Join us at the British Dyslexia Association International Conference

Over the past 15 years I’ve spent most of my working career in the dyslexia field. Spending 5 ½ years working for the British Dyslexia Association was a deep honour and a real growth in my ability to understand my dyslexia.

In less than a week’s time the British Dyslexia Associations 11th International Conference takes place 12th – 14th April in Telford the home of Scanning Pens. This is a unique opportunity for teachers and practitioners to get involved and to really understand the academic and current research in understanding and supporting of dyslexia.

This year the International Conference has a unique opportunity on Saturday 14th April there is an Expo opportunity for parents to see some world-class speakers including Dr Lindsay Peer, Dr Tilly Mortimer and Dr Helen Curtis. The speakers will give you a real insight in the impact of dyslexia and ways that you as a parent can support students. There is also a unique talk in understanding the legal position from the school to tribunals by leading solicitor Mr Andrew Barraclough. This event will also include a panel of experts for you as parents to ask your questions. The event culminates with a unique opportunity for you to talk to and explore some of the leading companies within the education community where you can find resources, books and assistive technology to support your children or even your dyslexia.

As a severely dyslexic adult by understanding my dyslexia was the way that I was able to change my life, I was very insecure, depressed and stressed throughout much of my educational life but once I learnt to understand my difficulties I was able to grow in my strengths. I look forward to seeing you at the BDA’s International Conference either as a teacher or practitioner throughout the three days or on the Saturday at this unique parent’s event.

Look forward to seeing you

Arran Smith Scanning Pens Dyslexia Adviser

Dyslexia In The Modern Age

Being diagnosed dyslexia in the mid-90s was definitely an experience, I was diagnosed with it when I was nine years old. My parents spent a lot of time arguing with the school and even having me assessed privately. Over time I learnt to understand my dyslexia and understand how my difficulties and my strengths affected my everyday life.

I’ve always classed myself as severe dyslexic with dyspraxia and tendencies of ADHD and ASD. I’m only 33 but still have a reading age of a nine-year-old and spelling age an eight-year-old.

C-Pen Reader

When I look back to those days when I first found out I was dyslexic, computers were just starting to be used in schools and were just beginning to be used in the home, mobile phones were large and all that you could do it on it was make calls!  If I’d been growing up as severely dyslexic now the advances in the digital age could have really helped me achieve even more than I have.

Without the use of Assistive Technology, I could not do my everyday job. Using Assistive technology to support students and adults in most settings especially in the school or work can really change people’s lives.

If we look at the development of technology over time, having laptops with a colour screen was unheard of back in the early 90s. There was a program that did speech to text but if you didn’t say the word correctly it definitely wouldn’t have worked. Now we can dictate into our phones and to our computer, we also have digital assistance telling is what is going on in the day just by asking a question.

The advances of technology have really changed people with dyslexia’s lives. This one of the main benefits of technology as it helps to creates an independent learner and allows dyslexic individuals to be on a level playing field with their own peers.

It’s all about creating an independent learner and ensuring that we can succeed in supporting every dyslexic person.

Supporting Dyslexia in EAL Students

Did you know that the English Language is one of the hardest languages to learn? It’s really complicated! We don’t have set rules and our phonemes can be pronounced in so many different ways.  Apparently Spanish and Hungarian are easier languages to learn because they aren’t complicated. They are ‘transparent’ languages – the pronunciation rules stay the same.  English. Nope.  Think of ‘ough’.  Now think of the different ways it is pronounced – bough, cough, through, ought to name a few.   A nightmare.

Because of those difficulties, in education we often see EAL students (English as an additional language), who have no signs of SEN in their native tongue, but who begin to display Dyslexia type difficulties when learning the English language.  The issue for us is recognising whether it is an SEN need, such as Dyslexia, or simply limited knowledge of English.

When learning English, there are two stages of learning.  Basic Interpersonal Communication skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). BICS is ‘playground language’, enough to interact socially and get by day to day. CALP is classroom academic language.  CALP takes 5 – 7 years!!

BICS can be picked up quite quickly and it’s easy to assume that when an EAL student acquires BICS they are ok.  It’s even easier to presume that because a student has BICS they don’t have dyslexia. However, the CALP is the most difficult part, particularly for dyslexia.  

So how can we tell? Well assessing for Dyslexia in EAL students is difficult as our diagnostic tests are in English.  We could try to translate but that has a whole load of difficulties – ensuring correct translation and the test will have been standardised with a English Native speaking students.  How can you be sure the results are because of a learning difficulty rather than having limited English language knowledge?

There are a few tests/assessments available (free and paid for) which help distinguish SEN in EAL students.  As part of the assessment process  it should also be reviewed whether the difficulties learning EAL are environmental – e.g. poor differentiation in the classroom, not enough time receiving specific EAL support before putting into mainstream.

For older EAL students there are very few/no tests available to identify SEN that can be used to for JCQ Access Arrangements.  When I say no tests, I mean there are no tests that don’t require a certain level of English language to access them. JCQ will not award an access arrangement because of limited English language knowledge. They want to be sure that it is because of an SEN need. For this reason we have to show their difficulty isn’t because they have limited English.  Not easy.

So, bearing all this in mind, how can you support an EAL student that you think has dyslexia.  Well there is good news.

Firstly, for exams you can provide the Exam Reader Pen. This will convert text to speech which will help the student.  Hearing the word read aloud will help with comprehension. The Exam Reader Pen requires no online application. It is centre delegated, normal way of working is the only pre-requisite. The pen can also be used in the English Reading Paper.  Also consider giving supervised rest breaks. Thinking in a different language is massively tiring cognitively so allow breaks to combat excessive tiredness.

With regard to in-class support there is more good news.  Strategies and techniques for supporting EAL are of the same as supporting SEN. So the strategies for supporting EAL with SEN are the same.   There are too many to go into here but basically it boils down to……..(don’t hate me) ……differentiation.  Or multi-sensory teaching.  Using a variety of teaching styles, ensuring information is in different formats, pre-teaching key vocabulary and so on. 

When training I always stress that differentiation/multi-sensory teaching will benefit ALL students, not just SEN, EAL, and SEN EAL students.  ALL students. Research proves it.

So, when working with EAL students, expect some of them to have SEN even if they didn’t in their native tongue.

BETT Awards 2018 finalists announced

The finalists for the annual Bett Awards have been announced today and Scanning Pens are delighted to announce they have been named as finalists across three categories.

The Bett Awards are an annual celebration for the highest levels of achievement by companies that supply Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for education. In association with BESA (British Educational Suppliers Association) these prestigious awards form an integral part of inspiring creativity and innovation for nurseries, schools, colleges and special schools with a clear focus of enriching a child’s learning journey.

The three shortlisted categories include:

·       Digital Devices

·       Special Educational Needs Solutions

·       Exporter of the Year

Co‑Founder & Chief Executive Officer Jack Churchill was thrilled by the recognition “Being shortlisted for these awards is a testament to the positive contribution we want to make in the education sector. Our assistive technology helps dyslexic children and young adults overcome challenges and allows them to demonstrate their abilities in ways that were once unimaginable.”

The Bett Awards Judges are renowned for their experience and knowledge of ICT educational resources. They are drawn from a bank of experienced teachers with outstanding ICT knowledge and understanding, education consultants and advisers, and high-profile ICT journalists.

All winners will be announced at the 20th annual Bett Awards on Thursday 24th January at a ceremony hosted at Tobacco Dock.

About Scanning Pens

This marks a number of prestigious awards gained by Scanning Pens Ltd.  Founded in 2003 Scanning Pens is a dedicated supplier of assistive technologies including mobile scanners and reading aids to support people with a diverse range of disabilities. Scanning Pens have recently launched their Succeed with Dyslexia campaign which aims to re-establish self-confidence and provide the opportunity to succeed and champion that anything is possible with dyslexia.

For further information please visit www.scanningpens.com #succeedwithdsylexia

Social Media & Grammar Pedants

Social Media.  Do you love it or hate it? Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Snapchat? Instagram? Pinterest? You Tube? These are the ones that I know of but I know my daughters are on lots of other platforms I have never heard of.  Personally, I think there are more positives to social media than negatives.  In terms of working with SEN children it is fabulous.  Why? Well first, they aren’t all word based.

·       You Tube is such a fabulous resource.  Videos (well that’s what I still call them). Millions and millions of videos on everything!!  Imagine being Dyslexic and being able to watch a video instead of having to read a book to find something out.  Love it.

·       Snapchat & Instagram – picture based so perfect for students with reading difficulties.  A picture says a thousand words.  You can follow people like you! 

Secondly, social media can help students with SEN feel less isolated. They can connect with people who have similar learning differences and share experiences. They can feel like they belong and they are not alone.  Facebook is the big one – we are able to share so many experiences.  I like being able to see pictures of what my friends have been up to.  For me it’s also a useful guide as to the mental well-being of a lot of my friends.  I can see when they are struggling by the sort of posts they like or comment on.  There are many, many pages and clubs that people can join, including Dyslexia and other types of SEN. We all like spending time with people who are like us, who can share our experiences and opinions.   For young people, finding students who suffer the same challenges can be more difficult and Facebook gives them that opportunity.

So, bearing all this in mind, what are some of the negative things about Social Media.  Well I will tell you a big one, especially for anyone with Dyslexia or an SEN – Grammar Pedants.  You know who I mean and it may well be you!  People who like to correct other people’s spelling and grammar.  There are even memes now criticising those who don’t know how to use they, they’re and their correctly. 

I have an admission to make – initially I was one of those people.  Reading a word spelt wrong made me wince. Yes, I know.  But I safely say I have seen the light!! I now realise that being a grammar pedant isn’t a good thing to be on social media.  It can put people off using it and that is awful.  At least 1 in 10 people have Dyslexia and struggle to use the right spelling and grammar. This doesn’t mean their opinion is less valid and doesn’t mean they should be ridiculed.  I can read and understand what they’re saying, isn’t that the point of communication?   Because somebody spelt a word wrong in a debate does that mean their opinion is any less valid? No, it doesn’t. Yet this is implied so often. “Well I might take your opinion more seriously if you used the apostrophe correctly but you’re obviously uneducated so I shall ridicule you.”  Oh please. Many, many intelligent people have Dyslexia so your argument is pants!

So, if you are a grammar pedant on social media please try to become a reformed character. I know it will be hard but ween yourself off slowly.  Perhaps start a facebook group for other recovering spelling and grammar pedants like yourself so you can moan privately.  I know bad spelling makes you wince but this is social media – it’s not a legal document. Social Media isn’t an exclusive club for only those who know which ‘which’ to use. 

P.S. I did look up whether I should use spelt or spelled and was informed that in English English (as opposed to American English) I could use either.