linarmstrong’s posterous

In terms of dyslexia all assessments check literacy and language .The assumption is the learning and knowledge decreases due to the problems here.

Referral items in “screening “ checklists include

·      Can read well but not write well or can write well but not read well

·      Has persistent problems with sentence structure, writing mechanics and organizing written work

·      Experiences continuous problems with spelling the same word differently in one document

(US National adult Literacy and Learning disabilities Center 2002.)

Then studies agree on other language difficulties

·      Dislikes reading aloud

·      Takes longer than expected to read a page

·      Finds it harder to remember the sense of what’s been said

·      Dislikes reading long books

·      Scrambles the sounds in long words

·      Writes illegible

·      Spells poorly

(Everatt and Smyth 2002 Dyslexia Institute 2002 British Dyslexia association , Adult Dyslexia Organisation 2002 direct learning 2002Ott 1997 Vinegrad 1994US National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center 2002.)

Adult dyslexia is different to a child’s because the environment helps us to develop strategies to learn. Some would argue if the learning environment was rich with all sorts of learning materials all could learn to read and write and to learn or remember. Connectivism would I believe provide such an environment. If we analyze the items of referral items in dyslexia screening checklists the idea the learner with dyslexia  finds it difficult to separate the syllables of a word and other phonological processing problems might also be a symptom of not teaching and learning in a satisfying way such as the production of spoonerisms that involves verbal working memory (the mind as a container again) or finds it difficult to understand malapropisms. A malapropism (also called a Dogberryism) is the substitution of an incorrect word for a word with a similar sound, usually to comic effect. Rhyming slang difficulties are all from the same research (Everatt and Smyth 2002) and could be a conceptual or perceptual problem that could be overcome by the learning method.

In the reading and decoding difficulties suggested by Ott's study and supported by US National Literacy study following columns and small print can be an eye problem or a need to improve oculomotor control. Of course by the time a poor reader becomes an adult there will be the Matthew  Effect and problems with badly learnt decoding , general vocabulary and knowledge loss or a problem with syntax. This would lead to social problems such as self –consciousness and a dislike of reading aloud. The studies do not give a representative page and reader so the judgment "they take longer to read" is a subjective judgment and not scientific enough to use. Experience has taught me the adult reader may loose concentration and place and have to read over .Reading rate is affected by experience and success at reading so people with poor learning environments might not read for pleasure as an adult.

If there is evidence to suggest short term memory plays a part in dyslexia Ott 1997 “looses place or jumps lines when reading” and “confuses morphologically similar words when reading” then the environment where the opportunity to learn from many nodes will help. The characteristic of relatively inexperienced readers and lack of systemic teaching and learning are seen in the check lists as a sign of dyslexia.

·      Experiences continious problems with spelling the same word differently in one document

But of more interest is the writing checklist.

·      Can explain things orally but not in writing (US NALLDC 2002)

·      Has difficulty writing ideas on paper

·      Has difficulty in completing forms correctly (Ott 1997 Vinegrad 1994 Everatt and Smythe 2002)

·      Writes illegibly

·      Written vocabulary limited by spelling ability.

The results from a checklist might indicate problems with spelling (inside the head container metaphore) motor control or the formal structuring of thought. Badly designed forms send most adults to check and recheck but some poor writers may give up sooner due to lack of motivation and previous school experiences of writing.The lack of adequate instruction and poor motor control can be over come with the use of technology.A defensive response to insensitive treatment in schools could be challenged and changed if the learner were to find their creative thoughts could be unique and valued in a system or network using different authoring tools .

The idea that a learner can become overwhelmed in such a rich environment and the changing role of the tutor to recognise this will come later but for now I propose a thought that the myth of dyslexia is that its a student problem and not a teaching \pedagogy challenge. Not special but as different as everyone else!

ps;A medical model and social model defines the differences.