Medlock has achieved the Dyslexia Aware Quality Mark, which ensures we are a dyslexia-friendly school.

What does it mean?

It means we look carefully at all children to support them if they show dyslexic tendencies. The whole staff have received Dyslexia Awareness training and can recognise dyslexic tendencies. We have a computer based ‘screener’ that  highlights dyslexic tendencies, and can then be discussed with Teresa Weir, the Dyslexia Specialist who works in our school two afternoons a week.
 

Why a Dyslexia Aware Quality Mark?

• To become recognised as a school which is ‘dyslexia aware’ and which meets the needs of most dyslexic learners through reasonable adjustments.
• The Quality Mark acknowledges and celebrates best practice in the classroom and across school.
• There are benefits to all learners as changing practice to accommodate dyslexic learners has the potential to improve the learning of all pupils.
• Provides a consistent approach throughout classes.

Some people with dyslexia find reading and spelling more of a challenge. Your teachers do lots of things to help you, for example:

• Printing your work on non-white paper
• Non-white paper books to write in
• Changing the background colour on interactive boards or changing the font colour
• Coloured overlays in every classroom for you to access to try to help you with your reading
• Books with non-white paper/backgrounds and illustrations
• Using writing frames
• Lots of multisensory teaching and learning with pictures, music and artefacts
• Displaying vocabulary and questions  in classrooms
• On tables in every classroom 100 squares, numberlines, word lists, alphabets
• ‘Ace’ dictionaries

Dyslexia Definition

(Sir Jim Rose- ‘Identification and Teaching Young People with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties 2009)  

• Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling
• Characteristic features of dyslexia are phonological awareness, verbal memory and processing speed
• Dyslexia occurs across a range of intellectual abilities
• It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no cut-off points
• Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia.             

The British Dyslexia Association has lots of support and information for parents of dyslexic children.