The excitement of kicking off a new school year with its whirlwind of setting up classrooms for teachers and learning new schedules for students can wear thin after a week or two. It becomes dishearteningly clear to struggling students that they brought their areas of difficulty with them into a new grade. Teachers assessing abilities as they observe their new students make notes to give extra attention to some who seem a bit lost, wondering if there is more behind those puzzled expressions than the new classroom setting.
For students with dyslexia, the beginning of a new school year can be a balance between the hope that this year will be the one where it all comes together for them and dread that their teachers and classmates will discover them to be less than ideal students. A lot of angst fuels the early days of a new school year for these children. Some well-planned steps can ease the tension and pave the way to a smoother year for everyone.
A first step for each classroom teacher who wants to make a difference is to observe her students’ completed papers as well as how they work. As papers are evaluated and corrected, take note of those students who are struggling, and observe them as they complete tomorrow’s assignment. Be nearby to answer questions, and see if the student can articulate where he or she is losing understanding that would lead to successful completion of the work. Applaud any student who self-advocates by knowing what they need and asking for it, and assure these students that you will be on hand to assist them.
As you correct papers, set aside those with similar errors, and try a small help class the next day. On a sticky note, plan the steps you will take to clarify instruction for students who stumbled. The smaller help class situation often improves focus and reinforces to the students that you are there to help them succeed. Often, a session or two of extra help is all it takes to get these students up to the independent work expected of them at your grade level. Date and file papers of students who did not respond to your group reteaching efforts.
For students whose difficulties are not resolved with a quick reteach and a second opportunity to successfully complete the exercise, a closer look is warranted. Pull from your file the papers illustrative of the child’s struggles along with the sticky notes outlining your remediation plans. Look for trends, such as poor work on a certain day of the week, or at certain times of day. Perhaps the answer lies there. If no
explanation presents itself from looking at obvious answers, maybe it is time to dig a bit deeper. A list of signs of dyslexia at various ages is discussed in Cindy’s article here https://www.cindyhallconsulting.com/post/warning-signs-of-dyslexia-1 Remember that no child has every single sign of dyslexia! If a child has several signs, that warrants discussing with the parents steps to get that child screened for dyslexia.
Perhaps your new class has some students who were previously identified as dyslexic. Kudos to those who came before you and got that identification in place! Educate yourself about the accommodations the student may have by checking in with your school office, guidance counselor, or the child’s parents. Ask for permission to read the report from the testing which identified them as dyslexic. There is a lot of great information in the reports. Frequently reports contain suggestions for targeted enrichment or accommodations in the final pages of such reports. If your student does not have accommodations, you could work with your school administration to get appropriate ones in place. Cindy’s article on accommodations can help you know where to start that process. https://www.cindyhallconsulting.com/post/ accommodations
If your dyslexic student already has accommodations in place, give a big thank you to the folks who worked hard to get those accommodations documented. Make their efforts worthwhile by educating yourself about how the accommodations work, and then sharing that knowledge with your student. It may be surprising to learn that the number one reason students don’t use their accommodations is because they simply don’t know how those accommodations work. Be the one to break that icky cycle!
Lastly, a great way to make a lasting difference in the life of a struggling student can be to help highlight their strengths. Create opportunities for them to shine in the presence of their peers and let them be known as something other than, “The Slow Reader.” Creating visual displays, summarizing complex concepts with succinct drawings, orally explaining the relationships between key people in the lesson, or filling in a Venn diagram are all ways a dyslexic student might shine.
If you are a teacher who makes a difference in the life of a student who struggles due to dyslexia, toot your own horn! Hop on the Cindy Hall Consulting FaceBook page and tell everyone about what you are doing and how it helps. The community of educators is richer when ideas and successes are shared and celebrated.
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