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South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) South Ayrshire Council Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) This handbook collates existing documents which guide and support schools in South Ayrshire through the process of becoming Dyslexia Friendly. The contents have been developed and adapted as schools have progressed through their Dyslexia Friendly Journey and set ever higher aspirations, particularly in enabling children and young people to become empowered, active and ambitious in setting and reaching DFS goals for their schools. In the handbook you will find information on the aims, rationale and context of South Ayrshire’s DFS project, and a general guide to the accreditation process. There are extensive Appendices providing separate advice for Primary and Secondary schools at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. In addition SAC’s Dyslexia Guidelines from the 2010 SAC Dyslexia Information Pack are included. Action planning road maps for Primary and Secondary are also provided with content from SAC shared good practice. The handbook should be read in conjunction with SAC Dyslexia Information Pack which laid the groundwork for the development of Dyslexia Friendly Schools in South Ayrshire, and also Good Practice in South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Margaret Crankshaw June 2014 Contents Barassie Primary School Barassie Primary School 2 | P a g e South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) Contents Page SAC DFS Learning Journey 4 Introduction 5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAC DFS Bronze Award (Primary Schools) 1 SAC DFS Silver Award (Primary Schools) 33 SAC DFS Gold Award (Primary Schools) 43 SAC Guidance for Gold Accreditation team (Primary Schools) 55 SAC DFS Bronze Award (Secondary Schools) 59 SAC DFS Silver Award (Secondary Schools) 79 SAC Gold Award (Secondary Schools) 91 SAC Guidance for Gold Accreditation team (Secondary Schools) 97 Appendices 101 Appendix 1 SAC Dyslexia Guidelines 2010 102 Appendix 2 DFS Self Evaluation Indicators (Primary) 107 Appendix 3 DFS Self Evaluation Indicators (Secondary) 109 Acknowledgments 111 Further Information 112 AMY FERGUSON, MONKTON PRIMARY SCHOOL 2011 3 | P a g e South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) National Dyslexia South Ayrshire DFS Developments Learning Journey (Scotland) 4 | P a g e South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) SOUTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL DYSLEXIA FRIENDLY SCHOOLS PROJECT: INTRODUCTION Kyle Academy Foyer 5 | P a g e South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) Background A self evaluated Dyslexia Friendly School model has been introduced in stages to South Ayrshire since 2010. Schools were invited to “opt in” to this approach which emerged from existing SAC strategy and principles on Dyslexia identification and intervention, and was strongly influenced by Neil MacKay’s DFS model1. The DFS approach is inclusive and holistic, engaging the school community to support children at risk of literacy failure in imaginative, effective and pupil centred ways. Accountability for identification of “at risk” children with emergent patterns of unexpected literacy delay, is the responsibility of “dyslexia aware” class teachers supported through effective school pupil support systems. Good practice should be embedded in everyday classroom awareness, resources and organisation, while individual needs continue to be prioritized and addressed through Staged Intervention. Children and parents are involved in the process through focus groups, workshops, assemblies and training. Planned outcomes include earlier identification and implementation of strategies for children at risk, reduced emotional impact of perceived failure, effective partnership with parents, and improved literacy attainment. The response from SAC schools has been overwhelmingly positive, with all Primary and Secondary schools embarked on a “DFS learning journey” setting their own pace within an Improvement Planning framework. Initial evaluation has been highly positive, particularly in relation to pupil empowerment and attitudinal change. South Ayrshire Council’s Dyslexia Friendly Schools approach is embedded in South Ayrshire’s 2010 Dyslexia Guidelines (See Appendix 1) Why DFS? Traditional approaches to Dyslexia in schools have often focused on formal Staged Intervention procedures, and are often reliant on a single “medical model” diagnostic assessment process, widely considered as inadequate in the light of current research and good practice. Acknowledgement of a dyslexic pattern of learning and individualised specialist support and planning often emerged once a child had experienced failure – the “wait to fail” model - and the resulting negative emotional and learning responses became embedded. Children’s views, and the social and emotional impacts of literacy difficulty, were not always considered in this model, and the professional discourse used could both exclude and mystify parents. More recently there has been interest in social interactive models of Dyslexia (Burden, 2008) (Hunter-Carsch 2001) and a focus on how children see themselves and others as learners, and perceive and respond to literacy failure. In contrast the inclusive and pro-active Dyslexia Friendly Schools model focuses on awareness and action rather than pursuing definitive “cut-offs” of a clearly demarcated Dyslexia population, clearly establishes whole school accountability for supporting all children at risk of literacy failure at a very early stage, and involves pupils and parents closely in the process of tracking strengths and weaknesses. Underlying concepts include disability rights, equality, inclusion, resilience, “pupil voice” and attribution theory. 1 Neil MacKay, Removing Dyslexia as a Barrier to Achievement, (SEN Marketing www.senbooks.co.uk) 6 | P a g e South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) Teacher awareness and confidence in dealing with Dyslexia are other significant factors as inclusive approaches to Dyslexia are increasingly adopted. Reid urges that “effective teachers need to have an understanding of Dyslexia, and to be aware of the criteria that can be used for identification and assessment” (Reid, 2005). This is echoed in HMIE’s “Education for Learners with Dyslexia” (HMIE 2008), Education Scotland’s Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland ((2014), and is a key assumption of the excellent Scottish Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit (www.addressingdyslexia.org) Awareness that a range of interventions and strategies need to be available for an additional support need that comes in many shapes and sizes, is also paramount. Reid (2005) suggests that “there is no “off-the-shelf” ready- made answer or programme that suits all dyslexic children…the teacher needs to be flexible and versatile in the development of resources and teaching strategies”. Above all, the voice and views of learners need to be considered. The DFS model of supporting dyslexic pupil is explicitly established in many authorities, mainly in England and Wales, particularly since the British Dyslexia Association embraced the concept in 1999 by issuing a DFS Resource Pack (BDA, 1999). The SAC DFS project has benefited from this experience, not least through links with Neil MacKay, the originator of the DFS concept and movement. Neil’s dictum that “Dyslexia friendly is learning friendly” is a powerful one, as are his assumptions that success for pupils on the dyslexia continuum lies in being taught to build on their strengths, to exercise choice over the range of strategies available, and to develop as empowered and confident learners. The DFS Model in South Ayrshire Rationale of developing a Dyslexia Friendly approach in South Ayrshire 2010 -2014: High profile of dyslexia currently with Scottish Government and Education Scotland Launch of Scottish Assessment Toolkit June 2010 which embeds effective Dyslexia identification and assessment within everyday classroom practice and staged intervention (Addressingdyslexia.org). DFS identified as good practice by HMIE 2008 Education for Learners with Dyslexia report Curriculum for Excellence focus on literacy as responsibility of all teachers Reflects paradigm shift from dyslexia as a uniform disability to dyslexia as learning preference Normalises dyslexia continuum within classroom context Part of response to a flexible approach to diversity Addresses negative socio-emotional and attitudinal aspects of dyslexia Antidote to “one size fits all” approach to dyslexia intervention which does not reflect the diverse needs and learning preferences of dyslexic pupils Focus on parent partnership within a supportive perspective and ethos Embeds “pupil voice”, self-esteem and empowerment Contributes to effective literacy practice for all children Engages in explorations with learners Provides the context for effective teacher CPD and networking of good practice South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Schools Handbook (June 2014) Primary Self Evaluation model In 2009, a short term DFS strategy group (involving pupil support teachers, school senior management, Pupil Support Coordinator and Educational Psychologists) devised a South Ayrshire Dyslexia Friendly Primary Schools Self Evaluation Toolkit. This toolkit was adapted from a range of existing good practice elsewhere in the UK, and in line with Scottish priorities and SAC guidelines.

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