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Investigating effective teaching methods for students with learning difficulties, particularly Dyslexia. Comparison of student cohorts to identify best practices. Analyzing use of color, font, and visual aids in lectures. Recommendations for inclusive and engaging teaching approaches.
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An investigation into best lecturing practice for students with learning difficulties with special emphasis on Dyslexia:A comparison of two student cohorts Dr Nicola Blackie
Introduction • Dyslexia • 4 % of the population are seriously affected • 10 % of the population are affected to some extent • What is dyslexia?? • Dys = difficulty • Lexia = with words (reading, writing, spelling) • Over 500 definitions of Dyslexia exist
Introduction • Dyslexia in the classroom • Reading, writing, spelling • Difficulties ‘getting ideas down on paper’ • Maths • Disorganisation • Difficulties in sitting and listening • Difficulties in following instructions • Distracting behaviour • Attention/focus problems • Low confidence • Loss of motivation • Poor attainment
Introduction • However, • Dyslexia can be managed • Many dyslexic students find effective strategies • Dyslexic students can be the most careful Dyslexia does not affect: • Reasoning, problem solving, creativity or intuition
Methods • Questionnaire given to all the first year Agriculture and Animal Students • Total students = 139 • Total responses received = 101 • Response rate = 73% • Mix of open and closed questions • Emphasis on learning style and use of PowerPoint technology for teaching
Results – Basic student details % % 64% of learning difficulties = Dyslexia, others include Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and Physical problems
PowerPoint Style - Colour • What colour(s) if any cause you problems on PowerPoint slides for you? • Red (8) • Yellow (34) • Blue background/ Yellow writing • Orange (5) • Blue (9) • Bright (5) • Pale/Light colours (12) Blue background/ Yellow writing (8)
PowerPoint Style - Colour • What colour(s) if any cause you problems on PowerPoint slides for you? • Green (9) • Dark • Bright White (4) • Purple (1) • Not enough contrast Dark background (9)*
PowerPoint Style - Colour • Learning difficulties specifically • Yellow, red • White background • Blue or light colours • Dark backgrounds make text hard to read • Yellow (words) • Bright white (2) • Blue/Yellow hard to see • Red • No background colour, light lilac preferred • Green + Red (light blue on dark background preferred) • Yellow on blue - hard to read • Bright colours such as Yellow/Orange
PowerPoint Style - Colour • Generally students with Dyslexia gave more detail on colour • We are encouraged to put everything on PDF format on Moodle • Student can’t adjust to requirements • Inclusive approach? • Avoid Yellow and light colours??
Recording Lectures % % 18 % of students record lectures
Sans Serif Arial Calibri Tahoma Veranda Serif Times New Roman Century Footlight MT Light Font Type 14% 77% 9 % have no preference
Sans Serif Arial Calibri Tahoma Veranda Serif Times New Roman Century Footlight MT Light Font Type – Learning difficulties 19% 81%
What do students find useful? 92 % like Photos
What do students find useful? 61 %like figures
What do students find useful? 61 % like mind-maps
Learning Styles • All = 4 % • Auditory = 7 % • Kinaesthetic = 30 % • Read/ Write = 16 % • Visual = 16 % • Visual + Kinaesthetic = 10 % • Other combinations = 17 %
So what do we do well? • Repetition of complex or difficult topics • Miss out words so you have to fill them in • Pictures, examples • Give practical examples of information • Use videos and images • Clear text, interesting pictures and diagrams • Use real world examples/ experiences to describe case studies
What is not so good? • Reading the slides out • Putting lots of info on one slide = hard to read • Speed, some lecturers go too fast, or putting up irrelevant wording or text • Yellow and blue colours, too much text • Blocks of text, blocks of figures • Not explain or talk about any slides/ diagrams/ pictures etc • Covering over pictures with more pictures, Figures etc too small and unclear. Adding additional slides that are not in the lecture notes.
What do they want more of? • Provide PowerPoint's as a handout or on moodle before • Ask questions at the end of lecture • More visual aids • Make lectures more interactive, work as groups to answer questions • Videos! • Online quizzes • Further reading sources • Have a visual and attractive PowerPoint so it doesn’t look boring