1. DIFFERENTIATION
PRESENTATION
READING COMPREHENSION FOR STUDENT’S WITH THE
LEARNING DIFFICULTY [LD] OF DYSLEXIA
Deborah Boylen
This session will look at specific reading levels in the IEPL range Years 7-9. It will then look at strategies to
support students where reading is a challenge. Would be a great session for any learning area, where
reading literacy is important.

2. DEBORAH BOYLEN
Primary Teacher teach Secondary School.
Masters in Education, in Learning Difficulties.
Started at Holy Cross College [HCC] in 2012, Year 7, Year 8,
Religious Education, English, Humanities and Big Ideas.
10 years teaching experience, primary and secondary Perth
public and catholic sectors.
Every Student Can Learn and Progress.
Learning Objective: By the end of the presentation you will
know more about Learning Difficulties [LD] such as Dyslexia.
You will have a deeper understanding of how students learn to
read and some teaching strategies for assisting student with
their reading comprehension.

3. LEARNING DIFFICULTIES &
LEARNING DISABILITIES
Student’s with Learning Difficulties have, an “unexpected and persistent learning
problems…,” furthermore it refers to “students struggling to develop skills in
literacy and/or numeracy.”
Learning Disabilities means students have, “difficulty in specific areas of
academic achievement as a result of an underlying neurodevelopmental disorder.”
These students have difficulties in processing information, they do not respond to
intervention in expected ways, their disability is lifelong.
Reference: (WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation. 2014).

4. PERCENTAGE OF AUSTRALIAN
STUDENTS WITH A LEARNING
DIFFICULTY OR DISABILITY
Approximately 3-5 % of
students have a learning
difficulty which is unlikely
to be diagnosed, “a
factor that will potentially
disadvantage them, both
during their school years
and beyond.”
Reference: (WA, DSF
Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation.
2014).

5. LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Students with Learning
Difficulties “have the
potential to achieve at
age-appropriate levels
once provided with
programs that
incorporate appropriate
support and evidence-
based instruction.”
• Reference: (WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation. 2014).
FACT FILE: Many girls with LD may go
under the radar or are unidentified.
FACT FILE: 1 in every 2 students with LD,
receive a suspension or expulsion.
Reference: (“National center for learning disabilities,” 2016)

6. DATA ANALYSIS
• Learning Objective: Use the Data to group students according to their Reading
Age.
• Choose a class in Year 7, 8 or 9.
• Analyse the data into Reading Age groups.
6 - 7
Years
8 - 9
Years
10 -11
Years
12 -13
Years
14 -16
Years

7. WHY DO SOME
CHILDREN NOT LEARN TO READ?
• Intellectual disability
• Memory factors
• Poor health,
• Vision or hearing impairment,
• Language difficulty -ESL,
• Poor phonological skills
• Poor teaching
• Severe behavioural,
• Psychological and emotional issues,
• Absenteeism,
Reference: (Konza, 2006) & (WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation.
2014).
Inadequate
development of
reading skills such
as phonics,
phonological
awareness.
Starts to struggles,
loses interest in
reading.
Does not want to
read, does not
develop fluency,
vocabulary.
All subjects are
affected by
increased
difficulty in
reading.
Misbehavior
occurs due to
feeling of failure.
Reading
difficulties affect
school
achievement,
engagement, self
esteem and life.
The Matthew
Effect: Cycle of
Failure
The rich get richer
and the poor get
poorer.

8. DEBORAH BOYLEN
Primary Teacher teach Secondary School.
Masters in Education, in Learning Difficulties.
Started at Holy Cross College [HCC] in 2012, Year 7, Year 8,
Religious Education, English, Humanities and Big Ideas.
10 years teaching experience, primary and secondary Perth
public and catholic sectors.
Every Student Can Learn and Progress.
Learning Objective: By the end of the presentation you will
know more about Learning Difficulties [LD] such as Dyslexia.
You will have a deeper understanding of how students learn to
read and some teaching strategies for assisting student with
their reading comprehension.

9. RECAP: PART A
• Looked at reading age data of students in your
class.
• Life Support/Student Tracking/Middle School/Year
7,8,9 Data 2016 Term 3.
• Lively discussion on ratio of reading ranges within the
class and the Matthew Effect.
• Listened to a dyslexic boy read and discussed Neale
Analysis which in a Running Record of the student’s
reading.

10. RECAP: PART B
• Success Criteria:
• Participate in a Running Record Activity.
• View and Share different teaching strategies for different levels of reading
intervention.
• If time share a successful work sample.

12. NEALE ANALYSIS READING EXAMPLE
Neale Analysis FORMAL TESTING STARTS
Bird (Level 1)
A bird hopped up to my window. I gave her some bread. She made a nest in my garden. Now I look after her little ones. [26 words.]
Road Safety (Level 2)
Ken stopped on his way to school. In the middle of the traffic lay two children. Their bicycles had crashed into each other. Ken ran quickly to help.
He saw that no-one was hurt. The children pointed to a television camera. “We are taking part in a road safety lesson,” they said. [52 words]
Ali (Level 3)
As Ali sheltered in an old temple, his shoulder knocked a secret spring. [kept going.] Instantly, he was thrown into an underground room. In the
darkness the walls seemed to be covered with jewels. Ali rested awhile. He knew that desert travellers often imagined strange things. Later, he
explored the place for a way the escape. To his amazement, the jewels were still there. He had found a palace that ^ had been buried long ago. [73
words]
Kells (Level 4)
Skipper Kells buckled on his diving belt of metal weights and dropped from the launch. Jan supervised his air hose to prevent tangling. Leo,
following the bubbles, guided the dinghy above the diver as he searched the mysterious underwater world. Kells surfaced frequently clutching
crayfish. The required number of specimens was almost obtained when the grey nurse shark advanced directly towards him. Kells retreated
cautiously without signaling for assistance. The creature brushed by, ignoring him, as baby sharks emerged from some rocky groves. Their welfare
was more important to the shark than the diver’s now motionless figure. [96 words]

14. ACCELERATED READER [AR]
INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL
• Students do a STAR Reading test
• Provide Reading AGE.
• Instructional Level Books [Zone of
Proximal Development, Vygotsky]
• When reading students know between
94%-97% of the words.
• Less than 94% Frustration level cannot
comprehend.
• More than 97% too easy not
progressing.

15. Reference: (WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation, 2014).

16. JACK’S ISLAND PARAGRAPH
BY NORMAN JORGENSEN.
Second Wave Intervention: Small Group level.

17. YEAR 7 NOVEL STUDY JACK’S ISLAND
Term 3 Week 1-5 [3 lessons a week]
ü Read to Year 7 students because the reading level is
approximately 12 Years of age.
ü Explained difficult words.
ü If absent SIRI read to them.
ü Summarised chapters for homework.

18. WORKSHOP
Objective: Set up SIRI on your iPad and or iPhone. Get SIRI type for you and get SIRI to read to
you.
Speech to Text - A Speak button will appear when you select text. NOTE: You need the internet
for this to work. Settings, General, Accessibility, Speech, Speak Selection, Voice [choose
Language], Speaking Rate [Turtle or Hare], Highlight Content.
Text to Speech - Allows you to have SIRI read to you. Setting, General, Keyboards, Enable
Dictation, or Setting, General, SIRI, SIRI.
Assistive Technology, “enhances differentiated instructional strategies and can provide
the learner with the necessary learning support” (Gargiulo, 2009, p. 166).
“Teachers who do not take advantage of technology are limiting their teaching in terms of
pedagogy.” (Boyle, 2010, p. 377).

19. • Students should plan for all six questions.
• The questions are:
• Explain one thing you have learnt about a character in the orientation of the extended
narrative you have read.
• Explain how one aspect of characterisation has helped you understand the personality
of a character in an extended narrative you have read.
• Explain how setting helps create a particular mood or atmosphere in the extended
narrative you have read.
• Explain why you think a particular event is the climax of the extended narrative you have
read.
• Explain how the extended narrative you have read would be classified as belonging to
the bildungsroman genre.
• Explain the plot structure of the extended narrative you have read using vocabulary
from Freytag’s pyramid.
NORMAL QUESTIONS FOR ASSESSMENT

20. MODIFIED QUESTIONS FOR ASSESSMENT
• In the extended narrative Novel Jack’s Island explain who is your favourite
character. Why?
• Explain how characterisation has helped you understand the personality of
a character in the extended narrative Jack’s Island.
• Explain how setting [Rottnest Island/World War] helps make Jack’s Island an
interesting novel.

21. YEAR 8 NOVEL STUDY: MIDDLE
SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL
Instead of

22. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
•When faced with reading high level text
[frustration level] which is also a large volumes
of text in a whole class situation.
•Reading Age 13 Years or above.
•How many students will be UNABLE to
comprehend the text?
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.

23. YEAR 7 RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION

25. YEAR 7 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
• When faced with
reading high level
text which is also
a large volumes
of text.
• Condense the
information into a
keynote.
• You can show a
visual document,
[If you cannot find
one, make it].
• Disciplinary
Literacy
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.

26. DISCIPLINARY LITERACY
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.
To improve reading comprehension.
Reference: From
Shanahan and
Shanahan (2008) p
44, cited in (Gambrell,
& Morrow, 2014) p
151.

27. 1. CLOSE READING:
READING
Prior to reading, establish the purpose of the reading, is it;
• sheer pleasure, to find an idea, technical information, (reading strategy, skim and scan
techniques),
• or to appreciate a worldview, or to learn a subject (reading strategy, close reading
techniques).
CLOSE READING STRATEGY: Use short passage of text.
• Prior to reading front load with semantic knowledge or background knowledge.
• Allow students to read passage once through themselves,
• Alternatively the teacher reads while students read along,
• Alternatively listen to an audio recording.
• Next annotate the text, define unknown words, reread [see next slide].
(Gambrell, & Morrow, 2014).
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.
Disciplinary Literacy

28. 1. CLOSE READING:
ANNOTATIONS
Schoolwide annotation practices, derived from the work of Adler and
Van Doren (1972) include:
• Underline keywords or main ideas using a pen, pencil or highlighter
[or on the iPad try the Notability app].
• Circle keywords or phases that are perplexing.
• Write and question with a question mark near sections you are
curious about.
• Include an exclamation mark (!) next to sections that are unexpected
or interesting.
• NOTE: through this process students are repeatedly reading and
gaining a deeper understanding of the text.
(Gambrell, & Morrow, 2014).
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.
Disciplinary Literacy
Notability allows you to
highlight in various pen
thicknesses and
colours, type text,
create pdfs and replays
notes. (Labs, 2016)

29. 2. DISCUSSION –QUESTIONING
Students need to contribute their knowledge to the class. Class discussion needs to
make students accountable. Teachers are facilitators that guide discussions.
Michaels and colleagues (2010) “recommend that teachers use the following conversational
moves to promote accountable talk and avoid regressing to a, chalk and talk session,” p 27–32.
Marking “That’s an important
point.”
Building on prior knowledge
“How does this connect?”
Keeping the channels open
“Did everyone hear that?”
Keeping everyone together
“Who can repeat?”
Challenging students “What
do you think?”
Verifying and clarifying “So,
are you saying?”
Pressing for accuracy “Where
can we find that?”
Linking contributions “Who
wants to add on?”
Pressing for reasoning “Why do
you think that?”
Expanding reasoning “Take
your time; say more.”
Recapping “What have we
discovered?”
(Gambrell, & Morrow, 2014).
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level Disciplinary Literacy

30. 3. DISCUSSION: TEXT DEPENDENT
QUESTIONS
Text-dependent questions cause students to engage in rereading,
that will deepen comprehension.
Shanahan (2013)suggests questions can focus on,
• What does the text say? General understandings and key
details.
• How does the text work? Structure and vocabulary.
• What does the text mean? Author’s purpose, inferencing
across the text: intertextual connections:
(Gambrell, & Morrow, 2014).
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.
Disciplinary Literacy

31. 4. WRITING WITH EVIDENCE
After note taking, summarizing and identifying
the main idea through Close Reading and
Questioning.
Write to inform, explain or persuade.
Transform the text onto a graphic organiser
• Venn diagrams,
• concept maps,
• semantic webs,
• compare-and-contrast charts,
• cause-and-effect charts, etc
NOTE: This allows students to create visual
representations of what they have read.
(Gambrell, & Morrow, 2014).
iPad Apps
Tools 4 Students
(Services, 2014)
iMindMap HD
(Limited, 2015)
First Wave Intervention: Classroom level.
Disciplinary Literacy

32. WORK SAMPLES
• Jaxon: Reading Age: 9:11 Years -10:11 Years
• Have you got a work sample you would like to share?
9:11 10:11

33. TEACHING STRATEGIES THAT
IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR ALL
• High expectations: goal theory, scaffolds, feedback [alternate modes –audio, videos]
• Ensure access to curriculum: ebooks, Assistive Technology [AT], additional time,
glossaries, summaries, range of tasks to choose from.
• Reduce task into small chucks: peer modelling, examples of finished work, chuck work.
• Teach to Mastery: Direct and explicit instruction, whole class, small group
• Support scaffolding: Teacher modelling, checklists, AT spell checker, feedback.
• Two way feedback: marking rubrics, oral feedback, asks students lessons and feedback
effective.
• Revisit, repeat, reinforce: vary teaching styles methods, rehearsal of tasks, practice, check
for understanding.
• Differentiate assessments: extra modes and time. (WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation.
2014).

34. 1.4. SUGGESTED READINGS &
RESOURCES
Book: WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation. (2014). Understanding Learning Difficulties – A Practical Guide: DSF Literacy Services.
Book: Konza, D. (2006). Teaching children with reading difficulties. (2nd Ed.). South Melbourne: Thomson.
Book: Gambrell, L. & Morrow,L. (2014). Best practices in literacy instruction. (5th Ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

35. FUTURE FOCUS
I have researched dyslexia and
other learning difficulties, inclusive
classrooms, student engagement
in relation to boys in education,
assistive technology especially
with iPads, the learning
management systems to assist
students engagement and the
teaching cycle: Google
Classroom, SEQTA, iTune U.
I would like to look into Google
Docs and Disciplinary Literacy.
I

36. REFERENCES
Boyle, J., & Scanlon, D. (2010). Methods and strategies for teaching students with mild
disabilities: A case-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Clearinghouse, W. W. (2014). What works clearinghouse students with learning
disabilities program description 1 improvement index (percentile points) outcome
domain rating of effectiveness average range number of studies number of students
extent of evidence writing potentially pos. Retrieved from
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/intervention_reports/wwc_spelling_mastery_012814.
pdf
Gambrell, L. & Morrow,L. (2014). Best practices in literacy instruction. (5th Ed.). New
York: Guilford Press.
Gargiulo, R. M., & Metcalf, D. J. (2009). Teaching in today's inclusive classrooms: A
universal design for learning approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

37. REFERENCES
Ken, R. (2008, July 3). Teaching reading. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from Teaching and
Learning and Leadership, http://research.acer.edu.au/tll_misc/5/
Konza, D. (2006). Teaching children with reading difficulties. (2nd Ed.). South
Melbourne: Thomson.
Labs, G. (2016, March 17). Notability on the App store. Retrieved March 19, 2016, from
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/notability/id360593530?mt=8
Limited, T. (2015, October 26). IMindMap HD on the App store. Retrieved March 12,
2016, from https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/imindmap-hd/id479181299?mt=8
Luke, A. (2003). Making literacy policy with a difference. Australian Journal of
Language and Literacy, 26(3), 58-82.

38. REFERENCES
McDonald, T. (2010). Classroom Management: Engaging Students in Learning. South
Melbourne, Vic: OUP Australia and New Zealand.
Member’s of the National Reading Panel. (1998). Eunice Kennedy Shiver National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Health Research throughout the
lifespan. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/Pages/report.aspx
MultiLit. (2016). Retrieved March 12, 2016, from
http://www.multilit.com/programs/reading-tutor-program/
National center for learning disabilities. (2016). Retrieved March 6, 2016, from
http://www.ncld.org
Rose, J. (2006, March 01). Independent review of the teaching of early reading.
Retrieved March 11, 2016, from http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/5551/2/report.pdf

39. REFERENCES
Services, M. L. (2014, June 23). Tools 4 students 2 on the App store. Retrieved March 12,
2016, from https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/tools-4-students-2/id645375072?mt=8
Tasha Cullingham (2013). Teaching the Dyslexic brain Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwTUTCDVgSQ
WA, DSF Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation. (2014). Understanding Learning Difficulties – A
Practical Guide: DSF Literacy Services.
Zolfagharifard, E. (2015, June 6). Take the reading test that shows you what it’s like to
be dyslexic. Daily Mail. Retrieved from
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3112756/Take-reading-test-shows-s-
like-dyslexic-Font-recreate-frustration-felt-condition.html