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"Schools should identify dyslexia earlier"
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The following is a digest of the recent
OFSTED Report which was published in November
1999.
| Dyslexic children are helped
most when their condition is identified early and is known to all their teachers,
a new report from OFSTED (The Office for Standards in Education in the
UK) has said. Pupils with statements of special educational need for specific learning difficulties (dyslexia) placed in mainstream schools are making at least satisfactory progress, say Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) in a report published today. Pupils who are identified earlier in their primary school education, rather than shortly before transfer to secondary level, tend to make better progress. In a second report published today, HMI say that pupils with special needs are being set more challenging targets since the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice came into force, but are not being consulted by teachers on their educational development. Dyslexic pupils who obtain additional specialist help for the greatest possible time before transfer to secondary school at age 11 are less likely to experience emotional problems. Some schools and local education authorities are also taking too long to give pupils a formal assessment, which is wasting pupils' time and lowering their confidence. The quality of teaching and support for dyslexic pupils is satisfactory in 94% of lessons in primary schools and 90% of lessons in secondary schools. The quality of teaching and support is often good or very good and, occasionally excellent. Good progress in reading is usually linked to a highly-structured program of teaching, often involving a multi-sensory approach. Pupils are making progress in spelling, although seldom to the same extent as in reading, and make much more limited progress in the development of their writing. Spelling and writing continues to pose problems for many dyslexic pupils after their transfer to secondary school. The SEN Code of Practice: three years on, says that schools have become more effective in their provision for pupils with special educational needs since the Code of Practice came into force. Pupils are being set new targets which provide them with greater challenge, and schools have improved their attitudes and understanding of their responsibilities towards such pupils. But the report says that schools are not taking account of the views of pupils in setting and reviewing their learning targets. This report, the third by HMI on the implementation of the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs, considers the effectiveness of the Code with particular reference to the development of individual education plans (IEPs) in the assessment of pupils' educational progress. The report confirms previous findings that, while appropriate procedures for preparing and reviewing, IEPs are generally in place in most schools, IEPs are seen as planning tools for teachers, detailing what, why and how often skills or items of knowledge should be taught to pupils. This can limit the contribution made by the pupils themselves. Schools also concentrate more on how IEPs are written and presented rather than their purpose and function. Some other weaknesses of IEPs highlighted by HMI are imprecise terminology, failure to indicate which teachers and subjects are involved, and failure to link IEPs with other areas of assessment and recording procedures in the school. The best IEPs are based on sound knowledge of the child, take account of pupils' strengths and interests, state realistic timescales, are linked to resources in school, and involve parents. Examples of good practice using IEPs from schools around the country are included in the report. Since the Code's implementation, there has been improved liaison between primary and secondary schools, and schools are using the Code's guidance in their planning. Yet schools continue to have difficulties in meeting every child's special needs. Chris Marshall, head of OFSTED's special educational needs division, said: "Individual education plans have a vital role to play in schools' strategic planning and special educational needs policy. Some schools are making effective use of these plans in setting learning targets and reviewing their pupils' progress, but many are not. "Schools and local education authorities also need to be aware that delays in identifying pupils with dyslexia can undermine their progress in school."
Key recommendations of
the Report
Comments
John Bradford
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