This document provides an overview of a module on understanding and supporting students with reading difficulties and dyslexia. It outlines 10 units that make up the module, including the nature and diagnosis of dyslexia, models of the reading process, how children learn to read and what can go wrong, classroom support strategies, the debate around whether dyslexia is a myth, developing critical thinking skills, and the social and emotional impacts of dyslexia. It also lists activities for students to introduce themselves, analyze definitions of dyslexia, discuss interview responses on the nature of dyslexia, and prepare to read articles on Stanovich's work by highlighting key ideas and points of agreement, disagreement or things they don't understand.

1. Understanding & Supporting Students with
Reading Difficulties/Dyslexia
Module XXD017
Introduction to the Dyslexia module; definitions and descriptions
Colin Harrison and Jackie Dearden
School of Education
colin.harrison@nottingham.ac.uk
jackie.dearden@nottingham.ac.uk

2. Introduce yourself:
1. Fill in the personal information sheet
2. Then introduce yourself to the others on
your table
3. Try to be able to say and spell the names
of everyone on your table

3. The ten units:
1. The nature of dyslexia; definitions and diagnosis
2. Assessment and dyslexia
3. The reading process: how do fluent readers read,
and what models of the reading process are useful?
4. Learning to read: how does it work with most
readers, and what has gone wrong when it does not?
5.Supporting students with reading difficulties (1) Kits,
schemes, lenses and pedagogies; inclusivity and the
dyslexia-friendly classroom
6. Supporting students with reading difficulties (2) The
uses of ICT to support readers
7.Is dyslexia a myth? Watch the video; evaluate the
arguments
8. Developing criticality, assignment planning; essay
titles
9. Assessing learning opportunities for the individual
10. Social and emotional issues/ Establishing a
dyslexia-friendly classroom and school + course
review

4. 1. The nature of dyslexia
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/3724/SENCodeofPractice.pdf

5. 1. The nature of dyslexia
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/sen/b0075291/
sen-and-disability-green-paper-executive-summary/

6. 2. Assessment and dyslexia: tests, profiles

7. 3. The reading process: how do fluent
readers read, and what models of the
reading process are useful?

8. The reading process:
The ‘Searchlights Model’ The ‘Simple View’:
R = D x LC

9. 4. Learning to read: how does it work with most readers,
and what has gone wrong when it does not?

10. How should children be taught
to read?
‘Real Books’?
-or ‘phonics’?

11. How should children be taught to read?
• What has happened (or not happened)
when it goes wrong?

12. 5. Supporting students with reading difficulties (1) Kits,
schemes, lenses and pedagogies; inclusivity and the
dyslexia-friendly classroom

13. 6. Supporting students with reading difficulties (2): The
uses of ICT to support readers
CAST UDL Editions ™

14. The Internet:
24,080,000,000 sites
in English
‘A room with 24
billion doors’

15. 7. Is dyslexia a myth?
Watch the video; evaluate the arguments
1.Is dyslexia a myth? Watch the video; evaluate the arguments
THE DYSLEXIA MYTH >

16. 8. Preparing for your assignment: approaches, essay
titles, criticality

17. 9. The Code of Practice and classroom support

18. 10. What are the social and emotional effects of being
dyslexic? Where do parents fit in? Module review

19. Definitions of dyslexia:
1. On a Post-It note, write your own answer
to the question ‘What is dyslexia?’

20. Definitions of dyslexia:
1. On a Post-It note, write your own answer
to the question ‘What is dyslexia?’
2. Look at the definitions of the others on
your table; try to spot similarities and
differences.

21. Definitions of dyslexia:
1. On a Post-It note, write your own answer
to the question ‘What is dyslexia?’
2. Look at the definitions of the others on
your table; try to spot similarities and
differences.
3. Decide as a group how you might classify
the definitions on your table; make a list of
3-5 classification categories.

22. Definitions of dyslexia:
1. On a Post-It note, write your own answer
to the question ‘What is dyslexia?’
2. Look at the definitions of the others on
your table; try to spot similarities and
differences.
3. Decide as a group how you might classify
the definitions on your table; make a list of
3-5 classification categories.
4. Let’s compare notes and see what we
come up with...

23. Definition categories for dyslexia:
1.

24. The definitions task:
1. Read the definitions on the hand-out
2. Look for
- descriptions of dyslexia
- explanations of causes of dyslexia
- discrepancy/deficit models
3. Fill in the table and compare your ideas
with others on your table

25. The nature of dyslexia -
Jenny Thomson, Harvard University

26. The nature of dyslexia -
Jenny Thomson, Harvard University
Definitions and theories
1. In your group, A, B, C, D or E, look at the
interview question put to Jenny Thomson,
and discuss your thoughts on her answer.
Did you learn anything new? Do you agree
with her views?

27. And finally ...
Stanovich!!!
1. Your task before Session 3 tomorrow is to
read the two articles, and mark or highlight in
different colours, if you can:
- key ideas
- things you agree with
- anything you disagree with
- words or sections you don’t understand