Medical/Social Models of Dyslexia

1. Medical/Social Models of Dyslexia An Examination of Professional Practice Training Delivered During CPD Week at Tower Hamlets College, London July 2011 Trainer: Onyenachi Ada Ajoku-Christopher

2. Reflection • As professionals in the area of learning support, to what extent does our knowledge of the social and medical models of disability/dyslexia directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously influence the way we deliver support to our dyslexic learners?

3. As Professionals What Does Dyslexia Mean To You? • Dyslexia: a label • Dyslexia : a condition • Dyslexia: an experience • Dyslexia: a disability • Dyslexia: a difference • Dyslexia: a problem

4. The Big Debate on Acceptable/Unacceptable Expressions • People suffering from dyslexia • People who have dyslexia • People who experience dyslexia • People who are dyslexic • Dyslexic person

5. Student Comments Showing Negative Perceptions of Dyslexia • ‘Is there a cure?’ • ‘I don’t want to be dyslexic’ • ‘So, I am stupid then’ • ‘My friends will make fun of me’ • ‘I don’t want to continue with the assessment because I don’t want to be dyslexic’ • ‘I am not normal’ • ‘I know something is wrong with my brain’ • ‘Something is wrong with me’

6. ‘I Am Dyslexic…’ (Dr Ross Cooper Video Extract)A Positive Outlook on Being Dyslexic • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaPWfueDLeY&feature=player_detailpage

7. Food for Thought • What strategies do you as professionals suggest we employ to change negative perceptions of dyslexia among our students? • To what extent should emotional support/supportive counselling and empowerment (outside the parameters of coursework) be part of the service we offer our dyslexic learners?

8. Perceptions of Disability/Difference

9. The Impact of Disability Definitions and Societal Understanding of Disability on Learning Support • Every disability/difference is unique hence the reason for diverse definitions which reflect the understanding of each type of disability, which invariably impact on learning support provision. • Disability definitions and societal perceptions of disability could create a great impact on the way learning support provision is addressed in educational settings.

10. The Impact of Disability Definitions and Societal Understanding of Disability on Learning Support • Perceptions of disability and the definitions assigned them have strong implications for funding for learning support. • It could be argued that disability policy is a reflection of how policy makers and individuals in society understand disability.

11. The Impact of Disability Definitions and Societal Understanding of Disability on Learning Support • Disability rights activists play a great role in the cyclical modification of conceptions and definitions of disability. This has great significance in the way learning support provision is addressed.

12. Definition of Dyslexia: a Generic Understanding • Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the word level and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. (British Psychological Society, 1999)

13. Definition of Dyslexia: an In-depth View • “Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language related skills. It is likely to be present at birth and to be lifelong in its effects. It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities. It tends to be resistant to conventional teaching methods, but its effects can be mitigated by appropriately specific intervention, including the application of information technology and supportive counselling.”(British Dyslexia Association)

14. Definition of Dyslexia: a Social Model Approach • “We would argue that dyslexia is an experience that arises out of natural human diversity on the one hand and a world on the other where the early learning of literacy, and good personal organisation and working memory is mistakenly used as a marker of ‘intelligence’. The problem here is seeing difference incorrectly as ‘deficit’.” (Cooper, 2006) • The social model advocates difference and neuro-diversity.

15. The Social Model of Dyslexia (Dr Ross Cooper Video Extract) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09XvIBLK8OQ

16. The Social Model Do you have a longer straw? Source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/l/long_neck.asp

17. Definition of Dyslexia: a Medical Model Approach • Dyslexia is a neurological problem of genetic origin which makes the acquisition of language skills extremely difficult. The term is Greek in origin and literally means "difficulty with language". The condition is sometimes referred to as word blindness, word deafness, specific language based disability, developmental dyslexia and mirror reading. (The GOW School for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities) • The medical model holds that the problem is located within the individual.

18. Source: http://www.ddsg.org.uk/taxi/images/medical-model.gif

19. Reflection • Both the medical and social models of disability and dyslexia have made profound contributions to disability debates. Many past and present support practices, have been and still are built on the understanding of these models. • What is your personal/professional take on each of the models? • Which would you advocate for? • To what extent could it be argued that our view of dyslexia i.e. disability or difference, has implications for the way support is offered to our learners?

20. References • British Dyslexia Association (n.d). Available at: http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/further-information/dyslexia-research-information-.html [Accessed July 2011] • British Psychological Society (1999). British Psychological Society (1999: reprinted 2005) Dyslexia, Literacy and Psychological Assessment: Report by the Working Party of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology of the British psychological Society, BPS, Leicester • Cooper, R. (2010). The Social Model of Dyslexia [Online video] 2010. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09XvIBLK8OQ [Accessed July 2011]. • Cooper, R. (2010). On Being Dyslexic [Online video] 2010. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaPWfueDLeY&feature=player_detailpage [Accessed July 2011]. • Cooper, R. (2006). A Social Model of Dyslexia. London South Bank University. • The GOW School for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities (2009). FAQ’s About Dyslexia. Available at: http://www.gow.org/page.cfm?p=343 [Accessed July 2011].