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# 1 Key concepts – the threads

Let’s begin this week by reviewing the key terms that have been covered throughout this course, and highlighting the most important points to take away. The aim here is to reinforce your understanding of dyslexia, its characteristics, and its impact on individuals.

## Activity 1 The terms you’ve learned about

Allow about 20 minutes

Table 2 is arranged so you can test your understanding of a range of terms covered in this course. You don’t need to explain anything in great detail here, and shouldn’t expect to match the answers word-for-word. The aim is to encapsulate the information you’ve learned, rather than present rote definitions. Give it a try!

## Table 1 Defining key terms

Term | Your understanding
--- | ---
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Comorbidity | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Diagnosis (of dyslexia) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Disability | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Dyslexia | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Dyscalculia | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Dyspraxia | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Intersectionality | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Medical model of disability | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Metacognition | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Neurodiversity | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Reasonable adjustments | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Screening (of dyslexia) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Social model of disability | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)

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### Discussion

## Table 1 Defining key terms (completed)

Term | Definition
--- | ---
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | A chronic condition characterised by a combination of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) | A neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by differences in communication and social interaction. Usually, challenges are noted with speech and nonverbal communication including social skills, and repetitive behaviour.
Comorbidity | Medical conditions that occur independently, but coexist at the same time.
Diagnosis (of dyslexia) | Involves assessing an individual’s reading, writing, and cognitive skills through tests that evaluate phonological awareness, decoding skills, reading fluency, and spelling. The diagnosis is run by accredited professionals.
Disability | A physical or mental impairment that significantly (and long-term) affects the ability to perform everyday activities.
Dyslexia | A learning difficulty that affects reading and spelling skills. It often involves challenges with phonological awareness, verbal memory, and processing.
Dyscalculia | A learning difficulty that affects a person’s ability to understand and work with numbers.
Dyspraxia | A neurological condition that affects motor skills and coordination. Sometimes may present challenges with memory and cognitive functions.
Intersectionality | This describes how different aspects of a person’s identity, such as race, gender, class, and sexuality, overlap. It highlights social categorisation.
Medical model of disability | The model that focuses on disability as a problem that exists within an individual’s body (physical or mental).
Metacognition | Refers to thinking about one’s thinking, understanding one’s own thought processes.
Neurodiversity | Variation in how a people’s brain function and process information.
Reasonable adjustments | Reasonable depends on each situation. Adjustments are required to the environment a disabled person allowing the person no to be disadvantaged and discriminated.
Screening (of dyslexia) | Tests that identify an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in cognitive skills such as reading, writing, spelling, and memory, and can indicate the likelihood of having a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia. It does not provide a diagnosis.
Social model of disability | The model that considers the societal barriers that create a problem, not as something that exists within an individual’s body (physical or mental).

◄Contents►Next: 2 Practical strategies – linking the threads

OpenLearn - Understanding dyslexia
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