How much is there to know about Dyspraxia and Dyslexia and their relationship (co-morbidity)?  Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013



Dys = Difficulty and Praxis is to plan/practice (Dyspraxia)

Dys = Difficulty and Lexia is the Greek for Literacy (Dyslexia)



Over the years, Dyspraxia has been given several different titles and can also be called 'Developmental Dyspraxia' and 'Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), which are one and the very same. This is also part of the same family as the 3 D’s Dyslexia/Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia'. Why is that?... well the brain is divided in two different sections, to be called upon by us to receive information and is the command centre for all our activities, from (cognitive) thinking to motor (doing).



We are still at the early learning phase with this condition and it’s still slightly grey as to what causes dyspraxia (strong links to genetics), but it is thought to be due to an immaturity of neurone development in the brain. Students with dyspraxia may have difficulties with the simplest of tasks - developmental milestones are often delayed, fine and gross motor skills are affected, ie. dressing, hygiene, eating, threading beads, tying shoelaces, balancing, riding a bike, multi-tasking, catching a ball. Other problems can co-exist, including problems with vision and speech (verbal dyspraxia).



Like all of the ‘D’s, the spectrum is huge… each of us present with a multitude of difficulties and that is also apparent in dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia… some might only have a few areas that are weaker than expected and others could have several and these, if not helped through good intervention, will affect your academic progress and life skills. Many are prepared to write those off with the condition (some groups supporting this theory in the UK and US) and even some with the condition have succumbed, but this is far from the way it has to be. We work with predominantly dyspraxic students and have a very high success rate in most areas, including co-ordination and academics.



Why is there shared difficulties with life and academic ability?… It is thought to be a neuro-dysfunction - the brain needs to receive information from our body and that of others (parrot fashion) and our brain does this via the cerebral cortex (upper portion), through impulses. As we grow, there is a certain amount of primal instinct but many things are learnt through others, or simply through doing and indeed much learning occurs quite naturally. This improves as our brain matures… we only have to do things a few times to grasp the new process. However, this is not the case with dyspraxia or the 3D’s…we often have to go through far more repetition for things to become the norm/routine.



Those with dyspraxia generally have a stronger right brain than left… however the left is important for normal processing of the written or spoken word and leads to a strong linear thinking pathway.

The right brained are more inclined to think and process in a more non-linear way, thinking is less constrictive – this lets your creative right side run free. This is largely unstructured and that is not a bad thing as this allows freedom of thought and allows most things that stimulate the mind to be thoroughly investigated… most of the world’s entrepreneurs are right brained and this is very much down to thinking outside of the box… something many left brainers fail to do.



The Visual cortex imports images and sends them, like audio, to the cerebral cortex, which is split into two halves, being the left and right hemispheres, with each playing a different role in making sense of what we see and hear and ultimately in what we do. The left receives the information in an almost encrypted fashion and tries to untangle it, along with the right side which works on images, etc. and the pair then making sense of what has been presented to us in thought or reality.



With the family of dyspraxia/dyslexia the two halves are not both functioning and maturing at the required developmental milestones and this leads to delays in cognitive and motor development stages being reached at the appropriate age/milestones. Quite often, unless recognised early on, the dyspraxic/dyslexic child will try and compensate by using each/either hand, in sometimes clumsy fashion, to write, eat and carryout personal hygiene and dressing routines, whereas all other children will develop a strong dominant side and one hand will be favoured over the other. This is very apparent with many dyspraxic children when we look at their poor pencil grip and hand control, making some of them write very poorly (dysgraphia).



There are also other problems, such as a negativity towards certain things, like touching things with a different feel, ie. cotton wool or labels on clothing, to taste of foods. This is often due to presentation of pulses from the limbic region and quite often a weak Cerebral cortex struggles to suppress these and it can often lead to anxiety and a lack of adventure in eating/doing, etc. The earlier this is diagnosed the better chance of a positive outcome. Failing to do so will make the task all that much harder down the road, as life brings greater challenges and this also leads to a lack of confidence and low self-worth.



Dyspraxia has a variation on the numbers who present with it and if you take the 3D’s as a whole, it affects around 10% of the population, with a range from moderate to severe as mentioned. Looking at ratio, it tends to affect far more boys/male than girls/females… around 80% are boys.



There are many things you can do that will improve dyspraxia and the 3D’s, with brain training that helps to improve memory and also Multi-sensory intervention programmes, like the one used by Dyslexia Dublin CETC. Fine and gross motor exercises which will strengthen arms, hands, legs and also core muscles are very beneficial and will improve posture and help reduce fatigue… this will also improve writing by improved pen/pencil grip and increased energy, which in turn will improve attention span… working with a good PT programme will also help balance.



In conclusion, I can’t say this enough… many people with dyspraxia go on and do very well in life, just look at Daniel Radcliffe and Florence Welsh (Florence and the Machine)… both dyspraxic and the list for dyslexics is endless… Richard Branson, Henry Winkler, Cher, Whoopie Goldberg, Jamie Oliver, Stephen Spielberg, Tom Cruise, John Lennon and many, many more! We have in stock great books that are written by Henry Winkler and also carry the Barrinton Stoke range of Dyslexia Friendly books at our online store

Dyslexiadublin.ie and we ship to all countries!



The information included herein is from our research and the research of others and should only be used for guidance… you should always consult professionals if you have any other concerns.



Dyslexia Dublin CETC

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Verbal Dyspraxia (mentioned in part in a previous post on Dyspraxia DCD) - The how’s and why’s. Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

The first thing we need to do is to build a pattern or go back in time and write down all of your child’s early developmental history…I can remember much of my own early life and almost all of my children’s.
Details of the age at which significant developmental milestones were met, such as crawling (shuffling on the bottom) and walking. Checks will be carried out to look at both gross and fine motor skill and these will help in forming the correct diagnosis. Areas that may be of concern to you and are important for the person carrying out the tests are the ability to pour items accurately from a jug to bowl…sensitivity to certain products, ie. cotton wool…maybe labels on garments bother your child, if so write it all down…balancing (standing on one leg)…catching a ball…routine. The idea of the tests are to check coordination, but more importantly to gauge skill level against their actual age. From this, intervention can begin.
It must be said that there are few that have knowledge in detecting dyspraxia, especially if it is mild. Children with dyspraxia can carry on a fairly normal routine in the presence of a complete stranger and this can often lead to an improper diagnosis. This has been documented in some Journals on Special Educational Needs. More people however are coming on stream with specialist skills, so this should improve the diagnosis of dyspraxia DCD.
Keeping a list is so important… place it safe and treat it like gold. You never know when you will need to back up the statement/diagnosis report.
Schools will not always be able to recognise a child’s learning difficulties in a classroom setting, as they are often under pressure with class sizes and it can also be a struggle if their knowledge is limited. Training is still not included in this area whilst studying to become a teacher.
Dyspraxia never goes away and I for one can vouch for that…what happens is we build up the tools/skills needed to overcome the problems we find along life’s road. We have a different style/way of learning to others but we all get there. The help of a good physical trainer for gross motor and a specialist or OT for fine motor skill definitely helps this and also speech therapy and cognitive/multi-sensory training, if needed.
Lack of or slow Speech and Language Development Milestones -
Developmental verbal dyspraxia (DVD) is a type of dyspraxia that affects the facial muscles and tongue that are used in order to shape and make sounds. Typical symptoms can be -
Dragging or slurring your words.
Difficulties making speech sounds.
Making random sounds or indeed your own language (pseudo words).
Leaving words short of certain sounds which would make it logical.
Formation of words into logical statements.
Improper breathing, including breathing through the mouth and not the nose, which will inhibit speech.
Slow language development.
A sign is often the inability to feed properly…poor sucking skill.
Speech therapy should be high on most people’s list, but there is a lot you can do to help with facial muscle tone and shaping the mouth.
Get your child to drink through a straw as often as you can.
Sucking ice lollies.
Eating apples (uses a lot of facial action).
Blowing bubbles is great fun and helps.
Play silly faces.
With mouth closed suck in cheeks.
Breathing through nose is very important.
Pucker lips.
Blowing kisses.
Get a table tennis ball and two straws and make a little football pitch out of cardboard with sides and try to blow the ball into each other’s goal.
The muscle groups that need to be worked on are -
1. The levator anguli oris muscles extend downward starting at the bottom corners of the nose down to the corners of the mouth.
2. The depressor anguli oris muscles - these extend from the corners of the mouth downward to the chin, and wrap under the jaw line.
3. The zygomaticus major muscles extend from the corners of the mouth to the ear. When toned and firm, these muscles lift and tighten the cheeks.
In Adults these are known as sagging or laughter lines…contrary to the belief you use more muscles to frown than you do to smile, it is actually the other way around.
So, it is good practice to get them smiling as much as possible…playing DVD’S that they like is a really good idea.
All of the activities help develop the facial and mouth muscles, these help to produce sound and letter sounds.
Most of the information used in our posts is our own research and personal input…however we sometimes use the information of others and this is for guidance purposes only.

A great intervention method for language development is Cued Articulation...Google to find training/intervention near you.

We retail resources for specific learning needs at www.dublin-cetc.com and also at dyslexiadublin.ie

Toby Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

Learning to Drive with Specific Learning Needs by  Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013



Learning to drive for most of us is nothing short of hell on wheels. Imagine if on top of all that you had a specific learning need like dyspraxia …ADD…ADHD OR ASD!

Provisional drivers with such conditions find the whole process daunting to say the least, from having to multi-task, to coping with concentrating for prolonged periods and sitting in the same place for up to one hour can all lead to overload and if you don’t have a tolerant person next to you it can virtually turn into a form of bullying which does absolutely nothing for your self-esteem. This can lead to many finding it a tough ask and indeed giving up due to these high demands.

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I can remember being taught by my father who, like me, hadn’t a clue I was dyspraxic. He literally stopped the car one day, duly gave me the hot seat and quickly ran through a serious of about ten instructions. I managed to retain the first two, hence why I turned his beloved Humber Super Snipe into something that resembled a kangaroo with wheels!…he was less than impressed and yelled at me too bring the poor ‘roo’ to rest!

My father, however, was a determined man so very quickly we moved on to driving. After a fashionable take off down the road and guess what!... there were no white lines in the middle of our quiet country roads back then, so imagine my horror when I met a car coming towards me! My dad was so kind in taking the wheel and carrying out a nice gentle manoeuvre (not!) whilst at the same time communicating his anger and balling me out!!! At this point, I really wanted to just get out of the car and walk home…and we had only been out twenty minutes!!

He was, as I mentioned earlier, unaware of my spatial co-ordination and memory problems. I kinda knew I was different…I had one thing going for me though and that was fight, not flight.


I started to take lessons and managed to find an instructor that was so laid back it was like being alone in the car…he didn’t suit one bit! My next instructor was a local man from our village, so he had to give it his best shot with the local lad.

I managed to master the four wheeled mass of metal to the point of him bravely entering me for my test and, do you know what, I cannot ever remember thirty minutes passing so quick! At the end, the tester had so much down on the sheet he had to use another… took my instructor for ever to read!

Back to the drawing board… over the next few months we worked on this massive list and slowly my confidence grew and he decided it was time to put me in to bat again.

A cancellation came up in our neighbouring town and all my luck must have come at once…we set off from the test centre and the tester asked me to turn right which I had mastered (not the turn… but which was my left and right!)… waiting around the corner was the refuse lorry and it was taking up the whole road so I had no choice but to duly follow it on it’s slow journey up the street. This left little time for those troublesome manoeuvres which I carried out kind of ok. Test over, I couldn’t believe my luck when he informed me that I had passed!!

If my dear father, instructors, testers and indeed myself, had known about dyspraxia, then it would have made things a whole lot easier. Dyspraxia requires a whole different mind-set in all those who strive to teach us how to drive. It requires patience in understanding that those with problems with their spatial awareness and short-term memory will require more frequent lessons with less content in each. Lessons of more than an hour are not advisable.

There are many hidden disabilities that the world fails to notice… but they are there all the same. Around 25% of the population have some type of learning difficulty… how many driving schools/instructors fail to notice/pick up on this? Even something like reading the Highway Code/Rules of the Road can prove a minefield for someone with dyslexia and braking distances for the person who has dyscalculia. Left and right can also be a problem for those with dyspraxia and people with SPD can have a problem with seat belt covers and steering wheel covers.

Many of us have to drive to survive, so not being able to is not an option. It is key therefore that we are aware of the driving schools/instructors who can take account of our individual needs.

The good news however is that those with most specific learning needs all get there in the end. Some take longer than others and many have to practice ten times harder than anyone else… it’s all about remaining focussed and taking things slowly but surely. Vehicle checks and controls can be shown and then take five mins before the next thing and make sure the instructor overlaps each lesson. Demonstrations work very well with many that have SLN and then copy rather than being instructed verbally… flashcards are a great way of presenting information that can be taken in through the visual channel and this has a greater chance of being retained. The test routine should be practiced from the earliest opportunity with test conditions… this will get the student used to the driving in silence that will happen on test day.

Try and start lessons close to the expected test centre, again familiarity reduces anxiety.

To overcome everything, the main ingredient is a good instructor and one that will work to your strengths… pick the right place and the correct time of day to give you the best chance. Also, they will notice when you are having a bad moment or mini meltdown, that is the time for the instructor to change seats and do a demo to settle you down and it’s always great to finish on a high.

This is one area that puts us at a disadvantage, as there are so many things to learn just to move off! The new lesson criteria in most countries works against those with SLN, as it requires fewer taught lessons and more working to a plan, with instruction being given by a sponsor (family member or friend)… unlike the old days when you could practice one thing till it came right. It’s fair to say that there is little or anything in the law to assist those with a silent disability.

To all those Driving Schools I would say that those, like myself, with an SLN will be trying a lot harder than many of your other pupils and this is always worth bearing in mind… take it slowly and you will produce an excellent driver who will be a credit to you.

Find a school that understands you…it will be worth it!

If any Driving Schools feel they can offer the above, please feel free to contact me and I will gladly pass your details on, as I love to hear from all those who can break the mould of the draconian days gone by.
Driving lessons 4u in Celbridge Co Kildare offer a very friendly service 01-6544000


Toby

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Troubled Sleep in Children with Specific Learning Needs by Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

A sleep disorder can be temporary or more long term/habitual.  This can be known as somnipathy, which is a medical disorder that affects our sleep patterns.

Disturbed sleep can cause the same problems if it persists and this can lead to somnipathy and it may be severe enough to interfere with a person’s normal physical, mental and emotional functioning! Meltdowns/tantrums could well be the result of lack of sleep.

There are very strong links between childhood sleep disorders and behaviour, lack of concentration and mood swings. Sleep disorders that are directly caused by behavioural factors (eg. sleep-onset association disorder) can present in some children with specific learning needs. Invariably, sleep deprivation increases the chances of  meltdowns and this can have a significant impact on families.

Some sleep disorders are serious enough and known to interfere with physical, mental and emotional routines.  In cases that are causing noticeable problems, a sleep study/test (Polysomnography Test) can be recommended by your GP/Consultant.

Insomnia can also cause problems, due to falling asleep at times when you are relaxed (symptoms need to go beyond 4 weeks before the GP will intervene) and then at the allotted time you cannot sleep due to things flooding the mind. This, however, is more apparent in adults.

What is a reasonable amount of sleep required to carry out normal routines in childhood? Children of 5–13 years require about 10 hours sleep, and those aged 14–18 years need about 8 hours. These levels are the minimum required and if involved in physical exercise, they should take more rest.

The amount of sleep a person needs will vary from individual to individual, but most people require around eight hours.

We don’t fully understand how we came to require around seven to eight hours of rest per night (just to add, catching up is a bit of a fallacy). It is thought by many professionals in this field that it is down to build, muscle size and fat stores. We tend to go into partial hibernation in the winter months and spend longer sleeping. A lot takes place in these hours of rest, children’s growth hormones become very active, as do our repair and replenishment function (skin replacement and general healing).

So, what causes our sleep to be disturbed? Not winding down is one and this can be caused by the run up to bed time…home work should be well finished by tea time, any revision after this point will lead to the mind being occupied and the chance of a good night’s rest will be compromised, making the following day more challenging.

SPD (teeth grinding) is another possibility, along with dehydration and lack of air…many children with dyspraxia tend to breathe through their mouths which dries the mouth out and can also cause snoring. This may also result in headaches (drink a good few glasses of water a day).

Sugar is another cause of hyper activity and lack of sleep. Caffeine (stimulants) should not be consumed after 17.00.

Children, like adults, need to unwind and creating a relaxed, noise free atmosphere is a must. Let them chat about their day and also encourage them to keep a reflective diary, as this will dump information into their long term memory. Try to avoid giving them information about special occasions until the day…how many children have trouble sleeping before a birthday or Christmas?!

Sleep could be, and often is, thrown out of sync due to lack of a stable routine and the body clock being altered through certain habits, such as allowing  a child to routinely fall asleep watching telly during the day (with exceptions like illness).  For example, a parent might be working night shifts and nods off and the child relaxes and does likewise (eg. on the couch with the parent). Also, getting up late in the day becomes self-perpetuating, this will lead to difficulties in getting to wind down and sleep in the evening or can even cause problems due to being in a light sleep and waking during the night. Even during school holidays the routine should still be in place, stability and regularity are one thing that are needed to correct and maintain good sleep patterns.

By around the age of two, if a child wakes in the night it should have the ability to be self-soothing and able to settle again. Separation anxiety can also lead to sleep disorders and it is always a good idea not to share your child’s bed or let them share yours. You can wean a child off this and one good way is to substitute you with a favourite teddy or doll…allow the surrogate to share the meal table, watch TV with you and even go out on family trips. A trust will build very quickly and when the child has to separate from you for socialising or sleep, it will bring a great feeling of security. This will also help with children that have recurring bad dreams…it’s no harm to record dates and details of the bad dreams or broken sleep patterns and try to identify triggers or see if a pattern emerges…watching adult TV/movies is a big factor.

All this has a knock-on effect on the ability to maintain concentration and discipline during school time…this is something the school might not pick up on as they may only notice lethargy or bad behaviour and not lack of sleep. 

Teenagers have a greater problem in this area and their lifestyle so often exacerbates poor sleep routines. Social networking means that teens can communicate with their friends well into the night and many would never see this as the cause of their lack of motivation during school times and even the weekends.

The problems tend to increase in the summer due to the bright evenings and increased noise which travels greater distances through the thinner air.

Conditions have to be right for all children to sleep… young children don’t have the ability to regulate temperature until they are around eight years of age, so room/body temperature can be a problem.

Maintain a good sleep routine, even during holidays.

Keep your children hydrated during the day and reduce sugars and caffeines.

Make sure the bedroom has plenty of air and is noise free.

Use blackout curtains and, if needs be, acquire a soothing night light.

Wind your children down…don’t let them play with gaming machines just before bed.

Avoid homework in the evening, this should all be finished by tea time.

If they are young, read a story and one that will relax them.

Don’t share their bed, sit on the edge or in a chair.

You can also use specialist relaxation CD’s.

Record disturbed sleep patterns and try to see if there is a trigger.

Don’t let them share your bed…if they can’t settle, stay in their room until they do.

If you want to reduce tantrums/meltdowns, etc. persevere and they will very soon get back into a settled sleep pattern.

Don’t be fooled by a child that has his or her eyes shut, they could be sat up the second they think the coast is clear!

Sleep is vital for restoring mental energy. We spend all day learning, thinking and creating, this all helps to deplete our energy reserves. And during our hours of sleep we process this information, for the most part in a harmless way (dreams) and sometimes the opposite…(nightmares).

You and your children’s bodies are like a well-oiled machine and rest is required by each and every one of us. We don’t know for sure exactly how much sleep we all need, but we sure know the consequences if we, or our children, have too little.

 This article was written for guidance purpose only and, as with all things that cause concern professional advice should always be sought.

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Short Term , Working and long term memory part two by  Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

Short term memory this is the first port of call for all we see and do and not one thing slips quietly past this point…the importance those is how do we hold on to this information long enough for it to be of use to us.
We must be able to feel hot and cold and smell good and bad odours…even walk and hold things.
But most importantly we need to turn all those things into our long term store, especially if they are relevant for future use (times tables) in studying etc.
Short term memory is so very important in help us to grow our lives and better our position whatever that might be. Working memory includes many systems for processing incoming data these store and issue information to and from the brain and help to coordinate all we do…this function could be very basic like get your finger to scratch your eye or could be something far more complex like a maths. We also have to have a very strong visual representation of the possible moves we need to make, and our awareness of the flow of information into and out of memory, and this is all stored for around 20 to 30 seconds.
In order to make that initial processing of what’s ahead we need to consider the importance of our working memory it’s a very important cognitive tool and indeed it helps achieve many things in our day to day living and learning routine. We all go on at times about the memory span of a gold fish…just imagine how chaotic our lives would be if that was the case; how would we go from place to place and how would we find the school never mind retain the information when we get there…people and things would always seem to have appeared for the first time no matter how many times we would have met them before; all would be un imaginable and but for our short term/working memory would be the case.
There are many who are unable to hold much in their short/working memory and in many cases this can be extended/improved, to move forward in life we need a sound short term memory to feed important information to our long term memory and stored ready for instant recall. The initial kick start just like that of a baby is through the senses and on into the short term memory and if the exercises is repeated (non stimulating) or maybe even done just the once it can be retained (stimulating) in the long term memory; hence the reason why we might not be good at maths and be exceptional at art.
Most of memory recall is sun conscious it just happens and on other occasions you can be distracted and not realise you have carried out an action and at that point you start to recall events to try and resolve the problem and thus bringing it into the conscious mind. We can look at many of the greats…Thomas Edison…Stephen Hawking’s they would take something apart in their memory and reassemble it in order to understand how it worked. Many of us think we have a poor memory especially short term.
I remember helping out at an old peoples home many years back and many just sat around (perceived to have bad memories) until the bingo started; I was amazed at how they could work one, two and three boards checking numbers whilst retaining them in their head; that da taught me an awful lot about how the brain responds to things it finds stimulating and the person who one will remember that for a very long time.
Poor memory has no bearing therefore on the word stupid or stupidity…this could be simply down to one part of the whole memory picture.
Take a look at getting to the bathroom in total darkness…we have travelled that path many times over months and years and this has allowed the brain to store the layout of the room and allows us to navigate all of the objects…the only time you are likely to trip is if something new has been left in your path or even a cup of water which you placed the night before you can retrieve this and take a drink without spilling a drop even whilst half asleep; why because you put it down and the brain witnessed that and passed it to the long term memory
Short term cognitive therapy/ training can really help. How would you be able to know if your partner or child had a problem with their short term memory? Does your child/partner struggle taking things down…maybe they transcribe one word at a time or even break multi syllable words into smaller parts or look up for every letter…if the former is the case they could well have short term memory problems…if you send them to fetch a few things do they return with them all or maybe return with nothing, then there is a good chance they could benefit from memory training.
There are many things you can do to stimulate the brain and thus improve memory.
Games in the car…choose a colour or make and go up to two each and then increase…the car has to be coming towards you…you can increase or make it more complexed by say choosing the model.
Helping in the kitchen to bake or cook meals will improve their memory and also increase their taste range and help out with their maths by measuring out and portions (fractions) of cake.
Send them off whilst shopping to get something off your list…you can help by creating flash cards of Google images…Heinz Beans…Cornflakes or your preferred brand show the flash card but retain it and then increase to two products and so on…flash cards can be used for anything even packing school things or a holiday.
We have many games in stock that can help improve memory like matching pairs or brainbox; remember little and often just like eating.
Always take safety as the first port of call when carrying out any intervention/training and please seek professional advice as we are only offering guidance.
Watch out for our DVD coming out soon.
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Short Term or Active Memory Why’s and How’s (understanding why we have so much frustration and occasional meltdowns) by Toby Lee Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

We only rely on our short term memory for storing up to seven things for periods of 20 seconds. Information is then passed onto our long term memory.
Have you ever arrived into a room and forgotten the reason for going in there or maybe about to place an order for food and you can only remember some of the order?…you may have a short term memory problem. This could be short lived (caused by being ill or stress) or more permanent due to a learning need.
We have several areas that we can move information into - short term or long term storage and that is through our sensory channels…hear /say something, see something , touch something, taste something, smell something…all but our hearing happen very much without us realising.

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For many, poor memory when it comes to some aspects of learning or life, can be easily forgotten…these are generally areas that hold little interest and therefore become far easier to forget. One area that never ceases to amaze me is the power of the short and long term memory to retain information through the visual channel.
This is why so many struggle with maths at school, as for the most part it is numbers and not visually stimulating. Try bouncing on an exercise ball or playing maths snap and see the difference… retention is far higher.
I was at a teacher training session many moons ago and can still remember some of the names!
The main reason for this lapse or poor short-term memory is often attributed not so much to the ability of the brain to retain such information, but to the ability of the person to engage in a given task.

How many of you go into a venue and are met by a friend who introduces you to a few people and seconds later you have forgotten their names? It might not necessarily be down to a memory problem. When you entered the room you might well have been distracted by i’s fine architecture or maybe the decor or an intriguing character in the corner. You might be nervous and maybe anticipating awkward conversation, or maybe you weren’t listening when you were first introduced. Try playing a game with yourself by linking each one to a theme or maybe the way they are dressed, like ‘dashing Dan’ or ‘delightful Diana’… this will help you remember names and those other niggling things that are likely to cause awkward moments.

Train your brain everyday…it’s a large muscle and think what happens to our other muscles that get little use. Make sure you do things you find stimulating, this will aid retention and short sharp regular bursts of games or activities will help also.
Get in the habit of recording things…I encourage my students to keep a reflective diary…that way you will refresh your mind of the day’s events and names/places, etc. and a calendar for forthcoming events.
A good memory is key to our survival and one of the things that can also affect it is confidence. If you put yourself under pressure…many melt when the word test is mentioned and that can trigger a shutdown in our memory. This can also cause us to stutter, stammer over an important speech or reading out loud. Take the praise of others but also praise yourself when you achieve something… this raises confidence and self-esteem, which will also sharpen your memory.
When we pop to the shops quite often we make a list and this would be something we could introduce into many things we do…you can also try visualising a previous time to help you remember something you were going to do or even help you track something you have lost or misplaced. This is also a handy technique for doing something new. I remember taking my Motorcycle Test… I know I am dyspraxic and yes, you heard me correct, my Motorcycle Test! During the training I struggled to come up to the expectations of the instructor and was staring at a fail. After thinking it through, that evening I decided to try a different approach. The next morning I said to the instructor that I wanted to follow him, he was shocked but agreed. I was able to visualise all I needed to know and that afternoon much to his amazement I passed and passed well.
I am a very strong believer in short bursts of stimulation through the visual channel to help strengthen short term and long term memory.
The information we provide is for guidance purposes only and professional advice should always be sought.
Resources can also play a part in stimulating and improving short term memory. One such game we stock is the BrainBox range of Memory Training Games. Have a look at the various titles on our Online Resource Store, www.dyslexiadublin.ie

The Why’s and How’s of the IEP (Individual Education Plan)

and the benefits to individuals in the learning environment by  Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

Specific Needs Education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. This process involves the individually planned scheme of work with an agreed level of help…sometimes intense help… to achieve a learning objective, such as learning the alphabet for example. This will also give an outline of the resources required to achieve an outcome equal or close to their peers (see article on Accommodation for further details).
This will include provision of in class support (SNA) and one to one (resource teacher), requiring extra resource hours.
There are a range of learning needs and not all children in a class would have been through a diagnosis. The school however should be able to identify such students and should offer as much support as they possibly can. Parents must also be informed of this, which is key to helping move their individual child forward.
In most countries, inclusive education is in place; schools and teachers are changing the way in which they teach, to accommodate all students and allowing far more children with specific learning needs to be taught in the mainstream school.
Integration is less likely to cause stigma amongst the students as they are submersed in this modern learning environment. Inclusive education, with adequate resources and qualified knowledgeable staff, can offer almost everything to everyone in regard to education.
Specific learning needs students can be identified early in the learning process…observation of work and participation in group and solo activities can be monitored, along with performance in both testing and homework. These would all help to identify individuals that are struggling to understand the information being presented.
IEP (Individual Education Plan)
A learning programme should be agreed between teachers and this should also involve parents and the support staff within the school. This will vary from country to country and will be unique to the student that has been identified with a learning need. The IEP will set out the support and resources required to help the individual and will also document the resource hours and in-class provision (scribe…reader, etc.) required to help the student cope within the mainstream class.
As schools become more familiar with the range of individual needs, they will resource accordingly. This will require changes in the way they accommodate all within the group and this could be down to gaining physical access to classrooms (old schools) with the use of lifts to upper levels, to the introduction of computers for children who cannot write because of a physical disability. They must also take account of the child’s needs outside of the classroom during break times, to include access to the playground, toilets and eating facilities.
In the case of a child on the Autism Spectrum, it might be necessary to school them in a smaller group or classroom. This can also be the same with children who have SPD if they are tactile or not tactile, they might struggle to concentrate and would need to be positioned accordingly. This would also be the same for children with auditory processing problems and also those who may have visual stress.
Modifying the Lesson to include the IEP.
Students workload can be reduced and be more specific…for instance, handwriting can be in print rather than cursive to help students keep up with lessons that are dictated.
Project work can be assisted by giving the student a text book and also an audio or DVD to watch, such as Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’, for example.
Reduced homework given on a more consistent basis, with maybe one subject per night instead of several subjects…this also means there is less to forget and fewer books for the student to carry home.
Students should be given access to certain resources during testing, like the use of a calculator or having a bank of words to aid comprehension. Extra time for tests can also be agreed during the construction of the IEP.
ECM (every child matters) is an integral part of every school and classroom, or should be. The Teacher is responsible for ensuring the safety of all children in their care and take appropriate advice/action to maintain the safety of all.
The information is for guidance only and advice should be sought from learning providers.

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Let’s look at Inclusive Classrooms…what does that mean?  Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

The definition might suggest many things. Let’s take a look - Including or covering all the services, facilities, or items normally expected or required.

The definition of inclusive education is… ‘Inclusive education is a process whereby the school systems, strategic plans and policies, adapt and change to include teaching strategies for a wider more diverse range of children’.
Equality and diversity that encompasses all and is not rigid, it can move with the times.

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Students are those with a physical disability or specific learning need and would be better placed in main stream education and we could say all students in education would benefit from an inclusive learning environment...
Making an Inclusive Classroom effective  and areas that breed successful integration:

• Allow all Students the opportunity to be active, not passive, learners. Interaction can be aided by skilful teaching… if a nervous student gives part of an answer, help them to expand or maybe add some suggestions and make sure the answer is acknowledged… either verbal recognition or on the whiteboard.

• All students should be encouraged to make choices as often as practical/possible. A good teacher will allow students some time to flounder, as some of the most powerful learning stems from taking risks and learning from mistakes.

• Feedback from parents is as important, as not all students will tell you how they feel about their learning experience.
• Trust is a big one… go slowly as you move towards the inclusive teaching practice and allow students to feel comfortable about the new style of learning. Discipline is still required to hold this together.
•Students with disabilities must be free to learn at their own pace and resource for note taking and readers for exams needs to be in place. Make sure you have a comprehensive course folder (this is so important for supply teachers coming in).
•All students need to taste success… lesson plans and learning objectives need to be very relevant and attainable with targets that are measurable.
Front load courses where possible, as students become jaded towards the end of the terms and academic year.
Facilitator first, Teacher second:
The role needs to reflect an interested partner that is in the room to inspire and encourage learning to take place. This is achieved by structuring lessons that flow freely and are full of interaction between students and facilitator/ teacher, keeping the class manageable and on course and in line with the syllabus by accurate and relevant questioning. Encourage by giving a slightly incomplete answer to a scenario and getting the students to add to or give alternative answers.

Always take into account learning styles that will cover all learners in the group and if not in one lesson, some rotation to stimulate all learners. Use the board freely and take a back seat on occasions and allow students to present their findings… start to use micro groups to research pieces of work and then pull this altogether and give an evaluation of the task. Use brain dumps and let them go for break after they have written on the board or answered a question. This acts as a little treat and stimulates responses from all in the group.

If resources are tight maybe you could get some help from a panel of parents/parents association to make this more achievable.
How would I recognise an Inclusive Classroom?
The room would include lots of visual resources and have an active/positive feel to it. Furniture in micro groups or horse shoe to make the students feel part of the group… lots of large and small group activities built into the lesson plan.
Observation of a range of exercises that will encompass all lesson styles with students actively involved… role play is a great way to stimulate learning.
Interactive whiteboard with suitable software and a teacher that occasionally sits back and lets the students take turns to direct class.
The students are all informed of the session/lesson aims.
Sessions are well planned to keep students engaged… allows the learners at all levels to gain knowledge from the session.
Class rules are a great idea if agreed at the start of the year/term… let them feel part of the decision making process:
1) Acceptable noise level
2) Time keeping
3) Use of toilets and hygiene
4) Tidying classroom and work areas
5) Temperatures (this will vary from child to child) - try to strike a happy medium.
6) Anti-Bullying
7) Mentor for new students
8) Buddy system for someone who misses a lesson
It is important that learning is constantly checked… random sampling of homework should take place on a regular basis… brain dumps (encourage students to answer questions based on lesson content at the end of lesson). The whiteboard can be used for this.
Keep an eye on quality during the early days of transition and don’t give up… It WILL work!

All our articles are for guidance only and professional advice should always be sought.
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follow us on twitter at dyslexiadublin and friend us on facebook at dyslexia dublin Toby Lee

Top  Anger Management (part three) - Inside the mind of the angered and angry child
Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013

What happens when a meltdown occurs is very important and the key is to reduce its longevity…it can be over in seconds or could take hours, depending on how it’s handled. One method is to try and be neutral in your emotional approach. Unstable reactions to an individual’s behaviour cause the situation to become more volatile. Emotion may give you feelings of being in free fall (lacking control). This will undoubtedly affect and may even frighten your child, this again could lead to a flight or fight situation leading to a point of no return
This may also lead to a permanent belief that your child has the upper hand and may encourage regular conflict as direct connection, albeit strained communication, is made between child and parent/carer.
Save the emotion for times when you want to reinforce positive behaviour, and then pour it on. When dealing with negative behaviour, try to stay unemotional and matter-of-fact. Quite often energy is found and it’s not unlike fuelling a fire. You are far better stifling the conflict by not reacting and you may well find the temper tantrum will simmer far quicker than you being verbally reactive…save that for promoting good behaviour.
Try to be more proactive, and less reactive. The best way to handle bad behaviour (and now I might be guilty of stating the obvious) is not to let the opportunity to arise in the first instance and moreso with children with specific educational needs, as their understanding of good and bad behaviour is far different than that of a fully able child. Looking at bad behaviour and then reflecting on the problems that led up to the event is a very worthwhile opportunity to prevent a repeat occurrence.
I often use a reflective diary during tuition with students/parents who come to me…get them to reflect on their day…good and bad (don’t worry about the information being legible). It’s very important to allow your child to communicate and at the same time allowing him/her to download information and switch off and relax/sleep easier at night.
One other thing you could do is use a colour coded week planner to identify the things your child likes to do and things they don’t like to do…encourage positivity by using their favourite colour for the things they least like to do and their least favourite colour for the things they like to do (reverse psychology)…image with specific educational needs children is everything.
Try keeping a reflective diary yourself and log down all of the immediate activities that led up to the meltdown. This will allow you to plan for the future and at least remove some of the events that lead to your child getting confused, then frustrated and then angry…things can then start to become a lot more fun and reduce stress levels in all quarters and there will a be a far more positive feel/bond between you and your child which will improve their social skills too.
Remember listen to every statement your child makes, as you might be agreeing to something that you will come to regret and promise nothing unless you intend to deliver on your promises. Time is another big thing…allow more time and try not to be late as again this can cause meltdowns.
Try to limit change…painting bedrooms , changing room layouts, etc…even changing the car should be gradual as children with specific educational needs enjoy stability and, believe me, they notice far more than you give them credit for…even seating arrangements whilst eating at home or even dining out are so very important to stop your child from feeling isolated or indeed the opposite... suffocated.
Please remember this information was based on parental experience…teaching and researching the work of others and should only be used as a guide.
I hope you have enjoyed reading these 3 posts on Anger Management and we look forward to posting more items on Specific Learning Needs.
Toby Lee Dyslexia Dublin CETC ©

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 Living with Dyspraxia by  @

Dyslexia Dublin CETC © 2013



We are mature adults and parents who have lived a lot of years…spent quite a few of them comparing ourselves to others and deep down we probably knew we were somewhat different.
How can we begin to explain what it’s like…how it feels…how many have to cope with being dyspraxic? It's a hard condition to explain to people who don't have it, a task many dyspraxics face a lot of the time. There are so many aspects to it which make it very difficult to explain...want to explain or even admit it. You go through a phase of denial and inward beating yourself up (why me?) and then the comes a point where you start to make things happen and the world, in part, stands up and begins to slowly take note of you. That is the time you are happy to stand up in a crowd and feel quite happy to say ‘I am dyspraxic... look at what I have achieved…practice really does make perfect!’.
Dyspraxia causes a variation of disrupted signals to various parts of our brain. In short, it prevents messages to and from the brain being received and transmitted precisely. By and large it affects our intellect…emotions…our physical activities…language…social skills and our sensory processing.
Dyspraxic children can present with variety of problems or a mere few. For example, some have problems with balance and co-coordinating (gross motor skill) and others are very good at sport…they in turn might be poor academically. Dyspraxia is quite different in most every individual, although there is a general list of problems many dyspraxics face every day.
Dressing in the early years can be difficult and take some mastering (boys doing up a shirt is a big thing). It’s so important to start at the very bottom or very top button. Post-It notes can help with building a dressing and hygiene routine.
Short socks are far easier to master and also a small bit of talc on the feet will help them slide on much easier…coloured heels help line up the sock. Trousers start off with Velcro fasteners or track suit bottoms, if allowed, and the same with trainers/shoes. With jumpers, remove the label from the back and sew one in the front, it’s easier to see if the garment is the right way around just by looking at the label when the garment is on.
Coughing (with hand over mouth or using a tissue), nose blowing and licking lips, etc. are all things that children with dyspraxia often forget to do. It’s wise to practice these on a regular basis till they do them naturally. Remind them also about going to the toilet...the reason it’s so often a rush and embarrassing mistakes can happen is they just simply get so engrossed in an activity and forget until it’s almost too late.
Is your child reluctant to clean their teeth? You could try plaque disclosing tablet dye (can be purchased online). The dye simply colours the plaque on your teeth allowing you to easily see areas that need special attention…most children find it fun and cannot believe how stained their teeth are! The special dye is easy to remove with a toothbrush.
Going to the loo can be a task in itself…have baby wipes on hand and encourage their use. Quite often children will wipe briefly after going to the loo and not clean thoroughly…the wipe will speed this process up.
Wiping our mouths whilst eating…make this a positive habit with tissues always available and encourage use at all meals, but don’t keep at them about it in the presence of guests as this tends to embarrass the child, just leave the tissues for them to use themselves. Cut up food initially to reduce the size of meat especially…never buy tough meat as this will be taken out of the mouth after a short period…some dyspraxic children have poor gag reflex.
Let them try as many different foods as possible…it’s all about taste plus texture. Some fruits are a no no…pears are quite stringy as are some peaches…most would dislike the taste and texture of an apple skin but would be quite happy with the apple peeled. Trial and error is the best way.
I would like to point out as always I am not a psychologist but a teacher of specific learning needs for well over twenty years and a parent of children who also has dyspraxia. From my own childhood and being a parent of dyspraxic children (and now grandchildren!), these are some of the things I have seen, tried, used and even invented!.. all to provide practical support to make my child’s life that bit easier when growing up. Maybe some of these you may find of help to you...and any feedback or contributions would be most welcome!
And finally.... praise, praise, tons of praise when they get it right! This is the key, as self-esteem is 9/10’s the key in overcoming obstacles!

This is my story and based on fact...you are welcome to share my experiences above but please mention the origins and author of the post and feel free to comment Toby Lee

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