Dyslexia Specialist Intervention Programmes Support Visual Processing Difficulties
Visual Processing Difficulties may be a Barrier to Reading.
Today I wanted to talk a little more about visual processing difficulties, relating to reading and spelling.
In blog 3, I described visual processing issues relating to short term memory, which can affect reading fluency and speed. Specialist intervention programmes for dyslexia addresses visual memory issues by providing high levels of repetition, supported by multi-sensory techniques.
Visual Stress and Visual Distraction
Another aspect of visual processing to consider is visual stress. Visual stress may be often associated with dyslexia. This may be partly because, if causes of reading and spelling difficulties are already being investigated, visual stress is more likely to be identified. However, many people suffer from visual stress who do not have dyslexic difficulties. Similarly, many people with dyslexia do not have symptoms of visual stress.
Visual stress symptoms can include, for example, blurring or movement of text, difficulties with tracking when reading and glare or ‘white space’ making reading uncomfortable. Often, using a large size and simple font will make reading more comfortable.
Many people will be familiar with the use of coloured overlays or glasses. Using coloured paper for writing and adjusting background screen colour for presentations are routinely used to help overcome such issues. However, some children don’t like wearing the glasses: feeling self-conscious about them.
Visual distraction can be an issue for people with dyslexic difficulties. Given issues with remembering letter sequences and/or visual stress, it can be easily understood that too much movement or “visual clutter” on screen will make visual concentration more difficult. Specialist lessons should be presented on simple backgrounds – in appropriate colours – with the minimum of visual distraction.
Sans Serif Fonts
Students with visual stress are likely to find ‘serif’ fonts more difficult to see – choose a ‘sans serif’ font which should have open a and g letters.
In my next blog I’ll talk about short term memory and revision – another important factor in keeping learning stress-free!
Ros Hynes
B.A.(Hons), PGCE (Early Years), AEP Cert (Dyslexia), BDA ATS
Why Dyslexia is a Learning Difference
Learning Difficulty/Learning Difference.
We might choose to call dyslexia a learning difference – rather than a learning difficulty. This can be a positive and useful term because it highlights key aspects of the causes of dyslexic difficulties, which particularly affect acquisition of literacy skills.
Individuals with dyslexia often have different ways of processing and retaining information; even different ways of approaching problem-solving and new concepts: different ways of thinking. Logically, therefore, they learn in different ways, too.
Differences in Brain Structure
Research suggests that dyslexia originates in differences in brain structure. Scans taken of dyslexic and non-dyslexic brains – whilst looking at text – show that different parts of the brain are in use. This would seem to suggest that the dyslexic brain is processing differently during reading tasks.
The structural brain differences affect cognitive processes. These include:
- memory
- visual processing
- auditory processing
We had a quick look at how these 3 areas of difficulty affect reading and spelling skills in the previous blog – so I will just recap and say that it’s very hard to remember words for reading and spelling when you can’t remember what you’ve seen and heard, for many moments…
We also discussed why multi-sensory, structured learning programmes are effective in addressing these weak areas.
Teach in the Way They Can Learn
What’s important to say is that, if we teach in the way they can learn, people with dyslexic difficulties CAN learn and achieve to their potential.
In other words, they need to learn in a different way. If we remove the barriers to achievement by using a multi-sensory, structured approach, they can learn to read and spell – thereby accessing the rest of the curriculum and opening the door to academic success.
Dyslexia-Friendly = Learner-Friendly
We also know that multi-sensory, structured programmes work very well for other learners too. This is important, because dyslexia is often under-diagnosed – teachers and parents may be aware that the child in question has dyslexic-type difficulties with literacy, but isn’t sure whether they have dyslexia. Full diagnostic assessments are not always readily available, especially given the high incidence of dyslexia. It is thought that as many as 1 in 5 children may be affected to some degree.
An effective specialist programme, designed for dyslexia, will be effective even where the child has not yet undergone full diagnostic testing. If a program works for dyslexia, it is highly likely to work for most literacy difficulties, due to the structured, approach and accessible methods used.
Ros Hynes
B.A.(Hons), PGCE (Early Years), AEP Cert (Dyslexia), BDA ATS
https://www.facebook.com/rosjshynes
Supporting Short Term Memory and Spelling/Reading Problems
Short Term Memory Effects on Reading and Spelling.
So…to return to discussion of how short term memory difficulties affect reading and spelling. Students describe how they simply cannot remember what they have seen, or heard, for many moments.
For example, visual memory may be affected to such an extent that, when a student attempts to read a “long” word, by the time they reach the end of the word, they cannot visually recall the first groups of letters. They therefore have to keep returning to the start of the word and attempt to retain the letters visually for long enough to combine them with the latter part of the word. We can therefore easily understand why reading can take so long for some of these learners.
Tracking when reading can also be affected – students describe losing their place very easily and arduously having to re-read (remembering that it might be a very slow process, as above). It’s important to realise that these visual processing issues are NOT related to cognitive ability. Highly intelligent and sophisticated individuals may have these visual processing difficulties and it’s easy to imagine how frustrating (and tiring) these issues can be for them.
Similar issues relate to auditory memory. For example, if a series of numbers is read aloud to the student, they may not be able to recall more than a 4 or 5-number sequence accurately. Again, it’s easy to imagine how hard it can be to remember a list of instructions given verbally, or directions, or information given at speed or in volume. Students describe being unable to remember what teachers have asked them to do – and being accused of inattention or laziness.
We’ll discuss the possible causes of these visual and auditory processing difficulties in another blog, but now I’d like to describe, briefly, how multi-sensory literacy intervention programmes can support retention of words for reading and spelling.
How Multi-Sensory Programmes Support Retention of Learning
Use of multi-sensory techniques for dyslexic difficulties has shown that enabling the student to see and hear words simultaneously, whilst also including a tactile/kinaesthetic activity and use of voice, along with sufficient repetition – or ‘overlearning’ – is effective in supporting retention of new learning.
In short: multi-sensory learning techniques give the brain access to information via several channels simultaneously (sight, sound, touch, voice) and, by repeating it sufficiently, learning can be transferred to long term memory. Once there, it is retained and can be applied in different contexts.
The lessons are tightly structured so that learning is cumulative: the student has plenty of revision and practice opportunity.
In the next blog we’ll discuss some of the probable causes of dyslexia. It can be helpful to have an idea of these, when supporting students with these types of difficulty.
Ros Hynes
B.A.(Hons), PGCE (Early Years), AEP Cert (Dyslexia), BDA ATS
What is Dyslexia?
Multi-Sensory, Structured Intervention Designed to Support Spelling and Reading Problems.
In my first blog, yesterday, I began to discuss why specialist, multi-sensory intervention is so effective at teaching reading and spelling. Understanding possible underlying difficulties is key to appreciating why multi-sensory programmes work so well.
What is Dyslexia?
In short: dyslexia is thought be caused by differences in brain structure – which lead to differences in processing and (crucially) retention of information.
In consequence, many people with dyslexic difficulties will experience problems in one or more – and often all – of the following areas:
- short-term memory – in particular relating to:
- auditory processing – affecting processing and remembering heard information
- visual processing – affecting processing and remembering seen information
- speed of processing – affecting speed with which information is processed
- sequencing and organising of information
Dyslexia is complex. Each of the above points deserves discussing in more detail, so that you can relate them to the problems you, or your students, experience. I will elaborate on each in subsequent blogs.
For now: we can appreciate that multi-sensory learning methods are likely to address the difficulties listed above, for the following reasons.
What is Multi-Sensory Learning?
Put simply: multi-sensory learning methods provide opportunities for students to use multiple sensory channels, simultaneously, to process information. Typically, this will mean using sight, sound, touch and voice.
For example: if you find it difficult to ‘take in’ and remember information you see (e.g a word for reading or spelling) – then it will be helpful to hear the information, and to use touch or movement, at the same time. In this way, you allow the brain access to the information via several channels simultaneously. This gives more opportunity for absorption and retention of the information.
In my next blog I’ll discuss more about short term memory and spelling/reading problems.
Ros Hynes
B.A.(Hons), PGCE (Early Years), AEP Cert (Dyslexia), BDA ATS
https://www.facebook.com/rosjshynes
New Blog for Literacy and Dyslexia Intervention
First Blog
Starting a blog to write about teaching and supporting adults and children with literacy difficulties and dyslexia. Tweeting can only take you so far!
There’s so much to be said about why and how multi-sensory learning methods are so effective for all learners – and especially for dyslexic difficulties – and the subject certainly deserves fuller explanation.
Multi-Sensory Intervention Programmes
It should be said first of all that multi-sensory literacy intervention programmes can provide effective support for anyone with spelling and/or reading difficulties – not only for those with dyslexia.
Understanding Dyslexia
To begin, then: we need to start first of all with the question: What is Dyslexia? Only when we understand what is thought to cause dyslexia and its effects, will we be able to address learning needs effectively.
We’ll take a look at probable causes of dyslexia in my next post.
Ros Hynes
B.A.(Hons), PGCE (Early Years), AEP Cert (Dyslexia), BDA ATS
Ros Hynes Dyslexia Specialist Teacher 