Adult Dyslexia Organisation

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Information about Dyslexia and learndirect

Information for staff in centres:

Encourage all staff to refer to ‘Adult Dyslexia: a guide for learndirect tutors and support staff’.

Alternatively this guide can be viewed on-line at www.ufi.com/dyslexia remember to click on “Download 2005 version” to read the most up-to-date version.

Consider how “dyslexia friendly” your centre is, particularly in reception. Are there too many text-dense posters and leaflets about?

At the time of induction/enrolment give learners an opportunity for privacy to discuss any difficulties in private.

Do not expect learners to fill in forms when they come into your centre, offer to do this for them.

Take your time when demonstrating tasks eg emailing your tutor.

In the centre advertise, wherever possible, that additional support is available to ensure learners are aware this is there.
Ensure the computer screen is set up ready for the learner eg software is switched on, headphones plugged in, screen filter is on and colour of screen is altered.

Learners with dyslexia may have to concentrate more and so tire more easily and start to make mistakes, therefore they need regular breaks eg walks, a change of task or refreshments.

Learners’ concentration spans may be as short as 10 minutes, but with support may be extended to 20-30 minutes.

Encourage learners to review work they have completed between sessions as frequently as possible.

An approachable tutor is vital in order for a learner with dyslexia to be able to ask for help should they get stuck

Be friendly, cheerful and helpful; don’t allow signs of impatience to be shown to your learners.

Encourage learners to regularly attend your centre for reviews, if not to do most of their learning there, in order for you to support them. Research also shows more learners complete courses if they attend a venue.

Be prepared to be a proactive tutor as learners with a difficulty/disability and/or a history of failure in learning may require more frequent monitoring than other learners.

Tutors need good listening and communication skills, suggested reading is: Dyslexia Assessment, Counselling and training by D McLoughlin, G Fitzgibbon and V Young.

Make learning fit their learning style eg visual, auditory, kinaesthetic.

Use diagnostic assessment results to support learning.

Use multi-sensory approaches eg verbalisation, wherever possible.

Be aware of font styles and sizes; offer a range of coloured paper for learners to choose from if need be.

Be aware of the problems of jargon and abbreviations.

Find out where you could get help and advice from eg there are many local dyslexia organisations in the UK, find your nearest one.

Some learndirect regions keep a “toolkit” of assistive technology which centres can borrow to support learners with a difficulty. Ask yours if they do this.

Look at learndirect’s business courses that offer a choice of font and background colour for accessibility to text.

For learners without a literacy/numeracy (English/maths) qualification, consider the Adult Literacy/Numeracy level 1 and 2 preparing for test courses. Help your learner choose between the computerised or paper-based versions. If a learner has dyslexia they could be eligible for additional time for these.

Contact the Dyslexia Association of Staffordshire on 01782 627166. This is a local dyslexia association which has experience of being a learndirect centre with an “in-house” dyslexia specialism.

Specialist tutors should be referred to as early as possible to begin identification and support for learner, course tutor and centre staff.

An assessment should identify the learner’s strengths and weaknesses and stipulate the support required to complete the course.

An assessment may: make recommendations on the way information should be presented; identify any need for additional technology; identify any need for special arrangements for tests; should outline the level of personal support eg additional tutor help or a support assistant.

Advice on claiming additional support:

Ask for a meeting with staff from your region to clarify how you claim additional support for a learner and also what items can be claimed for.

Keep copies of the additional support form in all learners’ files as a difficulty can become apparent whilst a learner is learning which may require support.

Keep accurate records of all additional support provided for learners as they have to be “robust” enough to withstand audit.

Get a copy of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC’s) “Funding Guidance for Additional Support” which gives details on how payments are made and how funding is generated.

A minimum benchmark has to be reached before any funding can be claimed. This is where contact with a specialist can be helpful as they will charge a fee to centers for services provided.

For guidance on claiming Additional Learning Support, please refer to ‘Adult Dyslexia: a guide for learndirect tutors and support staff’ page 53, which contains a flowchart of how and when to claim.