Introduction

Milton Keynes’ Dyslexia Policy clarifies the current use of the term dyslexia and the implications for assessment and support at a school level. The policy is based upon research evidence into the nature of dyslexia and effective practice in identification and support.

Milton Keynes’ initial Dyslexia Policy drew on the guidance from the Department for Education and Skills Research Report by Greg Brooks (2007) ‘What Works for children and young people with Literacy Difficulties’ which evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in schools. Brooks’ document was updated in 2016 and this policy has taken the most recent findings into account.

Milton Keynes’ Dyslexia Policy forms part of the guidance from the LA (Local Authority) to assist schools in meeting the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and in implementing the Special Educational Needs and Disability processes outlined in the Children and Families Act (2014).

Milton Keynes LA supports the view that SEN is a mainstream issue. Good practice for pupils with dyslexia will promote their full and independent inclusion in mainstream classes. Effective provision for pupils with dyslexia requires a whole school approach, reflected in policies, classroom practice and support available to individual pupils. The LA assists schools in providing effective support through consultation and training from the Inclusion and Intervention team (IIT) and consultation from the Educational Psychology Service (EPS).

Definition

We use the following definition:

Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the ‘word level’ and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. It provides the basis of a staged process of assessment through teaching.

(British Psychological Society, 1999)

A similar definition was offered in the Rose report (2009):

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate

and fluent word reading and spelling.

With the following key characteristics noted:

• Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.
• Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.
• It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points.
• Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia.
• A good indication of the severity and persistence of dyslexic difficulties can be gained by examining how the individual responds or has responded to well-founded intervention.

In terms of practice an essential element in the identification of dyslexia is that literacy difficulties must be evident, which are severe and persist despite high quality first teaching.

Why we need a definition

1 It is important to be absolutely clear about the definition to establish a shared understanding and clarity for professionals and parents.

2 In the past there has been much debate in education about the use of labels such as dyslexia. We recognise that children and young people are individuals and that there are dangers in using the label as an explanation for continuing failure. We use the term with the understanding that each child is different and it should be used appropriately to describe difficulties but not used as an excuse for lack of progress, nor seen by the children and young people as an insurmountable barrier to their learning.

3 We envisage the term being used to aid understanding and assist in the development of a personalised plan of action.

4 Research has shown that dyslexia can occur in children and young people of all abilities. Our definition does not rely on identifying a ‘discrepancy’ between a child’s ability in one area and attainments in other areas. However, recognising and utilising children and young people’s strengths is important in order to increase their success and engagement with learning.

5 Dyslexia may co-exist with other barriers to learning. The existence of other difficulties should not preclude assessment for dyslexia or vice versa. We recognise the particular links there can be between dyslexia and the development of a child’s confidence as a learner. Some social, emotional and mental health issues may result as a consequence of a child/young person’s experiences of having dyslexia. Overcoming the barriers to achievement presented by dyslexia is essential in securing children and young people’s social and emotional adjustment as well as in increasing their attainments.

The link between dyslexia and other difficulties is not simple. Some children and young people with literacy difficulties have low self-esteem, others may have poor co-ordination, language difficulties or other learning problems. A number of children and young people with attention and motivational problems have significant difficulties in literacy. The link is not necessarily causal but needs to be considered in the planning and implementation of interventions.

6 Our definition focuses on observed difficulties rather than underlying causes, reflecting the ongoing research and current absence of an agreement about causality. We believe that the formulation of a personalised plan of intervention, based on an individual’s strengths and difficulties, is essential, irrespective of notions of causality.

7 Research evidence does not support a particular profile of cognitive abilities necessary to define dyslexia. However, we acknowledge the evidence suggesting the central role of phonological processing in successful reading and spelling.

What the research shows about word reading and spelling

1 Reading and spelling are complex skills that do not develop ‘naturally’. They need to be taught.

2 Almost all children and young people can learn to read and spell.

3 Children and young people have an equal entitlement to effective literacy support, tailored to their needs.

4     If a child does not make progress, then teaching needs to be modified.

5     Parents play a vital role in helping their child to learn to read and spell.

Assessment and identification

Our definition of dyslexia requires that three aspects should be evaluated through assessment:

• that the pupil has learned accurate or fluent word reading and/or spelling very incompletely
• that appropriate learning opportunities have been provided
• that progress has only been made as the result of much additional effort/instruction and that difficulties have nevertheless persisted

The role of schools and support services in assessment

1    In view of the number of children and young people who are affected by dyslexia, we believe that the skills necessary to identify children and young people with dyslexia should be available within schools. ‘Diagnosis’ by specialists who do not have access to information about the learning context and progress over time can only give partial information.

2 We believe staff in schools/colleges are in the best position to identify literacy difficulties / dyslexia through their delivery of the curriculum and identification of SEN. All teachers in primary schools should be skilled in teaching literacy skills and identifying when difficulties arise. In all schools and colleges a graduated approach should be put in place, in collaboration with the SENCo and parents, to specifically address areas of need.

3 Teachers from the Inclusion and Intervention Team and Educational Psychologists can support schools in training and in advising on support for individual pupils. They can work with the school staff (not necessarily directly with the child) to achieve a better understanding of the factors that may be helping or hindering progress, and to identify ways forward.

4 It is important to establish that appropriate learning opportunities are available. Staff need to consider and adjust features of the physical and emotional learning context, such as feedback to pupils, teaching materials, classroom expectations and motivational strategies. A variety of materials are available to support staff development. Further advice on these and in modifying the curriculum and environment can be sought from the support services.

5 Appropriate assessment of children and young people’s needs should be carried out and should inform an appropriate intervention. Schools should incorporate the assess - plan - do - review cycle outlined in the Children and Families Act (2014).

6 It is the expectation that schools will have implemented strategies prior to requesting the involvement of an outside agency support.

Meeting the needs of children and young people with dyslexia

1 The definition of dyslexia indicates that word reading and/or spelling has been learnt incompletely after targeted support. We consider that for practical purposes a child would normally have received input at SEN support prior to further investigation being warranted. Those children and young people considered to have dyslexia would normally be expected to have accessed additional support from the school’s delegated budget for SEN and have levels of attainment that are significantly low.

2 The identification of dyslexia remains a separate issue from that of LA funding - no

label brings automatic additional resources, including dyslexia. It is the severity of need following intervention at SEN support that determines whether or not the LA provides additional support. Additional funding will only be considered if progress is not made despite the effective use of the school’s delegated SEN budget and a clear justification for additional resources is provided.

3 The LA provides services to assist schools in supporting children and young people with special educational needs, including dyslexia. The Inclusion and Intervention Team can support schools to develop interventions and advise on suitable resources. The Educational Psychology Service can support schools in meeting the needs of children and young people with more complex difficulties.

4 Milton Keynes LA will support schools in identifying and supporting children and young people with dyslexia at three levels:

• Promoting good practice in establishing dyslexia friendly schools including whole school policy development and classroom approaches.
• Developing specialist skills in identification and intervention for use with individuals and groups through training.
• Promoting further professional development opportunities for teachers at a specialist level in supporting pupils with dyslexia, including recognised qualifications (currently OCR Courses in Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia provided by University of Northampton).

 

Frequently asked questions

1     Is any child who has reading difficulties dyslexic?

There are many reasons why a child may be behind with reading. Some children and young people miss out on a lot of learning opportunities. For example, they may miss a lot of school and reading instruction. Once these children and young people receive the reading instruction they need they will begin to make good progress. Their problems will not persist. Children and young people with dyslexia also make progress but it is slow and takes a lot of effort. Their difficulties are persistent.

2     What are the most effective approaches for pupils with dyslexia?

Research shows it is important to have a targeted and systematic approach and to have lots of experience and practice in reading. We also know that work on sounds in words, phonic strategies and the application of these in reading text are all important, particularly in Key Stage 1.

There is evidence that regular short teaching sessions are more effective than one long one and that breaking reading, spelling and writing objectives down into smaller steps is valuable.

A range of alternative approaches needs to be considered if children and young people are not making progress, particularly in Key Stage 2 and above. Children and young people who experience phonological difficulties are unlikely to benefit from a continued approach focussing primarily on phonics, beyond KS1. Multi-sensory teaching; repeated readings; choral readings with expression; along with constructive feedback have been identified as effective methods for older children and young people experiencing literacy difficulties.

Further information can be sought from the IIT and EP Service.

3     Does dyslexia run in families? Is there a gene for dyslexia?

Some research has implicated a genetic link and recent studies have focussed on identifying particular genes. Problems with literacy do appear to run in families although separating genes from environment is notoriously difficult.

Research into this area will continue to be interesting. However, placing dyslexia in an educational context puts the focus on the teaching and wider educational environment. Certainly it is here that there is the greatest potential for positive change whatever the child’s genes.

4      How do parents get their child’s dyslexia acknowledged?

The best place to start is in school. School staff will have the most important information and will be those involved in working to help with identified difficulties. If parents have any worries about their child’s literacy development, they should talk to the class teacher and clarify how the school’s policy works for the identification and provision for children and young people with literacy difficulties. The SENCo and Headteacher will have an overview and be involved with outside agencies.

Using the above definition, it is recommended that a broad assessment of the child’s learning is carried out, over time in collaboration with parents and if necessary with outside agencies.

5      Does a child have to have at least average intelligence to have dyslexia?

These days we understand that dyslexia can occur at all levels of intelligence, and in all social classes and ethnic groups.

6      Is an Educational Psychologist needed to get dyslexia recognised?

Not necessarily. Many teachers are now trained in recognising these difficulties. The Children and Families Act (2014) promotes a graduated approach to assessment through teaching and this can be done through good practice in schools alongside special educational needs support where needed. The emphasis is on ensuring that children and young people’s needs are identified and addressed as soon as possible. Continued monitoring and evaluation of children and young people’s progress is essential for refining practices and promoting progress.

7      Should identification of dyslexia trigger specialist teaching?

The definition provides the basis for support at different levels. At the early stages when the child is not making progress changes may involve some minor adjustments to the quality first teaching provided for the whole class. It may be necessary for teachers to differentiate the curriculum for some pupils. This would include breaking down the learning into smaller steps, delivered at a slower pace and with more repetition, possibly supported by a teaching assistant under the class teacher’s guidance. This should be included in the teacher’s planning. If progress remains unsatisfactory, the children and young people should be offered more intensive support, becoming more individualised and personalised with adjustments made to reflect the child’s/young person’s response to it.

Research about effective interventions should inform practice and will continue to be important for teaching and learning, such as the DfE guidance (Rose, 2009 and Brooks, 2016).

 

Intervention and Support

Support for pupils with dyslexia should be consistent with the school curriculum.

Effective literacy provision at primary level has been described in terms of the Graduated Approach to SEN.

• Quality First Provision

The effective inclusion of all children and young people in daily, high quality literacy teaching

• Targeted Provision and Support

Additional small-group intervention will be put in place to assist children and young people “to catch up and keep up” with their peers.

• Personalised Provision and Support

Specific targeted approaches for children and young people identified as requiring SEN support (with an SEN support plan or Education and Health Care Plan), with the highest level of need. Provision and support at this level might include advice from external agencies.

1     Quality First Provision

Quality First teaching is an entitlement for every pupil in our schools. This includes the delivery of quality literacy teaching with effective planning and management. To maximise the effectiveness, schools needs to be ‘dyslexia friendly’ creating a positive literacy environment.

At this level teachers carry out regular assessments of progress in literacy through the curriculum. Some schools use additional screening measures to identify pupils with learning difficulties.

It is expected that there will be ‘in class’ support from a teaching assistant for some literacy activities on a regular basis. Schools will also enlist the support of parents through setting homework. (This should be specified in homework guidance for parents.)

2     Targeted Provision and Support

For some children and young people who are ‘at risk’ of underachievement, the DfE has provided a range of structured small group interventions, designed to boost achievement in literacy. Support, such as booster classes, is often provided to maximise progress in key year groups.

Children and young people identified at this level do not generally have special educational needs although their attainments in reading and writing are below average. It is expected that with support many of these pupils will ‘catch up’ with their peers.

3     Personalised Provision and Support

The DfE guidance on evidence based practices includes a list of interventions which are backed by research evidence (Brooks 2016).

 SEN Support

Children and young people with more significant difficulties as assessed by the Foundation Profile, P levels and school’s identified levels may meet the criteria for input at SEN Support. Teaching staff would carry out more detailed diagnostic assessment and set up an individualised plan. Support at this level could include additional differentiated learning experiences, including specific interventions. ICT and other specialised resources might be used to support children and young people at SEN support.

Teachers would be expected to provide differentiated homework and to enlist the support of parents in reinforcing literacy activities. Support for literacy within the classroom and some structured small group work would be provided on a regular basis.

Pupils who have significant literacy needs would require more in depth assessment in the areas of reading and spelling, including careful analysis of errors and learning styles. The advice from external support services should be sought in assessing and monitoring progress through the child’s SEN support plan. Appropriate ICT resources should be made available.

Children and young people at SEN support would regularly receive support both in a small group and/or individually. Structured programmes selected on the basis of evidence of effectiveness should be followed. Additional support would be provided at home and guidance given to parents.

  Pupils with an Education and Health Care Plan

Children and young people with an Education and Health Care Plan would have had a detailed assessment of areas of need and appropriate provision would be specified. This might include additional support from a teaching assistant and advice/support from a specialist teacher, in addition to normal provision at SEN support. Specific resources might be listed on the Education and Health Care Plan.

The progress of pupils with an Education and Health Care Plan will be closely monitored by the SENCo and the Annual Review will determine outcomes for the next 12 months.

 

Examinations

Pupils with dyslexia undertaking GCSE examinations may need assessment for a report for the examination board in order that appropriate arrangements may be provided. This needs to be provided by a qualified assessor or educational psychologist. Guidance is available for secondary schools.

Pupils do not require an Education and Health Care Plan to receive examinations concessions.

References

Brooks, G (2016) What Works for children and young people with Literacy Difficulties? The Effectiveness of Intervention Schemes, DfE.

Rose, J (2009) Identifying and Teaching children and young people and Young People with Dyslexia and Other literacy Difficulties, independent report commissioned for the Secretary of State.