Transcript Dyspraxia workshop

Dyspraxia
Developmental Coordination Disorder
Judy Turner
Ros Lehany
Content of Session
• What is dyspraxia?
• What impact might dyspraxia have on
students?
• How do we identify dyspraxia in
assessment?
• Support & recommendations
How might it feel to have
dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia Definitions
• DSM-IV (2004) -DCD
• STEC Dyspraxia in draft
NHS Direct definition of
dyspraxia
Dyspraxia = difficulty with actions
• Dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder, is a disability that affects
movement and co-ordination. It is thought to be
caused by a disruption in the way messages
from the brain are transmitted to the body.
• Dyspraxia is characterised by difficulty in
planning smooth, co-ordinated movements.
NHS Direct (continued)
This leads to:
• Clumsiness
• Lack of co-ordination
• Problems with language, perception and thought
(NHS Direct, 2011).
Additional Difficulties
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Sequencing movements & actions
Organisation and Time Management
Multitasking
Word finding /articulatory difficulties
Time & space perception
Turn taking in conversation (not ASD)
Self confidence
Mental health problems
In adults
• Motor difficulties often resolve over time
• Or not• 9 out of 10 children with dyspraxia have
difficulties as an adult (NHS Direct 2011)
• Dyspraxic people may avoid sport … or
may become professional dancers
Horrible slow handwriting
More …
Horrible fast handwriting
Messy margins
Iceberg analogy
The motor
difficulties are just
the tip of the
iceberg.
The underlying
cognitive difficulties
persist beneath the
surface
Co-morbidity
Dyspraxia is often found in students who
also have:
• Dyslexia
• ADHD
• Specific Language Disorders – receptive
or expressive
• Aspergers syndrome
What impact might dyspraxia have on your
students’ academic studies?
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essay writing
exam preparation
lecture note making
participating in seminars
time management
general organisation
Case studies
Case Study 1
• Joe -22 year old 3rd year student of Politics
• History of underachievement at school
• Extra help with handwriting in Junior
school
• 1st time assessment
• Arrived an hour early so as not to be late
Joe -Academic difficulties
Difficulties with:
• Time management
• All coursework late
• Reading takes a long time – he does not know
when to stop
• Planning essays v. difficult – fails to answer the Q
• Spends more time working than friends
• Taking lecture notes
• Contributing in seminars
• Revision and TM in exams
Case Study 2
• Jess -20 year old 2nd year student of
Contemporary Dance
• Problems with maths. Three grade As at A
level.
• First assessment. Brother is severely
dyspraxic
• Experienced difficulties in the first year –
self referred
Jess -Academic difficulties
Difficulties with:
• Organisation
• Always loses papers, documents, things
• Misses appointments and tutorials
• Time management
• Structuring essays ‘impossible’
• Misjudges time tasks will take
• Explaining herself clearly and fluently
But recognised as a very able student who
produces high class work …eventually
Joe & Jessica….Dyspraxia?
or are they just students with ……
•Inappropriate strategies for his
academic work
•A tendency to procrastinate
•Studying the wrong subject
•Not very able
•Not trying hard enough
etc?
Results- literacy & IQ
• Joe & Jess - above average at reading &
spelling
• Joe - slow handwriting for all tasks
Jess – average speed but largely illegible
handwriting
• Joe - superior verbal ability & average to
low average performance ability
Jess – above average verbal and visual
ability
Jess- Specialist teacher report
• Above average phonological
awareness
• Above average Reading Efficiency
• Weak information processing speed
• Weak working memory
• Weak Rapid Naming
Questionnaire
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Fine motor skills
Gross motor skills
Multitasking
Organisation & Time management
Spatial and temporal difficulties
Speech difficulties
Enough evidence for dyspraxia:
difficulties with fine and gross
motor coordination,
organisation, multitasking,
spatial & temporal difficulties
A dyspraxic dancer?
….has particular skills and strengths in performing
dance. Whilst there is no proven link between
specific learning difficulties and creative talents it
is clear that many dyslexic and dyspraxic adults
have strong skills in these areas. Dyspraxic
students who focus on dance or gymnastics and
who practise at a very high level can succeed in
dramatically improving their coordination skills;
however the cognitive characteristics of
dyspraxia – difficulties with planning,
organisation, temporal and spatial perception will always remain
Definition?
• Existing definitions are often too unspecific
or too precise
• We need something that is helpful with a
student population - STEC
• One way to achieve this is to work
backwards from the known difficulties
Is it dyspraxia? (1)
• Rule out neurological conditions that cause the
same difficulties e.g. cerebral palsy and minor
neurological dysfunction
• Not just slow or untidy handwriting
• Need to perform a full Educational Assessment
of reading, writing, spelling, general intellectual
ability
• Lots of samples of handwriting– Copying – visual component
– Dictation - multitasking
– Free writing- word finding +
Is it dyspraxia (2)
• Developmental history – triangulate & ask
a parent (?)
• Morrisby Manual Dexterity Test (1998) –
test of coordination
• Beery VMI
• Dyspraxia questionnaire
What next?
Looking at these two examples
• what recommendations might you make
as an identifying assessor?
• what might be the focus of 1:1 support?
Academic adjustments
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Mentor
Extra time
Computer in exams
Handouts before lectures
Stickers
Recording lectures
Specialist 1:1 support
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Time management of tasks
Structuring of tasks
Planning of academic writing
Verbal presentation skills