What Is Irlen Syndrome

Executive Summary

This document has been prepared by the Trust Manager of the Empowered Learning Trust to outline the details and results of the Irlen and Visions Screening Project that has been carried out in the wider Reporoa area between 2012 and 2015.

It details the screening process followed by the Trust, results found, and comments from the various stakeholders. It demonstrates the incidence of Irlen Syndrome in our community, and the benefit of fitting coloured filters to rectify the visual distortions experienced by those affected by Irlen Syndrome.

Please contact the author before using any of the material contained in this document.

[email protected]

Contents

Introduction to the Empowered Learning Trust ...... 3

What is Irlen Syndrome ...... 4

Brain scans showing the positive effects of wearing Irlen Lenses ...... 7

Overview of the Irlen & Vision Screening Project ...... 8

Summary of results ...... 13

Stories from children with Irlen Syndrome fitted with lenses ...... 18

Parent Feedback ...... 34

Feedback from Irlen Diagnosticians ...... 38

School & Teacher feedback ...... 39

Optometrist feedback ...... 43

News articles about our Irlen Project ...... 45

Sponsors of the Project ...... 47

Empowered Learning Trust – Trustee and Staff Profiles ...... 48

Introduction to the Empowered Learning Trust

The Empowered Learning Trust is a charitable trust established in the Reporoa area, to support children, adults and families who are affected by Learning Difficulties, and to help remove barriers to learning. It is also our aim to support the schools and organisations that are helping these children.

We feel that a person’s ability to succeed should not be limited by their inability to access information or education. Our aim is to remove any such barriers to success so that every member of our community has the chance to succeed in the way they choose.

Long term, we hope that by assisting these young people with learning difficulties, we will improve their confidence, self-esteem and employability. Ultimately, this will lead to individuals more likely to engage positively in the community, and possibly reduce crime, unemployment, and other social issues associated with poor education outcomes.

This project aims to identify any students with Irlen Syndrome, or other visual difficulties and provide corrective lenses.

Our trustees are community members with backgrounds in health, education and business who all have the common vision of making a difference in our community, specifically for those affected by any barriers to learning. (Our profiles are at the back of this document)

Empowered Learning Trust Mission Statement “ It is the intention of the Empowered Learning Trust

to engage in projects that work towards removing barriers to learning, allowing students to reach their true potential. These efforts will improve the holistic well-being of individuals, which will ultimately lead to a safer, more productive community. The cornerstones to our work are integrity, generosity, collaboration and fostering the understanding of

difference.”

What is Irlen Syndrome Irlen Syndrome is a visual processing difficulty that affects the way people see the written word, and may also affect the depth and distance vision. Irlens is not a learning difficulty, and can be helped by using coloured lenses or filters.

Characteristics that separate people with Irlen Syndrome from other types of reading difficulty are:

 It impedes the speed and consistency of letter and word recognition, forcing individuals to read a different way  they see different effects on the paper: such as white spaces looking like rivers; words that move, swirl or vibrate; letters that become blurry or float above the page. Irlens may even make people feel sick while they are reading and they commonly get headaches and sore or itching eyes. See examples at: http://irlen.com/distortioneffects.php

Because of this many students with Irlen Syndrome struggle to keep up at school, and those that can read find they tire easily and get a lot of headaches and sore eye. The environment they read in may also contribute to the difficulty they have in reading. The level and type of light can make symptoms worse (harsh fluorescent lighting in schools is the worst). Although they can read in this environment it takes a lot of energy, meaning that they have very little left for comprehension and understanding of meaning. Bright white paper and whiteboards also increase the difficulty for Irlens students. Off- white paper and an easy to read font makes life easier, as do off-white or grey class boards. Could you have Irlens?  Do you skip words or lines while reading?  Do you reread lines?  Do you lose your place while reading?  Are you easily distracted while reading?  Do you need to take breaks often?  Do you find it harder to read the longer you read?  Do you get headaches when you read?  Do your eyes get red and watery when you read?  Does reading make you tired?  Do you blink or squint?  Do you prefer to read in dim light?  Do you read close to the page?  Do you use your finger or other markers?  Do you get restless, active or fidgety while reading? If you say yes to three or more of these questions you could be a candidate for Irlen screening, and Irlen coloured filters may be the answer.

These are some of the distortion effects that a person with Irlen Syndrome might see on the written page:

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Brain scans showing the positive effects of wearing Irlen Lenses

It has been proved scientifically through brain imaging, that wearing Irlen filters/lenses calms down excess brain activity that causes these visual disturbances for Irlen students. The image below shows the effects on the brain while reading before wearing Irlen filters, and while wearing Irlen filters.

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Overview of the Irlen & Vision Screening Project

The ELT Community Irlen Screeners Kim and Sarah, go out into our

local schools and screen children for visual issues. If any visual issues are identified, the child is referred on to an Optometrist for a standard optometric evaluation. Once this had been done, the child goes on to an Irlen Diagnostician for Irlen testing.

Kim Shearer and Sarah McKnight outside our offices at Reporoa Primary School

Sarah and Kim have backgrounds in health and education, and have been trained as Irlen Screeners by Irlen New Zealand. They are also well supported by the Irlen Diagnosticians in Rotorua. As part of the project we trained teachers, and teacher aides as Irlen Screeners, along with a registered Nurse from Reporoa Community Health.

Children from Lake Rerewhakaaitu School with Irlen Lenses 8 5

The Irlen Screening Projects in 2012, 2013 and 2014 are a collaboration between the Empowered Learning Trust, Reporoa Valley Schools Cluster, Murupara, Kaingaroa and Galatea Schools, Irlen New Zealand, and Visique McClelland Optometrist, Rotorua. Together we are helping to remove barriers to learning, so that children can better access their education and reach their true potential.

Students with corrective lenses find We have sought support from reading more enjoyable without the visual disturbances various funding bodies to ensure that financial matters do not influence the choice to provide remedial lenses for our children. This is also a service that is not provided routinely in schools by government departments at this stage.

We are very appreciative of this financial support. Our sponsors are listed at the back of this document.

Flow of the screening & referral process: Score under ELT Community Irlen Screeners go into classes and do a 10 questionnaire with students. From the scores on these No questionnaires, screeners decide on who to screen in more further detail. action. Score over 10

Child screened for ½ hour to 1 hour by Community Irlen Screener employed by ELT

Screener identifies Screener identifies no No further visual issue visual issue action. Recheck again in 2years

Referred to Child fitted with optometrist for optometric lenses if vision exam required

Referred to Irlen Diagnostician for full Iren exam

Child identified as needing corrective lenses – either Irlen, or Optometric, or both.

Contact school and Lenses fitted and follow student progress provided to child. and achievement data.

Child recalled again in 2 years for recheck.

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Ngakuru Primary Rerewhakaaitu Primary School School

Upper Atiamuri Kaingaroa Primary School School

Galatea Primary Waikite Primary School School

Mihi Primary School Reporoa Murupara Area School 11 College Reporoa Primary Broadlands School Primary School

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Our area is made up of several rural schools with deciles ratings between 1 and 10. Most of these schools are 40km from town, some are up to 60km from town. There are small primary schools, an Area school (from Year 1 -13) and a College (from Year 7-13)

Summary of results Schools involved Number Number No. who % of of fitted with didn’t go students students corrective on to screened screened lenses referrals with lenses 2012 Reporoa College Y7-13 385 Reporoa Primary Y5-6 40 Ngakuru Primary Y5-8 17 Rerewhakaaitu Primary Y5-8 41 Broadlands Primary Y5-6 38 Waikite Valley Primary Y5-8 36 Mihi Primary Y5-6 14 Homeschooled/other 6 Total 547 141 28 26% 2013 Reporoa College Y7-13 12 Reporoa Primary Y4 16 Upper Atiamuri Y4-6 12 Rerewhakaaitu Primary Y4 14 Broadlands Primary Y4 10 Waikite Valley Primary Y4 12 Mihi Primary Y4 9 Homeschooled/other 3 Kaingaroa Y4-8 22 Total 110 34 23 30% 2014 Reporoa College Y7-13 10 8 3 Reporoa Primary Y4 16 6 0 Upper Atiamuri Y4 8 1 0

Rerewhakaaitu Primary Y4 14 7 2

Broadlands Primary Y4 14 3 3

Waikite Valley Primary Y4 10 5 2 Mihi Primary Y4 9 3 2 Kaingaroa Y4 6 0 3 Murupara Area School Y4-13 220 22 32 Galatea Primary School Y4-8 40 12 4 Wairakei Primary Y4 11 1 6 Total 379 68 57 (15%) 18%

2015 Proposed project: Reporoa College Y7-13 10 Reporoa Primary Y4 20 Upper Atiamuri Y4 5 Rerewhakaaitu Primary Y4 14 Broadlands Primary Y4 14 Waikite Valley Primary Y4 9 Mihi Primary Y4 9 Kaingaroa Y4 6 Murupara Area School Y4 27 Galatea Primary School Y4 10 Total 125

2012 Children screened: 547 Children fitted with lenses: 141 % of total students: 26% (28 students did not go on)

2013 Children screened: 110 Children fitted with lenses: 34 % of total students: 31% (8 students did not go on)

Percentage of children referred on Results of referrals Irlen lenses

Optometric lenses 40% 13% 60% Students referred 32% Both Optometric 14% on & Irlen lenses students not No lense required referred 24% 17% Did not go on

Ethnicity of Ethnicity of students in schools students with

NZ European NZ Maori Other remedial lenses

NZ European NZ Maori Other 3% 0%

41% 40% 56% 60%

2014

Children screened: 379 Children fitted with lenses 68 % of total students: 18% (57 students did not go on)

Percentage referred on Results of referrals

Irlen lenses 42% Students referred Optometric lenses 58% 27% Students not 38% Both Irlen & referred Optometric lenses 6% No lenses required 15% 14% Did not go on

School Roll Decile NZ European NZ Maori Other Students Students Students Reporoa Primary 97 4 47 (48%) 46 (47%) 3 (3%) Waikite Primary 57 10 40 (70%) 17 (30%) 0 Broadlands Primary 102 8 63 (62%) 35 (34%) 2 (2%) Lake Rerewhakaituu 96 7 42 (44%) 49 (52%) 3 (4%) Mihi Primary 51 5 20 (39%) 31 (61%) 0 Upper Atiamuri Primary 27 4 22 (81%) 4 (15%) 1 (4%) Kaingaroa 19 1 0 18 (99%) 1 (1%) Galatea Primary 90 5 45 (50%) 41 (45%) 4 (5%) Reporoa College 305 6 154 (50%) 138 (45%) 13 (5%) Murupara Area School 330 1 15 (4%) 314 (95%) 1 (1%) Total 1474 655 (44%) 777 (52%) 42 (3%)

Ethnicity of students Ethnicity of students in schools 2014 with remedial lenses

NZ European NZ Maori Other NZ European NZ Maori Other

3% 5%

44% 43%

53% 52%

14 Financial Summary

Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 Number of children screened in 547 110 379 125 total Number of children fitted with corrective lenses: Irlen 61 (40%) 15 (30%) 39 (56%) Optometric 24 (16%) 8 (16%) 10 (14%) Both 45 (30%) 11 (22%) 19 (27%) None 22 (15%) 7 (14%) 21 (30%) Refits 0 17 (18%) 2 (3%)

Total lenses fitted 152 51 70 38 (tbc)

umber of children who didn’t go 28 23 57 tbc on to appointments Expenses: Actual Actual Actual budgeted Corrective lens costs:  Irlen tinting 29,844.00 12,077.00 17,557.00 12,391.00  Optometric costs (frames 21,488.00 9,487.00 14,447.00 7,415.00 & initial examinations) Total 51,332.00 21,564.00 32,004.00 19,806.00 Salary Costs* 9,106.00 16,431.00 24,233.00 25,000.00 Total costs* 65,894.00 48,382.00 52,372.00 48,219.00

Lens Cost per child average* 364.00 422.00 457.00 521.00

Notes:

* Salary Costs – in 2012 we paid only the Irlen Screeners for their time to screen and follow up children. In 2013 we employed a Trust Manager as well as the Irlen screeners – the cost of salaries increased since that time.

* Lens cost per child – this cost will depend on how many children go on to get Irlen tinting, as the cost for a child to get optometric lenses is $199.00, while the cost of Irlen tinting plus frames is $466.00

*Total costs – Our Irlen screeners have only been claiming for mileage in 2013 and 2014. (there were no mileage costs in 2012)

Stories from children with Irlen Syndrome fitted with lenses 15

Many of the children who have been screened in the Reporoa Valley Cluster Irlen Project

this year had no idea that they were struggling with a visual processing disorder. The process of discovering that they have Irlen or other visual issues is an emotional journey, that eventually leads to a better outcome for these students. The following pages contain comments made by children who have been wearing their corrective lenses, and also from the schools, parents and Irlen Diagnosticians after the screenings. The Empowered Learning Trust would like to thank the Rotorua Irlen Diagnosticians, Mary Cubie and Nyree Grigsby for their wonderful support and enthusiasm for our project, Irlen NZ, and McClelland Visique Optometrists Rotorua. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Parent Feedback

Feedback from Irlen Diagnosticians

School & Teacher feedback

Optometrist feedback

School / Principal feedback

News articles about our Irlen Project

Sponsors of the Project

Eric Hattaway Bridgeman Trust

Staff Foundation Reporoa Lions

Empowered Learning Trust – Trustee and Staff Profiles

Karen Barker, Dip Pharm, MPS; Dip Art & Design (Adv). (Trust Manager)

Karen is a Pharmacist and assists her husband Ross in the running of their dairy farming business in Reporoa. They have four children, some of whom have challenges with Dyslexia and Irlens. Her personal experiences with these learning difficulties and how they affect people, has encouraged her to support others through the work of the Empowered Learning Trust.

Kathy Cane. NZRN. (Board Chairperson)

Kathy and her husband Malcolm run a deer farm in Reporoa, including production of their own dietary supplement Canes Deer Velvet, which is sold online. They have 3 teenage children aged 15 to 19 years. Kathy is a Registered nurse who has a passion for understanding how the human body functions, and is currently studying bioenergetics. Her vision is that the Empowered Learning Trust will make a difference for those challenged with learning difficulties so that they may follow a more positive path in life, than they may otherwise have.

Sarah McKnight, Royal Society of Health, Dip (Edin) Nursery Education. (Board Member, Irlen Screener)

Sarah dairy farms in Reporoa with her husband Euan. She is proud Mum to 3 teenage daughters, and has been an active member of the Reporoa community since emigrating from Scotland 20 years ago. With a keen interest in child development, it is Sarah's belief that every child has the right to be equipped for the best level of education and opportunities available to them.

Sara Field, Bachelor of Science (Anthropology) Honours, Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) (Board Member)

Sara and her husband Rob live on the family sheep and beef farm in Waikite Valley. Rob and Sara have two young daughters. Sara is the Assistant Principal at Reporoa College. Sara’s role on the Empowered Learning Trust is both professional and personal. She believes that as a parent, proactive involvement in your childrens’ education is critical. Sara feels fortunate to be raising her family in the Reporoa community and hopes the trust will enhance the support the opportunities available to pupils in the community.

Yvonne Hathaway (Board Treasurer)

Yvonne and her husband, Graeme, are dairy farmers in the Reporoa area. She is the dedicated mother of their three teenage sons. One of Yvonne’s interests includes education and it has created an awareness in her, that all children deserve a learning experience that promotes positive outcomes. She believes that identifying barriers and early intervention are the keys to helping those with learning difficulties. She is excited to be able assist individuals and families, whose lives are affected by learning challenges and differences, through the work of the Empowered Learning Trust

Kim Shearer Occupational Therapist. (Board Secretary. Irlen Screener)

Kim and her husband Grahame are dairy farmers in the Reporoa area. They have two teenage sons, and Kim is a keenly supportive mother. Kim is a qualified Occupational Therapist, but more recently has been managing the Reporoa Community Health Service which operates in the wider Reporoa area. Since resigning from this post after ten years of service in this position, Kim has trained to become an Irlen Screener and will be screening students in the Irlen Project.

Annabell Lane Teacher, Literacy Support Reporoa College (Board member) I am married to Mathew and have two primary school age daughters who attend Broadlands school. My husband managers Landcorp Rotomahana, and I am a teacher at Reporoa College. My role is Literacy Support teacher for two days a week, providing an intensive reading programme for year 7-9 students who are below their level. I also relieve regularly when I am not busy with Angus genetic data on the farm. We are loving being a part of the Reporoa community, and I am excited about the support the Empowered Learning trust is offering the youth of our community and look forward to being able to contribute from both a teachers and parents perspective.

Contact details:

P. O. Box 33, Reporoa. 3060

email: [email protected]

Phone: Karen Barker (Trust Manager) on:

(07) 3338070 or 027 293 5150

Website: http://www.empoweredlearningtrust.co.nz

Please do not use any part of this material withou