Dyslexia policy

Summary

The requester asked for the Department of Education, Sport and Culture's current or recent dyslexia policy. The department confirmed no current policy exists but released a redacted version of a policy and guidance document from September 2012 that was in force until March 2020.

Key Facts

• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture does not currently have a dyslexia policy.
• A dyslexia policy and guidance document dated September 2012 was in place until March 2020.
• Personal information within the released documents was redacted under Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act.
• The Freedom of Information Act applies to information created on or after 11 October 2011.
• The request was received on 22 February 2021 and the outcome was issued on 22 March 2021.

Data Disclosed

• 2021-02-22
• 2021-03-22
• 1677926
• 52
• 3
• September 2012
• March 2020
• 11th October 2011
• 12 of October 2011
• 10 years
• Section 25
• Article 5
• Article 6
• 2018
• 2015
• December 2013
• September 2011
• November 2011
• March 2012
• July 2012
• October 2012

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act (absolutely exempt personal information)
• Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, Article 5 (data protection principles)
• Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, Article 6 (conditions for lawful processing)

Original Request

Does the department currently have a dyslexia policy and can this be published, in part or in whole. If there is no such policy, was there such a policy in force at any time over the last 10 and can this be published, in part or in whole.

Data Tables (11)

Full Response Text

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1677926 22 March 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 22 February 2021 and which states:

"Does the department currently have a dyslexia policy and can this be published, in part or in whole. If there is no such policy, was there such a policy in force at any time over the last 10 and can this be published, in part or in whole."

Our clarification request In order to identify and locate the information that you have asked for we needed to clarify the second part of the request, i.e. the period the information requested is for, was it over the last ten months or over the last ten years? We also advised that the Freedom of Information Act applies in relation to information created on or after the 11th October 2011 You advised “I meant to write the last 10 years” and information from “12 of October 2011 to date will do fine” Response Our response to your request is as follows: The Department does not currently have a dyslexia policy. However I have enclosed a copy of a dyslexia policy and dyslexia guidance document, both dated September 2012 and which were in place up until March 2020. Redacted content

Some information within the dyslexia policy and guidance document contained personal information. Under section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act (absolutely exempt personal information) is exempt and has therefore been redacted.

The reasons why that exemption applies are that: • the Department is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • the Department is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to The Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Department of Education Sport and Culture can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.

Please quote the reference number 1677926 in any future communications.

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An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

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In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator

2

Author , Senior Educational Psychologist Approved by Minister for Education and Children, September 2012 Effective date October 2012 Reviewed no later
December 2013 Distribution
All DEC staff

Version Date Change 1 September 2011 First draft for internal consultation 2 November 2011 Second draft for internal consultation 3 March 2012 Third draft for public consultation 4 July 2012 Final draft

3 CONTENTS Section

Page

POLICY

5 1 LEGISLATION 5

2 POLICY STATEMENT 5

3 POLICY OBJECTIVES

5 4 DEFINITION OF DYSLEXIA 6

PROCEDURE 8

5 IDENTIFICATION OF DYSLEXIA 8

5.1 When to use the term ‘dyslexia’

8 5.2 Compensating dyslexics

8 5.3 Early identification

8 5.4

Promoting partnership with parents 9 5.5 How is dyslexia identified?

9 5.6 Which assessments should be used?

10 5.7 Who should identify dyslexia?

10 5.8 Training 11

6 MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE DYSLEXIC LEARNER
11

6.1 Strand 1: Structured and systematic teaching programme

11 6.1.1 RECORD OF CONCERN 12

6.1.1.1 Recognising early signs of dyslexia

12 6.1.1.2 Parental involvement

12 6.1.2 SCHOOL ACTION 12

6.1.3 SCHOOL ACTION PLUS 13

6.1.3.1 Student involvement

14 6.1.3.2 Context, duration and frequency

15

4 6.1.4 HIGHER LEVEL NEED

15 6.2 Strand 2: Facilitating access to the curriculum

16 6.2.1 READING

16 6.2.1.1 Encouraging the development of reading skills 16

6.2.1.2 Accessing information 18

6.2.1.3 Using audio books to develop an enjoyment of the written word 18

6.2.2 WRITING:

19 6.2.2.1 Barriers to the development of higher-order writing skills 19

6.2.2.2 Strategies to help the dyslexic student develop higher-order writing skills

20 6.2.3 DEVELOPING A NEW SKILL SET 20

6.2.3.1 Active-listening skills 21

6.2.3.2 Supporting composition 21

6.2.4 ASSESSING PROGRESS IN READING AND WRITING 22

6.2.5 SETTING 22

6.2.6 ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF THE STUDENT

23 6.2.7 HOMEWORK

23 7 SUPPORTING THE DYSLEXIC LEARNER DURING ASSESSMENTS AND EXAMINATIONS

24 7.1 Support for assessment at all Key Stages 24

7.2 Access arrangements for national examinations 24

7.2.1 FAMILIARITY WITH CURRENT ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS

24

7.2.2 PREPARING STUDENTS TO MAKE BEST USE OF ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS

25

8 REFERENCES 25

5 POLICY

1. LEGISLATION

The relevant legislation is the Education Act 2001, Chapter 33, Part 2, Sections 18, 19, and 20.

1. POLICY STATEMENT

The Department of Education and Children (DEC) is committed to inclusive education. Whatever the pattern or severity of difficulties, a dyslexic student will be supported in mainstream classes, alongside his/her non-dyslexic peers, so that s/he has access to a broad and balanced curriculum. The DEC supports this commitment with the following policy objectives:

1. POLICY OBJECTIVES

 To raise awareness and understanding of dyslexia in all educational establishments through training and consultation.

 To ensure that parental concerns about dyslexia are acknowledged and addressed.

 To improve assessment and intervention practice so that a student’s learning differences are noticed and teaching is adjusted appropriately as early as possible in the student’s educational career, and continually throughout all key stages.

6 4. DEFINITION OF DYSLEXIA

The DEC acknowledges the working definition of dyslexia given in the Rose Report (Rose, 2009), but prefers to base its policy on the working definition proposed by the Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP) of the British Psychological Society (BPS) working party:

Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the ‘word level’ and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. (Division of Educational and Child Psychology, 1999)

This definition, unlike that contained in the Rose Report, alerts the adults working with children to the possibility of a student being a compensating dyslexic, where s/he has learned to read and spell, but has done so with great difficulty (see Section 5.2).

Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD).
Other SpLDs include:  Dyspraxia, or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)  Dyscalculia  Attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD)  Dysphasia, speech and language delay and/or deficit

More than one SpLD may occur, e.g. dyslexia with a tendency towards one of the other SpLDs. There may also be co-occurrence with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASCs).

7

Prevalence Dyslexia is the most commonly occurring type of special educational need, and, as such, is one of the most fundamental barriers to achievement for students in the Isle of Man. Figures for the prevalence of dyslexia in the population vary, depending on the definition used, from between 4 – 8 % (Rose, 2009), and 15 – 20% (The Dyslexia-SpLD Trust, 2009).

Long-term effects The DEC acknowledges that there is a link between dyslexia and low self- esteem (Ridsdale, 2004), and that this can sometimes lead to emotional and behavioural difficulties for some students (Lopes, 2007; Place, Wilson, Martin, & Hulsmeier, 2000). A link has been established between dyslexia and juvenile offending (Kirk & Reid, 2001). The DEC recognises that early and effective support to overcome barriers to learning and achievement are essential in order for students to develop a positive approach to learning, a healthy self-esteem, and to lower the likelihood of juvenile offending.

8 PROCEDURE

1. IDENTIFICATION OF DYSLEXIA

5.1 When to use the term ‘dyslexia’ Literacy difficulties exist on a continuum, and there is therefore no cut off point where a student can be said to be, or not to be, dyslexic. For clarity, the DEC recognises that a student is dyslexic if s/he meets the criteria described in the working definition proposed by the Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP) quoted in Section 4.

5.2 Compensating dyslexics When a child learns to read and spell, but with great difficulty and as a result of much additional effort, s/he can be said to be ‘compensating’ for his/her difficulties. Skills learned in this way, even if age-appropriate when measured on a standardised test, often retain a residual lack of fluency. Compensating dyslexics can be difficult to spot because age-appropriate reading and spelling scores sometimes mask this underlying lack of fluency.

Any underlying lack of fluency can create difficulties for the student in later Key Stages as the demands of the curriculum increase. Understanding the origins and nature of the difficulties can help the student and teachers to decide the types of support that may help the student at his/her current level.

5.3 Early identification
The identification of dyslexia needs to be made as early as possible. The earlier a student’s needs are recognised, the earlier appropriate support and interventions can be put into place. When dyslexia goes unrecognised, the student can lose self-esteem and motivation, and this can have an adverse effect on his/her emotional wellbeing and behaviour. It is possible to identify pre-school children who may later be found to be dyslexic, and early signs are listed in Section A in the Guidance Document. Suggestions of strategies that may be useful to support the child at this age may be found in Section F in the Guidance Document.

9 A student who has had an initial struggle to establish his/her early literacy skills, but who has been able to compensate for his/her early difficulties (see Section 5.2) must have this information noted on his/her school record. This information may help the student, his/her parents, and the teachers to understand the nature of any future difficulties with learning that occur at higher Key Stages, when, because the reading and spelling skills may be age- appropriate, the underlying dyslexia is hidden.

5.4 Promoting partnership with parents Any concerns raised by parents regarding the progress of their child in any area of school life must be acknowledged and addressed promptly and constructively. If there is a difference of opinion about the child’s progress, it is the responsibility of the school to gather evidence about the child’s performance and discuss the findings with the parents.

5.5 How is dyslexia identified? In order to meet the criteria laid down by the DECP, as detailed in Section 4, the following information will be needed:

 Difficulties establishing letter-sound skills noticed in focused group teaching.

 Lack of fluency noted in the student’s performance, for example:

 For reading: slow speed of reading, inability to use expression in reading, poor reading comprehension, lack of enjoyment of reading.

 For writing: slow speed of writing, immature handwriting style, content of writing not reflecting the student’s verbal expression.

 A history of the early development of the student’s reading and spelling to detect older compensating dyslexics, who may have established age- appropriate reading and spelling skills, despite early difficulties.

 Research has shown that there are often genetic factors underlying dyslexia, and therefore, if there is any family history of dyslexia, the chance of a child

10 born into the family being dyslexic is increased. It is therefore useful to elicit the family history with regards to dyslexia, bearing in mind that this learning style was often unrecognised in the past. For some adults, a lack of progress at school was explained in terms of a ‘lack of intelligence’ or ‘laziness’, and a reluctance to read and write is likely to be an enduring feature of their lives as adults.

5.6 Which assessments should be used? There is no one test/screener that will reliably identify dyslexia. Suggestions of assessments for reading and spelling may be found on the Special Needs Wiki. Follow the links for SENCos  Resource Assessment Pack (RAP)  Cognition and Learning.

A checklist of common indicators of dyslexia is included in Sections B & C in the Guidance Document.

The DEC advises caution in the sole use of Dyslexia Screening Tests to identify dyslexia. While in some cases they may provide useful information about

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