these areas were
books of different reading abilities, shared writing, look, spell, write, check, timetables, daily
book and equipment checklists as well as a homework book and circle time.

The strategies which formed the most effective were somewhat surprising in some areas,
given the difficulties which were reported by the respondents. For example, the strategy
ranked most highly for spelling (look, spell, write, check) was not concurrent with the most
common difficulty; poor awareness of sounds. As Reid (2007) discusses, when determining
the most appropriate approaches for children with dyslexia it is very significant to consider
their individual difficulties and strengths. The results suggest that the respondents may fail to
do so. All respondents were confident that providing multi sensory opportunities for children
with dyslexia is very significant, as well as methods of differentiating for the child and
alternative methods of notation. It may be of benefit to the respondents to read more

27
information books or recent publications to enhance their awareness of strategies to deal with
the specific and variable difficulties of children with dyslexia as only a quarter of respondents
reported to currently use this method to update their knowledge of the special educational
need.

Areas for Development

Given time and resources it may be useful to complete a larger scale study. It would be
interesting to look at the importance of early identification of dyslexia, given that Reid (2009)
states it can make a significant difference to the achievement outcome of children. According to
Nicolson & Fawcett (1999), four times as many boys as girls are diagnosed with dyslexia. It may
be interesting to investigate why this is the case.

References

Alexander-Passe, N. (2007) The Sources and Manifestations of Stress Amongst School-aged

Dyslexics, Compared with Sibling Controls. Dyslexia. (14), 291-313

BDA (2005) Dyslexia Friendly Schools Pack. http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/files/DFS

%20pack%20English.pdf Accessed on 30th November 2010.

Blackhouse, G. And Morris, K. (2005) Dyslexia? Assessing and Reporting: The Patoss
Guide. Patoss: England

Broomfield, H. & Combley, M. (2003) Overcoming Dyslexia: A Practical Handbook for the
Classroom. 2nd edn. London: Whurr Publishers Ltd

Burden, R (2008) Is Dyslexia Necessarily Associated With Negative Feelings of Self Worth?
A review and Implications for Future Research. Dyslexia. (14) 188-196

Clayton, P. (2000) “Students, Dyslexia and Mathematics”, in Townend, J.& Turner, M. (ed)
(2000) Dyslexia in Practice: A Guide for Teachers: London: Plenum Publisher, pp251-261

Coffield, M. And O’Neill, J (2004) The Durham Experience Promoting Dyslexia and
Dyspraxia Friendly Schools. Dyslexia. (10) 3, 1-12

Cohen, L & Manion, L. (1994) Research Methods in Education. 4th edn. London: Routledge

28
Cohen, L, Manion, L & Morrison, K. (2000) Research Methods in Education. 5th edn.
London: Routledge Falmer

DENI (2002) The Education of Children and Young People With Specific Learning
Difficulties. Report of the Task Group on Dyslexia. Department of Education Northern
Ireland. http://www.deni.gov.uk/dyslexia.pdf. Accessed 20th November 2010

DfES (2009) Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with Dyslexia and
Literacy Difficulties (Rose Report) London, Department for Education and Skills.
http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/00659-2009DOM-EN.pdf
Acccessed 14th November 2010
Frith, U. (1999) Paradoxes in the Definition of Dyslexia. Dyslexia. (5) 192-214

Glazzard, J. (2010) The impact of dyslexia on pupils’ self esteem. British Journal of
Learning Support. (25) 2 63-69

Goldup, W. & Ostler, C. (2000) “The Dyslexic Child at School and Home” in Towned, J &
Turner, M. (2000) Dyslexia in Practice: A Guide for Teachers: London: Plenum Publisher,
pp311-341

Iovino, I.J.M, Fletcher, B.G, Breitmeyer and Foorman, B.R. (1998) Coloured Overlays for
visual perceptual deficits in children with reading disability and attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder: Are they differentially effective? Journal of Clinical and Experimental
Neuropsychology 20(6): 791-806.

Lyon, G.R. (2003) Defining Dyslexia, Co morbidity, Teachers’ Knowledge of Language and
Reading. Annals of Dyslexia (53) 1-14

McPhillips, T. And Shevlin, M. (2009) Evaluating the teaching and learning experience for
the child with dyslexia in special and mainstream settings in Ireland. Support for Learning.
(24) 2 63-72

Montgomery, D. (2007) Spelling, Handwriting and Dyslexia: Overcoming barriers to

learning. Oxon: Routledge

Munn, P. & Drever, E. (1999) Using Questionnaires in Small Scale Research: A Teacher’s
Guide. Scotland: Scottish Council for Research in Education

29
Nicolson, R.I. and Fawcett, A.J. (1999) Developmental Dyslexia: The Role of the
Cerrebellum. Dyslexia. (5) 155-177

Norwich, B., Grifiths, C. & Burden, B. (2005) Dyslexia Friendly Schools and Parent
Partnership; inclusion and home-school relationships. European Journal of Special Needs
Education. 20(2) 147-165

Ott, P. (1997) How to Detect and Manage Dyslexia: A Reference and Resource Manual.
Oxford: Heinemann

Pavey, B. (2007) The Dyslexia Friendly Primary School: A Practical Guide for Teachers.
London: Paul Chapman Publishing

Regan, T. & Woods, K. (2000) Teachers’ Understandings of Dyslexia: implications for

educational psychology practice. Educational Psychology in Practice. (16) 333-347

Reid, G and Fawcett, A. (2004) Dyslexia in context: research, policy and practice. London:
Whurr Publishing

Reid, G. (2005) Dyslexia and Inclusion, Classroom Approaches for Assessment, Teaching
and Learning. London: David Fulton:

Reid, G. (2007) Dyslexia. 2nd edn. London: Continuum International Publishing Group

Reid, G. (2009) Dyslexia: A Practitioner’s Handbook. (4th edn) Sussex: Wiley – Blackwell

Rooms, M. (2000) “Information and Communication Technology and Dyslexia” in Townend,

J. & Turner, M. (ed) (2000) Dyslexia in Practice: A Guide for Teachers: London: Plenum
Publisher, pp263-272

Rose, J. (2009) Identifying and teaching children and young people with dyslexia and literacy
difficulties. London: Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Siegel, L.S. (2008) Understanding the linguistic aspects of dyslexia: Beyond phonological
processing. Topics in Language Disorders. 28(1): 3-83

Simmons, F.R. and Singleton, C. (2009) The Mathematical Strengths and Weaknesses of
children with dyslexia. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. (9), 154-163

30
Squires, G. And McKeown, S ( 2003) Supporting Children with Dyslexia. Birmingham:
Questions Publishing Company Ltd

Thomson, M.E and Watkins, E.J. (1998) Dyslexia: A Teaching Handbook. Cornell
University: Whurr Publishing

Thomson, M.E. (1996) Developmental dyslexia: Studies in disorders of communication.

London: Whurr Publishers Ltd

Townend, J & Turner, M. (ed) (2000) Dyslexia in Practice: A Guide for Teachers. London:
Plenum Publisher

Turner, M. & Nicholas, A. (2000) “From Assessment to Teaching: Building a Teaching

Program from a Psychological Assessment” in Townend, J.& Turner, M. (ed) (2000)
Dyslexia in Practice: A Guide for Teachers: London: Plenum Publisher, pp67-90

Walker, J. (2000) “Teaching Basic Reading and Spelling” in Townend, J. & Turner, M. (ed)
(2000) Dyslexia in Practice: A Guide for Teachers: London: Plenum Publisher, pp93-129

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Approaches. London: Continuum

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Publishing

31
Appendix

32
Dear Principal,

I am required as part of my B.Ed. degree at St. Mary’s University College to undertake a

small scale research project based on special educational needs in the mainstream school. The
area I have chosen to study is the special educational need of dyslexia, focusing around the
difficulties children with dyslexia face in the mainstream school and the strategies that
teachers feel are most beneficial in dealing with these.

I would be very grateful if you would please grant me permission to distribute questionnaires
to the teachers in your school and undertake a short interview with the SENCO. I have
attached a copy of the questionnaire and interview questions I would be intending to use.

I would like to assure you of the confidentiality of all information given and the school and
respondents will have complete anonymity.

Thank you in anticipation

Yours sincerely,

33
 Questionnaire

Dyslexia in the mainstream school

I am required as part of my B.Ed. degree at St. Mary’s University College to undertake a

small scale research project based on special educational needs in the mainstream school. The
area I have chosen to study is the special educational need of dyslexia.

I would be very grateful if you would assist me with this project by completing the following
questionnaire based around the difficulties you have found children with dyslexia to face in
the classroom and also the strategies you use and feel are most beneficial in supporting
children with these difficulties.

I would like to assure you of the confidentiality of all information given, the school and all
respondents will have complete anonymity.

Thank you in anticipation for your response.

34
 Section 1 : Background Information

1.) How many years have you been teaching?

Less than 2 11-20

2-5 21 or more

6-10

2.) How many pupils experiencing dyslexia have you taught? Please tick.

Approximately 1-5

Approximately 6-10

10+

3.) What would you be looking for in terms of warning signs or indicators of a child who may have
dyslexia? (Please explain in the space below)

4.) My knowledge of dyslexia to date has been improved through:

Please tick those which apply:

Teacher Training College

Master of Education (MEd)

In service training

Reading information books or recent educational publications

35
 Support and advice from a special needs teacher or SENCO

Support from educational psychologist

If other please specify and please discuss briefly

Section 2: Difficulties

Consider one pupil you have taught who had dyslexia during your teaching career and please tick
which of the difficulties below they faced in the classroom. (If you have never had experience teaching
a child with dyslexia please tick the difficulties you would associate most with pupils with dyslexia)

5.) Which (if any) of these reading difficulties did this child experience in the classroom setting? Please
tick

Reading Difficulty (tick) Comment (if any)

Difficulty in word recognition
Difficulty remembering sounds
in words
Substitution of words with
those with similar meaning
Substitution of words which
look similar
Difficulty with rhyming
Poor word attack skills
Reading often slow and hesitant
Other, please specify

36
6.) Which (if any) of these writing difficulties did this child experience in the classroom setting? Please
tick

Writing Difficulty (tick) Comment (if any)

Slow writing speed
Unusual writing grip
Good at thinking ideas – cannot
get them on paper
Use simple vocabulary – not
reflecting verbal ability
Reluctance to write
Problems copying from board
Inaccurate punctuation and
grammar
Reverses letters
Problems with sequencing
Other, please specify

7.) Which (if any) of these spelling difficulties did this child experience in the classroom setting?

Spelling Difficulty (tick) Comment (if any)

Tendency to spell words as they
sound
Unable to recognise errors
Poor awareness of sounds
Letters in the wrong order
Omits letters within words
Other, please specify

37
8.) Which (if any) of these memory problems did the child experience in the classroom? Please tick

Memory Problem (tick) Comment (if any)

Difficulty remembering
instructions
Problems with sequencing e.g.
days of week
Poor organisation of work and
materials
Problems copying from board
Poor concentration
Difficulty with time keeping
Other, please specify

9.) Which (if any) of these Emotional Difficulties did the child express? Please tick

Emotional Difficulty (tick) Comment (if any)

Over reliant on adult support
Reluctance to try
Low self esteem or confidence
Anxiety
Task Avoidance
Boisterous Behaviour
Other, please specify

10.) Which (if any) of these mathematical areas did the child experience difficulty with? Please tick

Mathematical Area (tick) Comment (if any)

Place Value
Attaching meaning to symbols
Mathematical Language
Recognition of patterns
Mental Maths
Number recognition
Fact Recall
Other, please specify

11.) Of all the difficulties a pupil with dyslexia can face in the classroom, please discuss in your own
experience which you have found to be most common among all pupils with dyslexia.

38
 Section 3: Strategies

12.) How significant do you feel early identification of dyslexia is for the children? Please Circle.

Not significant Significant Very Significant

Please explain your choice in the space below

13.) What strategies would you most often use in supporting children with dyslexia with their reading
difficulties? (Please explain in the space below)

14.) What strategies do you feel are most effective in dealing with children’s writing difficulties? Please
Rank from 1 – 6. (1 most effective, 6 least effective)

Writing Strategies Rank

Shared Writing
Modelled Writing
Guided Independent Writing
Writing Frames
Drawing Pictures to illustrate a story
Word banks
Other, please specify

15.) What strategies do you think would be most effective in dealing with children’s spelling difficulties?
Please Rank from 1-3 (1 most effective, 3 least effective)

Spelling strategies Rank

39
 Simultaneous oral spelling
Look Cover Write Check
Phonics
Other, please specify

16.) How do you or would you deal with the more delicate areas of self esteem and other emotional issues
in the classroom? Please explain in the space below.

17.) What strategies do you use in helping with children’s organisational difficulties? Please tick

Strategy (tick) Comment (if any)

Class timetable
Daily book and equipment
checklist
Homework book / planner
Other ( please specify)

18.) What strategies do you think would be most effective in dealing with children’s mathematical
difficulties? Rank from 1 -5. (1 most effective, 5 least effective)

Mathematical strategy (tick) Comment (if any)

Concrete Apparatus
ICT
Class Discussion
Problem Solving Activities
Group Teaching
Other, please specify

19.) How do you or how would you differentiate for the dyslexic children within your class, taking into
account intellectual ability as well as dyslexia? Please explain below.

40
20.) Which of these methods do you currently use or would you use to ensure your classroom environment
caters for dyslexic difficulties? Please tick

Method Action taken? (tick) Comment

Lighting appropriate
Child with dyslexia in suitable
seating position in class
Dyslexic pupils have sufficient
space to accommodate their
work
Board writing – alternate lines in
different colours
Sources of equipment/resources
are clearly labelled
Key words/vocabulary are
placed strategically around the
classroom to support current
topics

Desktop aids are available and use

encouraged

Coloured Overlays are used

Cream paper rather than white
Font size changed on handouts
Additional Time for completion
Flow charts
Over learning
Mnemonics

Other,

If other please specify

41
21.) How significant do you feel multisensory teaching and learning in the forms of auditory, visual and
kinaesthetic is for the pupil with dyslexia? Please circle

Not significant Significant Very Significant

Please discuss the strategies (if any) you use within these and their importance for children with
dyslexia

22.) Many dyslexic children struggle to get their ideas on paper, what other resources for or methods of
notation do you use in the classroom? Please note below

Thank you

42
 Interview with the School SENCO

1. How many pupils in the school have the special educational need of dyslexia?

2. Could you explain the process you would implement if a child is giving you

cause for concern? How and who would usually initially identify concerns?

3. In terms of literacy difficulties what are the main difficulties have you found children

with dyslexia to experience in the classroom?

4. In terms of the softer issues as you mentioned, or the emotional difficulties children

with dyslexia face what have you came across in the classroom?

43
5. How do children with dyslexia who have memory or organisational difficulties

display in the classroom?

6. In terms of mathematical difficulties, which have you found most prevalent among

children who have dyslexia?

7. What strategies do you use in dealing with literacy difficulties?

8. What strategies do you use in dealing with numeracy difficulties? (buddy system)

9. What strategies do you use in dealing with children’s memory difficulties?

10. What strategies do you feel are effective in dealing with the emotional difficulties of

children with dyslexia?

11. How do you differentiate for the child with dyslexia who may have a high ability

level despite their special educational need?

12. What specific intervention programmes do you have for children with dyslexia?

13. . How do you access additional advice and guidance if you need it?

14. How do you support classroom teachers and classroom assistants in teaching pupils

with dyslexia?

44
15. Do you feel that the school resources that you currently have are adequate in meeting

the needs of dyslexic children? What other resources would you like that you feel

would be beneficial?

16. How you feel that the Dyslexia Friendly Schools scheme has made a difference to the

school? (teachers, pupils)

Thank you

End of Interview

45