# What help is available for dyslexic students?



## Clair De Lune (Oct 2, 2011)

A girl in my class at college was stressing earlier because she had to send off her draft essay tonight for our lecturer to look at tomorrow morning and she knew it would be full of spelling mistakes. I offered to check and correct any I could find. When I got the essay I was really taken aback at just how severe her dyslexia is. I have had dyslexic friends but never was it so bad that what they had written was often indecipherable 

I did my best for her, corrected words that spell check had changed...manor instead of manner, intent instead of intelligence etc. But the bits I was unsure of I just made bold and said maybe change this? She hadn't used any capital letters and very few full stops so I stuck some in but I didn't want to change her whole essay sorta thing  I was also a bit worried about coming across as patronising in a way, didn't want to offend her by telling her to correct too much.

We were told that the library staff offered support but they also said that they will not read or correct a whole essay, only a segment or two?!

I feel worried for her tbh, how can she do this course if what she writes is so hard for others to read? Surely she deserves more support than the folk in the library? because I have met them and they are not the sharpest tools in the box tbh...and neither am I 

Any advice folks?


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 2, 2011)

depends on the place.

i think you probably  get  some IT support  via directgov  but  it may be too late now  as the paperwork is often slow.

it's a difficult one this one  i end up having this  debate with my mother  each time she  becomes my editor  for  my academic work.     added caps  adjusted punctuation  this is fine. what  is less fine  is  when it come to changing  words phrases or  even who paragraphs.    i  always wish that  anything written by me   sounds like it  was written by me.

actually this pissed off some urbanites  when i  wouldn't  change  my  personal statement.   they  felt  their  phrasing was more appropriate but for me  the essence of a personal statement must  be that it is from a person.   and again  the same  with essays.

also of course there simply isn't enough funding  to provide  each student with special needs  a  bright  passionate teacher to help steer their course  because when asked  how many students are special needs  the answer is of course all of them


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## Clair De Lune (Oct 2, 2011)

Cheers for the reply mr 
Yes I totally get where you are coming from re personalisation, that's why I stuck to a basic edit and a couple of suggestions. It's her work and I wasn't going to fuck with the meaning, just clean it up a bit. It just seems deeply unfair that something she has no control over could hold her back. She wants to be a counselor and I think she would be great at it, but she needs support in college and when she goes to uni.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 3, 2011)

it's tricky.  there is help  and  exceptions given for dyslexic students  and sometimes even services like dictation.  however  your also going to run into the issue of tightly budgeted support departments  and   endless paperwork

also as you said  the people doing the support may not be  the ideal people to help in the situation.  i don't know  if their are qualification requirements  but i do clearly  remember  one of the support staff  in  my secondary school was  assigned to  students doing science while that person had  no clue about how to run an experiment.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 3, 2011)

i must say though i think a lot of teachers will not give a fuck about spelling.

also marks are given according to assessment criteria and although there may be a penalty for poor spelling as long as the check boxes are hit they should be ok. it will only become a real issue when the meaning is unclear due to poor language.

hopefully  whatever support she  gets  will focus on the big issues and  not get bogged down in  the manners/manors


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## Miss-Shelf (Oct 3, 2011)

In my uni students can get an INAR's assessment (forget what this stands for)
They then get extra submission time and extra tutor time. Also, there is an emphasis on the content rather than grammar and spelling when marking work. Obviously there is a cross over at times between content/composition and sometimes some dyslexic students loose marks or fail essays because the meaning is not conveyed.  Also, each person with dyslexia will have different needs: some people with dyslexia are really hampered by time management and planning issues whilst others may have poor grammar which is possibly most easily overcome?

Has your friend had an official diagnosis through the university?

Many students on my course have had the dyslexia diagnosis and three of the tutors are dyslexic so there is a lot of empathy and good strategies for students.


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## Clair De Lune (Oct 3, 2011)

We all completed a numeracy and literacy test two weeks ago. It would have definitely flagged her up, though I think she said she found out she was dyslexic in school.

I need help with maths myself so I am going to speak to a few people tomorrow and see what support is available for both of us, though I am more concerned for her now tbh. I'm a bit shocked that they have left her feeling so alone with this when she told them on day one that she was concerned about being marked down for her written work. The problem is, she was not aware that her work would be as hard to interpret as it was...but maybe I am at fault there, who knows.

Look at me ffs, only been a student a few weeks and already criticising the college and thinking of a campaign  haha


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## ymu (Oct 3, 2011)

No idea about what extra support might be available, but two thoughts occur:

1. Speech to text software is getting pretty good for controlled dictation - there are still issues with accents/homonyms, but it might still be easier to read than what she's managing now. Not sure how much help it would be on punctuation issues - partly because I don't understand how the software handles punctuation, and partly because I don't understand dyslexia well enough to know how/why the punctuation problems arise.

2. Tutors might be (should be, IMO) willing to accept an audio file instead of/to accompany the written version.

Dunno what the subject is or what her future job aspirations are, but one or both of these options might be a lot more useful to her in the future than getting a large amount of help now because she won't get that help outside college. If she learns to use speech-to-text software effectively then she'll have that tool available forever, and if she can submit work as audio files she'll improve her verbal and presentation skills no end.

Pretty easy sell to the college too, I'd think, because it'd be vastly cheaper than providing enough support/her failing for no good reason.

Very important that she gets them to take it seriously asap. Good on yer for helping.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 3, 2011)

if it's stuff done to track progess the teacher is likly to be willing to be somewhat flexible on format but if it's stuff that is being used to evidence qualification the may well be tighter rules

also the problem with things like audio recording is they can be a lot harder to do marking with  and gods forgive those who dare make marking more difficult. (guess what i'm doing this week)

text to spech might be a good idea but unfortunatly that works best if you know what your going to write and may not work well for the back and forthing you do in essay writing.

you may want to look into mind maps etc for the planning stages which will hopefully mean that by the time the person wants to put things into the final text form there are fewer structural issues and all the major points are covered


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## stuff_it (Oct 3, 2011)

There's all sorts that can be done - normally as has been mentioned extra tutor time and submission time, but depends on the person's condition a well - for example some dyslexics have a much easier time reading handouts if they are printed on different coloured paper and/or viewed through coloured lenses, etc.


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## _angel_ (Oct 3, 2011)

There should be plenty they can do, as said above, but I don't know how things will have been cut. Swarthy got a laptop, dictaphone, speech software and other things. They also said they could get someone to help him take notes, but he didn't need that.


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## kained&able (Oct 3, 2011)

my uni had a scheme were you could get a new computer, extra time for assignments and exams and slightly different grading criteria.

this was 6/7 years ago though so i wouldnt be shocked if the computer was off the table.

dave


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## nadia (Oct 3, 2011)

stuff_it said:


> There's all sorts that can be done - normally as has been mentioned extra tutor time and submission time, but depends on the person's condition a well - for example some dyslexics have a much easier time reading handouts if they are printed on different coloured paper and/or viewed through coloured lenses, etc.



I went to uni with a guy who wore glasses like that for his dyslexia.Text to speech might help. is there a disability advisory service that  could help , I don't think an audio submission will really cut it particularly if long term you are going to have to produce graphs or diagrams.


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## BoatieBird (Oct 3, 2011)

Dyslexia is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) so in theory she has a right to extra help.
The dyslexia foundation has some useful stuff on their website:



> The DDA (Disability Discrimination Act 1995) is the law about disability discrimination. If you are disabled, or have had a disability, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) makes it unlawful for you to be discriminated against in:
> 
> Employment
> Trade organisations and qualifications bodies
> ...



Their website is here:

http://www.dyslexia-help.org/education.asp


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## stuff_it (Oct 3, 2011)

nadia said:


> I went to uni with a guy who wore glasses like that for his dyslexia.Text to speech might help. is there a disability advisory service that could help , I don't think an audio submission will really cut it particularly if long term you are going to have to produce graphs or diagrams.


So long as there is provision then dyslexics don't normally have problems with graphs and diagrams, interestingly enough some people who are dyslexic in pictographic alphabets such as Japanese are often not in Latin alphabet lanaguages, and vice versa.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2004/sep/23/research.highereducation2


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## sim667 (Oct 3, 2011)

She should be receiving support from the university itself, normally in the form of a support assistant who should see them once or twice a week to help do stuff like that.

The problem is if she isnt statemented or hasnt produced a statement to the uni, they wont offer her any support as they wont be able to claim back any funding for the provision.

She should get statemented if she isnt already, she may well be entitled to a computer and all sorts of lovely things


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## geminisnake (Oct 3, 2011)

Son had a scribe at school and the use of a pc coz he could type better than he could write. She should definetly be getting extra time and the tutors should be aware of her dyslexia.


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## Miss-Shelf (Oct 4, 2011)

Students need to be really proactive about this - tutors can suspect / apprehend a students potential difficulties from written tests but not necessarily recognise it as dyslexia and/or have the time to do anything about it.  A university approved diagnosis - either initial diagnosis or approving a previous diagnosis needs to be put into action by the student.

I have students that don';t get diagnosed until they're at level 6 of the course.  Sometimes this is because they didn't know the service existed.  Sometimes its due to the fact that because they discussed it with one tutor they think that is the situation sorted.  Tutors don't always share information.  Students don't always comprehend the layers of bureaucracy that exist etc.

Sadly, many tutors seem to have an elitist attitude and think that students who can't keep up shouldn't be there and blame students and the primary/secondary education system for poor performance at higher education.   Fortunately many tutors also think that everyone should be a teacher of literacy and that everyone is capable of improving and succeeding given the right support and attitude.


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## wayward bob (Oct 4, 2011)

are you at the uni clair? or a college? uni support is (or should be) very good indeed. she should contact the disability service asap. ours is excellent, offers assessment/diagnosis, additional time/equipment, training too, and helps you apply for disability grants too. we were encouraged to make contact with the disability lot before the course started, but it definitely isn't too late to do it now. hope she manages to find the support she needs


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## Clair De Lune (Oct 6, 2011)

I have gone from concerned to fucking livid now. I got my essay back and my lecturer had highlighted a few things I need to correct in red and gave me some clear, concise feedback. My mate got hers back...without the essay attached and the only feedback she got was 'fine, carry on' 
She has no idea what needs to be changed and a 'fine' means a pass if she completes it. She felt is was complete. Then she went to talk to the lecturer who told her that if she felt she was struggling she should perhaps take the course over two years.

I am going to go above the lecturers head (she is also head of the department) if she doesn't offer her more help soon. This is not on imo.

Thanks for this, I will pass it on and use it when I go to talk to the head with her next week.



BoatieBird said:


> Dyslexia is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) so in theory she has a right to extra help.
> The dyslexia foundation has some useful stuff on their website:
> 
> Their website is here:
> ...


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 6, 2011)

i hate to say it  but  that sounds a lot like places i've been.  the teachers are pushed for time  and  never get  proper time allocated for marking and feedback  combined with  non existent  internal structure for reporting issues (students have to ask for stuff and it end up being  optional classes now and again) and a massive drop off/failure rate  that teacher end up doing educational triage and  spend their time focusing on student they think that their  work will have an effect on.   spread yourself too thin  and   the 3 students who were going to fail still faill but  the  one  student   who might of passed  also fails.   it's  not   a good system but  having spent time  in a college  i can see why it happens and i sypathise with those who do it.


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## stuff_it (Oct 6, 2011)

Random feedback is pretty much the norm in Uni anyway - the most disparaging feedback I got was probably on the best marked assignment, for example.

It is super important that she gets a proper assessment asap and some support - there are all kinds of help depending on the nature and severity of her condition including page readers, coloured paper/lenses, voice recognition software and even people to help transcribe her work if needs be but it takes a little while to get the necessary paperwork together. She needs to have medical proof and a letter from her LEA confirming that she has a disability before she can even make an appointment to be assessed for practical help.


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## wayward bob (Oct 7, 2011)

stuff_it said:


> She needs to have medical proof and a letter from her LEA confirming that she has a disability before she can even make an appointment to be assessed for practical help.



our uni does the assessment/diagnosis too, but i don't think clair's at the uni, so i've no idea what level of disability support they provide. can you check the college website and see what they have listed under student services clair? it sounds like she urgently needs help from outside the academic staff


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## stuff_it (Oct 7, 2011)

wayward bob said:


> our uni does the assessment/diagnosis too, but i don't think clair's at the uni, so i've no idea what level of disability support they provide. can you check the college website and see what they have listed under student services clair? it sounds like she urgently needs help from outside the academic staff


They should provide the same level of support, but the assessment may be outsourced once you are past the 'getting the letters stage'. Only know cause I just went for a job interview where a lot of the stuff is outsourced to, but there are others.

Normally it's the college or local authority that books the appointment, but students can contact these centres themselves as well. The support outcome should be the same to her being at a university as it's all nationally funded by the same body. The assessments are performed by one of these http://www.nnac.org/; so not by the college and if she wants she can contact them directly.

Certainly if you look on their website there are not separate assessment services for each university/college.

Fuck man I will be pissed off if I don't get that job.


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## wemakeyousoundb (Oct 7, 2011)

I believe there is a legal requirement for unis to supply suport/help for people with disabilities, at least that's what i was told when i did scribe for a couple of years.


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## wayward bob (Oct 7, 2011)

stuff_it said:


> Fuck man I will be pissed off if I don't get that job.



well you've certainly done your homework  they'd be mad not to have you


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## equationgirl (Oct 8, 2011)

I used to scribe for a dyslexic student, we had extra time for her to do the exam and a separate examination room. But when she was telling me the wrong stuff I had to write it down regardless. I had nothing but admiration for her remembering three or four essays.

Clair - keep at it if you can. Telling a student to do the course over two years is not the sole reasonable adjustment the college can make, it's just the easiest for them.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 8, 2011)

history GCSE.  i'm supposed to have a choice of paper.   they just give me one,   it's not the one i would have picked

i still get a b  (joint  best with double science)

people don't understand  why i didn't get As or A*s

i say fuck it  and  never get support again.  i'm now a teacher.


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## stuff_it (Oct 8, 2011)

Shippou-Sensei said:


> history GCSE. i'm supposed to have a choice of paper. they just give me one, it's not the one i would have picked
> 
> i still get a b (joint best with double science)
> 
> ...


People don't understand why I didn't get A*s even though they were only brought in the year after I left school - don't worry about it, people are stupid. Also your GCSEs matter less and less the older you get.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 8, 2011)

yeah  i now have  level 5 qualifications   level 2 is a  bit wtf:?


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## stuff_it (Oct 25, 2011)

Hah, not only didn't I get it, but they've re-advertised one of the posts.


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## wayward bob (Oct 25, 2011)

ah bollocks


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## stuff_it (Oct 25, 2011)

Now I'm crawling around the truck and fuckknowstooearly in  the morning to try to get an agency typing test in early enough to get a warehouse cum office job, as their test software ballsed up and wouldn't display - I expect I'll have to go in and use their computer and thus wont do as well using a big kids keyboard and not the lappy. *sigh*


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## Pickman's model (Oct 25, 2011)

Clair De Lune said:


> A girl in my class at college was stressing earlier because she had to send off her draft essay tonight for our lecturer to look at tomorrow morning and she knew it would be full of spelling mistakes. I offered to check and correct any I could find. When I got the essay I was really taken aback at just how severe her dyslexia is. I have had dyslexic friends but never was it so bad that what they had written was often indecipherable
> 
> I did my best for her, corrected words that spell check had changed...manor instead of manner, intent instead of intelligence etc. But the bits I was unsure of I just made bold and said maybe change this? She hadn't used any capital letters and very few full stops so I stuck some in but I didn't want to change her whole essay sorta thing  I was also a bit worried about coming across as patronising in a way, didn't want to offend her by telling her to correct too much.
> 
> ...


 
if you think back to when you registered with your college then you may recall something asking if you had a disability. to access support from your college you need to register with them, to let them know you have a problem. if this woman didn't, then she should do so now. apart from the assistance other people on this thread have mentioned, there may be extra time for library loans and an array of both physical and computer equipment available. because of the dda arrangements should be in place to help handicapped students.

as for your pop at library staff, i don't know where you're studying but ime library staff are often overqualified and would be in a good position to provide assistance, if it was part of their job.


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## purenarcotic (Oct 25, 2011)

I can only really speak from experience of uni, not college.  But I would have thought a good college will have these in place too.

She needs to let the college know that she has dyslexia; they should have some sort of student support department who can help her with this.  Once she has done this, what happens in my university is an LSA (or learning support agreement) is set up and then sent out to all tutors.  In it is an agreement made by the institution about what they will do to help the student.  It may include things such as the ability to submit a first draft of important essays, free printer credits, longer library loans, the use of a dictaphone or even an official note taker, extra time in exams, the ability to do exams on a computer, the ability to have the exams in large print, to be able to use colour strips to read exams easier etc etc.  Perhaps if spelling is an issue, there is software that allows you to dictate your essay and the computer will 'write' it for you.  I do not know about the funding levels your college has but they might be able to provide that for her.

Most of the time I've found the onus is on the individual to ask for help rather than expect the institution to pick up on the issue and approach the student.  Especially once the age range has moved beyond school.  So it is vital that if she wants help, she goes and asks for it.  If she is not already, she should consider applying for DSA / DLA.  It can take a while to get processed but once it is it can really help.  Hope this has helped.


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## Laughing Toad (Oct 27, 2011)

Most reputable places will recognise 'dyslexia' to be a social construct. It's not a distinct or diagnosable subset of reading difficulties.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Oct 27, 2011)

most reputable places will recognise disability to be a social construct


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## grit (Oct 27, 2011)

This is spell check and grammar system designed for dyslexics

http://www.ghotit.com/home.shtml


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## stuff_it (Oct 27, 2011)

purenarcotic said:


> I can only really speak from experience of uni, not college. But I would have thought a good college will have these in place too.
> 
> She needs to let the college know that she has dyslexia; they should have some sort of student support department who can help her with this. Once she has done this, what happens in my university is an LSA (or learning support agreement) is set up and then sent out to all tutors. In it is an agreement made by the institution about what they will do to help the student. It may include things such as the ability to submit a first draft of important essays, free printer credits, longer library loans, the use of a dictaphone or even an official note taker, extra time in exams, the ability to do exams on a computer, the ability to have the exams in large print, to be able to use colour strips to read exams easier etc etc. Perhaps if spelling is an issue, there is software that allows you to dictate your essay and the computer will 'write' it for you. I do not know about the funding levels your college has but they might be able to provide that for her.
> 
> Most of the time I've found the onus is on the individual to ask for help rather than expect the institution to pick up on the issue and approach the student. Especially once the age range has moved beyond school. So it is vital that if she wants help, she goes and asks for it. If she is not already, she should consider applying for DSA / DLA. It can take a while to get processed but once it is it can really help. Hope this has helped.


It's not funded by the college, everything she needs will be funded through the DSA after an assessment to see how they can help her, any FE student with needs is funded this way.

She needs to let hem know and get the ball rolling though.


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