Dyslexia and Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia

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Dyslexia (and Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia)

• Dr S. I. Woolley
• http//www.eee.bham.ac.uk/woolleysi
• Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering,
• The University of Birmingham, U.K.

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Content

• Some very brief definitions
• (for the purpose of providing a simple
  explanation of the words)
• Some notes about support for University students

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Very Simplified Definitions

• Dyslexia
• http//www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk
• People with dyslexia may have difficulty
  remembering, recognizing, and ordering letters,
  numbers, and words.
• They may might have poor handwriting and read
  slowly.

Dyscalculia http//www.dyscalculia.org/ Difficu
lty understanding or using mathematical
symbols. Often people with this disorder can
understand very complex mathematical concepts and
principles but have difficulty processing
formulas and even basic addition and
subtraction.
Dyspraxia http//www.dyspraxiafoundation.org
.uk/ People with dyspraxia usually have
difficulties with coordinated movement. They
often have untidy handwriting.
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A Bit More About Dyslexia

• THE GIFT OF DYSLEXIA
• The gift of dyslexia is the ability to think
  multi-dimensionally. While the ability to see in
  pictures and to change one's point of focus or
  reference point is a handicap in reading, it can
  also be a source of creativity and brilliance.
• The author notes that many famous people have
  been dyslexic. Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison,
  Alexander Graham Bell, Leonardo daVinci, Walt
  Disney, Winston Churchill, Hans Christian
  Anderson, Woodrow Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny
  Glover, and many others. The question is whether
  these individuals succeeded in spite of dyslexia,
  or in some way because of it.
• Dyslexics often excel as engineers, plumbers,
  inventors and at crafts or artistic pursuits
  because they can manipulate objects in their head
  for the purpose of drawing them, designing them
  or repairing them.

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Dyslexic and DyspraxicHandwriting

• Top Example from Dyslexia Association of
  Singapore
• www.das.org.sg/aboutdyslexia/whatisdyslexia.htm
• Top RightDyspraxia sample
• http//www.inclusive.net/resources/units/unit7/uni
  t7_28.shtml
• Bottom Right Example from Beneath The Surface"
• By Alexander aged 9 years
• http//www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk/what.htm

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Student Support and Counsellinghttp//www.sscs.bh
am.ac.uk/
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Dyslexia Support Servicehttp//www.sscs.bham.ac.u
k/disability/dyslexia_presessional.htmand(for
current students) http//www.sscs.bham.ac.uk/disab
ility/dyslexia_current.htm
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Some Notes

• We have several dyslexic PhD researchers.
• It is not unusual at all for dyslexic students to
  get excellent grades.
• But many good dyslexic students in the past have
  not been diagnosed until very very late in their
  studies.
• Diagnosed dyslexic students are entitled to extra
  time in all their exams. But taking extra time
  isnt compulsory.
• The disability connotation really isnt helpful.
• Student handwriting in examinations is often
  untidy but almost always legible. Academic staff
  are experts at reading really bad handwriting.
  Sometimes handwriting that looks tidy is harder
  to read (particularly the cursive Shakespearean
  styles.) Very very few responses to questions
  are illegible.

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Upside Down Reading?Some readers, especially
slow readers, can read at the same pace in all
sorts of orientations

• Are you a fast or a slow reader? Can you read
  text at different angles?

How about this way?
Can you read upside down? After a little bit
of practice some people are very surprised to
find that they can read at almost the same speed
as reading the right way up.
Can you read at this angle? Some people find
they can read text even when it is reflected in a
mirror.
When you read do you have to sound out the words
in your head? This slows a lot of people down so
that they can only read at a talking pace.
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Thank youThese slides are on-line on the course
web page.

• If you are concerned about any of these issues
  you can email me at S.I.Woolley_at_bham.ac.uk
• Anyone can contact the Dyslexia Support Service
  directly (and confidentially)
• See http//www.sscs.bham.ac.uk/disability/dyslexia
  _current.htm
• I am also happy to make recommendations to Mrs
  Sue Onens in Dyslexia Support. Just send me an
  email.