[SENco-forum] Re:INPP

The optometrist that I used was OK about testing for Irlens/colour overlays
but did not sell the overlays.  I had to get the correct ones via a college
who had bought a pack.  The optometrist was very against the coloured lenses
except in exceptional circumstances where it really affected balance or
depth perception.  She said she thought they caused more problems later on
than they solved.   I didn't think to ask what these problems were, but it
may be this that Keith means.

Anyhow I have 4 children - 2 pairs that share similar visible genetic
characteristics.  One pair has Irlens and overlays( rose /aqua) and the
other pair do not.  At first they were hugely successful. Less glare = less
headaches and therefore more persistence at reading.  I think part of the
success was due to having a 'handle' i.e. this is not my fault (ergo I'm not
stupid!) because the overlays had fixed part of the problem.  Success breeds
success whether the start point is perceived or real.

Short 10 minute exercises helped mine with regard to their focusing issues
and then subsequently their ability to read books and copy from board to
book.  One had no other intervention and the other had multiple group or 1:1
dyslexia stuff.  The one without support almost certainly has APD but
nothing was known of it 9 years ago so she struggled on alone. I'm glad she
got help with one problem area.

Within a couple of years they did not use the overlays (gradual process).
As they got better and more confident at reading with the overlays they also
improved without them, and so chose to stop using them. That is not to say
that they might being doing better had they persisted - difficult to know.

Anecdotal and like all interventions or bought schemes it is incredibly hard
to know what will work for what child. I feel guilty for not buying £4,000's
worth of DDAT (or any other one of the patented nostrums) but hold onto the
fact that all of them have an element of 1:1 multisensory teaching.  I think
it is this that makes the difference - a chance to tailor a programme to
each students area of difficulty, but how can I be sure maybe I am just more
biased since becoming a specialist SpLD tutor myself!!!  The problem is that
lots of happy little faces making progress is difficult to ignore even if I
don't have research to back me up as to which particular intervention is
best.  I think they may find that although they get good percentage results
for one or other interventions the bottom line will be best results from the
tailoring aspect.

Sharon

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