3.5. Literacy and dyslexia

Reading approaches

Developing as a reader is linked as much to positive attitudes and experiences as to the development of skills. If learners are encouraged and supported to read a wide range of texts for enjoyment, they will become more confident in making independent choices in their reading material. Curriculum for Excellence recognises the fundamental importance of reading for enjoyment within the reading experiences and outcomes.

Over the years there has been a range of professional debate and dialogue over the most effective and appropriate methods for teachers to use when developing reading skills in children which are summarised below.

Top down theory

The top down approach to reading emphasises that reading is a meaning driven process, where the reader uses meaning predictions to read. When meaning is lost the student focuses more intently on the visual information to process the print.

Bottom up theory

The bottom up approach to reading emphasises that reading is taught through students first learning the alphabetic principle (grapho-phonic – the rules of sound and symbol relationships). Meaning takes place after accurate decoding of print.

Turbill (2002) suggests that constant discussion of these theories drives teachers to search for better ways in creating a balanced pedagogy of reading for all children.

Talking skills

Planning, organising and saying what we want to say involves many different skills. Talking skills develop from infancy and can be encouraged with activities incorporating sounds, songs, repetition and stories. A planned approach to developing listening and talking skills in the early years will lay the foundations for reading and writing, as well as developing social and communication skills.

Children need to develop an understanding of using the right words in the correct order to express themselves clearly. They also require exposure to a rich language environment in their early years to develop a wide range of vocabulary to enable them to communicate effectively and achieve positive outcomes.

Listening skills

Listening skills develop from infancy and can be encouraged through activities incorporating sounds, songs, repetition and stories. A planned approach to developing listening and talking skills in the early years will lay the foundations for reading and writing, as well as developing social and communication skills.

Listening to a spoken word and breaking it down into component sounds is fundamental for effective language learning. Learners need to be able to segment and identify:

• Single words in a sentence
• Syllables within words
• The initial sound and other phonemes within words

Reading skills

If learners are encouraged and supported to read a wide range of texts for enjoyment, they will become more confident in making independent choices in their reading material. Developing as a reader is linked to positive attitudes and experiences, as well as skills. Curriculum for Excellence recognises the fundamental importance of reading for enjoyment within the reading experiences and outcomes.

If the sound cannot be matched to a letter, the successful introduction of phonics is compromised. Struggling readers of all ages may benefit from revisiting early skills and breaking them down. A range of support approaches and strategies are available for teachers to help children develop their reading skills.

Writing skills

Mark making begins in a child’s early years and should be supported and encouraged. It is a child’s first attempt to represent meaning in a written way. If learners are to become successful and confident writers, then writing has to be viewed as an essential part of the learning environment and across curriculum areas. To promote writing learners should have regular opportunities to write, to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding and to make sense of their learning.

They should experience an environment which is rich in language and which sets high expectations for literacy and the use of language. It is important that writing tasks are engaging and relevant with an explicit focus on the skills and knowledge being developed.

Writing skills are dependent on reading skills and should be taught alongside each other. Reading and writing skills such as comprehension and expression can be significantly increased when listening to stories read aloud, either at home or at school.

Children who experience difficulties with the acquisition of literacy skills will require a range of approaches to support their reading skills; for example a child who has auditory processing difficulty or has glue ear will find it very hard to hear the phonological sounds and transfer them to the graphic images of text. If this is the only approach used in their class, they may experience additional barriers to their literacy development.

All areas of literacy can have an impact on how children and young people access the wider curriculum. It is recognised that good teaching and learning approaches which support children and young people with dyslexia also supports all children and young people to acquire fluency and competency in literacy.