[SENco-forum] Philip's research

The basis of Alpha to Omega (programme for those with dyslexia) is to find
where the student is at, help them learn a piece of information that has not
'stuck' for example a word family such as 'tch' or as smaller units
atch/itch/etch/otch/utch and then incorporate these in dictation sentences.

For this part the student listens, repeats and then writes.

The repeating part has to be correct before the student starts to write.
The repeating out loud helps support memory problems. You do not have to use
the sentences per se. Any sentences can be used and varied in content or
length depending on the students interests or ability.  I do the same for my
English as a second language students.  We learn something new.  We rehearse
it orally and fit it into conversational sentences and the writing part
comes last. I do not consider it properly learned until I hear them use it
again without prompting and finally that they use it in written work.

I studied to teach EFL before I studied to support students with dyslexia
and I find the 2 remarkably similar.  I think for someone with dyslexia
learning English is like learning a second language.  To demonstrate this
feeling of being 'all at sea' get someone to listen to a set passage and
then ask them to answer questions on it that have been set in another
language or in code.  My daughter used to feel like this in many lessons.
She listened, she understood and had opinions, none of which she could get
down on paper due to the questions appearing to be in a code that everyone
else seemed to have a key for , but that she could not break.

Listening to oneself may not bring about miracles for everyone, but it is
likely to be very beneficial for some and be a tool to help others, if this
is an area of weakness for them.

Sharon

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