[senco-forum] Re Literacy/Dyslexia in China

While agreeing with some of what Dolfrog says have to point out that sadly
dyslexia is as prevalent in China/Hong Kong as it is here.

It initially appears not to be a problem (as Dolfrog says) as the language
is visual & non-phonetic.

It most often shows up when the student tries to learn English.  Although
some like my friends son are hampered visually & aurally and so struggle to
read & write his 1st language (Chinese) as well as English.

Here most teachers have heard of multi-sensory teaching even if many do not
know how, or do not want to know how, to implement it.  In Hong Kong there
are few specialist teachers (mostly English speakers in International
schools) and only a handful of Chinese/English speaking SpLD teachers.  The
government there has acknowledged the problem and unlike here has set about
to remedy it with a vengeance.

No 1/2 INSET dyslexia awareness days for them, but the introduction of a
government sponsored 30-hour teacher training course run in both Chinese or
English resulting in a certificate.  It will take time before 1 teacher from
every school has attended, but at least that is their aim.

We have known about dyslexia for 100 years.  Have known about multi-sensory
teaching for 60 years.  Have tried to 'remediate' it for 30 years and yet
teachers only get 3 hours of instruction to try & make them aware of it in
their students.

The Hong Kong government made it part of the medical umbrella only 2 years
ago (similar to us in the 1970's) after 5 years of battling by professional
and parent groups (similar to here in the 1970's )and yet have managed to
leapfrog right over the top of the English speaking world with their initial
attempts at professional and public awareness.

For any of you with Chinese speaking parents (of children with SpLD) I can
highly recommend the parent based www.asld.org.hk

Sharon Tringham

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of dolfrog
Sent: 02 January 2007 19:42
To: 'Eddie Carron'; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Re Literacy

Hi Eddie.........

The Chinese do not have our phonic style of speech notation, and they do not
have dyslexia, we should be trying to adopt a similar more visual style of
notation, and teaching.

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.2/613 - Release Date: 01/01/2007
14:50