Early identification of literacy learning needs
Identify difficulties with learning to read as early as possible. Students with dyslexia display uneven achievement.
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Take action early
Take action early
If the persistent achievement gap between dyslexic and typical readers is to be narrowed, or even closed, reading interventions must be implemented early, when children are still developing the basic foundation for reading acquisition.
Emilio Ferrer, Bennet Shaywitz, John Holahan, Karen Marchione, Reissa Michaels, and Sally Shaywitz
What to look for
What to look for
Notice those students who are having difficulty with phonological awareness tasks, learning letters, basic sounding out of words, and word recognition.
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Recognising reading and writing difficulties
Recognising reading and writing difficulties
The simple view of reading and writing is a useful way of identifying learners with dyslexic traits. The New Zealand Dyslexia Handbook (pp 61–75) outlines three steps in screening for dyslexia and associated tests.
Teachers are not responsible for the formal identification of dyslexia.
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Identifying learners needing support
Identifying learners needing support
The initial trigger for action is the child needing noticeably more reading support than his or her peers.
Step 1: Notice those making slow progress despite receiving high-quality literacy teaching – especially in teaching word recognition and language comprehension in keeping with the simple view of reading.
Step 2: Undertake further assessment, planning, and intervention with parents, whānau, and carers. Teaching is likely to include Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 interventions. It is reasonable to expect most children to respond well to these.
Key elements of early intervention
Key elements of early intervention
- Explicit teaching in phonological awareness – teaching the ability to hear, recognise, and manipulate sounds that make up spoken words, for example, identifying rhyming sounds and clapping out syllables.
- Strong focus on phonological decoding and word-level work.
- Supported and independent reading of progressively more difficult texts.
- Practice comprehension strategies while reading texts.
- Systematic, focused teaching.
Useful resources
Useful resources
Signs of dyslexia
Descriptions of learners in early years, primary school, secondary school, and in adults.
Publisher: The British Dyslexia Association
Three steps in screening for dyslexia
The New Zealand Dyslexia Handbook outlines three steps in screening for dyslexia. This screening approach is recommended by the Ministry of Education. The steps and tests listed on pages 61–75 are listed with links to the tests.
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Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approach”:
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Current page Early identification
Return to the guide “Dyslexia and learning”
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Dyslexia and learning
Understand:
- Understanding dyslexia
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Understanding dyslexia and literacy acquisitionShow suggestions for Understanding dyslexia and literacy acquisition
Strategies for action:
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Develop a schoolwide approachShow suggestions for Develop a schoolwide approach
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Identify student needs and how to provide supportShow suggestions for Identify student needs and how to provide support
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Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approachShow suggestions for Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approach
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Helpful classroom strategies in years 1–8Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies in years 1–8
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Helpful classroom strategies in years 9–13Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies in years 9–13
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Supporting literacy and numeracy in NCEAShow suggestions for Supporting literacy and numeracy in NCEA
