Who’s in my Pocket? I grew up going to elementary school with a boy in my class who had dyslexia. When I was little, I didn't understand what dyslexia was, but I often saw him going into a different room with our educational assistant. It made me wonder why he was getting special individualized help with literacy, when the rest of us had to work as a big group. Again, as a little kid I did not understand the problems that he was going through every day. I saw him struggling in class, and often found he was frustrated with what we were doing for the day. As we got older, and became more mature, I finally came to learn that he had dyslexia. This student always came across as hardworking and smart, but he had trouble connecting the content we had to read or write. Because I grew up with this student in my class, I had a different perspective towards him than I would if I was an educator. Being his peer, I thought of him as someone who received special attention or help, because I didn't understand what he was going through each day. Now that I am in education and on my way to becoming a future educator, I need to think about the possibility of having students with learning disabilities in my classroom. As a teacher, it is my job to ensure all of my students are receiving the best level of education possible. By using the teaching strategies, we have learned in this class, I can hopefully deliver exceptional education. Efficacy is the first thing that came to my mind, because it is about encouraging and pushing your students to be the best they can be, and adapting your lessons to fit the needs of all of your students.
Learner Profile- Planning for Differentiation The student I wrote my narrative about was a boy with dyslexia. “Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects your ability to read, spell, write, and speak” (WebMD, 2019). Dyslexia is not uncommon as it affects about 20% of the population in Canada (The reading clinic, n.d.). As a future educator it is my job to adapt my classroom to fit the needs of all of my students. Because students with dyslexia struggle with reading and writing, they will need extra time for in class assignments and tests. Finding out what the students’ strengths are and using those to adapt assignments and the way I deliver content can be beneficial for the student as well. Technology can also be extremely helpful in accommodating a student with dyslexia. They can listen to audio through a computer, or do online learning activities. If I have a student with dyslexia in my future classroom like the student in my narrative, I want to make sure I am giving clear instructions. I want to thoroughly explain the assignments or tasks for the day. One way I could adapt my instruction is through tape recordings. I can use a tape recorder for my lessons, for tests and for assignments, so students can listen to what is being asked (IDA, 2017). Having patience with students with dyslexia is super important. You don’t want to rush them through course content as they may learn at a slower pace. You want to make sure they are receiving the best education that they can. Giving them extra time to complete tests and assignments, and explaining my instructions as clearly as possible to help them succeed are just a couple of the ways to help students with dyslexia. It is important to have resources in the school and in your classroom to help those who may be struggling with dyslexia. Not only resources for the student, but resources for you as the teacher and even for the parents are important. There are tons of online resources for students, teachers, and parents. One resource that stood out to me is called “Get Ready to Read”. It is an online resource for parents with a dyslexic child. It provides information about how children learn to read and it has information and webinars on how to help them at home. It also has a free assessment tool that lets you determine whether or not your child may be struggling with dyslexia, and the steps you need to take if they are. That is just one of hundreds of online resources. How can I assess a child with dyslexia appropriately? I think adapting the way I would normally assess a student to fit the needs of the dyslexic student. For example, instead of written tests, they could complete their tests orally, instead of giving a presentation, students could hand in a project (IDA, 2017). The use of hierarchical worksheets is a great way to assess the students’ progress. Beginning with simple questions, and working down the list to the more challenging questions or problems (IDA, 2017). It is all about finding out what helps the specific student. In my narrative, I mentioned that the student often spent time with the educational assistant one on one. This student benefited from the one on one learning because it eliminated the regular classroom distractions, allowing him to focus on his tasks. The need to get to know your students and the ways that they learn is extremely important! Dyslexia is something that can seriously affect the way someone learns, which in turn can affect the way they see themselves. It is not something to simply brush off. You need to be patient with the students that may be struggling in your classroom, and find any resources you can to help them. I want to deliver the best education possible, even if it may be difficult.